Bit by the Bug (Matthews Sisters 1) (27 page)

‘What’s that, dear?’ Mimi stood, smiling at him. He saw through her smiles.

‘Your meddling in my life!’ Vincent yelled.

‘Dear, watch your voice,’ Mimi warned. ‘Civilised men don’t yell.’

‘Don’t you get it? I don’t want all this, I don’t want to be you and I’m never going to marry Lily.’ Vincent glanced at his long-time friend. Growing up they’d known everything about each other, things they’d never told anyone else. In adulthood, they’d grown apart, but the bonds of friendship were there. Whenever they saw each other, it was as if time hadn’t passed. They were both from rich families with overbearing, controlling parents. ‘Never.’

‘Son, don’t. She’s standing right here –’ Mimi began, only to be interrupted by her husband.

‘You won’t marry her? Why ever not?’ his father demanded. ‘She’s perfect.’

‘Thank you,’ Lily said, her tone light. Mr Richmond nodded in her direction.

‘I can’t tell you –’ Vincent began.

‘I don’t see what you have to complain about,’ his father interrupted. ‘All we want is for you to have a fulfilling life.’

‘Married to the person you choose,’ Vincent grumbled.

‘Yes, and with children to carry on your family name,’ his father agreed.

‘I am not some stud,’ Vincent gestured towards Lily, ‘and she’s not a brood mare waiting to be impregnated with Richmond seed.’

‘Vincent!’ Mimi scolded.

‘What, Mother? Not delicate enough for you? You’re the ones who started this nonsense.’ Vincent shook his head. ‘I can’t believe you hired a woman to date me.’

‘Fine,’ Mimi shot back. ‘If you want to be common, I’ll speak plainly. We sought to get you laid and she’s the type of girl to do that sort of thing on a first date. We thought if some nobody lured you out of your shell, let you have her a few times, then you’d come around to understanding you don’t need to play with your silly bugs all day.’

‘Do you not see how sick it is for you, my parents, to be buying me prostitutes? Do you honestly not see what’s wrong with that?’ Vincent looked helplessly about him.

‘Get over yourself, Vincent,’ Mimi said. ‘You’re thirty-three. We’re all adults here and you, my son, aren’t getting any younger. I’d like to have grandchildren before I’m too old to be seen in public with them.’

‘Don’t worry, Mother, I’m sure your plastic surgeon will still be in business well into your nineties,’ Vincent quipped. Mimi looked like he’d slapped her.

Vincent didn’t care if he hurt his mother’s feelings, though he doubted he could. He was so angry and wanted to strike out, but it was more than just anger. Frustration welled up inside him, pouring out of his broken heart. When he’d heard Kat’s voice, talking about dating him as if it were a business transaction, he’d been
crushed. The sound of his pulse had beaten loudly in his ears and he didn’t hear the whole conversation, but he’d heard enough. Kat was being compensated to date him. He knew his parents well enough to guess their motive in hiring her. They wanted him dating, wanted him to stop working. And, obviously, she had her motive in agreeing – Faux Pas, a high society art gallery owned by his parents’ friend, Mr Faustino. Vincent knew enough about art to know what kind of opportunity it would be for a woman like Kat.

‘Vincent, when I die, you will inherit everything.’ His father tapped his cigar on a nearby ashtray. ‘Not only our money and our homes, but also my businesses, my social standing and position. There are many responsibilities a woman like her just won’t understand. Her kind is –’

‘You make her sound like an alien species,’ Vincent said. He looked at the door, but fought the urge to chase after Kat. Whatever he had to say to her, it would be best if he was clearheaded first.

‘Metaphorically, yes.’ His father waved his cigar as he spoke, using it to punctuate his points. ‘She is different to us. A woman like her will spend your money until you’re broke because she’s never had it before and won’t know how to keep it. You need a woman like Lily.’

‘For the last time, I will never marry Lily,’ he said.

‘Why ever not? She’s –’ his father began.

‘Because I’m a lesbian,’ Lily announced. ‘Have been since, well, forever. Vincent’s been kind in keeping my secret for me, but I feel you must know. There is no reason to hope I would ever marry Vincent, not even as a token husband. I just don’t need him. I have my own inheritance and will be taken care of my whole life. Besides, I don’t want children. Luckily, I don’t have to have them. My brother Charlie is the breeder in the family, not I. Oh, and I like Kat.’

Mimi’s mouth dropped open and she fell back in her chair. Vincent had never seen her at a loss of words.

