Resisting the Billionaire Collection (68 page)

"You're kidding me. I don't get it. How can
you have a date after what you just...what just happened back
there."

"How can I have a date? What are you doing
here?" He looked at her with dark impenetrable eyes.

"Blake, all I’ve been able to think about is
you, I’m only here because…"

"Well?" He waited.

She knew anything she said would sound
absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm sorry, but we’re going to have to talk
about this later." She took his hand. He looked down sharply but
didn't withdraw. "My date is going to arrive any minute now. It's
just something I have to do, it means nothing. I'm just being
polite for a friend who wants to set me up with some rich guy."

Joshua didn't move.

"Some rich guy? Is that what you want?”

"Not at all. I don't give a damn anymore.
Would I have given any time to Adam if I cared about money?"

"He's got money, plenty of money. Just not
yet, but he will."

"I didn’t know anything about that, I swear
to you. And even if I had, it wouldn’t have made the slightest
difference. I used to care about those things, but not anymore --
not after what’s happened in the last three days. My whole world
has been thrown upside down in more ways than you can imagine."

"I'm not going anywhere." He said
harshly.

"Please, Blake. This Drummond guy, he's some
asshole billionaire. I just need to meet with him once. Trust me,
nothing is going to happen."

"Are you sure? Because I was kind of hoping
you might fuck his brains out tonight."

MJ's mouth fell open again. She drew her
hand back.

"Blake, are you okay? I don't like the sound
of this."

He held her gaze while he reached into his
pocket, drew out a business card and then handed it to her.

"What is this?" She was totally
confused.

"Read it."

"It says Joshua Blake Murray Drummond. I'm
confused..."

"Don't be. My name is Joshua Drummond, but
my full name is the above. I use Blake Murray most of the time.
It's the name from my mother's side of the family. I'm your date
tonight."

"I..."

"Don't speak. You don't have to. I've been
watching you for a long time. Ever since I first saw that picture
of you in Alison's hand, I knew you were the one. But there's been
a picture of you in my head, in my soul, since as long as I can
remember. I knew you were the one, but Alison told me you would
never date a Drummond, that you would never date an arrogant,
selfish billionaire, and especially not one related to my big
brother Sebastian. I guess you kind of hate him, right?"

"Yes, I mean, no. He's--"

"He's one goddamn awful arrogant son of a
bitch, I know, but I love him. And I swear that if you get to know
him like I do, that you will love him, too."

"Blake, I mean Josh, this is all too much."
MJ's head was spinning. The man who had just rocked her world by
setting her on fire with desire but then held back from taking her
when she craved to give herself to him was…She darted her eyes
nervously to his and saw nothing behind his intense, impenetrable
gaze.

Blake was the same billionaire guy who her
best friend wanted to set her up with.

"You never said a word." She whispered. "In
all this time, never a word."

He had kept it a secret. Just like his
asshole brother Daniel, tricking Alison and outwitting all of her
friends. And the other brother, Alex, had impersonated his brother
to fool Olivia. 

"What is it with you goddamn Drummonds?" MJ
got to her feet. "Can't you just be honest with your girlfriends?
Wouldn't that work?"

"MJ, you wouldn't date me, wouldn't even
meet me. What was I supposed to do?"

"How about asking me out? Did you think of
that one?"

"I tried."

"You tried? When? Because I sure as hell
don't remember."

"Adam was supposed to do it, but instead he
took you for himself."

"What?" She was almost screaming now. Other
guests were looking around in haughty, wealthy
disapproval. The maitre d' was hovering near their
table. 

"That's it, I'm done. This is just too weird
for me. Enjoy your meal, Blake or Joshua or whatever your name is
today. Enjoy your stinking overpriced Michelin-star meal alone."
She gave a defiant stare to the other guests. "And enjoy the floor
show folks, courtesy of the working classes. Hope you enjoyed
it."

Coiffured heads returned their focus to the
dainty frenchified meals before them.

