My Billionaire Fling by Maci Dillon
SOPHIA
“You proactively stand against sexual harassment in the workplace. How do you expect people to believe your stance now you’ve been openly accused of sleeping with clients?” The question hits me where it hurts.
“Firstly, as I previously mentioned, every accusation recently printed is a blatant lie, and my legal team is taking action against the newspaper as we speak. Gabe and I have been dating for a year, we are engaged, and yes, we are sleeping together.” The audience laughs, allowing me to take a pause and catch my breath.
“However, Gabe Lugreno isn’t, and never has been, a client of Incontro or our sister agency, Heavenly Matches in New York. Therefore, my stance on sexual harassment has not changed, nor should it be viewed that way. I do and always will advocate for women and men who are victims of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sex trafficking.”
“Is there anyone you’re aware of who would take these unsubstantiated claims, as you put it, to the press, and furthermore, what reason would they have to slander your name like this?”
“This is a matter we’re looking into. At this time, we have no information to share but believe me, my team and I will get to the bottom of this.”
A sigh of relief escapes as I step down from the torturous line of questioning Desiree hit me with. The crowd is on their feet. Power to the women who take charge, own their beauty, their success, and don’t apologize for who they are. That’s what they’re really saying as they clap their hands together as I leave the stage.
My first live on-air experience and I killed it. Kudos to Stacy for prepping me so well on every aspect of the interview. The audience appeared to be in favor of suing the newspaper for defamation, and I had no issue publicly broadcasting our intent to do so.
Incontro’s legal team is tasked with serving the documents while I went live on national television. Apparently, suing an individual reporter for not giving up their source can be difficult to hold up in court, but not the newspaper responsible for printing the unsubstantiated lies. We have the money to run them out of the publishing industry for defaming a credible name and potentially ruining my livelihood.
“Gabe.” I smile widely as I approach him, all eyes on us.
“Hello, sweetheart.” He reaches for me and pulls me to him, briefly teasing me with his lips on mine.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper in his ear as I allow him to embrace me.
Being in his arms is hardly problematic, but it’s often easier to pretend I don’t want to be.
“Didn’t want to miss the big moment.” He grins, his gaze roaming the length of my neck and coming to a stop at my cleavage. “Let’s get out of here.”
“I have to go back to the office. My day isn’t nearly over yet.”
“I imagine after that scoop, your phones will be running off the hook with wannabe socialites and less than suitable escort applications.”
“You have no idea.” Since the report about Miguel surfaced, Incontro is the name on every woman’s lips. Everyone wants a chance to date the elite bachelors of London. The problem is, until my team finishes damage control, and I’ve had a chance to personally speak with every client on our books, I’m unprepared to confirm we’ll have need for more escorts.
If the male clients, many who are married and looking for non-sexual dates for business meetings, can’t trust me or the company with their information, they won’t need our services any longer.
Taking my hand, Gabe walks me to his car out front of the studio. “Hop in, I’ll drive you.” He opens the door and ushers me inside.
“Hello, Miss Evans,” Viktor welcomes me from the front seat. “Pleasure to see you again.”
“Likewise, Viktor.”
“I understand we’ll be seeing much more of each other in the future.” He winks, his bright smile lighting up the rearview mirror as Gabe settles into the seat beside me.
“I’ve heard the same rumor. You might be onto something there,” I tease.
Gabe loosens his tie as if he’s allergic to the proximity of his shirt collar around his neck.
“When did you arrive?” I ask, silently wishing I could play hooky and spend the rest of the day in bed with him.
“Earlier this morning, I had some things to take care of at the office before I came to you.”
“You didn’t have to. Be there, I mean.”
“No, I didn’t.” He swivels in his seat to speak to me directly. “But that’s how it’s going to be moving forward.”
His no-bullshit tone makes it difficult to argue, and honestly, it’s the least of my concerns now.
“I was hoping you’d have some time early evening to look at some places I’ve picked out.”
My eyebrows draw together in a frown. “You want me to look at investment properties with you?” This is all too much. On the verge of putting my foot in my mouth, Gabe chokes on a laugh.
“For an intelligent woman, you can be quite daft, you know?”
“Excuse me?” Straightening my back, I roll my shoulders, ready to give him a piece of my daft mind when he launches into a sales pitch about—
“Say again, you lost me.” I zoned out as the blood rushed from my head to my toes.
The air surrounding us becomes heavy with animosity, and I clutch at my throat as if a tyrant has both hands clasped tightly around me, crushing my windpipe.
