And then in a flash, the guy was gone as a new voice sounded from behind me. It was elegant, smooth, and sounded familiar. My body shuddered.
“It feels as if I have been waiting forever to get you here.”
I spun around and tried to hold back my shocked gasp as I took in the man standing there, but it broke free.
“You.”
“Yes, Ruby, it’s me.” He smiled as though I should be pleased, but all I wanted to do was run.
The man was a billionaire. He owned many hotels and resorts that I had modeled for. He’d asked me on numerous occasions to travel with him, to model exclusively for him and his businesses. I, of course, turned him down. There was no way I’d leave my family and he’d given me a bad vibe. I always could see the interest in his eyes, something that was never reciprocated by me.
How stupid I had been.
I’d brushed it all off, hadn’t even thought to look into this guy the night I’d gotten spooked when the whisper had come from behind me not to say no the next time I was asked. Everyone knew this man. He was rich and well-liked by all the ladies, as well as all the men that were around him. And somehow, I never imagined he would do something to jeopardize his business.
He was a man who had come across as if he knew he could have anything he wanted. And at that thought, my stomach chose once again to revolt.
Because the man that stood there wanted me.
All the air left my lungs as I realized that he had enough money to make it happen. He could lock me away like he’d done for the last couple of days or take me far away where nobody could find me. My mind spun with questions as it had earlier. He’d gotten me all dressed.
But for what?
“Why am I dressed up?” As the question left my lips, I remembered the woman who had brought me the clothes had said I’d be eating and modeling so I wasn’t sure why I asked.
“It is time for us to have dinner and get to know each other. Then we will move on to the other portion of the evening, Love.”
No, no, no, he couldn’t call me that.
“Don’t call me that!” I yelled without thinking.
Anger burned in his gaze but he tamped it down. “You will get used to it and I would advise you not to raise your voice at me.”
The way he said it was so calm but it held an undercurrent that swept through the room and stated clearly that there would be consequences if I did it again.
“Mr. Branson, you have to let me go. Please.” I hated that I sounded as if I was begging this man, but that was exactly what I was doing.
He smiled and I saw for a second why the ladies thought he’d hung the moon between his looks and his money. But the man was evil and he didn’t compare to Lyric.
Lyric was the most handsome, sexiest man I’d ever seen and in my book, no other man could outshine him. And that wasn’t just because of his looks, it was because he was honorable, kind, and he had the best heart.
“Call me Patrick. As I said, it is time we get to know each other better. We have a long future ahead of us.”
At the word future, a vision flashed before my eyes and I blurted out what had been bothering me since I was brought clothes earlier in the day.
“How did you get the wedding dress from the shoot and why do you have it?”
My body tensed up as I waited for his response. I knew I wouldn’t like the answer and tried bracing myself for it, but I still couldn’t hold back the shocked gasp—another since coming face to face with this guy—that his words provoked.
“I can get anything I wish and when I first saw you in that dress I knew it was the one you needed to be wearing when we got married.”
My head started shaking frantically from side to side and my knees nearly buckled. He’d been at the modeling shoot, but I was too busy during it to pay much mind, and after, I only had eyes for Lyric most of the night.
“Are you insane?” I blurted out loudly.
That was a stupid question because the answer was yes. Mr. Branson had lost his marbles and it was terrifying.
“Now, that isn’t nice. And I will only remind you one more time not to yell at me. There is no use fighting me, Love.” The look in his eyes dared me to challenge his choice of endearments. “It would have been easier on you to accept our relationship, but I can see I will have to do things another way.”
