The Billionaire's Heart (His Submissive, Part Four) Read Free Page A

The thing was, part of it would exonerate me, but the other part would incriminate me. There was no way I could put Rachel on blast without burning myself. And I just couldn’t get out the words that could destroy everything.
    "The truth is what, Leila?" Jacob said, eyes smoldering. "Spit it out."
    "She came to me at the museum today,” I conceded, hanging my head. “She threatened to go to the press if I didn't give her five minutes with you."
    Jacob frowned. “Go to the press? Go to the press with what?”
    “W-with the contracts.” I sunk my teeth into the inside of my jaw until I taste blood. “She knows about the contracts.”
    Relief flooded me when I saw the pure rage storming when turned on Rachel. “You threatened Leila?”
    Rachel sputtered something about money and I relaxed…until he held up a hand, silencing her. He turned his face from her and lifted his eyes to mine."Wait a minute--so all this morning, this afternoon, when I asked you if something was wrong, you lied to me?"
    "Yes," I said hoarsely. "But I was just trying to-"
    "And that whole bit about your father being sick." His voice was low and dangerous. His eyes were worse. "That was a lie as well."
    "My my," Rachel cackled behind me. "Who knew Miss Montgomery could act as well?"
    I balled my fists at my side, trying to ignore her. She wasn't important. What was important was the fact that every second that passed Jacob could spin all sorts of terrible conclusions. I just had to make him understand.
    I moved forward and put my hand over his, thrusting past the disdain in his glare. He was back to the disguise, the wall he put up to protect himself. I'd finally chipped away at it; I’d seen proof of that all day. Even if he was pissed at me, he was still reachable.
    "I'm sorry I lied, but this isn't what it looks like,” I said forcefully. “Rachel didn't have to pay me-"
    He slid his hand from beneath mine. "Why should I believe anything you say?"
    I reared back in shock. There were a million reasons he should believe me. He knew me, better than anyone. But there was one screeching reason why he shouldn't. If I could lie about my father’s fake illness, what wouldn’t I lie about?
    "Jacob..." Tears sparked in my eyes. “Jacob, please just let me explain.”
    He looked right through me. "You're dismissed, Miss Montgomery."
    Dismissed? I wanted to shake him, force him to listen, but nothing would be gained from making a scene.
    “I’ll wait for you at the hotel,” I murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. “I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
    “That won’t be necessary,” he said coldly. “Your services are no longer required.” He reached into his lapel and retrieved his phone. “I’ll have Allegra assist you in packing your things for your departure.”
    I shouldn’t have been able to walk, to move when I felt like someone was jumping up and down on my chest, but I mustered the little dignity I had left and walked away from the man I loved.

****
     
    I used the sleeve of my long sleeved t-shirt to make myself presentable and put on a halfhearted smile as I opened the door. This morning, before Rachel slithered back onto the scene, there’d been one person I’d wanted to confide in about falling for Jacob. Now, that same person would take me away from him.
    "Hi Allegra."
    "Hello Leila." She stepped into the room, glancing around at the sad state of things. You could barely make out the floor through the strips of clothes and underwear that were strewn about. I’d spent a ludicrous amount on overpriced room service chocolate and there was a graveyard of wrappers glittering in the dim light. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of my worn overnight bag sitting on top of the vanity.
    I gestured at it. "I'm pretty much packed." I let out a strangled chuckle. "I figure when Jacob Whitmore ‘dismisses’ you he wants you to leave behind the company supplied wardrobe, huh?"
    “Jacob is not that way,” she reassured me. “