Chapter Thirty-Six: The Dragon's Den

Her heart lodged in her throat as the car rolled up outside the Trump Towers. It was kind of funny as she’d been living in New York for a few years now and yet she had not even tapped the tip of the lifestyle within the city. But now this was just so different, fun and terrifying all in the same sentence.

He squeezed her hand. “Are you ready?”

Her hand smoothed down over her belly. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for this but I guess as ever as I could be. Any tips?”

“Yeah just smile and don’t answer any questions.”

“Ok, that won’t seem rude?” It was a silly question but she had no idea what to expect with this. Every move she was about to make was going to be captured in photographs, it was a little daunting.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Not at all, it’s how I roll. They don’t expect you to answer and if you do it’s a bonus.” His megawatt smiled flashed with ease the way he’d been doing it all his life. He was a pro at this compared to her.

When she stepped out of the car there was a frenzy of flashes and catcalls. Scenes like these were usually confined to the E-channel so never in a million years did she expect to be living one. Sure, Princesses, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt… but her? A simple girl from a far away land causing this much interest was quite extraordinary not to mention terrifying. In some ways she may have well be naked under the glorious sheen of the regal black she wore.

Jon linked his fingers in hers and led her along the red carpet which was dotted with cameras, stars, and starlets all being led into the Trump Hotel.

“This is quite the event huh?” She whispered as she stepped carefully in her strappy shoes. Never had she been more aware of not to trip as she walked gracefully beside him.

“Elton always throws good parties.” Jon grinned and nodded as the photographers bent before then and snapped away.

“Um...Elton?” She smiled wide and stood quietly next to Jon.

“Oh yeah did I not tell you that?” He grinned cheekily and waved briefly to the crowd.

Of course it was Elton. She didn’t know why she wasn’t surprised at all. She smiled and talked through her teeth. “No you might have forgotten to mention that little tiny detail.”

“Jon!” A voice called as they made their way to the entrance way. Elton was standing in a deep red suit with matching glasses. He grabbed Jon’s arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you so much for coming and who is this ravishing beauty? Where on earth have you been hiding her?” He held his hand out and smiled warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“This is Devon.”

“Gosh, it’s a pleasure to meet you Sir Elton.” She didn’t know if she was meant to courtesy or what the custom was for a Knight. She was being ridiculous as Elton in the five seconds they’d met seemed more like a lovely big red glitzy Teddy-bear than anything else.

“New Zealand’s where you’ve been hiding her. How delightful.” She eased as he winked and rubbed her arm gently. Don’t worry about all this riff-raff--they’ll soon move on to the next best thing that walks down the carpet.”

Jon wiggled his eyebrows. “We’ll meet you in there?”

“Yes - go in and get yourself a drink as there is plenty and don’t forget to donate.”

Jon tapped his suit jacket. “Cheque book is all ready.”

“Good man. You take care of him now, you hear Devon?”

Devon grinned. “Of course.”

She walked into the Atrium where gold and marble spun out everywhere. “He is a lovely man.”

“He’s certainly one of the better ones in my industry, that’s for sure. I’ve known him for years on various charity projects. Smile, this is the last stretch.”

Inside they had a deliberate red carpet that faced what was a stream of paparazzi against a backdrop. Her heart hammered in her chest, how could this not be over-whelming to anyone else? There were so many of them, it was ridiculous.

“Elton doesn’t let them inside so once we’re through -- we’re home. Just relax.” His kiss to the side of her temple would have been sweet if the flashes of light didn’t feel so intrusive.

They against the backdrop on the red carpet. She felt glamorous but also oddly exposed.

“Jon-over here!”

*click*

“Who’s the lovely lady? Smile here Jon!”

*pop*

“OK that’s enough. My face hurts.” Jon whispered as he led Devon away.

“Devon! Devon Scott!” A voice called and her feet froze.

She looked into the face of camera pointed in her direction and tried to keep the smile on her face. How in the world did they know her name?

“C’mon love.” Jon tugged her hand.

The man dropped the camera and grinned. “My wife loves your salon.”

Relief swept over her and she smiled quietly. “Thank you.”

“You OK? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine- really, I just didn’t expect anyone to know my name.”

“Trust me-they’ll know, Google. People will know who you are but you haven’t got anything to hide so don’t worry about it. They’ll move onto the sideshows that are bound to come in here soon and distract them.”

She stopped. “They’ll google me?” Shit. Get it together. “I mean why? I’m so uninteresting.”

He tipped his head back and laughed. “You’re dating me love. That’s enough.”

Jonathan warned her about this and maybe she should have thought this through a little more than she had.

“Relax-it’s just what they do. They try and find out information and they don’t know jack about me because I don’t do anything stupid and I don’t throw them a bone. Unlike some of the media whores around here.”

