The sight of them together gutted him. Jess instantly knew that Leon would comfort her and sought that. Anger raced through him as Leon ducked his head and murmured in Jess’s ear. She whispered something back, and Mitch stepped forward and stopped. The absolute fury in Leon’s eyes unarmed him.
“Don’t come near Jess again! I’ll kill you,” Leon growled out before sweeping Jess away. Leon’s words struck and took several moments to sink in. Did Ericks really threaten him over Jess? Once Mitch got over his shock, he realised Leon and Jess were gone.
Mitch raced after them and flew out of the hotel doors and saw the lights of a Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail disappearing down the drive.
“Damn it!” he snapped and turned to the valet. “Fetch my car.” He handed him the slip for it and headed back inside to find Diar. He’d had enough of tonight. Diar spotted him before he did Diar and his friend rushed over.
“Did you fight Leon Ericks over a woman? Everyone is talking about it; there was a witness!” Diar exclaimed as he steered Mitch out of the hotel. Mitch felt eyes on him, but he kept calm and his face implacable. Nobody would get anything out of him.
“Who cares? Jess is just another gold-digging slut. Ericks is welcome to my sloppy seconds,” Mitch stated, and there was a gasp from behind.
Mitch smirked. Let that remark get back to Ericks. See how Ericks enjoyed being under the microscope.
???
A week later, Mitch was in a foul mood that hadn’t lessened from that night. For the sake of his staff, he’d kept away from his office, working from home and drinking. Diar, worried aboutMitch’s frame of mind, had stayed behind to watch over him. Mitch couldn’t give a damn right now. He drank a lot and sulked. And worse, Mitch knew he was sulking.
The look in Jess’s eyes had hurt him. Mitch guessed she cared, but something was stopping her. Although he’d lashed out and accused Jess of being a gold-digger, it didn’t ring true. Ericks had been protective of her, but Mitch hadn’t picked up the sense that it was sexual. If it wasn’t sex, then why was Jess with him? Was Jess running from an abusive husband or partner, and Ericks was offering her protection?
One of Mitch’s PIs reported back that the Loch Ness cottage had gone up for sale, and that Jess had handed in her notice. Mitch recognised the signs; it was what he had done when he’d cut his family off. Jess was planning to lie low, and with Erick’s billions behind her, she could afford to do that.
“Diar!” he yelled.
“What?” Diar asked a few moments later, appearing.
“You still got Ericks’ phone number?”
“What if I have?” Diar demanded.
“I want to call him.”
“Oh, sure, let’s just scupper your career and business totally,” Diar stated sarcastically.
“No, I just want to talk.” Mitch shook his head.
Diar looked down his nose and riled Mitch. “Ericks won’t care to hear from some drunken asshole. Sober up, and maybe I’ll consider it.”
Mitch scowled at Diar but couldn’t deny his reasoning. As much as Mitch cared about Diar, sometimes he hated his friend’s logic.
“Wait till you fall for a girl. I pray she’ll run rings around you,” Mitch snapped out.
Diar inclined his head. “While you sober up, I hope you find your personality, too.”
Mitch stared. “What?”
“You’re acting like Alfred and Alexander, and I don’t want to know you right now!”
“Get out!” Mitch hissed, stung by Diar’s accusations. How dare Diar liken Mitch to them! That was a vile thing to say. Diar offered a disgusted look and walked away. Mitch was unlike his father and grandfather. He scowled as he caught sight of himself in a mirror.
The first three buttons on his shirt were undone, and it was also creased. His trousers were no better. He had a five-day stubble, and his hair was a mess. Mitch looked nothing like Mitch McQuoid, the owner of Elysian Memories and Velvet Memories.
“Fuck,” Mitch muttered, running his hands through his hair.
Angrily growling, Mitch left his study and headed for his bedroom. Once inside, he shucked his clothes and stalked naked into the adjoining bathroom. Turning the shower on, Mitch stood beneath it and let it soak into his bones. He leaned his forehead against the tiled wall and made himself face his emotions head-on. Until Mitch dealt with them, he’d be unable to figure out what was happening.
It was never easy being open and honest with oneself, something Mitch had learned early on. His family had been very good at deceiving themselves.
Mitch forced himself to dig deep, and hurt was the first thing he felt when he thought of Jess. That had been because he’d genuinely believed they’d been building a relationship. However, that was mixed with uncertainty. Because hehaddoubted Jess. Now Mitch had to figure out why he was suffering. Was it because Jess had left him or because she’d run away?
