King of Deception: A Secret Billionaire Romance (Billionaire Kings of New York Book 1)

1. Power Moves

one

“Um, Ella?” my colleague, Sam, dipped his head and awkwardly pointed at a spot over my shoulder.

“What?” I breathed as I instinctively turned around, and there he was… “Jude?” I nearly winced. “What are you doing here?”

“Excuse me. I’m just gonna—” Sam’s hand randomly gestured in the air while he walked away as if escaping an impending explosion.

“It’s a wedding,” Jude shrugged. “What, I can’t go to weddings now that we’re broken up?”

In an attempt to put out the raging fire that had taken over my insides, I drew a deep, slow breath. “Fair enough. What’s the groom’s name?”

“I’m on the bride’s side,” he grinned.

“And her name is?”

“Sssmm—Mary?” he narrowed his eyes.

“Linda,” I gritted my teeth.

“Linda! Of course.”

“She’s my CEO’s daughter,” I hissed. “And this is a very important evening for me.”

“And I’m happy to help in whatever way you—”

“Help? You’re distracting me! Besides, how do you think it’s gonna look if they think that I invited my ex-boyfriend?”

“That you’re giving us a second chance?”

“I’m not.” Pulling him by the wrist, I marched toward one of the massive ballroom doors. “And you need to leave.”

“Not before you agree to lunch tomorrow.”

“I’m not having lunch with you.”

“Then I’m not leaving,” he calmly smiled, pulling his hand free.

“How can you be so callous? Do you know how many people at my level got invited to this thing?” I enunciated, “Zero. None. This is a big deal for me, Jude!”

“Well, the Director of Finance must have finally recognized your potential then.”

“It’s because, for the last six months, I’ve been well-rested and working with a clear mind,” I snapped from between my teeth.

“That really hurts my feelings, Ella,” he tilted his head with an injured expression on his face.

I wished I could have punched him.

“Ella, there you are!” Mr. Johnson, Director of Finance of my company, approached with a smile and two glasses of champagne, handing me one. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” he then looked at Jude and his designer suit.

“Oh, he was just about to—”

“Jude Thomas,” he grinned and shook my boss’ boss’ hand, despite the terrified widening of my eyes.

“Paul Johnson, pleasure.” Seemingly confused, Mr. Johnson turned to me and whispered, “I thought you said—”

“I did, and it’s true.” I grabbed Jude’s arm once again. “Will you excuse us? Just a sec.”

As I hastily dragged Jude out of the venue, I angrily mumbled swear words from under my breath. I had only been here an hour but had already downed three glasses of champagne in an attempt to calm my nerves. My presence at this wedding was solely aimed at networking and making an impression on our CEO. Yet, here I was, struggling to squeeze my ex-boyfriend out of my life.

“Ella, wha—”

“Now listen, you prick,” I hissed as I turned to him, wagging a finger in his face. “It’s been six whole months, and I can’t believe we’re back here. And tonight of all nights—”

“Ella?” My boss’ voice startled me, prompting me to hastily plaster a smile on my face as I turned around.

“Jack! I’m right here.”

“Where’ve you been?” He quickly nodded at Jude. “It’s time for a group photo.”

“Go, sweetheart,” Jude forged a humble gaze. “I’ll find you later.”

Dear God.

As I let my boss lead me back inside for the picture, my stomach turned, and I felt momentarily dizzy. Why was this happening to me? It wasn’t like I was the prettiest woman Jude had ever been with, nor was I the most exciting. In fact, he and I didn’t share much aside from good sex. And as much as I knew how highly men valued that, I simply couldn’t believe that sex alone was the reason behind his perseverance.

“You’re breaking up with me? You can’t seriously mean that!” he exclaimed over six months ago.

“But I do, Jude. This can’t work. I’m twenty-eight years old now, and I shouldn’t have to settle, just because it’s easier than breaking up.”

“Is that really why you’re leaving me now? Or is there someone else?”

“Oh my God, Jude! This is exactly what I’m talking about!” I yelled. “For a successful Wall Street broker who happens to also look like a fucking model? You’re wildly insecure!”

“Insecure?” he shouted before smirking and snorting, belittling me. “You call my love for you insecurity?”

“Who told you that this is love? It’s possessiveness, Jude, and it’s crazy!”

“You know what’s crazy?” he started tossing the living room cushions around, one by one. “Every fucking word that’s coming out of your mouth right now!”

“Why? Just because the universe bestowed this great gift that is you upon me? C’mon!”

“You have no idea how much you’re hurting me right now, Ella,” he angrily threw another cushion, and it hit the television set, making me wince and automatically recoil. “You’re fucking cruel!”

“And you need to get a grip!” I screamed, placing both hands on the sides of my head. “I can’t live like this! Tiptoeing around you, God forbid I say something you don’t like, and you turn the apartment into a fucking war zone!”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled, pushing forward his chest in a primal gesture that I never appreciated. “Right, it’s not like I’m the one who pays the maid every time she comes around.”

“You’re such an asshole.” I took a step back, knowing that my words would anger him more.

“And you’re an entitled bitch who’s taking the best thing that’s ever happened to her for fucking granted! Fuck you!”

