Free Expose (Billionaire Series) by Evelyn Harper Page A

paying any attention to the area by the
maze.
     
    Again, I considered stepping in, throwing myself in front of
Mathis and protecting him, but I knew it was fruitless. Either I’d get us both
killed, or I’d provide the perfect hostage for the mob boss. I knew how adamant
Mathis was about keeping me safe. He’d freak out even knowing that I was
nearby. If I got directly involved, I don’t know what he might do. Whatever
game he was playing, I’d have to let him make his final move and hope he knew
what he was doing. The mob boss was still raving.
     
    “Who do you think you are? Don’t you know what sort of
situation you’re in, or are you still as dumb as you used to be? I can ruin
your life, and you’re arrogant enough to think you can deny me! If you don’t
give me what I want, rest assured I’ll raise the stakes. I thought you might be
reasonable if I gave you a little talk.”
     
    “I think I’m the reasonable one and you’re the
psychotic criminal,” Mathis said.
     
    I jumped in shock as I heard the unmistakable bang of a
gunshot. For a horrible moment, I thought it was over – that I’d just heard
Mathis get murdered and I’d stood by and done nothing. The party went on,
nobody seeming to pay any attention to the sound, probably since fireworks were
currently lighting up the sky over the garden. I finally caught my breath again
when I heard Mathis speak, seemingly unscathed.
     
    “Shooting the ground isn’t going to hurt me,” he said.
     
    “No, but maybe next time I’ll aim a little higher. You’d
better come to your senses. Watch your back, Côté, because sooner or later I’ll
put a bullet between your eyes!”
     
    I shrank back as I heard footsteps, realizing that the mob
boss must be leaving. I crouched in the shadow of the statue, and luckily, the
darkness covered me and the man didn’t notice me as he strode off angrily. I
caught a glimpse of his face, a mask of anger and frustration. Whatever reason
Mathis had for saying what he said, he would have to deal with the
consequences. That much was obvious.

Jennifer & Philip
 

Chapter 4
     
    “Hello, my name is
Eloisa Rousseau. If you can spare just a moment, I really need to speak with
you.”
     
    Twenty-seven
year-old Jennifer Brooks was, for lack of a better word, flabbergasted. How in
the world did Eloisa know who she was? Jennifer, of course, knew about the
cultured French woman. She had seen her upstairs, hitting on Jennifer's boss
and recent lover Philip Haas. With her model-like figure, regal bearing and
immaculately tailored dress, Eloisa was everything Philip should want and
everything that Jennifer wasn't. Why would Eloisa have even noticed her?
     
    “Oh…okay, sure.”
Jennifer managed to stammer out the words, her face flushing as she thought of
how foolish she must have sounded to someone like Eloisa.
     
    Eloisa glanced
around and then took Jennifer's arm. “Not here. Too many ears.” She motioned to
a small alcove on the other side of the elevators.
     
    Jennifer allowed
herself to be led away from the exit, her mind spinning as she tried to figure
out what was happening. Had Philip mentioned her to Eloisa? If so, in what
context? If he'd just told Eloisa that Jennifer was his assistant, would that
merit a private conversation? Maybe Eloisa was hoping that Jennifer would have
some sort of inside knowledge into Philip's personal life, something that she
could use to pursue a romantic relationship with him. But what if he'd told
Eloisa that there was something more between Jennifer and him? What if he'd
told her that the two of them had been sexually involved since just hours after
their first meeting? Did Eloisa think that Jennifer was using Philip to further
her own career? Was she there to tell Jennifer to stay away from him? Maybe she
was going to flat-out lay claim to him.
     
    “You are Philip's
assistant, yes?” Eloisa turned to face Jennifer.
     
    Jennifer really
didn't want to have to look up to meet