The Billionaire's Spark: Secret Billionaire’s Club Book Five Read online

“A great woman who is meant to be investigating you. Investigating all of us from what I’m hearing.”

  Cross balances his beer on the edge of the table and glances toward the buffet where Jessa and Melody are piling salad on their plates. A smile touches his lips, then he turns back to me. “It started that way, but trust me, it’s not that anymore. I gave her full access to the company accounts, and she knows they were off in their suspicions. The rest of you are quite safe, unless you’ve done something wrong.” He leans toward me. “Have you done something wrong, Cole?”

  “Of course not,” I snort.

  He should know. When you have as much money as us, it’s hardly necessary to hide any of it. Especially when you have the capacity to keep earning, like we do. The people who tuck their money away in offshore accounts are surely worried they’ll one day run out. I’m pretty certain that will never happen to me.

  “Right. You can all back the fuck off, then.”

  “Hasn’t one of your staff embezzled from your company, though? Why aren’t you rushing home to deal with that?”

  “My question exactly.” Jessa surprises me when she returns to the table and joins the conversation. She picks up her cutlery and waves her fork at Cross. “I tried to tell him, but he won’t listen to me, Cole. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.”

  “That’s why I’m here, ma’am.” I tip an imaginary hat and both Jessa and Melody laugh. “I’ve been sent for an intervention.”

  Cross steals a green bean off Jessa’s plate, then leans back in his seat. “Thanks for the concern, but it’s not necessary. I have someone watching Frank, and I put a hold on all outgoing payments. Nothing can be released without my approval. Whatever has happened up to now won’t continue.”

  “That’s a major imposition to your staff, though.” Jessa chews thoughtfully and signals the server for more drinks. “Do you know how slow it makes everything when they need approval for every little spend, and you’re hanging out in a different time zone?”

  “Enough.” Cross bangs his beer on the table and stands up. “I’m getting something to eat. When I come back, we’re not discussing this again.” He looks directly at me. “I want a break. I own the company. What I decide is what they’ll do, for as long as I ask them to do it.”

  He stalks off toward the food and I smile and stand up. “I think that’s my cue for damage control. And steak.” The girls chuckle as I take the same route Cross took, following him to the carvery. “What looks good?”

  “Everything.” His tone is gruff. His way of showing he’s still annoyed.

  I take a plate and line up behind him as he makes his requests. “Sorry to be pushy, mate. We’re just worried about you. A business drama followed hot on the heels by a new woman in your life—one you were bitching about just a few weeks ago. All of it adds up to make us worry. If it was one of us, you’d be asking the same questions.”

  “Maybe.” He moves on to the taco bar.

  Why the fuck are there street tacos in a buffet that costs seventy dollars a head?

  “You would. You know you would.”

  “Or, I might mind my own business. Did I question Danny proposing to his secretive neighbour after five seconds in bed together? Have I asked Sayer if his secretary might have set her sights on him and manipulated him in the end? Are any of us questioning Jillian about her intentions with a man she admits she immediately recognised when he was unconscious in her ward? One she would know from school was fairly wealthy.” He frowns and dumps rice beside his steak before throwing the serving spoon into the tray. “Why am I being questioned by multiple people, just because Jessa worked for the tax office? A job she doesn’t have anymore.”

  “She didn’t quit, though. They fired her. It could all be a ploy to get inside and see your stuff first hand. Which, seems to be exactly what’s happened, according to the access you say you gave her.”

  “Stop.” Cross turns to me, a steely glint in his eye. “If this is the way dinner will go, we’ll leave. I don’t want to hear another word about how terrible you think Jessa is.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to. It’s pretty clear you and all the guys have made up your mind about her without a single meeting.”

  “It’s not that. You’re different with her. You’ve never taken a three week holiday in your life, not even when I nagged you to trek through Nepal with me. The Cross I know would have crushed whoever took money from him and be lining up lawyers for months. Instead you’re smiling and laughing, handing over gifts that make us all freak out.”

