Billionaire: Billionaire Romance: Billionaire Tiger (A Billionaire New Adult Shifter Contemporary Romance) (50 page)

“Yes, I think so,” I laughed.

“Why did you not tell me you were a virgin?” he asked.

My eyes grew wide as I felt confused, “I thought that you knew already.”

“No, I did not know. I assumed since you agreed to model for me that you were not. Then in the garden, you let me take advantage of you.”

I was in shock. Yes I knew all the things I had done were unlady-like behaviors, but this was an exception. It thought there was a connection between us and I could not stop myself if I wanted to. I let lust take over me. I couldn’t say anything to him except, “I understand.”

Leonardo looked upset. He pulled himself out of me and then began to pick up his clothes. He handed me the maroon dress and said, “Perhaps you should put your own clothes on. The carriage will be arriving soon.”

“Yes, thank you,” I said fighting back tears.

I wrapped the maroon dress around me and walked behind the screen to put my clothes on. I needed to get out of there and quick before I burst into tears and made a fool of myself. I quickly pulled on my dress and laced up the laces. I was dressed and pulled together. I pulled my hair back into a bun and came around the corner of the screen. Leonardo was gone from the room. I inhaled and took a deep breath and steadied my step. Then I heard loud voices. Just then Leonardo’s patron and owner of this grand estate Sir Conwith Holdsworth walked in with Leonardo trailing behind. He stopped in his tracks when he saw me. I felt like it was obvious what had just happened.

Leonardo remained cool and simply said, “And this is the model for the painting.”

“Yes, Ms. Eudora Sterling is it not?” Mr. Holdsworth said.

My eyes widened at him recognizing me and knowing who I was. I had never met this man before and I was astonished he knew who I was.

“I do business with your sister’s husband quiet frequently. I did not know he was a fan of the arts. I would think permitting you to model while under his roof something he would forbid.”

I panicked and started fumbling over my words. “Well, you see sir. It’s not that…”

Then I saw the look on his face change. Mr. Holdsworth looked at the chaise lounge. More rightly he looked at the spots of red blood on it. I had not noticed this before, but it made sense. I had lost my maidenhood and there was the evidence. Mr. Holdsworth looked at me then Leonardo in shock and disapproval.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Ms. Sterling, I think it’s time you left,” he said.

That was it. I could not hold back my tears. I burst out crying and ran out of the room into the foyer.

Minutes later I was in the carriage as he clinked and swerved in the raining day outside. I felt ashamed. I felt upset and anguish. Most of all, I felt scared that I would never see Leonardo again. I didn’t care if I was cast out of society as long as I got to be with him.

I arrived home and was fortunate enough to not see any of the household on the way to my room. I cried myself to sleep. The next morning I wanted to stay in bed and not leave my room for days. However, that was not to happen. There was a knock at my door.

“Ms. Eudora, your sister wants to see you in the parlor miss,” the maid said.

“Thank you, I’ll be down straight away,” I said.

I got dressed and tried to disguise my red eyes as much as possible and then descended the stairs to the parlor. I opened the door and was shocked at what I saw. My sister stood there with her husband William, Leonardo, and Mr. Holdsworth. I gasped at the sight.

“It’s alright Eudora, come in,” William said.

My sister Annabelle rushed to my side and escorted me to a bench to sit with her.

“Mr. Holdsworth here has brought to light that you have been modelling for Mr. Drivatti is that true?” William asked.

“Yes,” I whispered.

William and Annabelle exchanged looks of shock. Then William continued.

“Is it also true that Mr. Drivatti seduced you during this time and has taken your maidenhood.”

I gasped at the subject. I could not believe I had to discuss this in front of everyone. I began to cry. “No, I mean yes.”

“Well which is it?” William said sternly. He was angry. No doubt I had brought shame and scandal into his house and into Mr. Holdsworth’s house as well.

“No, he did not seduce me. I allowed it to happen,” I said.

Then Leonardo spoke up. “No need to protect me Ms. Sterling. You were innocent in this matter. I seduced you and I mean to make it right,” he said sternly.