‘You’re not a lesbian,’ his father said, dumbfounded.

‘You’re too pretty,’ Mimi insisted.

Vincent shared a look with his friend. She didn’t even try to protest at that stupidity. There were times when he was thoroughly ashamed of his parents.

‘Vincent, promise me you’ll visit me before I leave for Hawaii,’ Lily said, then to his parents, she added, ‘Vincent, Mimi, thank you for a lovely dinner.’

‘Wait, Lily, I’ll give you a ride home.’ Vincent frowned at his parents. ‘As for you two, stay out of my life or I swear I’ll get a vasectomy just to spite you and end this crazy family line of ours. Then, after you die, I’ll leave all your money to an animal hospital. The family legacy will be our name right under a huge sign that reminds people to neuter their pets.’

Mimi paled, weakly saying, ‘Oh, oh, oh …’

‘Vincent,’ his father demanded.

Vincent turned his back on them. Lily walked at his side. They were silent all the way down the elevator. The attendant didn’t say a word to them. Then, as they waited for the limo to pull around, Vincent said, ‘Lesbian?’

Lily laughed. ‘It shut them up didn’t it? No offence, but I don’t want to marry you either. It would be like marrying my brother Charlie and that’s just wrong.’

Vincent would’ve chuckled if not for the deep ache inside his chest. ‘It did do that. I owe you one. You do realise my mother is calling yours right this moment.’

Lily shrugged. ‘I don’t care. I’ll just tell them I’m bisexual. They’ll think it’s very Hollywood of me.’

Vincent opened the limo door and helped Lily inside. She sat across from him.

It was a small, six passenger sedan, with plush black interior and silver handles. The long seats were against the sides, set across a narrow mirrored bar with an etched crystal decanter and matching square glasses. The
bar was fully stocked and he knew he’d be charged for whatever they drank.

Vincent had planned on taking a long limo ride with Kat after dinner, maybe peeling off that sexy brown satin dress of hers and making love to her on the very seat he was on now. The ache inside him only deepened, until he felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest. Knots formed in his stomach and he had to close his eyes to keep from tearing up.

All day he’d been having fantasies about Kat in many sordid positions, about riding with the sunroof open so the breeze would keep them cool as she kneeled between his thighs sucking his cock deep into her throat. He liked the way she took him into her mouth, rolling his balls in her palm as she scratched his chest. Just thinking about it made his dick harden in arousal.

‘Just drive,’ Lily told the driver. Vincent opened his eyes, acutely disappointed it was Lily with him and not Kat. His desire would be going unanswered tonight. The car started and Lily rolled up the privacy window. When they could no longer be overheard, she said, ‘You were pretty hard on her.’

‘You heard them as well as I did. My parents hired her to date me. I should’ve guessed they’d eventually resort to something like that.’ Vincent leaned his head back. On their trip to get the wine, he’d told Lily all about Kat – how they met and he’d mistaken her for Margaret in his exhaustion, of how she killed his spider, disorganised his notes and how he seemed to get more work done just knowing she was in the building with him. ‘You know, I never did ask her what she was doing in my office that day I hired her. She was just there with her camera and I never thought to question my good fortune.’

‘Why would you have?’ Lily sighed. She leaned forwards and lifted a few bottles, reading the labels as she riffled through them. Finding a brandy, she opened the
bottle and poured some of the dark liquor into a glass. ‘There aren’t any brandy snifters in here.’

Vincent didn’t care if he was drinking brandy out of a square glass and not the proper glass. He wasn’t like his parents. He didn’t need to put on airs. ‘Thanks.’

‘I teased her with my affection for you and I am sorry if I hurt her feelings, but I saw what I needed to.’ Lily poured herself a drink and sat back in her seat. ‘She cares for you, Vincent.’

‘Me or what dating me will bring her?’ Vincent shook his head. That evening on his way to pick up Kat, he’d been full of hope. Now he was in a well of despair.

‘Did you tell her you love her?’

‘No.’

‘Then I don’t see what the big deal is. Faux Pas is a great chance for an artist,’ Lily said. ‘I admire her for going after what she wants.’

‘Can we please remember I am the damaged party in this arrangement?’

‘Sorry.’ Lily gave him a sheepish smile before turning to glance out the window. The cityscape rolled by slowly. It was later in the evening, but the streets were still filled with people. Blue and red light caressed her pretty face. She turned back to him. ‘You’re staring, Vincent.’

