Fake It For Daddy (Sugar Daddy 1)

I smile at Cerise. She looks fine, much better than Maxime, and I suspect she doesn’t know what’s coming. Oh, she knows part of it…. But not everything.

“Leon,” she says, “and you brought your whore.”

“Hello,” Paige says. “Nice to see you too.”

“It’s funny, you talking about whores.” I give Cerise a withering look. “If I remember right, you wanted to sleep with me to seal with deal.”

Maxime spits on the ground.

Cerise just laughs. “Oh, you arrogant man. I just wanted a little fun. I didn’t really need it, do you understand?”

I smile at her. “Well, either way. Do you want to know something?”

“No,” she says. “Honestly, I do not. I’m angry enough as it is. I’m annoyed I’m here. I’d rather just go.”

“Paige and I were never really together.”

She narrows her eyes. “Excuse me?”

“I made it up,” I say.

“I played along,” Paige adds. “Gracefully, I might add.”

I nod at her with a smile and turn back to Cerise. The woman is turning red and I can see the rage in her face.

“You lied… just to avoid sleeping with me?” She lets out a throaty groan. “I knew it from the start. I was suspicious of you both from the start.”

“I wanted to avoid damaging your ego. And you were right all along.”

“Am I so… disgusting? Am I so repulsive?”

“Darling, no,” Maxime says but Cerise shushes him with a gesture.

“You fucker, you pig,” she says to me. “And you, you, you truly are a whore, aren’t you?”

Paige smiles sweetly at her and takes my hand. “Don’t be a sore loser,” she says.

I grin and raise an eyebrow. “She’s right, Cerise. You are a loser, aren’t you?”

“Yes, you cut me from this deal. You and that bitch Charlotte. Are you happy? Are you so proud?”

“I am, actually,” I say, still smiling. “You don’t deserve a cent from this, but that’s not all I’m doing to you.”

Cerise’s eyes narrow. “What else could you do?”

I step forward, releasing Paige’s hand. I stare into Cerise’s eyes.

“Your cousin decided to banish you from the kingdom,” I say softly. “You will be deported…” I check my watch. “In five minutes, actually. That’s why I wanted you here.”

Her eyes go wide. “You’re kidding?”

“Nope. Five minutes from now, your own police force will find you and kick you out of the country. Oh, it’s only for a year. I wanted much, much longer… but Charlie wouldn’t allow it.”

Cerise practically gags. “They’re coming now?”

“Right now. Are you packed and ready?” I laugh at her, malicious and gleeful.

“He’s bluffing,” Maxime says.

“He’s not, you stupid shit,” Cerise spits at her husband. “Run to the car. Run now!”

The man hesitates, glares at me, but does as his wife commands, like he always does.

That’s the last time I’ll ever see him, I hope.

Maxime disappears back out onto the street. I look at Cerise with a big smile again.

“You never should’ve fucked with me, Cerise,” I say softly.

“It is only a year,” she says, waving her hand. “Charlotte has done worse, I think. I will be back and when I am, I will make your life hell.”

“I doubt it. I suspect Charlie and I are going to get along swimmingly. Goodbye, Cerise.”

The woman looks at us with a snide expression then walks off. I watch as her walk turns into a run as soon as she’s out of the door. I smile to myself, savoring that moment.

“She’s right though,” Paige says to me, taking my hand again. “She’ll be back in a year.”

“That’s okay. I think this whole fiasco has really diminished her power with the royals. I doubt she’ll be a problem anytime soon.”

“Still, better keep an eye on her.”

“Oh, I will.” I turn to Paige and squeeze her hand. “Here, come with me.”

I lead her out into the center of the lot. There’s nothing around us but abandoned digging machines and building materials, but there’s so much possibility.

“What do you think?” she asks. “Everything you wanted?”

“More,” I admit. “Much, much more.” I’m not looking at the lot though.

I’m looking at her, at my darling little Paige.

She smiles up at me. “What?”

“I want you to know something,” I say softly. I tilt her chin up to me and look into her eyes before kissing her gently. “I love you, Paige. You know that, right?”

“I love you too,” she whispers.

I kiss her longer, letting it linger.

I let those words sink in deep before finally breaking away.

“I want to be with you,” I say softly. “For real. No games, no hiding, none of that shit. And I want us to do this hotel together for real.”

“I want that too,” she says.

I pull her against me, holding her tight in my arms.

Finally, my eyes slowly close and the world around us completely disappears.

There’s nothing else I want or need. I have my Paige and everything else is a bonus. This hotel, my fortune, everything. I could live without it all if I had to.