"MJ, please..." Joshua supplicated
helplessly.

"Goodbye, Blake. See you around. I'm moving
out tomorrow anyway, so you won't have to put up with me or my
flea-infested cat any longer." When she got outside to the street,
MJ was already in tears. Joshua followed her to the door and then
stopped. 

"MJ!" He called after her. "I know you're
angry, but if you are ever in any trouble or need help, call me. If
you need to talk, call me. I'll be your knight in shining armor."
His voice trailed off as she walked away.

Men.

Rich men.

Stupid, selfish, rich, arrogant, asshole
men.

From four incredible guys
to choose from, suddenly she was down to only one.
Call him if I'm in trouble, knight in shining
armor, yeah right.

MJ stopped dead in her
tracks.
Knight in shining
armor...

She reached into her bag and pulled out the
box containing her ring with the brilliant pink diamond. The note
was still there, folded up inside. She pulled it out and held it up
under a street lamp.

'It's yours to keep. If you ever need me, if
you're ever in trouble, put this on and I will find you. Until we
meet. Your admirer.'

Her breath stopped. She fumbled with the
number, pulled her phone from her bag, and tapped in the number. It
gave just one short ring before someone picked up, but there was no
answer. She only heard the sound of a suspended breath on the other
end.

"Hello?" She whispered. There was a pause,
then a voice that shook.

"MJ." It said. "What is it? Do you need my
help?"

It was unmistakable.

"Blake. Why?"

"I'm still at the restaurant. Do you need
me?"

Tears came to her eyes. All this time it had
been him. He had sent Adam to give her an anonymous gift of love
with a promise of support, care, and protection.

"MJ, don't worry. I'm coming for you right
now."

"No." Her voice was hoarse. "Blake, no, I'm
fine. I just...I can't accept this." She looked down at the
ridiculously expensive gift. "I hardly know you."

"No MJ, the ring is yours to keep, whatever
happens between us. It's yours forever."

"I can't--"

"Don't speak, MJ. Don't decide anything now.
Please, just give me one last chance; one last gift for you. I
can't share you. Not with Adam and not with anyone else. If you ask
me to do that, then I just can't. But if you will consent to choose
between us--"

"I will, of course I will."

"I'm glad, because I couldn't bear it
otherwise. But before you decide, I have one more gift for you.
Please say you will take it."

"No more gifts. I don’t want any more of
your money."

"It's not money, it's a onetime gift. Just
one time and one time only. If you want me, then you will have to
take it. If you even want to consider me, then I insist. It has no
monetary value at all. It's only value is to demonstrate my love
for you. Accept this gift tonight and then if Adam can still
convince you otherwise, then I will let you go. I will never stop
loving you, but I would rather you be happy with someone else than
unhappy with me."

MJ held the phone to her ear and took a long
deep breath. Alison had always said that the Drummond brothers were
convincing, that when they wanted something, they couldn't be
stopped. But here he was offering her a choice, offering her
freedom, both emotional and financial. He would let her go but let
her keep the ring. She would be set up for life with what it was
worth she wouldn't owe him a dime.

"Okay Blake, I'll do it. You don't need to
do this, but I'll do it for you if it makes this easier for
you."

"Believe me MJ, nothing to do with you is
easy. Nothing has been easy for me since I first laid eyes on you.
But it’s all been worth it and I want to do this for you."

MJ gulped back a tear. She didn’t deserve
this kind of crazy love and devotion. She waited for his
instruction.

"All I need for you to do is meet me at the
following address at midnight. You don't need to bring anything
with you or do anything in the meantime; just be there. You'll find
some instructions in an envelope on the floor inside the door.
Follow them to the letter. I guarantee you won't be
disappointed."

More mystery, but this would be the last
one. Then she could decide to cut and run if she wanted to.

"Okay, Blake. I'll be there. I won't let you
down."

