The Billionairess (The Billionairess, #1)

Chapter 14: Keeping Secrets

My hair was still slightly wet as I walked home. Luckily it drizzled a bit on the way to my car, so I had an excuse when I got home to Lance.

Once I had finished drying down Rose then myself, I had led her back to her bedroom. I dressed her in her favorite nightgown, one of sexy black lace, then watched her slip under the silk covers. She gave me a smile, and blew me a kiss as I turned off the bedroom light and left. I rubbed my fingers together in my coat pocket, imagining the kiss were still in there, icy between my fingers. A precious, holy kiss from the Ice Queen.

I heard the sound of digital gun shots as I stepped into the apartment. I passed by the living room just as Lance shouted "Watch out, they're coming in from behind!" at the TV screen. He was entrenched in whatever Xbox game he was playing. The headset bobbled over his blonde hair as he shouted at the screen. I decided to leave him be for now. He was clearly in his zone.

I made my way into my bedroom, and began to change out of my butler uniform. I figured Rose would want it in pristine shape every day, so I made a note on my phone to take it to the dry cleaners and iron it.

My whole body was still trembling with excitement. I had smiled like a lunatic all the way home. It earned me a few concerned stares from people in the lobby, but it was beyond worth it. Who needed them when I had Rose?

Outside in the living room, I heard Lance curse out loud and throw down his headset.

"Fucking useless, you guys are!"

The TV poofed off. I folded my uniform and tucked it away in a drawer, when suddenly I heard footsteps in the hall right outside my room, followed by a knock.

"Yo, Thom-Thom" Lance suddenly opened the door, but then drew back. "Oh, sorry bro, didn't mean to walk in on you." He held up a milk carton, a few drops dripping from its open flab. "We're out of milk, again. You said you bought another?"

"Yeah, it should be in the back behind the orange juice" Thomas said. "And throw that away, you're spilling on the carpet."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Alright, mom."

But then his eyes narrowed, and he stepped through the door. He pointed behind me.

"Hey, man, what are those scars on your back?"

My shoulder tensed. "What do you mean?"

Lance walked over, and gently put a finger right between my shoulder blades. A sharp pain wheezed out of me.

"Sorry" he said. "Seriously, what are these? Did you get mugged again?"

"No" I said. My mind raced for an explanation. I couldn't tell Lance about the contract with Rose. He'd tell everyone, a slander to Rose's name. "I think my back might have hit the faucet while I was showering this morning"

"Ouch" Lance said. But something about him said he wasn't entirely convinced. "Well, I'm going to go watch the new episode of Lucifer. It's the last one before season three comes out in a few months. You up for it?"

"Sure, just give me a second"

Lance nodded, then stared at me a little longer than normal before disappearing out the door. I heaved a sigh of relief. But soon after came a creeping anxiety about how long I could keep Rose and I a secret. Lance and I had been best friends for so long, it almost felt like a betrayal to keep secrets from him. Not to mention he'd love to hear that I had become a hot billionairess's boy toy.

I loved the guy to death.

But I loved Rose just as much.

Maybe even a little bit more.