“Not anymore.” Fueled by fury and slightly offended by his insinuation that I was somehow using him for money, I turned around and grabbed the packed bag that I had strategically placed behind the bedroom door. “This shouldn’t be too hard, then.” I marched toward the door, and he caught me by the arm in an excruciatingly tight grip.

“You can’t live without me, and you know it,” he hissed in my ear.

“No? Well, I think I did fine for my first twenty-six years.” Yanking my arm free, I hastened my steps and stormed out, slamming the door behind me.

“Champagne for the shot?” The waiter’s voice brought me back to the present moment, and when I looked around me, everyone amongst whom I stood held a full glass. To really sell a celebratory pose, I quickly grabbed a flute and pushed aside my hip, grinning before the camera’s flash blinded me.

“Congratulations, Mr. Engelbert,” I finally got close enough to speak with the CEO. “Such a wonderful ceremony.”

“Oh, thank you, Emma.”

“El—Ella, Danny,” Mr. Johnson quickly corrected him. “Ella Rose Boraine; the brightest young mind in my department today.”

“Women say it’s so hard for them out there,” Jude had once said over dinner with friends. “But honestly? If you’re pretty and you know how to use that, you’re golden!”

The memory—once again—caused my insides to contract, so I took another sip of champagne.

Just as the conversation ended and as if to rescue me from pointlessly hovering like a dork, Jude appeared out of nowhere. “There you are,” he exhaled as though in relief. “Your cheeks are so flushed. Are you happy to see me?”

Staring into his eyes, I felt the elevated alcohol levels in my blood push my confidence up by a notch. “Read my lips.” I articulated, “Drinking. To. Forget.”

He shook his head without losing the smug smirk on his face, pressing his chest against my shoulder as he slid his arm around my waist. “You know very well that that bratty attitude turns me on.”

“And you know that now… I am officially drunk,” I challenged him with my eyes while my hand pushed him away. “Are you really gonna force yourself on an inebriated woman?”

“You’re putting me in a tough situation, honey. You know you’re sexiest when you drink.”

An expression of disgust turned the corners of my lips upside down as I blinked repeatedly, studying his face. “Are you listening to yourself?”

“My honesty can be shocking, I know. But there was a time when you reveled in it.”

“Well, people change,” I enunciated.

“Thank you, everyone, for being here tonight…” Mr. Engelbert’s voice rang through the microphone.

“Shush.” I took a step forward, paying attention to our CEO as he began his toast.

“Since when do you care?” Jude complained. “It’s not like it’s a company speech!”

“Shush!” I drew it out, turning to him with wide eyes.

“You can’t imagine…” Mr. Engelbert continued.

“Oh, please,” Jude mocked.

My head was buzzing. So many people with their lips sealed to give Engelbert the respect he deserved on his daughter’s big night. Except for Jude—my impromptu plus one.

What a disaster.

Another waiter passed. Another tray of liquor. Another glass in my hand. And down it went, drowning my embarrassment deeper under layers of alcohol and helplessness.

I had mistakenly thought that by breaking up with Jude, he would be out of the picture by now. Instead, I’d been unpleasantly surprised by his sporadic bouts of possessiveness every time the whim hit him.

Unable to take another minute of his juvenile behavior, I turned around with the wrath of the world in my eyes. “Shut up,” I whispered from between my teeth. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but seriously, shut your fucking mouth and let me be!”

“Ella, you’re—”

Angrily downing the last sip of still cool champagne, I squeezed my eyes shut and hissed, “I’ve fucking had it with you! Don’t you get it? What you’re doing is the opposite of pride.” Pushing my face forward, I left nothing but a slither of space between us, letting him feel my breath on his skin. “Have some dignity, Jude, and walk away before I cause a scene.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” his lips turned with revolted anger. “Not tonight. Not right here.”

“And I can’t express in words how happy I am that my Lily and Ewan are…” Mr. Engelbert’s toast never seemed to end, making me lose the last trace of focus I had left.

“I fucking hate you!” I raised my voice at Jude just enough for the people around us to turn and stare in visible disapproval.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another waiter walk past my shoulder, so I quickly placed the empty glass in his hand, readying to move away from Jude. Jude’s eyebrows suddenly shot up, and I turned to look beside me at the set of fingers frozen in the air, clasping the glass. My gaze then rose to the waiter’s face, and as if all my anger had boiled up to the point of no return, I grunted, “Why don’t you take a fucking picture? It’ll last longer.”

Turning away, I pinched the fabric of my long dress with both hands, hiking it up just enough for me to rush through the still bodies without tripping.

“Ella? Ella Rose! Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Jude’s voice barely made it through the mumbles of the crowd surrounding us.

My night was ruined. The aim of my coming here was slowly dissolving into one big mush of failure. I was petrified and needed to disappear, if only for a while until Engelbert was done talking.

As my hurried steps worked against time and my impossibly high heels, I searched for the nearest exit; it was one leading out to a terrace. Avoiding eye contact with anyone I encountered, I sped out and closed my eyes, throwing back my head as the fresh air finally filled my nostrils.

If only Jude would let me go, then my career wouldn’t be the collateral damage of his pathetic little power play.