Freedom (Billionaire Secrets Series, #2) Read online

  “It’s been one hell of a day. You mentioned you were going to call your ex,” he replied. “Gary didn’t seem all that happy to see me at your place before. I hope I haven’t contributed to any friction between you.”

  “You haven’t,” she replied firmly. Not exactly the truth. She had no intention of telling Simon how bad her phone call with Gary had gone. “He spoke to a journalist as I told you, but that’s it. He’s got nothing else.” She’d caused enough trouble for Simon. She was lucky he hadn’t fired her. They were going to keep things professional, so there was no excuse to tell him about Gary’s move for sole custody.

  Heather refused to allow her professional life to get mixed up with her personal life ever again. With a custody battle looming over her, Simon had to stay her boss and nothing more. She had to think of Finn.

  Chapter 6

  Heather scrolled through the news article, staring at her phone screen in shock. This was worse than anything she could possibly have imagined.

  Fragments of the article flashed in her mind.

  Simon Diesel and his subordinate were found after a secret rendezvous.

  Diesel paid for his lover’s legal expenses. She paid him back with favors.

  Disaster for Dover as sex scandal roils company amid rollout of new products.

  This was a nightmare.

  She’d been torturing herself since early in the morning, reading the articles over and over. She was screwed.

  When Gary got wind of this he’d use it against her. She hadn’t gotten any word from her ex-husband in the days since the disastrous phone call. Other than the court order she’d gotten in the mail, she hadn’t heard anything. Which was to be expected, now that the only lawyer she could afford was dealing with her custody case. The lawyer might have been cheap, but at least she didn’t have to deal with Gary all by herself.

  Her cell phone rang. She answered it, her hands still shaking. “Simon?”

  “Linda just released your press statement, so that might take some oxygen out of the stories circulating,” her boss said, not bothering to start his call with pleasantries.

  “That’s good,” she said, glancing down. She was in jeans and a t-shirt. Not exactly work clothes—the benefits of working from home. “Are you at Dover?”

  “Yep. In my office, about to meet with some board members,” he replied. “We’re dealing with it.”

  “Simon, I should be there,” she said. “You can’t face them alone.” She covered her face with her hand. Really? You can’t face them alone? How old is he? He doesn’t need you, his assistant, to hold his hand. She sounded like an idiot.

  “I’m not facing them alone,” he said, clearly oblivious to her inner thoughts. “As much as I hate the fact that they badgered you into releasing a statement, your words will actually help the situation. So, thank you for doing that, Heather. I appreciate it.” He paused a moment. “You sure as hell didn’t have to.”

  “How about I come down to the office,” she said, hoping this time he’d see things her way and relent. If the board planned on suspending him temporarily over the story, he’d need backup.

  “No. Sit tight. Seeing us together at a board meeting will just remind them of this mess and piss them off. Trust me, Heather, and let me handle this,” he said firmly. “When I’m done with the board, I’ll head home.”

  She stared at the piles of papers on her desk. “I’ve got some confidential documents you need to sign. My scanner isn’t working, so I should come to the office to get these over to you.”

  “I’m heading home after the meeting. Just come to my place.”

  She realized she’d been hoping he would say that. Keep it profession. “Sounds good. We can talk things over, and you can let me know how the board meeting went. Then see how we can proceed now that the story is out.”

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll call you as I’m leaving Dover.”

  Four hours later, late afternoon, Simon called her again and she drove to his apartment. She’d changed into a jean skirt and blouse, trying to look a little more professional than jeans and t-shirt, but still trying to stay casual. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to impress him. Thankfully, her parents had offered to pick Finn up from school this week, and she was grateful for that. She had contemplated letting Finn stay home because of the story, but he needed stability. School would be good for him, plus her parents knew to expect the story and they’d shield Finn from any unwanted attention. If she was waiting at the school yard, it would only cause unwanted attention. Finn didn’t deserve it.

  It didn’t ease her guilt. She had put her son through so much over this past year. Her heart ached for him. She parked her car in the underground parking lot like Simon had instructed. The parking lot was totally empty expect for her car and Simon’s electric car.

  She made her way into the luxury apartment building, announced herself to the concierge, and then when she got to his floor she rang his doorbell.

  Simon answered the door.

  Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the sight of him. He was shirtless, dressed in nothing but swim trunks and a towel draped around his broad shoulders. His toned physique was mouthwatering, the hard muscles of his chest making her inhale sharply. Simon was totally drenched, his dark hair slicked back, and rivulets of water ran down his delicious, muscular body.

  “Sorry,” he said when he noticed her staring. “I just got back from the pool. Needed to do some laps.”

  “The pool?”

  “Yeah. There’s a pool downstairs,” he replied, and then blinked. “I just realized, you’ve never actually been upstairs.”

  “No, I haven’t,” she managed to force out. There had been a few times when she had dropped off something in the apartment lobby, but she hadn’t ever gotten further than the front desk.

  “Come on in.” He held the door open for her. “How about I give you the grand tour of the place?”

