Venice Nights (13 page)

I gasped as Isabella lunged forward, grabbing Allegra by the shoulders. "Don't you say her name!"

Jacob was a blur of movement as he dashed to them, ready to separate the two women, but Isabella did not shake nor choke her. She threw her arms around Allegra, the whole room going silent.

And then the tears started.

Both women sobbed, speaking in Italian, clutching each other as they finally took a step toward healing.

Jacob looked at me, then Blanka, and we all left the room, giving Allegra and Isabella privacy. Blanka rushed off to her room, clearly overwhelmed by everyone, and Jacob pulled me in for a hug of our own.

I peered up at him, a smile tugging at my lips. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

He pressed his lips against my forehead, the warmth of his love filling me with a light brighter than the sun.

"I think they have a chance at being okay, thanks to you."

I locked my hands around him, my second question quieter than the first. "Are we okay?"

His lips quirked into a smile. "I'm not going anywhere, Miss Montgomery." He planted a soft kiss on my lips, then started toward the staircase. "I'm gonna finish packing." He paused at the landing, his eyes darkening with lust. "Maybe one last swing?"

I dashed up the stairs, taking two at a time. As I stood at the bookcase in his office, waiting for him to take me every which way before we headed home, I knew exactly what to say to Megan.

I'm in love with Jacob Whitmore, and I know my life will never be the same—and that's okay. Change is scary, but sometimes it's beautiful.

I don't know what the future holds, but I know that when I'm with him, everything makes sense.

I’ll give you more juicy details than you can handle when I see you...I’m coming home!

xx

Leila

Epilogue

I lowered myself into the patio chair, pushing aside my last minute reservations. Jade Simone, a blogger with celebgloss.com, would be calling any minute for an exclusive interview—my first since the train wreck in front of Rachel Laraby’s hotel a few weeks ago. Jacob had his reservations about it, but I knew I needed to do something to warm me up for what was waiting after the Whitmore jet touched down in the States.

My cell hummed in my palm, the vibration amplifying the rattle of my nerves. It was her.

I brought it to my ear, gulping. "Hello?"

"Hi Leila!" Jade’s voice sounded like cotton candy, sticky and sweet. It matched the picture on the website: bleach blond hair, deep brown tan, and freakishly white teeth. "Is it okay if I call you Leila?"

I nodded, forgetting that she could not see the confirmation. "Yeah, Leila is fine."

"Awesome!" I heard rustling on her end, like she was pulling up, ready to get to work. "Thanks for responding to my email. Ever since Jacob announced that you were a couple, everyone's been
dying
to sit down with you. I'm so glad you picked us for your first interview." She took a breath. "So—who is Leila Montgomery?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I grew up in Douglas Heights—"

"Douglas Heights?" she interrupted. "That...
quaint
neighborhood outside the city?”

She said ‘quaint’ like she really meant ‘poor’. I grit my teeth. “Yes, that one.”

“Wow,” she whistled. “I guess there's hope for us little people after all then, huh?"

A slight warning bell rang in my head, but I ignored it. I had met people like her before. Absolutely zero tact. Completely oblivious of the power of their words.

At least she didn’t ask if Jacob was good in bed.

"I graduated with a degree in public relations,” I said, after taking a breath. “I’m the assistant to the CEO of Whitmore and Creighton."

"An assistant to the CEO?” She parroted back, a frown running beneath the words. “You work for your boyfriend, right?” She did not wait for me to confirm the obvious. “That must be really awkward. Especially with all the rumors that you slept your way into the job."

Our interview had taken a turn down a road I had wanted to avoid, but I kept my voice measured. "Well, I'm here to put those rumors to rest, once and for all. My professional life and personal life are separate."

"But how is that possible?” she probed. “Your boyfriend is your boss. Isn't that kind of a conflict of interest?"

My nostrils flared indignantly. "Ask me anything you want about my professional life, Jade. But my personal life is just that—personal."

She chuckled, a haughty thing with an edge that made my stomach drop. 

It had been a mistake to answer her email.

I had expected fluffy, easy questions about my hobbies or if Jacob was a good kisser. The front page of celebgloss.com was filled with stories about the latest Kim Kardashian sighting and red carpet fashion. I was not looking for hard hitting journalism. The fact that Jacob’s attraction played a role in my promotion from research aide to personal assistant still made me feel guilty.

I clutched the phone, pulling my knees to my chest.
Just drill the talking point home
. "I'm not going to talk about my personal life. Period."

There was a long, gut wrenching silence. It was so quiet that I made out the notes of the wind rippling across the pool. I felt the creak of the house behind me, like it was leaning in, waiting for what came next. Blood screamed in my ears as my pulse raced.

"Well," Jade said, all cordiality gone from her voice. "I can assure you that no one cares about anything except why Jacob Whitmore is dating someone like you. Some people may call you Cinderella, but I'm not into fairytales. I think you're an opportunist."

My hand trembled as the word hit me like a blow to the face. She got her soundbite.

Leila Montgomery, the Opportunist.

"This interview is over." I ended the call, slamming the phone onto the table beside me.

How could I have been so stupid?

The patio door swung open, solid steps moving toward me. I cast a look over my shoulder, locking eyes with Jacob and shaking my head.

His voice was sympathetic. "That bad, huh?"

I slowly rose to my feet. "Can't we just stay here? The local press seems to have found something more interesting than us." I roped my arms around his neck. "We can live off the land."

He smirked, blue eyes sparkling. "As appealing as that thought is, we can't run from them forever." He leaned down and pressed a kiss against my lips. A kiss that almost erased all the worry in my heart. As delicious as his lips were, there was still no denying the fact that the Italian press were only a fraction of what I had to look forward to back in the U.S.

He read me like an open book. "Just give it time, Leila. Once they see what I see, they'll love you."

I melted into his arms, wanting to believe that so badly. As long as I had him—everything would be okay.

It had to be.

"All right, love birds," Isabella's sharp voice sounded behind us. She cocked her head toward the door, dark locks flapping in the breeze. "Your car is here."

I moved back to the scene of my second press failure, picking up my phone from the table. The screen was illuminated with a text from Jade Simone.

Your story will be live just in time for your return to US. Good luck, Leila. You'll need it.

****

Thank you for taking the time to read
Venice Nights
. Please consider leaving a review, xoxo Ava

****

Want to know what happens next?
The Billionaire’s Girlfriend (His Submissive Series, Part Five)
picks up after
Venice Nights
.

If you want to read
The His Submissive Series
in its entirety, the box set is
now available
!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ava Claire is a sucker for Alpha males and happily ever afters. When not putting pen to paper or glued to her e-reader, Ava likes road tripping, karaoke, vintage fashion, and searching for her own brooding billionaire.

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Next book:
Before You Go
(Megan and Cade’s story): Late January 2014

Stay tuned to
my blog
for up-to-date information on my works in progress and release schedules!