  Cross finally laughs. “The freaking out part is on you.” He adds a bread roll to his plate, and we turn back to the table. “I’m happy, Cole. Really happy. If it only lasts a month or two with her, before she realises I’m a workaholic and this was just a dreamy interlude, then so be it. I’ve passed up a shit load of opportunities to focus on work, and I just decided it was time to relax. Time to enjoy myself and see where this might take me. Everyone seems to be hooking up and settling down, and I want that for myself. I don’t want to be Uncle Cross to all the kids you guys pop out. I want my own. I want you to be Uncle Cole.”

  We sit, his stare pinning me in place, warning me to let it go and let him be. Melody and Jessa are laughing and getting along like best friends. I watch Melody laugh, as she crams a forkful of chicken salad into her mouth and I can’t help but smile. If Jessa can make her forget her worry about paparazzi photos of her eating, maybe she is someone special.

  What the hell. The best way to find out is to give her a chance. No doubt Danny will be on my case tomorrow wanting to know what she’s like, so I might as well find out.

  As I bite into one of the best steaks I’ve eaten in weeks, I say, “So, Jessa. Do you want kids?”

  Chapter Six - Melody

  Dinner is fun, but it’s over too quickly. I’m so glad Cole invited me to meet Jessa. She’s the kind of person you bond with straight away and then you remain friends, even if it’s only on social media because you live in different countries. I’m not sure what the argy-bargy at the start of the meal was about between Cross and Cole, but it settled down after they got something to eat and we’ve had a really nice night. I can totally see why Cross is into Jessa.

  Argy-bargy is a term I heard Cole say twice on set today and I’ve resolved to add it to my vocabulary for the foreseeable future. His part requires an American accent, but tonight I’ve been treated to the three of them talking in their broad Australian accents. Every so often a word pops into the conversation and I have no idea what it means. Argy-bargy was easy to work out from the way Cole used it. But arvo? What does that mean? And Jessa said something about a cozzie. I haven’t the faintest idea what that is, but it’s been fascinating listening to them all night.

  My belly is stuffed, and I lean back, resting my hands on my food baby.

  I know I should sit up and try to look classy. A photographer could be hiding anywhere, and members of the public aren’t against posting sneaky photos. If a photo of me in this pose hits the internet, the story will be that I’m pregnant with a real baby and the speculation will start over whether Cole is the father.

  It didn’t take me long to learn that’s how the tabloids work. It’s still new enough that I don’t have too much of a sense of humour about it. I’m sure that will come in time. I don’t want to be one of those celebrities who loses their cool and lashes out at the press. My ten-step list specifically mentions keeping reporters on side at all times. I put it at number three for a reason.

  Number six is never let the press get a bad photo. Advice many an actress or singer should have given themselves early on, in my humble opinion. Unflattering photos live forever. Not only on the internet but tucked away in a scrapbook kept by a distant relative.

  I don’t need my family seeing photos where I look pregnant. That’s the absolute last thing I want, and the thought has me sitting up and pulling my chair closer to the table.

  “W
hat do you do at night when you have to film the next day?” Jessa asks.

  “If I’m away from home I normally like to have a bath and go over my lines. I don’t have a bath here though, so I’ll probably just strip off and go to bed.”

  “That’ll be enough talk about stripping off. Save it for the set tomorrow.” Cole is staring at me, his eyes like dinner plates. He might be gorgeous, but he sure can be odd. I wouldn’t have guessed he was a prude, but here he is getting all embarrassed like a grandpa. He’s the sexiest grandpa I’ve ever laid eyes on, though. When he talks to you, he makes you feel like you’re the only woman in the room. I’m starting to worry how I’ll make it to the end of the movie with my heart intact.

  Jessa claims my attention before I let any fanciful ideas about Cole and me take hold. “You have naked scenes? Wow, you’re so brave. I could never do that.”

  I shrug. “They’ve assured me there’ll be as few people on set as possible, but I’m going to bet that doesn’t mean just one or two. I’ve prepared myself for a whole host of people to be looking on.”

  She glances at Cole and back to me. “Is it a scene together?”

