The Billionaire's Trust (His Submissive, Part Eleven) by Ava Claire Page A

snap. I could go all Bjork on their ass and then
lunch with Mommy Dearest would definitely be
canceled.
    The owner of The Vineyard hustled
out, dressed in a two piece suit of her own with stars in her
eyes--and she drew a good number of eyes to the front
entrance.
    There'd be no backing out
now.
    "Mr. Whitmore," she gushed, her
teeth as blaring white as the platinum blond hair pulled into a
high bun on her head. "It's truly a pleasure." She shook his hand,
lingering, like she was trying to savor the contact. She remembered
herself and glanced at me with embarrassment setting fire to her
cheeks. When she held out her hand, her face apologetic and
slightly worried I'd be pissed, I shook hers with a smile. In the
past it might have made me roll my eyes or bring my defenses up as
I moved closer and marked my territory, but I felt no need. He put
a ring on it and I knew when Jacob made a commitment, he meant it.
Besides, we'd survived too much for me to act the fool just because
some random woman had a crush.
    "Mrs. Whitmore is already inside,"
the owner said, back in business mode. "If you need anything at
all, please don't hesitate to ask. My staff and I are at your
disposal."
    Jacob gave her a crisp nod and
looked down at me, slipping the mask of armor back on. "Shall
we?"
    Stepping inside of The Vineyard made
my heart swell in my chest. The rich colors, the walls lined with
wine bottles, the rustic furnishings--everything about it took me
back to Venice. I didn't miss the parallels: Venice was me and
Jacob’s beginning. Alicia was trying to make this our new
beginning.
    Our host guided us to our table and
I took a deep breath as Alicia saw us and rose to her feet. An
older woman was beside her, plunking out a final word on her iPhone
before she gave us a quick smile and her face went serious. Alicia
was gushing like she hadn't seen us in months. I shook Alicia’s
hand and watched as the Awkward O-Meter ticked up to ‘run and hide’
as she moved to hug Jacob and he took a step backward, giving her a
look that made me shiver.
    Surely she didn’t expect that to go
over well, but the crestfallen look that flashed across her face
said otherwise.
    Never one to stay down, Alicia
recovered from the slight like a pro, turning back to the silver
haired woman. “I’m so glad you two agreed to come.” She began the
introductions. “This is Macy Scott. She’s the best wedding planner
in the city.”
    “Oh Alicia,” Macy said with a
haughty chuckle. “You’re exaggerating just a smidge.” From the
smile she had slathered on her lips at the compliment, she was
loving the praise--and believed every word. “Best in the city? That
may be a little bit much.”
    “You orchestrated Mika Sanchez’
last minute nuptials to that Saudi prince, made Oz Claiborne’s
sixth wedding look like a storybook romance instead of a lecherous
old man’s end-of-life crisis and even I was impressed when
you turned Liza Jackman’s rehab romance into a goth’s wet dream.
She talks about you like you’re the second coming of Christ,” Jacob
paused, cool eyes locked on her. “I think you know exactly how good
you are.”
    The three of us women just gawked at
Jacob. He had the strong, silent thing down pat five seconds ago
and now he was striping away the BS before we even sat
down.
    He pulled out my chair and waited
for me to sit before easing into the seat beside me. His mother
still had this gray eyed, deer in headlights thing going. Macy was
just as stunned.
    “What?” Jacob shrugged. “I do my
research as I’m sure you’ve done your own.”
    Alicia sat down without a word,
polishing off the rest of her wine like she knew we were in for a
bumpy ride. But Macy--there was something different when the
initial shock faded. Her eyes brightened, her whole demeanor going
from professional with a hint of ‘meh’ to downright interested.
“You read up on me, huh?”
    Jacob took a long swig of his water
before answering. “I know as much about