The Media Baron's Heiress

CHAPTER 1

COPY RIGHT:  2011 All Rights Reserved

'Give the lady another vodka and red bull,' Tessa heard the crisp voice from the other end of the bar.  He had to be referring to her.   She was the only female left amongst the late evening bar flies.  She coiled her head to look in his direction and liked what she saw. 
Blond, grey brown eyes.  Such an unusual combination.  He had a pretty boy face and the arrogance to go with it.  He probably drove a flashy Italian car and earned a six figure income like the rest of the young executives who hung around this trendy and very expensive bar.  Nobody asked the price of a drink, nor paid in hard currency.  The common legal tender seemed to be black plastic cards.  Not that the owner requested that, it just seemed the only method the super rich patrons preferred.  Tessa smiled now at the blonde, raised her glass thanking him for the drink, and downed it in one quick gulp.  He seemed to think his purchase would get him to at least first base and boldly sauntered over to Tessa.

'How about we get a table?' he spoke softly in her ear.   Fumes of expensive whiskey tinged his breadth.

'Thank you for the drink,' Tessa smiled, her eyes locking with his, but I'm leaving.'

'I thought we were just getting started,' he attempted to block her exit.

'Put that drink on my tab will you Marco,' Tessa instructed the barman and brushed past the blond.

'Right you are Tess, Marco saluted.

Tessa slung her bag over her shoulder and with only the slightest difficulty climbed into her tomato red convertible.  She should not have had that last drink, she did not want to be over the legal limit, but the blond was wanting to make contact and she'd seen him there for the third night in a row.  She thought he was good looking enough, but she wanted to play him for a while.  That always increased the adrenalin rush and made thinks so much more exciting.  It was late, or rather the early hours of the morning, when Tessa tried to sneak upstairs, hoping nobody was still awake.

'Is that you Tessa?' she heard her fathers' sharp voice.

'Daddy, I thought you'd be in bed,' Tessa dropped her keys softly on the cabinet.

'When are you going to stop this wild party ways of yours and marry a decent man,' her father sang the same old song she'd been hearing for close on a year now.

'Define "decent" daddy,' she threw at him, 'someone like you perhaps?' she challenged, the green rims of her eyes becoming glacial.

'Don't you use that tone of voice on me young lady!' he growled. 
'Cut you off and throw you out, is what I should do,' he threatened like he did everytime he sensed his daughter getting the better of him.

'Should I move out tonight then daddy?' she picked up her keys again.  She loved this home she was born in, grew up in. 
She had been to many picturesque parts of the world.  London, Wales, Sydney, Hong Kong, Italy, Paris, Cape Town.  None compared to this paradise.  She had precious fond memories here, but if her father wanted her out.  She was not going to beg to stay.

Her father glared at her before turning his back on her and stormed back into the living room.  Tessa wondered why she put up with her overbearing father.   Why did she continue to make the thirty minute journey every day from Scarsdale to the Manhattan and back?  Not that she needed his roof over her head or his allowance.  She did have an apartment in the city, when she needed privacy, and she was earning her own salary, but her father continued to give her a lavish allowance.  Numerous attempts to dissuade him fell on deaf ears, so Tessa just diverted the funds into a trust account which was untouched for almost three years and doing very handsomely for her thank you very much.