  “It is.” Cole answers before I can. “We’re meant to be into each other because we’ve shared a big event.”

  “What kind of event?” Jessa seems intrigued.

  “Oh, no. No spoilers,” Cross says, then he turns to me. “Maybe we should practice beforehand.”

  “Maybe, you wish.” I push his shoulder, and Jessa laughs. I’m convinced I’m doing a great job of hiding the effect he’s having on me. Maybe this dinner was a mistake. “I’ll strip off to go to sleep, not to share any extra nudity with you ahead of time.”

  “Won’t Cole be naked too?” Jessa laughs and leans forward, again. “How do we get an invite to this set? Surely you can bring friends along.” Cross growls beside her and she laughs. “Relax, baby. I’m not expecting an invitation.”

  “I think that’s enough of the nude talk for one night.”

  Cross sounds gruff, but the way he looks at Jessa makes my heart melt. It was bad enough watching them from the other table but sitting across from them all night has really made me wish I had someone who would look at me that way. I make a tiny promise to myself right there—as soon as this movie is done, I’ll take a short break. Maybe a beach holiday. Definitely somewhere sunny.

  “Can I ask one thing going forward?” Jessa has turned her whole body to face Cross and it’s my turn to lean in.

  “I guess.” His tone says he expects some kind of trap, and that he’ll willingly dive into it for her.

  Jessa takes his hand and smiles at him, her other hand touching the bulldog pin on her lapel. “Next time you invite me to dinner with movie stars could you please give me a heads-up? A girl needs to prepare herself not to blabber all night like a starstruck teenager.”

  We all laugh, and he leans forward to kiss her, both of them smiling as their lips meet. From the corner of my eye I see Cole shake his head, then he turns to me and holds his hand beside his eyes to shield the lovers from his view.

  “So, Melody. Why didn’t you request a bathtub in your room if that’s how you relax at night?”

  I’m startled by his question. I thought we’d managed to deftly get away from the topic of me being naked and wet.

  “Umm. I’m going to guess it wouldn’t have made a difference. That place is unlikely to have a bathtub in any of their tiny rooms.” I laugh, thinking of the lumpy bed with the attached bathroom that barely has space for a small toiletry bag and my toothbrush.

  “What do you mean? Aren’t you staying at the Bellagio with everyone else?”

  Now it’s my turn for dinner plate eyes. “No! I’m not at the Bellagio. Crew don’t stay at that gorgeous place.”

  Cole frowns. “True, but I don’t think I need to point out that you’re not crew. Did they put you up here?” He points upward as though by some miracle I’d be staying in the Caesars Palace hotel.

  Me. Melody Aimes. The girl from backwater Ohio.

  He doesn’t seem to be joking but I don’t know him well enough to be sure, so I spell it out for him. “I’m about a twenty minute walk from here. Back from the strip in a motel. I don’t know where anyone else is staying.”

  “You’re in a motel?” He raises his voice and Cross and Jessa break off their kiss and focus on us. “Didn’t your manager organise your accommodation?”

  “I don’t have a manager.”

  “I thought all movie stars had managers,” Jessa interrupts.

  “Not all,” Cole says, his eyes on me. “I don’t have a manager, either. But I did when I was starting out. What about your agent?”

  “My agent got me the gig and negotiated my fee. But I do my own bookings and handle my own money. There was no provision in my contract for accommodation and since we’re mostly filming in LA where I live it wasn’t the end of the world. I know I’ll need some cash for promoting the movie when it’s released so I decided not to spend too much on my hotel here.” I shrug. “It’s fine. It’s a business decision that I made for myself.”

  My chin lifts, without me meaning it to. I might be staying in a flea-bitten hotel in a seedy part of town, but I’m proud of myself for getting here. I’m the female lead on what I hope will be the blockbuster movie of the summer next year. A few nights in a lumpy bed can’t take the shine of that achievement.

  Cole is definitely not as zen about it as I am. He pulls out his phone and scrolls through the contacts as he asks, “How much have you spread out in the room?”

  “What?”