Jon led them into the function centre through the safety of the black and gold double doors. Inside the atmosphere was lovely, chandeliers hung from the ceiling that dripped with crystals. Ceiling high velvet curtains framed the windows, pinned back with gold knots of rope. Lavish simply wasn’t the word, this place was out of this world.

Each table was set with fine silverware and stemware. People drifted by and smiled, nodded more-so at Jon. It still niggled at her how exposed she was but there was no way anyone here would even be interested in her unless they were looking for dirt. Jon had been pretty clean-cut as well, what if they wanted to find something? That’s what they did right?

God. She clutched her purse tightly. The room may have been huge but right now it could have been matchbox size and the velvet curtains were choking her. Her belly churned, she needed to get out of here for a minute.

“I need to go to the ladies.” She pulled away but he tugged at her hand.

“Are you sure you’re OK?” His brow creased and his eyes were deep and warm.

“I’m fine – I’m hot and need to freshen up but I’ll be right back.” She didn’t look for his reply and instead made her way into the ladies and safely into a stall. She sank down on the closed lid and covered her eyes. How long could she go on like this? She was fine until she had to go and fall in love with Jon.

He was the worst person that she could have fallen for. For someone that had had done well to fly under the radar and build herself back up from nothing she had done well. It didn’t bother her before hiding something as it just didn’t matter and naively she though that it wouldn’t with Jon but it did.

She wanted to be honest with him but it was too late, she couldn’t ever imagine he’d understand what she did and the choices she’d made. It was a harsh judgement but telling him could be the difference from losing nothing to losing it all.

God. What have I done?

She’d just about died when the photographer recognized her even though they would have never recognized her as Devon Scott if they had truly known her so she didn’t know why she panicked in the moment.

Because you’re guilty.

Maybe he would understand? Maybe there was a way that he could and that she could be completely honest with him. It was dangerous as he’d have the power to destroy her and that was going against the one thing that she’d always vowed never to do again. She’d already foolishly let a man destroy her before. Even though she knew deep down that Jon wouldn’t, she thought Jared couldn’t either once upon a time.

This was crazy. She waited till the stalls had cleared out and looked at herself in the long mirrors in the powder rooms. Through all the beauty and glitter she could see an impostor. She wanted to be here but she wanted to deserve to be here and right now she felt far from that reality.

She fumbled through her purse for compact and decided she needed to pull herself together as this wasn’t exactly the place to fall apart.

“I’d stay in here all night too if they let me.”

She jumped and grabbed her purse before she lost it but she eased when she looked up into familiar green eyes. Patti.

“Hey-honey. What are you doing hiding in here?”

“Hiding. Jon’s probably noticed by now.”

“I don’t think men really notice how long we spend in the ladies.” She winked and popped open her lipstick and applied it next to Devon in the mirror. Her lush red hair was swept up in a fancy knot with over-flow down the back and she was wearing a long deep green and gold shimmery dress with a bo-ho style flowing skirt.

“I just-god.” She closed her eyes. “How do you deal with all this? I thought I’d be OK but I’m clearly not.”

Patti chuckled. “I don’t think anyone really is prepared for this side of life. Bruce and I barely attend these functions for one of those reasons. We’re not interested in the whole sensationalized side of life.”

“It as just – well, scary.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah it is. I’m just being stupid. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

“Mmm.”

Patti had a way that was so easy to open up to her, infact both her and Bruce did.

“You don’t look convinced honey. What’s bothering you? Is it Jon?”

“God, no. It’s not him. This whole thing with him has been like a perfect storm, maybe the wind is clearing and I’m just nervous.”

“Devon honey, what’s really going on?”

She sighed. “I feel like I know so much about him which isn’t hard when he’s who he is, but even his personal life he’s opened up so much to me so quick. Something tells me that he doesn’t do that easily.”

Patti straightened a few long fire red flecks of hair. “You’d be right there.”

“He doesn’t know that much about me, I mean he does but I’ve only told him half of it. God.”

Patti brushed a loose wisp back from Devon’s face. “You want my advice. Be honest with him.”

The idea of it made her want to heave into one of the toilets but Patti was right. “I want to be but I just don’t know how, it could change everything.” And that was just it. She’d never thought she would find someone again and feel the way she did about him.

“If he loves you, it won’t.”

She rolled her bottom lip under her teeth. She was pretty sure even love would be exempt from this. “I know it’s the right thing to do.”

“Just think about it. And for now, just enjoy yourself. C’mon. We don’t dress up in these glad rags to stand in the powder rooms all night, There are men out there with our names on, so let’s get out there.”

She smiled and straightened herself up. “Thank you.”

“No problem honey and if you ever need to talk, you know where I am.”

The problem was it wasn’t just Jon that she risked - it was the life he’d breathed back into her.