Make it right? I thought.

Mr. Holdsworth spoke next and said, “Since this happened under my household I hope that everyone present will keep this quiet so as not to cause scandal at my home and to my good name. After the marriage takes place it will seem like an innocent marriage and nothing more.”

“Of course sir,” William said.

“Marriage?!” I yelled out.

“Don’t worry Eudora we will take care of everything and it can happen first thing in the morning. William has arranged everything and your reputation will remain intact,” Annabelle said comforting me and holding my hand.

I was so confused. I looked to Leonardo for answers but he seldom looked at me. He stood stiff and dutiful to his patron. The men continued talking about me as though I was a business proposition. I sat there in shock trying to process everything. I was being married off to Leonardo, which was a dream come true for me, but not in this way. It was out of scandal and Leonardo had not professed his love for me. It was all so very wrong.

Finally, everyone left and Annabelle told me to get some sleep so that I would be well rested. I went to my room and cried some more. I didn’t know what to make of all of this. It was very overwhelming. I finally fell asleep.

I awoke to Annabelle in my room rushing around with a maid.

“Oh good, you’re awake. We haven’t much time for tea. I have your dress brought in and the maid will do your hair. We are to be at church in two hours,” she said.

It took me a moment to shake off the sleep and it all came rushing back to me. I was getting married today to Leonardo Drivatti the famous painter. He was being forced to marry me, or so it seemed, for seducing me. I was tormented, but I was powerless to stop it. I went through the motions of getting dressed. William and Annabelle were good enough to purchase a white lace wedding gown. It was simple but elegant and I loved it. The maid arranged my hair in a bun with small white flowers and ribbons. I slipped on my small white slippers and then was ready. I sat in the carriage with Annabelle and William silent on the way to the church clutching my small bouquet of flowers. I hoped that Leonardo would be happy to see me. I was so frightened.

We arrived at the church. Walking inside Leonardo stood at the altar with the priest and Mr. Holdsworth at his side. Leonardo did not smile when he saw me. He still had a stern look on his face. I took a deep breath and the ceremony began. I was in a daze the whole time. Then it was over. Annabelle and William kissed me on the cheek.

“The house is in the process of packing your trunks, but you will always have a place to stay with us Eudora,” Annabelle said tearfully. William hugged me and then we all walked outside the church. I had come in the carriage with Annabelle and William, but I was to leave in another carriage with Leonardo and Mr. Holdsworth.

I stared at Leonardo sitting across from me. He only looked out the carriage window. Mr. Holdsworth was rattling on about staying at his estate and how then we would be off to Venice. I only half heard what he said.

We pulled up to the estate and went inside. The maid led me up to my new rooms. I sat there and waited for my new husband for hours. I needed to talk to him. We had not spoken since I was here modelling for him and we had sex. Now I was his wife and confused and scared. I fell asleep on the bed in my wedding gown.

The next morning I awoke to the sunrise. Leonardo was in my bed. He was fully clothed and stunk of brandy. He obviously drank himself into a stupor and deep sleep.

“Leonardo,” I whispered as I nudged him trying to wake him. “Leonardo.”

He stirred and finally awoke. He looked at me and touched my face and said, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” I asked.

“I have brought you into a forced marriage. I am a scoundrel, how can you ever live with me?”

“It is not forced on my part. I want this. I want you,” I whispered.

“But I took your innocence and made it so that you didn’t have a choice of your own. You could have married a noble man.”

“I don’t want a stuffy noble man. I want a passionate artist, like you.”

His face finally lightened and he smiled for the first time in a long time. “Do you really mean it?” he asked.

“I do. I have thought of no one else since I first met you,” I said. “I am grateful, excited, I’m in love, and I am happy to be your wife. I don’t care if it were forced. I am just glad it happened.”

He pulled me close to him and kissed me. I felt relief rush over me. This was why he had been so distant. He had thought that I was angry for everything that happened and being forced into marriage. He thought he had robbed me of having a good life with another, but that was not the case. This is what I wanted.

