Chapter 2 His Perfect Little Life

CHAPTER TWO

ELIZA'S POV

I was led down a flight of perfectly lighted stairs, with timeless vintage art strategically hung on the wall.

Vinton Crost's opulent mansion with its tasteful furnishings brought the harsh reminder that if Vinton Crost had truly wanted to save my mother's life, he would have.

He had simply left her at the hospital to rot. The life of a lowly janitor had not mattered to him. He was just as heartless as the media reported him to be.

And there was no shrivel of empathy in my heart towards him at the thought of what I planned to do.

“Wait here.” The tall man said as he came to a stop in front of a closed opaque door.

I waited and watched as he stepped forward and knocked, a second later, he pushed the door open and slipped in.

I was left alone in the brightly lit hallway. I looked around, deciding that leaving the mansion as Tilly's inheritance was what I was going to have to do.

I wasn't going to have any need for the unnecessarily expensive large space, even though I'd admit that the heartless Vinton Crost certainly had taste.

The door was pushed open again, and the security guard poked his head out and beckoned me in.

I took a deep breath and stepped towards the door, slipping into the study.

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting to find, but it wasn't the room cast in complete darkness, save for the light that spilled in through the window, and Vinton Crost, sprawled on a reclining chair, wearing the sexiest looking suspenders I'd ever seen on a man.

For a moment, my throat dried up and swallowing seemed like a herculean task.

Seconds went by, and Vinton remained silent. I wasn't regarded with words, nor his eyes.

His attention was on the spotless silver system in front of him.

When he finally looked up, dark eyes sinking into mine, my heart dropped to my stomach. I had studied Vinton Crost's pictures splashed across various newspapers and magazines for years. I'd seen his digital prints as well. I was well aware that he had the darkest attractive eyes.

But nothing had prepared me for how dark and penetrating they'd be in person. As those eyes took in my white shirt and the short skirt I'd been reduced to wearing just to play the role of a waitress, I wondered whether he could see through my lies.

“This is the woman who saved the life of Tilly.” The security man said, interrupting Vinton's slow and open perusal of my body.

The room was cast into complete silence as we waited for Vinton Crost to speak.

“I get that not everyone is smart, Marshal, but I didn't expect you to be dumb enough to bring me proof of your incompetence.”

Vinton's voice was low and acidic, and something about its deep baritone sent strange shivers up my spine.

I frowned in utter confusion. And in that moment, Vinton's eyes crashed again into mine, and I watched those dark orbs drop to the three open buttons on my shirt, where my cleavage was in obvious display.

“I'm sorry, sir, but we had cross-checked everyone's history. We made sure that every single person who stepped into the mansion was scanned with hand-held metal detectors—”

“Yet, two thieves slipped through your fingers, attempted to kidnap my daughter, failed at it, and made a clean escape.” Vinton's eyes grew sharper with rage as he turned them on the security man, who visibly quaked.

“There's not one reason left as to why you should still remain alive, talk more under my employ.”

Marshal visibly swallowed, sweat already beading his upper lip. He looked like he was seconds away from falling to his knees and begging for mercy.

“There's a good enough reason why you should keep Mr. Marshal, sir.”

Vinton Crost turned those obscenely dark eyes on me, surprise flickering in their depths as if he had temporarily forgotten my existence.

“And what reason is there, little plate pusher?”

Anger roared through my veins at the insult, a smirk curved Vinton's upper lip in a satisfied smile. That insult had been well intended. Vinton Crost was not only heartless, he was cruel.

I unconsciously stepped forward, anger steeped into every step I took. The movement brought me into closer proximity with his desk, and my senses were suddenly flooded with Vinton Crost's enticing cologne.

I wished he smelled as horribly as his attitude did.

“I am not a plate pusher. And I just saved your daughter's life. Is this the thanks that I get?”

“You will be wired a thousand dollars within the hour. If a young woman like yourself could save my little angel from thieves, then it means that I hired imbeciles as security.”

His glare this time, directed at Marshal, was disdainful.

“Now, get out of my office. I have work to do.” His attention returned to his system. We were clearly dismissed.

“I think, Mr. Crost, that the real imbecile in this room is you.” I could no longer control my outrage.

“What?” Vinton Crost barked, his expression both bewildering and furious. Like he couldn't believe anyone would dare talk to him like that.

“I didn't stutter.” I responded coldly, even though the fiery rage in Vinton Crost's eyes could set his little study on fire, including me.

Suddenly, Vinton sprang up, his chair toppling behind him as he rounded his desk and advanced towards me.

Fear shot through my veins at the muscle that visibly throbbed on his jaw, and the large hands that were suddenly balled into fists.

One blow from him was certainly going to send me into a coma. I could never survive the things that those hauntingly large hands could do to me.

I swallowed hard as Vinton's imposing figure moved into my personal space.

“Repeat what you said to me, young lady.” His voice was low and commanding. He was suddenly too close to me, it was really difficult to ignore his smoldering eyes, and lips.

“I said that you're no different from your security. You threw a birthday party for your daughter, yet you were not there to share the special moment with her. You didn't show up, even though you had invited all the socialites you could think of.”

Vinton Crost narrowed his eyes in annoyance and leaned towards me, almost making me dizzy with his imposing presence, and cologne. He smelled divine, like polished sandalwood and wealth.

“I paid people to keep my daughter safe. They failed to do that. Yet, I'm the imbecilic one?”

“You may think of yourself as smart, and all-knowing, Mr. Crost. But money can never replace your presence in your daughter's life. You owe her a duty of care, something that you have failed woefully at.

My heart was thundering against my chest as my eyes stayed locked on Vinton Crost's dangerously furious ones.

“Who the hell are you again?”

“She's the woman who just saved your daughter from getting kidnapped.” Marshal bravely spoke up, even though his eyes were still filled with fear.

“My name is Eliza Reed. And I am a professional nanny, who'll not only care for your daughter, but keep her safe, if given the chance, just like I did today.”

“You strut in here, dressed like a temptress, hurl insults at me, and think I’d let you near my daughter?”