“Sophia, are you okay? You’re sweating up a storm and lost all your color.”
Nodding, I rummage through my handbag for my calming mist, something I use more for the scent than anything, though I’m in hell of a need of a sedative right now.
“I was saying, I’ve reserved a few times this evening to walk through a suite and penthouse loft, very close to where you are currently.”
Right. “Wouldn’t it be more practical to lease the suite you’re currently in on a long-term basis?”
Gabe sits back, his eyes wide and searching my face as if looking for flaws. He’s shit out of luck there, it’s one thing to enjoy thrift shopping at boutique galleries, but I’ve never skimped a penny on my skin care routine.
“You’d prefer to move into the Palace?”
“What? No. I love my apartment. I was thinking for you, save you the trouble of creating a new home. You’ve been staying in the same place ever since you started coming here.”
The car pulls to the curb outside Incontro, and Gabe shakes his head, his lips twitching as he suppresses a smile. “Thank you for the lift,” I offer as I step out of the vehicle, politely held open by Viktor. I straighten my dress and bend to see Gabe through the open window. “Will I see you tonight?”
“I’ll meet you here at six.”
Gliding through the front door as if I’d single-handedly taken down a lion, I’m met with a room full of staff and colleagues holding champagne glasses. “Congratulations!” they cheer as I meet their alliance with a shocked expression.
My love for these people is bountiful. “Did something happen?” I act as if I don’t understand the cause for celebration. They wouldn’t have it any other way. My colleagues know me better than anyone, even my family, and we’re close.
Kelli laughs. “Boss lady, you killed it on the air today. Our online booking system has crashed three times since the interview ended. We have…” she glances down at her iPad before continuing, “… over eighty new applications for socialites slash escorts, ten new applications for consultants, and fifty-two new elite membership requests.”
If not for the cheering and clapping of hands, you could’ve heard my jaw drop to the floor. “That’s more than our annual growth projections in less than…” I tap my phone to check the time, “… an hour. Holy shit.”
Glancing around the room at my forty-four employees, if they’re all in house, I do something I’ve never done before. “Go home. All of you.” I wave my hand indifferently, and nobody dares to move. I’m met with deranged expressions, concern their fearless leader has lost her marbles.
“Unless you have clients to meet with, I suggest you move on out before I change my mind. Take the afternoon, spend some extra time shopping, take a train to the beach, enjoy your families if you have them. Fully paid.”
Quiet murmurs start at the back of the group as some of them begin to stagger away from the group to gather their belongings.
“Kelli, can I see you before you leave, please?”
“Ah-ha.” She gives me an animated nod as I walk to my office, ignoring those who aren’t quite sure whether to take me seriously.
Once I’m alone with Kelli, I slump into the sofa with a bottle of red wine from my secret wine rack beneath my desk. “On it,” she sings, detouring to the shelves where I keep the glasses and returns with one for each of us.
“Are you okay?”
Concern etches her voice as she overpours each of the glasses.
“A year and a few days ago, I sat in this same office pulling apart reasons to go to lunch with Gabe Lugreno after meeting him at the gala. If I had chosen not to go, none of this would be happening now.”
A selfish thought and one I know to be useless and unproductive, but it’s my thought all the same.
“It’s not his fault, you know. Neither of you has done anything wrong. I don’t think it would matter who you were dating. Some reporters desperate to make a wage will go to extraordinary lengths.”
“Why are you so levelheaded about all this?” I sigh, wishing for once I had Kelli’s outlook on life.
“We’re in this together, Sophia. If it affects you, it affects me. I have no doubt you can handle this. Besides, your business is blowing up. It’s everything you could’ve dreamed of.”
Laughter bubbles within and escapes me, catching us both off guard. “Woman, that’s the best pep talk you can come up with?” Kelli shrugs, and her giggle turns to full-blown laughter as we toast to the craziness that’s my life in the limelight.
Fuck the media.
And fuck Gabe Lugreno.
“Gabe expects us to move in together,” I say after we’ve fallen into a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“Makes sense.”
My head spins to the right, a frown cast over my brow. “Seriously? You too?”
Again, Kelli shrugs. “The declaration has been made, and he’s committed to making it believable. Can’t blame the guy.”
“Hmm.” I’m unsure what to say to this.
“I actually think it’s a sweet gesture, Soph. He wants to do what’s right for you and your reputation.”
“You think I’m being too harsh on him?”
Kelli levels with me, meeting my eyes, “I think you’re being too hard on yourself.”
