The Billionaire's Boss's Forbidden Mistress Page 5

  Bob leant back in his chair, hooking his right foot over his left knee. ‘Well, the problem clearly lies with management, both in sales and marketing,’ he said.

  ‘But the sales division is by far the worst. Jim Matheson is one slick but rather shifty customer. He’ll definitely have to go. And I have no ulterior motive for saying that,’ he added swiftly.

  ‘Good. Because no way will I be firing Jim Matheson just yet. Not till after I find out what damage he’s done. By the way, did you manage to hire someone yesterday to do some speedy market research on all their products?’

  ‘Yep. Should have a report by the end of the week.’

  ‘Great. You’ll be coming with me here again tomorrow, by the way. And every day this week.’

  ‘Thank you. And I don’t have an ulterior motive for saying that, either. I simply hate staying in the office all by myself, doing nothing but take phone calls. Yesterday was such a bore.’

  Jason gave Bob a droll look. Their office was located within Jason’s penthouse, with every possible mod con and a heated lap pool a few metres away in which both men swam every day. When he sold WhizzBiz Electronics and became a corporate pirate, Jason decided that renting office space was a waste of time and money. So he’d sold the large home he’d shared with Karen, and bought the top floor of a new skyscraper smack dab in the middle of Sydney.

  It had cost him fifteen million dollars, but was probably worth double that now.

  ‘Poor Bob,’ he said, with not a trace of sympathy in his voice. ‘Any important calls yesterday, by the way?’

  ‘Let’s see now. The usual canvassing crap and invitations to stuff you hate.

  There was one rather interesting invite, though. From Joachim Bloom, asking you to a dinner party at his home next Saturday night. I told him I’d get back to him.’

  ‘Joachim Bloom,’ Jason repeated thoughtfully. ‘Name sounds familiar. Remind me.

  What does he do?’ This was Bob’s greatest asset as Jason’s PA. He knew everything about everyone who mattered—money-wise—in Australia. Read all the

  business magazines from cover to cover every month, as well as the business section in every newspaper, every day.

  ‘He’s a stockbroker. Old money, but he’s managed to increase his fortune somewhat. Always makes it on to the top two hundred richest in Australia list. A great contact if you want to start taking over strange little companies you know nothing about. He’d probably be able to tell you more about Beville Holdings in one night than we’ll be able to find out this entire week.’

  ‘A bit late for that, don’t you think?’ Jason remarked, toying with the idea of actually saying yes. He wasn’t partial to dinner parties, but he’d spent every Saturday night for the past six months with Hilary and suspected he might not want to spend this Saturday night alone. He might be tempted to ring Hilary out of sheer sexual frustration and that would not do. Because it wasn’t dark hair he wanted to wake to on the pillow next to him, but blonde.

  ‘Where does Mr Bloom live?’ he asked, still thinking of long blonde hair spread out on his pillow.

  ‘Vaucluse.’

  ‘Is there any other address for old money? Okay. Ring him back and accept.’

  ‘Will do,’ Bob said as he fished out his phone. ‘I have his number and address in here.’

  Whilst Bob rang Mr Bloom and accepted the dinner invitation on his behalf, Jason gathered up his papers into his briefcase, including the folder with the file on Leah.

  He’d bring her in for that chat soon. But not too soon.

  Friday, he decided. By then, he might know how best to handle her.

  By then, you’re going to be in a bad way, whispered a frustrated voice inside his head.

  Just keep busy, he told himself.

  ‘All done,’ Bob said. ‘You’re expected at seven thirty. Saturday night. Black tie.’

  ‘Black tie! Good God, who’s coming? The Queen?’

  ‘The best of Sydney society, I suppose.’

  ‘Then why’s he asking me? I’ve never been part of that crowd.’

  ‘You want me to ring and cancel?’

  ‘No, no. I’ll go. At least the food will be good. And the wine.’

  ‘By the way, he enquired if you had a partner and I said no. Hilary is history, isn’t she?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘Good.’

  Jason frowned. ‘You didn’t like Hilary?’ As much as Jason didn’t make a habit of discussing his personal life with Bob, it was impossible to hide it. Hilary had often dropped in at the penthouse during the day when Bob had been there.

  ‘She was after you for your money,’ Bob pronounced, startling Jason.

  ‘But she had money of her own.’ Hilary’s first husband had been well off, her divorce settlement considerable. She’d owned a very nice house at Harboard Beach, where Jason had spent many weekends with her.

  ‘Some women can never be too rich.’

  Jason thought about Hilary’s fury when he wouldn’t marry her. She’d claimed to be madly in love with him. But maybe it had never been a matter of love. Jason respected Bob’s judgement of character, plus his intuition about people.

  ‘You could be right,’ he said. ‘Come on. Let’s get going. It’s been a long day.’

  The reception desk was deserted by the time they walked past. Leah’s car wasn’t in the car park, either. She was gone.

  Jason wondered for a moment where she lived. But then he realised he had that detail in his briefcase. He had lots of details about her, not just her address.

  Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to get home to discover every single one of them.