He read her the address and she ended the
call. What could he possibly offer her that had no monetary value
that could influence her decision after all of this deceit?

Olivia, Alison, what have you guys gotten
your big sister into this time?

Chapter
Thirty-Eight

At midnight she arrived at the mysterious Upper East
Side address. It wasn’t far from the apartment she had shared with
Blake and Adam, but clearly another step up in prestige. 

"Good evening, ma'am." The doorman said.
"You're right on time. Let me show you to the elevator. Mr.
Drummond told me to let you know that I will be on duty all night.
My name is William and if you need anything at all, you just dial
‘zero’ and I'll be there right away." He gave her a reassuring
smile and she smiled back. It was true that she was feeling
apprehensive and this kind, strong man at the door did make her
feel a little more at ease.

The elevator was hidden.
They needed to leave the lobby area to find it. When she got
inside, there was only one button.
A
private elevator?

At the top, she stepped into a penthouse
that made the bachelor luxury of Blake and Adam's apartment seem
Spartan by comparison. Everything was warm, ornate, tasteful, and
delicate. Fine detail and beautiful artwork favored the eye in
every direction.

A cream colored envelope embossed with the
Drummond family crest lay on the floor. MJ stooped to pick it up
and then hesitated. The last few days had been the craziest of her
life and she had no idea what was about to happen next. She had the
fabulously extravagant gift from Joshua in her bag and still hadn't
decided what she would do with it. She thought about just putting
it in the envelope and leaving.

I’ve come this far.
She thought as she opened the envelope, removed,
and unfolded the letter.

'Thank you for accepting my invitation, MJ.
You won't regret it. Walk straight ahead into the next room. There
you will find a chair positioned in the very center of the room. On
that chair you will find two things. The first, a blindfold. It is
imperative that you wear it. The second is a pair of handcuffs.
Leave those to one side. Sit on the chair and make yourself
comfortable. Put the blindfold on and wait.

Above all, trust me. I've never loved anyone
more than I love you.

See you soon,

Josh.'

Her hand was trembling by the time she
finished reading the instructions. Was this some kind of kinky sex
game? Was this really his last ditch attempt to woo her? This was
just plain silly, bizarre, and entirely outlandish.

But then Alison had called her, her best
friend, to absolutely insist that she go ahead with this. And that
other woman, Melanie? She had sounded so kind, so wise, so caring,
and she had insisted the same thing. If it had anything to do with
sex, especially kinky sex, then she didn't need to speak to Olivia.
The answer was always ‘go for it hermosa, grab it with both
hands’.

She took a deep breath and walked to the
next room where the chair was waiting, handcuffs and blindfold in
place.

Ooookaaay.
She thought. "Kinky sex it is." She looked back
towards the door. She thought back to her conversation with Ally.
MJ had asked Alison what she would have done if Sebastian’s crazy
attempt to trick her into making love to Alex had worked. And what
had Alison said? Yes? No, it was
‘God
yes.’
The experience had been like nothing
she had ever experienced before. It had
‘blown her mind’
.

MJ had already thought, felt, said, seen,
and done things in the last three days that she wouldn’t ever have
thought possible in her whole life. Alison was her best friend and
the most fulfilled and happy person she knew in the whole world.
She took a deep breath, ran her fingers through her long hair, and
then seated herself on the chair.

Another deep breath and she put the
blindfold on. The effect was something she couldn't have predicted.
With the darkness enveloping her suddenly on all sides, all of her
other senses were instantly on edge.

She waited.

Nothing seemed to happen and yet she was now
aware of every tiny sound, sensation, and smell around her in a way
that excruciated. She waited, tempted constantly to pull the
blindfold aside, but she resisted.

This was his last chance. His last attempt.
She wouldn't be less than him. She would prove that she could play
his game to the limit and win.

He had blown her mind with his body, his
lust, and his incredible sensitivity just a few hours ago. Then he
had turned her world upside down with his secret identity games and
his lavish, generous gift.