  “Sure.” She slipped inside and glanced around. She had a feeling three or four of her houses would fit inside this apartment. She suppressed a giggle. Was she nervous? Why in the world would she be? She glanced at his wet skin and licked her lips without thinking.

  The apartment was expansive. Neat. Luxuriously furnished in navy blue with gleaming silver accents. The place was all clean lines and sharp angles. There was tech everywhere. Dover’s cutting-edge technology had been installed into the place and she had caught a glimpse of the Dover-made heat-capturing security camera outside. The place was totally modern. Like Simon.

  “I’ll be back out in a sec.” He disappeared into one of the adjoining rooms, leaving her behind in the living room.

  The living room was part of an open concept area of the apartment, with the kitchen on the opposite side of the area. The kitchen looked so shiny she doubted her boss regularly used it, but one glance told her that every appliance was made with the best technology that money could buy.

  Simon wasn’t the type of man to flaunt his wealth, and his apartment certainly wasn’t as extravagant as some of the homes of her former bosses. But it was evident that he knew how to spend his money well. The apartment couldn’t have cost less than five million dollars.

  She set her handbag down on one of the sofas and glanced around at the photos in the living room. There were more photos than she expected, considering how solitary Simon was. One was a photo of his graduation from college. Another was a childhood photo of him with his parents. There were others of him with various Dover employees. It was obvious that Dover meant a lot to him.

  She moved his grad picture when she saw another behind it, slightly hidden behind a plant. It was a photo of their prom. Simon had been a senior and she’d been a junior. He was dressed in a tux and as handsome as he was now. She closed her eyes as she glanced at her younger self wearing in a huge, poufy, pink dress. What in the world made her think that dress was stylish? And that hair? At least they were all smiles in the photo. Her heart sped up as she thought about his prom
. She’d lost her virginity that night. It had been awkward, but wonderful at the same time. He’d been so attentive. So gentle.

  “You’ve been standing this whole time.” Simon’s voice made her step back quickly from the photo. “I’m a crummy host. I should have told you to have a seat and make yourself at home.”

  “No, that’s okay,” she said, her voice barely above a breathless whisper. “You don’t have a lot of people over. Do you?” It was a bold question, and clearly none of her business.

  “I don’t.” He was now dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was still wet and slicked back, giving him an air of danger. Catching him in his natural environment like this was making her light-headed. Desire made her pulse pound. “However, today, I’m glad to have made an exception.”

  She tried to convince herself that Simon was just being charitable. Saying nice things to his employee. But that didn’t stop her face from heating. If she didn’t steer the conversation back to something appropriate, she was certain she’d declare her undying lust for him and make a total fool of herself. Especially when he shot her down. He’d made it clear at the office that what had happened had been a mistake. If she hit on him at his apartment? She didn’t want to even think about it.

  Determined to stay professional, she cleared her throat and asked pointedly, “How about a quick tour and then we can get to work.” She motioned to her briefcase still hanging on her shoulder.

  HAVING HEATHER OVER was messing with his brain. The scent of her perfume had already taken over, and it excited him a little too much. His body was reacting even as his brain was telling it to ignore the scent. Her presence in his apartment was going to take some getting used to. Especially if she was going to insist on wearing a tight blouse that clung to her and a denim skirt that drew his eyes to her long legs.

  Seeing her out of her work clothes was making him think dirty thoughts. And catching her looking at the old photo of them was unnerving him. He didn’t want to have to explain that the night of their prom had been one of the most memorable nights of his life. Which was why he still had the photo. “Yes. The tour,” he forced out. “Let me show you around.”

  He led her around his apartment, showing off his state-of-the-art kitchen, his office, the view from his balcony. He made it a point to not show her his bedroom. Best to keep that part of his apartment off limits in light of the scandal looming over everything. Keep it professional, right?

  Finally, he stopped at his front door and opened it.

  “Oh, are we going to see the pool?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Sure. I also figured you might like to see some of the stuff I’ve been working on in the apartment across the hall.”

  Her hazel eyes widened. “You work in a separate apartment?”

  “Yes, if the project is big,” he replied. “I’ve got a ton of servers in there and the temperature is better regulated.”

  “Wait...you own the other apartment?” she asked.

  “Of course.” he laughed. “I own the whole building.”

  “Your tenants must love having you for a landlord.” She smiled, her eyes lighting up.

  He raised a single eyebrow. “What tenants? Nobody lives in this building but me.” Was he bragging? Trying to impress her, or just playing the fool? He had no idea what he was doing.

  Her mouth fell open. “Are you serious? You own this entire building, and nobody lives here but you?”

  “Yep.”

  “Simon, that’s crazy,” she said. “Why would you do that?”

  He shrugged. “I need peace and quiet to work. Neighbors are loud and distracting. This way I have this place all to myself without any interruptions.”

  “But this entire building must have cost you a fortune,” she said.

  “You can’t put a price on peace of mind.” He arched an eyebrow. “You know, for someone who wants me to spend more money on clothes, you seem really concerned about how much I spend on my living arrangements.”

