Seventeen

Jameson's POV

Bella is at risk. I can feel it deep down in my gut. What I can't seem to figure out is how to help her, especially when I have a lot of paperwork to tackle.

I take another impatient glance at my watch. This should be the fifth time I've done it in the last hour, knowing that this meeting is stretching my patience.

"Sir?"

I glance up at one of my subordinates who called for my attention.

"We can adjourn the meeting if you need to be somewhere else," he suggests with an apologetic look on his face.

My company or my emerging feelings for the daughter of one of my greatest enemies. Which should come first?

My logic, of course, would go with Pentagon Beauty. That is the only thing I have left in this world. Building a legacy should be what I should be worried about, not being concerned about whether a girl I am developing feelings for is doing alright or not.

Regardless of knowing the right thing to do, my heart already knows what it wants.

I sigh, massaging a spot on my forehead while using my other hand to motion for the guy to continue with his presentation.

He flashes me another apologetic look before continuing with the data analysis from their in-market research.

As soon as the meeting ends, I am already up and out the door, ignoring any requests for a private conversation.

"Bella is in big trouble, boss"

Lamonthe's words make my heart start thumping hard against my chest. He goes ahead to tell me everything Bella had told him over the phone. With each sentence that leaves his lips, the more uncomfortable I get.

"Find out if Davenport is still staying at his old mansion."

Lamonthe's hesitation to my request makes me suspect that there is more to what he had just told me. He sees my raised eyebrow and licks his dry lips before telling me about Cindy.

"What does she want this time?"

"She didn't tell me, boss. But from the way she sounded, you would know that it's very important."

"Shit…" I mutter under my breath while contemplating which is more important between going to see Bella or Cindy.

"Sir, how about I go find out what's wrong with Bella while you go to the penthouse you share with Cindy?"

It should have been the other way around. Bella should come first in my life, not Cindy or any other person. However, I allow Lamonthe to have his way.

I get to Cindy's penthouse in no time. She welcomes me in one of her boyshorts, which has half of her ass outside, indicating that this meeting isn't as important as she had told Lamonthe.

Sighing inwardly, I follow her into the apartment. She stops me right in the middle of her living room, tipping on her toes to try to get her lips to mine.

I stylishly try to tilt my head further to avoid her lips.

"What is it this time, baby? Work?"

"It's a whole lot more than work."

"Come on, I know more than ten ways to make you feel better."

She gently pushes me to the couch and climbs on top of my body. She straddles me and soon enough, she is raining my face and neck with wet sensual kisses. Her slow moans that leave her throat with each kiss she drops on me fill the air.

However, none of what she is doing is arousing me in any way. Instead, a picture of Bella's sad face in my home office is occupying my mind.

Cindy stops when she notices that I am not responding as she wanted.

"What? Why aren't you getting in the mood?"

"I have a lot more on my mind than you could ever imagine."

I can now hear Bella yearning in my mind. She wants me to come rescue her from her devilish husband.

Cindy climbs down my body, her face flushed. "You have never said no to me, Jay. What's wrong with you?"

"Was this why you called me here?"

"A quickie in the middle of a slow day doesn't seem like a bad idea."

"Who told you I am having a slow day?"

"You sounded like you had a lot on your mind when we spoke this morning. I just wanted to spice things up."

"Yes, Cindy. I have a lot going on in my head, but I doubt if sex can work as a sedative right now."

Cindy sits beside me. A comfortable silence envelop us. But before I could let out another heavy breath, my phone starts ringing.

I jolt to my feet on seeing Lamonthe on my caller ID.

"Tell me, is she alright?"

"We have good news, boss."

My brows furrow when the line goes silent, instead of him telling me what the good news is.

"Go on, Lamonthe. What the heck are you waiting for?"

"I just wanted you to react to the idea of good news first," he answers with a chuckle.

"Speak," I command.

"She has signed the papers!"

I pump my fists in the air. This is better than what I had expected. I forget all about Cindy and her mid day sex offering, my long strides heading to the door.

Lamonthe and I argue if releasing a press conference would be the best way to announce the brand ambassadorship deal or if I should just hit them with the news when the pictures are ready for the billboard.

"Waiting for the pictures will take a long time. And considering the fact that Bella is now at Matt's mansion, it might be hard to reach out to her."

"So the press conference is a better idea. Organize one as soon as possible. I will be there when the press is ready for the shocking revelation I have for them."

Three hours later, I am sitting in front of some curious journalists, my stormy gray eyes slicing across their profiles while I wait for the rest of them to join us.

"I'll be ready when you all are," I tell them with a curt nod.

"Tell us, Mr. Pentagon, why have you called us here today?"

My lips widen in a smile as I make them even more curious.

"Seems like whatever you are about to reveal to us is one of the best news you have ever gotten."

"Yes, of course. I have a new brand ambassador. A special one at that. Her face will be representing Pentagon Beauty from now on."

Most of them gasp, knowing that I have never had a brand ambassador before. I didn't even blink before most of them begin asking for the identity of the brand ambassador.

"Is it Cindy Collins? Your latest model girlfriend?" One of the reporters, who obviously had intel on my secret life, asks.

Being a public figure, I already know that most of these reporters watch me like a hawk. It wasn't a surprise to me that they know about my secret relationship with Cindy. I won't even be shocked if they find out that I rented and furnished a five star apartment for her.

"It can't be Cindy."

"Whoever the lady is, she more important than Cindy then. I can't help but notice how your pupils dilated a bit when talking about her," another reporter asks in a teasing voice.

I find myself chuckling at that, but I recover immediately. I shouldn't let the public know how important Bella is becoming to me. It will complicate a lot of things for me and the last thing I need is further complication in my simple lifestyle.

"Bella Vanderblib."

Just saying that name leaves a bittersweet taste at the back of my tongue. Bella obviously being the sweet part and Vanderblib, a name I detest with everything in me.

There is a slight pause as most of the reporters try to catch on why I mentioned Bella's name unprovoked.

It is only one of them that gets it.

"Bella is the new face of Pentagon Beauty?"

At that point, the commotion topples against each other. I have a hard time keeping up with the questions everyone is asking all at once.

A question stands out for me, "But you and Vanderblib Glow are well known rivals in the beauty business. So why sign one of Vanderblib's daughters?"

I clear my throat since I have finally gotten the question that will take my enemy's peace by the time I am done answering it.

"That is a very brilliant question. Thank you so much for it."

"Do you mind telling us the ulterior motive behind signing Bella Vanderblib?"

I want to tell them that I am only trying to stomp on my enemy's heart. But that will be ridiculous admitting to my feelings so openly.

Rather, I show them the signed contract and say, "Signing Bella is one of the best decisions I have made for Pentagon Beauty for the longest time ever. She is such a beautiful girl. A beauty like her shouldn't be married to a beast."