“It’s your ring.”
My mouth falls open. That is the last thing I expected him to say. Does he mean as in a wedding ring for me? He can’t mean that. Of course I don’t have to wonder what he means for very long because Danielle is here and she wastes no time getting to the bottom of it.
“You’re going to ask Maddie to marry you?” Her voice is hushed like she is still trying to figure out what exactly his words mean.
“The time for asking went out the window when she slipped from my room. I’m not only taking her but our baby too. I’ve searched high and low for months trying to find her. Hired the best fucking PI in the business and nothing.” His eyes focus on mine. “Then today I see your face plastered on a magazine and find out I’m going to be a father.” His eyes meet mine and I see the hurt in them.
“I didn’t know I was pregnant.” My defense is half-hearted. I still feel guilty over it. I should have started looking for Oliver the moment I found out I was pregnant but it was a lot to process. I was still dealing with the heartbreak of thinking I’d never see him again. Then everything exploded all over the tabloids and I’ve pretty much been under house arrest. That part is my own doing but I had to do what I thought was necessary to protect myself and our baby.
“Clothes for a mistress then.” Danielle puts her hand on her hips. She is so not backing down. She’s got questions and she won’t stop until she gets answers.
“My sister,” he answers Danielle before his eyes shift back to me. “You’ll meet her in New York. Apparently she knows who you are.”
That’s not shocking if she wears a lot of the designer brands in my closet. I’ve modeled for most, if not all of the big names. Years of modeling and things start to blend together. One shoot after another. After a while I couldn’t even tell whose clothes I had on until after the fact.
“I can’t go to New York,” I say again. I look to Danielle, who is staring at Oliver. I can see her mind is working overtime.
“Full name,” she orders from him, pulling out her phone. Oliver gives it to her. She looks up from her phone. “You’re Oliver Gentry of Gentry Excel?”
“You know him?” I ask, surprised. It was clear from looking at Oliver that first night that he had money. I knew the suit he had on that night cost over twenty grand. He tossed it to the hotel floor like is was nothing more than a hotel towel.
“That’s me,” he confirms. “Is there anything you want me to take? Our plane is almost ready.” He looks around my giant closet. “I can have someone send for everything else.”
“He was named one of Forbes’ richest men.” She tilts her head back, staring at Oliver’s face. “One of New York City’s most eligible bachelors, but I think I heard he can be a little bit of an asshole.”
“He’s not an asshole.” The words pop right out of my mouth. At least he wasn’t that night we spent together months ago. Everything about that night was perfect. My heart ached so many nights wishing I could relive it. That I could go back and cancel the shoot I had that next day to have stayed in his bed. I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened the next morning. Now I’m stuck wondering if he’s here because he missed me or because I am carrying his child. Was he only taking me because we’re a package deal? I won’t marry him if he’s only doing it because I’m pregnant.
“He cuffed you.” I look down at my wrist remembering that the metal is still wrapped around it. I won’t tell her or Oliver I actually find it oddly endearing. That it might have turned me on some too. But I’m going to blame that on the pregnancy hormones.
When I look back up to Oliver, I see he’s on the phone. “Then get a chopper.” He ends the call, putting the phone back into his pocket.
“A chopper?” Why do we need a chopper?
“Your building is covered in paparazzi.”
“Can you land a chopper here?” I look up at the ceiling as if I can actually see the roof or something.
“I own the building now. I can do whatever I want.” I drop my head. I’m sure my eyes look like they are about to pop out of my head. I’m rich but clearly Oliver has a whole different level of wealth because I know he didn’t own this building before tonight. That means he bought it at some point today, if I had to guess.