  “It’s just....” She bit her lip. “Aren’t you lonely here all by yourself?”

  Yes. Dammit, yes, he was. Lonely didn’t even begin to describe it. But people were generally a bother, even the ones he got along with. Most tried too hard to befriend him for whatever reason. The rest didn’t really know him and spent most of their time trying to dissect the Simon Diesel mystique that the press had built up. Ever since high school, most people only seemed interested in him when they could get something out of it. Heather was different. Which was why he was already enjoying her company.

  He trusted her. Even after the lies she had told. Even after Josh had insinuated that she might be setting him up. Spying on him for a rival company. No. He knew her. They had been apart for years, but Heather would never do something like that. She was suffering through the same media circus that he was.

  Without a word, he motioned for her to follow him. He crossed to the opposite apartment and unlocked the door. The apartment was dimly lit and at a cooler temperature for the huge servers that had been crammed into the space.

  “It can be isolating to live like this,” he finally admitted when they both stepped inside. “But, I don’t have time for small talk, or potlucks, or whatever it is people are doing these days.”

  She laughed. “Oh, Simon. You have such a strange way of looking at people. And potluck? Really?”

  “Good strange or bad strange?”

  “Good strange.” She tilted her head. “I think.” Even in the dimness he could see her breathtaking eyes soften. “I have to admit, I worry about you.”

  “Why? You think I’m going to go crazy on my own?”

  She shook her head, her hair moving, and he desperately wanted to tuck the stray strand behind her ear.

  “This media thing. I’ve got my family to help me get through this. Yet, you’re here on your own.”

  “I’ve got Dover,” he reminded her.

  “But...” she said and sighed. “I feel like such an ass. This is all my fault,” She raised her hand to stop him from disagreeing. “Did the board come to a decision now that the statement’s been released?”

  He shook his head. “They’re waiting. The PR staff is waiting to see the impact of your statement. My lawyer has advised me to stay quiet for now. The board wants to see how things play out over the weekend and make their decision next week. Stocks might go up with the media attention. At least, that’s what one of the PR people said.” He shrugged. “So, if things are good, they won’t bother temporarily suspending me.”

  “What happens if they do suspend you?” she asked. “Dover’s everything to you. I can’t imagine you not being able to work there.”

  “If they do, it’ll only be for a few months, and that would probably be cut short. Truth is, I’m more focused on how this affects you,” he said. “If I get suspended you’ll be out of work, too.”

  Her face fell. “Oh, shit. I hadn’t thought of that.” She chewed her lip. “I need to work. I’m in a bit of financial bind—”

  “You’re going to get paid no matter what the board decides,” he said firmly. “The decision to keep you on permanently at Dover is out of my hands now, but if the board dares to fire you over this scandal I’ll raise hell. Regardless of what ultimately happens, I’ll make sure you get paid if I’m suspended.”

  “But would the board agree with me getting paid?” she asked.

  “Who cares what the board thinks? That’s a non-issue.” He narrowed his eyes; the board could kiss his ass. “I’ll pay you out of pocket if I have to, so it won’t matter what they try.”

  “Simon, you can’t do that,” she said. “Please don’t do that on my account.”

  He ran his hand through his damp hair. “It’s my money, Heather. If I want to set it on fire I can do that,” he said. “This isn’t really up for discussion. If the worst happens, I’ll set up some money to get you through the next six months while you look for a new job. And I’ll be more than happy to help you get another job if the
board tries anything. But I doubt they would ever dare try to punish you for my mistake.”

  She didn’t respond.

  He wanted to take that to mean she’d decided to drop the argument; however, knowing her, she’d find a way to start fighting him on his decision. Well, he didn’t care. Heather deserved to have a stable job and a steady income. She was probably the best assistant he’d ever had, and he refused to watch her suffer because they’d both suffered an error in judgment.

  After he showed her the project he was working on, he took her on a tour of the rest of the building. He knew they should probably be spending the time strategizing about how to deal with the scandal, but she seemed so excited about going through each apartment. The fact that he alone lived in the building seemed to fascinate her.

  Finally, he led her outside and showed her the expansive yard at the back.

  “You know, I think I get why you’d want to live here alone,” she said as she stepped out onto the grass.

  “You do?”

  Heather nodded. “It’s peaceful, like you said. Tranquil.”

  “No distractions,” he murmured in agreement. At least, not usually. Heather was the biggest distraction of his life. And the trouble was, he didn’t mind. Not one bit. That was the unsettling part, the fact that someone had bulldozed their way into his life and it didn’t bother him. It didn’t matter that Dover’s board was unhappy, or that reporters were flaying them in the press. Having Heather here made all that worth it.

  After she looked around the back of the building, they doubled back towards the entrance. Evening was beginning to fall, and darkness had started to blanket the city.

  Suddenly, Heather gasped and reached for his arm. “Simon!”

  Simon followed her gaze, his eyes landing on a man standing a few feet away from them, a camera strapped around his neck.

  He didn’t recognize the man, but instinct told him the guy was a reporter. And right now, the reporter was rifling through his trash.