Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
I pause for a moment.
“Have you told Flora you want to stop?”
Barron shoots me a look.
“Multiple times,” he rasps. “But she always finds some way to start up again, and I guess this time, it had some serious repercussions. It ruined my relationship with you.”
“It did,” I nod with a serious expression. “Almost.”
Barron looks hopeful then.
“So you mean—”
“Yes. I forgive you, Barron. Living in a group home while protecting a little girl must have been difficult. I understand that Flora’s under your skin in a way that’s incomprehensible to another person, but I’m glad you see what’s wrong with the situation. And so long as you stop, then you and me are okay.”
The handsome man stares at me.
“You mean it?”
I nod.
“I do. I love you, Barron Colgate, with all your foibles and idiosyncrasies. We all have them, and I guess yours are just as strange and incomprehensible as anyone else’s. Well actually, they’re pretty understandable in this situation.”
Barron takes my hands then, his blue eyes flashing.
“I promise I’ll make it up to you Dani. I love you and appreciate this second chance,” he says in a fervent tone. “I swear that it’ll never happen again.”
“Good,” I say in a gentle voice, my eyes softening. “Because I’ve missed you so much. These past months have been absolutely awful without you. I’ve been working as a maid again—”
With that, the handsome man cuts me off as he sweeps me into his arms.
“You’ll never have to work again, much less as a member of the housekeeping staff at the Hotel Nova,” he growls against my lips. “You’re mine now, and no woman of mine has to do anything she doesn’t want.”
The alpha male’s possession makes me go warm inside as I smile into the bright blue determination of his eyes.
“Do you promise?”
“I promise,” he rasps. “I love you, Danielle Smythe, and you have my word.”
With that, our lips seal as our hearts beat in unison because this is how things were meant to be. Once upon a time, I was a maid who interrupted a billionaire in the presidential suite as he jousted with two girls. Now, I’m the same maid, in the same suite, and he’s the same billionaire. But the difference is that our hearts and minds have grown together, and I belong to Barron Colgate for real.
EPILOGUE
DANIELLE
Six months later.
“Thank you,” I smile as a cocktail waitress comes by with a platter of complimentary drinks. I take two, before handing both to Barron. “Here, I’m not really in a drinking mood tonight, so you can have mine.”
With a slight shrug, my boyfriend takes both glasses out of my hands and gulps the alcohol down quickly before sending me a tilted smile. “Cheers!”
I giggle and shake my head at him before turning my attention back to the center of the room, where there are a bunch of girls dancing. They slither and gyrate against one another, dressed in nothing but the tiniest bits of lingerie. It’s sexy watching them move, and the male crowd watches with rapt interest.
After all, we’re at an exclusive City Girls event. It’s not exactly what I had in mind for a romantic date, but Barron suggested it. He said Star and Lacy got in touch last week, and offered us VIP tickets. Not only that, but they want to apologize to me for the mix-up because they genuinely thought Barron and Flora were siblings.
“So they know the truth now?” I asked my boyfriend in a wry tone.
He nodded his dark head.
“Yeah, I told them. They weren’t exactly in my inner circle, so I never explained before. But now, the record’s been set straight.”
I suppose I’m looking forward to seeing Star and Lacy again because the mistake was understandable. Still, I have some qualms because Barron and I came so close to ending it due to the misinformation. It was only at the last minute that our relationship was saved, and I should be grateful for that I suppose.
I look around the venue. At least it’s nice. City Girls owns a compound in New York City which looks unremarkable from the outside, but which is decorated like an emperor’s palace within. Currently, we’re ensconced in a fancy lounge with velvet couches, dim lighting, and a small stage up front. The crowd is attractive, consisting mostly of handsome men dressed in dark suits as they watch the girls dance. Hmmm.
Then, I see Star and Lacy make their entrance. They shimmy out from a side door, dressed in nothing but the tiniest of thongs with matching bralettes. Their hands slide over each other’s curves as they begin to gyrate, making eyes at several of the handsome patrons.
“Lacy and Star certainly seem to be having a lot of fun,” I tease, turning to look at Barron again when he grabs my hand. “I think they’re really into their jobs.”