Page 28 of My Arrogant Millionaire

»Yes,« I whispered, and one last time, we sank into a kiss that made it even harder for us to part now.

»Go ahead. If the coast is clear, I’ll follow,« he said, and I slid off the table. As I straightened my dress and walked to the door, the feeling Baron had given me still pulsed within me.

»Wait, I think I’ve forgotten something,« I said, turning back to him. There it was again, that wicked grin that cost me my sanity. He tapped his right trouser pocket.

»I’ll keep this as a memory and trophy.«

»So, does that mean I have to get through the rest of the evening without any underwear?«

»Oh yes, it certainly does.«

It felt as if the weight on my shoulders had vanished as I finally returned his smile. Perhaps he was right; I could never endure without him, and he couldn’t without me. We would make this work. »Though, it borders on self-torture knowing you’re wearing nothing underneath all evening,« he added, and I laughed.

I exaggeratedly swung my hips and turned back to the door. »You should have thought of that before.«

A pained sigh sounded behind me, and my laughter grew louder. It eased me, finally dissipating the remaining tension, loss, pain, and longing.

19

Baron

»The presentation was a resounding success,« Betty said to me. I raised an eyebrow, trying to decipher her broad grin. Had she seen Grace and me? »Even though the boss of this whole event suddenly vanished without a trace.«

I cleared my throat and rubbed my stomach. »Perhaps I didn’t digest one of the appetizers too well.«

»Surely,« she replied conspiratorially. »The press is waiting and has a few questions,« she said, gesturing to a cluster of people on the other side of the hall. It was agreed that they could stay here until the actual start of the show, taking photos and conducting interviews with the attending guests. But once Imagine Dragons stormed the stage, the paparazzi had to leave. It was up to me to deliberately, firmly, yet politely show them the door.

»Well, let’s dive into the fray,« I said, smoothing my tuxedo jacket and walking towards the journalists with Betty at my side. My gaze briefly darted to the stage, where Grace stood with a smartphone in her hand, coordinating with some of the technicians. She looked up too, and I hoped I was the only one who noticed the fleeting sparkle in her eyes as she caught sight of me. Damn. The evening would be unbearably long until I could finally pull her into my bed and savor her all night long.

The paparazzi noticed my approach and immediately bombarded me with questions. I answered each with calm composure, even though most of them were irritating. But I had been in the business too long not to know how to handle these piranhas.

After about half an hour, Betty summoned two security guards for support, and I ended the party for the press. It felt like a sigh of relief knowing that no one was watching my every move with a camera anymore, and I sensed that the attending celebrities—actors, singers, presenters, and more—were relieved to finally be themselves.

»By the way, your companion left during the presentation. She said something about not putting up with everything…«

I looked at Betty. »You sound amused by that?«

»And you don’t sound particularly unhappy about it.«

We both grinned at each other. I knew why I liked Betty so much. She definitely deserved another raise.

»How is Miss Stone doing?« she asked casually as we headed towards the stage where the show would soon begin. Here and there, we were stopped by people I knew, and I chatted with them for a few minutes. Once we were alone again, I straightened my shoulders and couldn’t suppress my grin.

»Why do I have a nagging suspicion that you’re hinting at something, Betty?«

»Hmm…« She smiled at me flirtatiously. »Perhaps because you have a good intuition, Baron.« She patted my arm in a motherly fashion. »Don’t mess it up and appreciate the gift you’ve been given.«

»I’ll do everything I can.«

The first sounds emanated from the speakers, and darkness enveloped the hall until, with a loud bang, the band appeared on stage with dazzling light effects, and the crowd went wild. Betty and I stood a little in the background. Despite the impression I might give to some, I wasn’t one for the hustle and bustle.

I bobbed my head slightly to the rhythm of the first song, savoring the music. My gaze swept across the stage to the edge, where Grace stood, allowing herself a moment to simply watch. She had truly outdone herself here, and a sense of pride welled up within me. She was good at her job and needn’t worry that Nic wouldn’t appreciate her. As if sensing my presence, her gaze shifted towards me, and instantly, I yearned to be with her. To hold her, dance with her, kiss her. Even though I wasn’t one for public displays of affection, as soon as Grace looked at me, I forgot the world around me. Only she mattered, and that alone was enough for me to push beyond my usual boundaries.

She smiled ever so slightly, and that expression made me incredibly happy. It meant she didn’t regret our lovemaking and felt the same way I did. From now on, nothing stood between us.

But suddenly, her facial expression changed. Her eyes looked frightened, her gaze blank, as if she had seen something that shook her composure. I searched the crowd, scanning the people around me. A black-haired woman stood off to the side with a guy who had his arm tightly wrapped around her. He was tall, blonde, and I recognized him from some new Netflix series—I had met him briefly at a past event. Patrick something. The woman stretched up and whispered something into his ear, making him grin. When I looked back at Grace, her gaze was fixed on the two. Alright, either the guy was throwing her off, which I didn’t like at all, or it was the woman who… could it be that…? Grace turned away and disappeared behind the left side of the stage.

»I’ll be right back,« I said hastily to Betty, and maneuvered around the audience in front of the stage. When I reached the spot where Grace had been standing, there was no trace of her left. Fuck.

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