Page 50 of The Billionaire's Temptation

“Thank you ma’am, we’ll take it from here. Stay by the gate. Another officer will be with you in a moment.”

Then the officer sped up the driveway, the second cruiser following right behind.

Clarissa huddled in the oversized coat, watching as the police invaded her house. It wasn’t a home, so she didn’t feel a deep sense of any emotion as the officers ran inside, pistols ready. But she still felt that her privacy had been violated.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” an officer asked.

Clarissa turned, looking up at the man. It was him! It was the officer who had handcuffed her and slammed her on the hood of his cruiser!

“What areyoudoing here?” she gasped, stepping back and pulling the edges of her coat closer.

“Ma’am, I’m here to protect you,” the officer replied, lifting his hands in the air. “I know that we have a history, but I’m only here to help.”

Clarissa wasn’t convinced and she backed up again. “The person who broke into my house is inside. Not out here.”

“I’m here to protect you.”

She shifted on her feet, looking around. She didn’t feel protected. She felt…violated. This man who had done such psychological harm to her was now here to protect her? No!

“Fine,” she said, “but…could you back up?”

The officer backed up, understanding in his eyes. That gave her a little relief, but she still pushed herself more into the bushes, wanting to hide from the man.

He heard something on his radio, then looked over at Clarissa. “The civilians, can you describe them to me?”

Clarissa’s heart suddenly pounded faster, worried that Levi might be hurt by either the invaders or the officers. “You met Levi the day that you had me handcuffed. He’s the one that you listened to when my step siblings were lying to you.”

The officer barely hesitated, giving a description of Levi to the radio.

“The other man is just as tall, but his hair is lighter. I don’t remember what color eyes he has.”

Once again, the officer relayed the information, then moved to stand between herself and the house.

Yet another car pulled up, this one a familiar red Mercedes. Clarissa groaned. “Great,” she muttered. “Just what this night needs!”

The officer heard her and turned, his eyes immediately understanding.

“Clarissa, what’s going on?” Blaire demanded. “Why are there police at our houseagain? What have you done this time?” she was shrieking by the time she finished her question, but her blond hair looked smooth and silky. She was also wearing a skimpy, skin-tight black dress that ended about two inches below her hoohah. The five inch, spiked heels made her legs look impossibly long as she stepped out of her car. Blaire paused and…was she posing? Was Blaire actually standing still so that the officer could get a good look at her body in the figure hugging dress? Surely not. And yet, her hands remained fisted on her slim hips and a malicious glare burned in her eyes.

Compared to Blaire, Clarissa felt ridiculous in the oversized coat with nothing on underneath but a pair of skimpy panties and a camisole.

Hugging the coat closer around herself, she glared at her stepsister. Blaire was trying to intimidate her again, but Clarissa was thoroughly sick of people trying to scare her. “This ismyhouse!” Clarissa snapped. “It was never your house! Never! And if you step onto this property, ever again, I will ask this officer to arrest you for trespassing!”

Blaire rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous Clarissa.” She huffed a bit, flinging her blond hair impatiently over her shoulder. “Why don’t you come sit in my car? You look ridiculous in that coat and I’m pretty sure you don’t want the reporters seeing you looking so…” she let her eyes move down the overcoat meaningfully. “Well, just protect your reputation.” She jerked her head towards the Mercedes. “Get in the car, Clarissa!”

Clarissa thought about Blaire’s proposal. But there was something…off…about the offer of protection. Why was Blaire offering protection? Clarissa would have thought that Blaire would relish seeing an embarrassing picture in the gossip columns tomorrow morning.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Blaire snapped, angry now.

Clarissa bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowing on the woman. Yes, something was definitely off. Warning bells were loudly chiming in her brain.

Furious now, Blaire stomped her stiletto-clad foot impatiently. “Clarissa, get in the damn car! I will not have you shaming our family name with your outrageous outfit and,” she waved a hand in the air in the general direction of the house, “whatever shenanigans are happening inside our home!”

That was it, Clarissa thought. That was what didn’t make sense. Blaire didn’t care about Clarissa embarrassing her. In fact, Clarissa suspected that Blaire would truly enjoy any type of embarrassment. It would allow Blaire to tell all of her friends about how the silly “hick” from the factory still had no clue how to handle herself.

Clarissa stepped back further, feeling the sharp thorns of the bush behind her. “Get off of my property, Blaire,” she ordered.

Blaire pulled back slightly, obviously startled by the tone. But she rallied quickly, pointing towards her Mercedes. “Clarissa! Get. In. The. Car!”

---