CHAPTER 5

MY FIRST MOVE

TIARA

I left the apartment without even looking back or saying goodbye to my father. He was the one who destroyed my mother’s life, but I won’t let him destroy mine. I wasn’t my mother.?

My target was obvious. Vincent Baker’s lair. And if he thought he could buy someone as an object, he had another thing coming.?

Business Forum Empire, perhaps the most imposing building in the center of London. It looked like a mausoleum on the outside, so it surprised me when I entered the reception and everything looked so modern and fresh.

Still, I admired the beautiful columns and stylish design of the hall. But it infuriated me to think that someone had been paid to do everything to please this mogul.?

Everything here was at an absolute superlative, but I decided then and there that Vincent Baker was an idiot. I knew that before I got here, but now it’s just been confirmed.?

I was right in front of the reception desk, watching every move of the secretary behind the counter. The pristine white suit was in perfect harmony with the interior. She was typing away at the laptop in front of her and for no reason in the world did she look up at me until she was done.?

“May I help you, Miss?” she asked in a thin tone that went annoyingly well with the outfit and the interior. I rolled my eyes. It was so predictable.?

“Yes, actually. I am here to see Vincent Baker. He is expecting me!” I replied, proud of how I was holding my head up and thinking it would help me get inside. I was wrong.?

She looked at me and blinked politely that I almost felt bad for taking this position. She was scanning me all over, so I kept an eye on her hands in case she had a panic button under her desk.?

“Is he? Let me check! May I ask your name, please?”?

“It’s Tiara. Tiara Glare” I said it twice, feeling like I was in some spy movie. This was simply ridiculous. But when she heard my name, her entire posture changed. Even her face, with that formal, frozen smile, softened and looked more natural.?

“Oh, Miss Glare! Of course. I will let Mr. Baker’s personal secretary know you are here” So he was really expecting me. I couldn’t have done it any other way after reading that contract. He expected me to come.??

I took a small step back, watching the receptionist dialing a number. “Yes, Miss Tiara Glare is here to see Mr. Baker,” she said in a formal tone and an equally formal voice answered on the other end of the line. She nodded and then hung up.

She immediately looked up at me, and with the same broad smile, she replied. “Mr. Baker is ready to receive you now. Top floor, please”

“Thank you,” I said politely and turned meticulously towards the corridor that led to the elevators. I pressed the button to get it and as soon as I walked in, the doors closed behind me. It seemed like nobody went up to him.?

Now that I was in the elevator and actually going to see this man, my nerves were cracking. What was I thinking when I came here? Couldn’t I have torn up that contract and looked for another way to make the money my mother needed? I could have asked a bank for help, taken out a loan like everyone else in their right mind would do. Not to take the more twisted and less normal path.?

That’s exactly what I was going to do. While I was here, though, I’ll tell the billionaire a piece of my mind and go back to my apartment looking for ways to get my shit together and in debt myself.

As soon as the doors opened, another secretary appeared in front of me. She must have been his personal assistant. A tall, slender woman with long blonde hair. Suddenly, I felt so insignificant that I almost turned back. But her voice stopped me.

“Oh, Miss Glare, please, this way. Mr. Baker is waiting for you inside,” she said in a warm voice.

I clutched my purse tightly and stepped towards the enormous doors in front of me.?

I could feel the ground slipping out from under my feet and I could barely stand, but I lifted my chin. Vincent Baker was not supposed to see a woman with her nerves down. He was like a shark, feeding on people’s fears.?

His name reigned on a golden plaque at my eye level. Vincent Baker. Even his name exuded power.

I took a long, deep breath and opened the door.

Vincent Baker stood facing his tall window, admiring the rainy London landscape. As soon as he heard my footsteps, he turned to me. And that was when I had a terrible shock.?

“You?” I asked in disbelief, remembering what had happened this very morning. “I can’t believe it’s really you who I have to…”?

I held his gaze from the entrance. I had seen him everywhere, in newspapers, magazines, on TV, and he was perhaps even more ravishingly handsome in person.?

His dark hair was a perfect sexy mess and his vivid blue-sky eyes were visible from across the room. God, I was literally staring.?

I took in every feature from his face. His manly cheekbones, his perfect nose, the two dimples from his cheeks. Even if he was not smiling, I just knew they were there. A few rebellious strands framed his tanned forehead.?

I couldn’t restrain my eyes from dropping to his naughtily alluring mouth. God, this man was hot!?

Then my eyes got drawn to his powerful arms that sat folded together over his well-worked chest, swelling his biceps enough to feel a warmth throughout my entire body. God, I already hated my own thoughts that were so sinful.?

Damn hormones that kept drawing my attention to the fact that I hadn’t had sex for six months since I broke up with Paul.?

Somehow, I had to put up that protective wall and do what I came here for. And so, I had done my first smart move. I crossed my arms over my breasts, which immediately rose to my cleavage. Great, Tiara. All the more reason for him to look at me like he was devouring me.?

“I can’t say I’m as shocked as you are, Miss Glare,” he finally said and his firm voice shook me completely.

“What the fuck does it mean that we’re getting married?” I asked with uncharacteristic awkwardness and yet it existed there for a few minutes.?

?He just stared at me, but didn’t react in any way. I was expecting him to react somehow to the incident from earlier this morning. My eyes wandered around the office when, by chance, I came across my paintings. They laid one on top of the other on a not very tall cabinet.

I was also expecting a damn answer, but my words hit his wall as they fell scattered on the floor. The more he stared at me and I stared at him, the more I realized he had a special beauty that he wasn’t afraid to use as a weapon. Kind of like he was doing now.?

Even from across the room, I could feel the magnetism he gave off. It was terrifying, fierce, swirling. If he stayed in this posture much longer, I almost wished the ground beneath me would open up and hide me.?

The strength of his personality intimidated me more and more, and although I wanted to lower my gaze, I couldn’t. The magnet in his eyes kept drawing me in.?

I thought if this man wanted to, he could rule the world. Finally, he smiled slightly, still holding my gaze. I was like on a roller coaster of emotions.?

“Just as the contract says, Miss Glare! Are you ready?”?