He shook his head, coming out of his thoughts. ‘Sorry. I was just thinking how you deserve happiness.’

‘We’re talking about you, not me.’

‘She used me.’

‘Why do you care so much? Didn’t you use her as well? She slept with you, gave you her body.’ Lily arched a brow. ‘You’ll give her an art show. What’s the big deal?’

‘It’s not the same,’ he protested.

‘Why isn’t it? Men and women use each other all the time. By her dating you, you get help with work, your catalogue done and sex. And she gets Faux Pas. It really isn’t a bad trade. I’d take the sex, but then, I don’t have any dreams my father’s money can’t buy for me.’

‘I thought it was your looks that opened doors, not the money,’ Vincent teased half-heartedly.

‘Fine. Those too.’ She shot him a sour look.

‘Don’t get mad at me. I don’t think you’re beautiful at all.’

‘That’s sweet of you to say,’ she laughed lightly. ‘So, will you go to her? Forgive her?’

‘No, I can’t.’ Vincent took a deep breath, lifting his hand to rest over his heart.

‘Why? Give her a chance to explain her side,’ Lily insisted. She put up her glass and moved to sit next to him, taking his glass and putting it up as well. She draped her arm across his shoulders, before laying her head on his shoulder. ‘If you are merely dating, and enjoying each other’s company, why not continue to see her? She might be famous some day and you can say you dated her. Plus, think of how irritated your parents would be.’

Vincent took a deep breath and dropped his hand to his lap. ‘Because, for me, it wasn’t just about sex. I have no problem with her using me, so long as she would’ve been honest about it. I want Kat to have a chance at her dreams. But she put on a show tonight, pretending never to have met my parents. She lied to me. I don’t even know if she truly likes me or if she was just with me to fulfil some bargain. How can I care for someone who lies to me? I feel like I’ve dated a stranger. It’s quite possible she doesn’t even want me.’

‘You should ask her,’ Lily said. ‘During sex, have you looked into her eyes? Women always reveal their feeling in their eyes.’

‘That’s nonsense,’ he dismissed.

‘I’m French, what do you expect?’ Lily laughed.

‘You’re only half French,’ he corrected.

‘But I am still one hundred per cent right. Just ask her if she wants to keep seeing you. If she says no, then you know. If she says yes, then make her tell you why. Let
her know that you don’t care about being used so long as she’s honest about it. I saw the chemistry between you during dinner. She will say yes.’

Slowly, he dug his hand into his pants pocket and pulled out a little black box. Handing it to Lily, he looked out the window. Lily sat up and he heard her breath catch. ‘It’s a butterfly.’

‘Yes. She likes them and I call her my butterfly.’ He gave a short laugh. ‘Stupid, eh?’

‘She is it for you, isn’t she?’ Lily was in awe.

‘Yes. I thought she was. Can you see my point now?’ Vincent forced his eyes down to the engagement ring Lily held. The gold was twined into a stylised butterfly, with a large oval diamond in the middle. When he’d seen the jeweller, he’d just known Kat would want something different from every other woman. He had discussed it with the man for some time before coming up with the concept for a butterfly. ‘I was going to ask her tonight, if it felt right, you know, not too rushed. I bought every florist in New York out of purple and white roses. My home looks like a garden bloomed overnight.’

‘No wonder you’re so hurt.’ Lily closed the box and handed it to him. Her accent was thicker. ‘A new girlfriend does such a thing and you can forgive her, but your heart was involved and that’s a different story. And here I thought you were kidding when you told me it was
coup de foudre
, love at first sight.’

Vincent had told her as much. They’d spoken in French in front of his parents, knowing they wouldn’t be understood. It was an old habit. Only too late did he realise Kat might have thought it rude and stopped.

‘That’s not all. A man, her old boyfriend to be exact, stopped by work and I caught him proposing to her. She looked horrified to be caught and even got mad at me for being rude to him. She ran after him to stop him.’

‘How did she explain?’

‘She said that it was over between them, but now I
wonder if she was lying to me because of this deal. That maybe her panic wasn’t because she didn’t want Jack and was sorry for him, but because she did and she couldn’t say yes to him in front of me or risk losing everything my parents promised her.’

‘I don’t envy you,’ Lily said, again resting her head on his shoulder.

‘It’s just that I finally found something worth having and then . . .’ What else could he say? Kat had broken his heart. ‘I’m a pathetic fool, Lily. I can’t imagine a future without her.’