  “Are you completely unpacked and settled in?” He glances at his watch and then back at me. “I guess I’m asking can you easily move, or will I have to wait for two hours while you pack?”

  My laughter catches the attention of several tables around me, but I can’t help it. The look on his face is a mixture of annoyance and horror. It’s like he’s never stayed in a cheap motel. Well, maybe he hasn’t. He puts his phone to his ear as I answer.

  “I haven’t unpacked.” I look at Jessa before I continue with a laugh. “There’s not anywhere to unpack.”

  “Hi, Patty. Sorry to annoy you late. Can you book me another room at the Bellagio for Melody? Three nights at this stage, starting tonight. Oh, make sure it has a bathtub please. Yes, charge it to me. Thanks. I’ll call you when we’re on our way.” He puts down the phone and relaxes into his chair. “There you go. Tonight, you shall have your bath.”

  “That really wasn’t necessary.”

  “Yes, it was actually. I can just imagine the photos when the press gets wind of where you’re staying. We don’t need any whispers that we’re too cheap to put up our star in a hotel.”

  “We?”

  “Unlike you, Melody, I get paid a percentage of the profits of the film instead of a flat fee. Therefore, if something affects it negatively, I lose money in the long term. Which means I do everything to make sure only positive information gets out. You staying in the dark end of town is not positive information.”

  I put my hand over my heart, and I can’t tell if it’s to help me be a smart ass or to hold it in place, so it doesn’t beat out of my chest. I wish he’d stop staring at me the way he is. Those chocolate eyes need to stare elsewhere. I have to get through weeks of filming up close with him and that means keeping my wits about me.

  “Oh, you’re so chivalrous. Wanting to protect me from bad publicity, but not rapists.” Jessa, Cross and I all laugh as Cole scowls. We’re still laughing when his eyes settle on the back of my chair. He picks up my pink cap and holds it in front of me.

  “We’ll be having a talk about this on the way to get your stuff, too. You have some explaining to do.”

  Chapter Seven - Cole

  I flick my thumb over my shoulder. “You sure you want to walk? I can call—”

  “Yes, let’s walk. I ate so much I need some exercise. It’s only ten minutes or so.”

  Melody is several steps ahead of me by
the time I get moving. I fall into step beside her, the night crowds on the strip moving and swirling around us. Her hat is back on her head and I keep my gaze firmly away from the tight black pants she’s wearing. I didn’t notice over dinner, since my attention was mostly taken by Cross and Jessa, but Melody has the most sensuous walk. Just like I watched her walk to the elevator a few days ago in that hotel corridor, now I find myself wanting to put those few steps between us so I can watch her again.

  “I have to make a quick call. Can we stop here?”

  She nods and steps into a doorway to her left. I squeeze in beside her, pushing the button that will connect me to Danny on FaceTime. If I leave it any later, he’ll start messaging.

  Melody pulls out her own phone and chews her finger as she scrolls, her long nail resting on her lips and drawing my attention. I turn away, frowning to myself. All the talk of baths and nudity, and upcoming filming has gotten to me. Watching her run her tongue along the tip of her finger is not helping.

  It really has been a long time. As soon as this movie is finished, I need a proper personal break.

  “Cole? How’d you go?”

  “Good, Dan. We had dinner and Cross is fine.”

  “Is he coming home?” The image of Danny breaks up on the screen but the connection holds.

  “Doesn’t seem like it. He said he’s happy and the business is under control. Told me not to worry unless I had something to hide.”

  “Shit. I hoped you’d talk him around.”

  I laugh. “No chance of that. His mind is made up. I think you’ll like Jessa, though. She’s nice.”

  Danny snorts. “If he’d get his butt home, we could meet her, couldn’t we?”

  “Well, don’t hold your breath. And for what it’s worth, Jessa thinks they should go home, too. She asked me to convince him but he’s not listening.”

  “She said that?”

  “Yep. So, save your judgement. There wasn’t a single indication they’re not good together. In fact, wait until you see the two of them. Melody and I thought a Vegas wedding was afoot.”