That morning we finally had our wedding night. Leonardo took me once more like he had on the chaise lounge only now we had the entire day and night. We never left that room and took all our meals in there. He made love to me passionately and as my true husband. It was all I could dream for.

Over the next week, I continued to model for him. It was strange to sit there. I first sat there as a model with my innocence in tact, when he began the painting. Now I sat as his wife as he finished the painting. It was very unusual. When it was done it was well received and considered a masterpiece. It hung in the gallery at the Royal Academy where we had first met. He titled the painting ‘Innocence Undone.’ I loved that our passionate love affair had been captured in that painting. There was so much story in it, and I almost felt like you could see it on my face in the painting. I cried every time I looked at it.

After the painting exhibition Leonardo took me to his home in Venice. This was to be our permanent home and it was a grand palazzo on the canal. It was the most romantic setting in the world. This is where I, Eudora Drivatti, lived out my days and dreams with my husband, the passionate, sexy, and romantic painter Leonardo Drivatti.

CHAPTER ONE

The loud snow crunched under the carriage wheels as it drove on the busy cobblestone streets. The sun was setting and I was with my chaperone Aunt Elsie Swanson. She was talking about something that I could not really pay attention to as she seldom required a response. She would just ramble and I would nod my head every now and then. I sat there in a gorgeous dark emerald green dress with embroidery and glass beads with a large feathered bouquet in my hair. I was dressed appropriately for a night at the theatre. We would be attending the opera, sharing a theatre box with Aunt Elsie’s new neighbors who I had not met yet as I had only moved in with her a week prior from St. Louis.

“Mina, sit up straight. You slouch. No proper woman slouches,” she slapped me on the leg.

My back shot up straight as an arrow.

“Sorry Aunt Elsie,” I said.

The year was 1908 and I was still getting used to the illumination of the city at night. I had moved from St. Louis and that city had yet to catch up with the installation of electricity and the new streetlights. They hypnotized me.

The carriage pulled up to the large theatre and waited in line. We were not to step out until directly in front of the door. Finally a footman opened our door and we stepped out. It was bustling with elegant men and women and the gowns and top hats were gorgeous. I smiled at it all and took a deep breath. My aunt took my arm and we walked inside.

First we went to the refreshment room. I accepted a glass of champagne only after getting approval from my aunt. She immediately started talking to her peers and I was left alone to stand behind her. It was okay because I didn’t like the attention.

I was placing the rim of the delicate glass in my mouth, when I felt like I was being watched. I froze. I looked around and only a few feet away was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. Our eyes locked. He was wearing a dark well-fitted tuxedo and looked mischievous.

His eyes were almost piercing through me. They were blue and he narrowed them as he looked at me up and down. He was tall with dark hair, and he was slow and calculated as he walked over to me. I still held the glass in my hand, and I was still frozen. I felt like prey to a tiger. I couldn’t believe he was coming over to me. The audacity of him was inappropriate. Though I couldn’t move away.

“Are you enjoying that?” he asked.

“Yes.” I said uncomfortably knowing all to well what he meant.

He gestured at my hand, “May I?”

“Yes.”

I placed my hand in his and he bowed over it and said, “I’m Mr. Cliff Collington.”

“Miss Templeton.”

“That champagne must be delicious, the way you were drinking it. Like you were really enjoying it,” he said.

“You watched me?”

His face lit up with a big smile, and then he laughed a little.

“I really couldn’t help myself.”

I was stunned. This guy was obviously naughty and just put it all right up front. No beating around the bush. It was appalling! Yet, my body was responding to him. I had never been talked to this way.

“Are all gentlemen in New York like you? Complete honesty? You just blurt out what you’re thinking?”

There was a long pause. I stared at him. Looking into his sparkling dark eyes and at his full lips. I already wanted to lean in and kiss him. I steadied myself, what was wrong with me?

“I see. You are new to New York society. This is why I have not seen you before. I would have remembered you.”

“And I should not be talking to you. We have not been introduced,” I said as I left his side and returned to my aunt’s side.