  Chapter 5

  Leah’s phone was ringing as she let herself into her apartment. Throwing her bag on to the marble hall stand, she hurried into the living room and swept up the receiver.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Hi, there. You sound breathless.’

  It was her father.

  ‘I’ve just walked in the door. Can you hang on till I pour myself a glass of wine?’

  ‘Sure.’

  Leah went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass from the bottle of Verdelho that she’d opened the night before, taking it with her and settling into her favourite armchair, which was positioned right next to the phone.

  ‘I’m back,’ she said down the line after a couple of refreshing sips.

  ‘Stressful day?’

  ‘No,’ she lied. ‘I’m just a bit hot and bothered from contending with peak-hour traffic.

  ‘I’m ringing to warn you early in the week that I’m having a dinner party on Saturday night. Nothing too large. Just a dozen or so people.’

  ‘That’s all right,’ she said. ‘I’ll stay in my room and read.’

  ‘No, no, I want you to be there, by my side. That’s why I’m calling.’

  ‘Oh, Daddy, you know I’m not into that kind of thing any more.’

  ‘Yes, I do know that, more’s the pity. You are so very good at making people feel comfortable. Just like your mother was.’

  ‘Mum was marvellous at dinner parties, wasn’t she?’ Leah said with fond remembrance and a tinge of sadness.

  ‘Yes,’ her father agreed. ‘And you take after her. The thing is, darling, there’s this one gentleman in particular that I’ve invited. I’d like to sit you next to him at the table. Please come, as a favor to me.’

  ‘Who is he? Not some lecherous old billionaire, Daddy. I have no intention of spending an entire evening, slapping his hands away under the table.’

  Her father laughed. ‘Would I do that to you?’

  ‘You can be quite ruthless where money is concerned. So who is this mystery dinner guest, exactly?’

  ‘Someone who has everything, except me as his broker.’

  ‘If you won’t tell me his name, my guess is he is old and lecherous.’

  ‘Not at all!’ her father denied.

  Leah rolled her eyes. Most of her father’s male clients were over sixty, multimi
llionaires who still thought they were God’s gift to women, despite their balding heads and potbellies.

  ‘Promise me he’s not too revolting.’

  ‘He’s not at all revolting. Honestly.’

  ‘I suppose you’ll want me to doll myself up.’

  ‘You could never look anything but beautiful, Leah. But, yes, it’s black tie.’

  Leah sighed. She’d once loved black tie parties. Loved dressing up to the nines.

  Loved wearing designer dresses and diamonds.

  Somehow, such dos seemed pretentious now, filled with pompous, privileged people who had no idea how the other half lived.

  But she loved her father and it would be churlish of her to refuse. He rarely asked anything of her.

  So come next Saturday night, she’d doll herself up and sit next to this rich old codger and do her best to charm him.

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed.

  ‘Darling, that’s wonderful. I do appreciate it. And you’ll enjoy yourself, I’m sure. I’m having the food done by that catering company your mother always hired. More than a dozen people is a bit much to expect Mrs B. to cook for. And I’m going to open some of my best wines.’

  ‘Heavens!’ This potential client must be very rich indeed.

  ‘The invitations are for seven-thirty, but I presume you’ll already be here long before then.’

  Leah spent most Saturdays at Westmead Hospital, visiting the children’s wards and doing what she could to bring a little joy into the lives of the poor kids there, especially the ones in the cancer ward. During her own long rehabilitation in that same hospital, she’d taken to wandering the corridors, discovering that there were plenty of people worse off than herself. It had been the children, however, who had affected her most deeply. Poor little mites.

  Yet so brave. Sometimes she felt quite ashamed of herself when she visited them.

  They rarely complained, even when all their hair had fallen out. She knew she’d be devastated if all her hair fell out. Yet she was ashamed of a few miserable scars that didn’t even show.

  She usually left around four—the children were getting tired by then, anyway—and drove straight to Vaucluse, arriving at her father’s around five.

  ‘I’ll try to make it home by four,’ she told him. ‘It’s so long since I’ve dolled myself up to this degree, it might take a while. Do you want me to help with the flowers? Or the table setting?’

  ‘No. I don’t want you to do a thing. Just look beautiful.’

  Leah winced. That was what Carl always said to her when they had a party. She had liked it at the time but had since read an awful shallowness into the comment, as though she had nothing more to offer than her physical beauty.

  Which, as it turned out, had been correct where Carl was concerned. He hadn’t valued her intelligence. Or her joy of life. Or her soul. His love for her had been as skin deep as her supposed beauty.

  Leah sighed. And what if I were ugly, Daddy? she felt like asking. What if I had no hair? Would you still want me to cohost your dinner party? Was her father’s love for her tainted by her looks as well?

  ‘I have to go cook myself something, Daddy,’ she said abruptly. ‘All this talk of food has made me hungry.’

  ‘You do that, daughter. See you Saturday. Love you.’

  And he hung up.

  Leah gripped the phone for a few seconds before dropping it back into its cradle. He did love her. She knew he did.

  But then, he was her father.

  No other man had ever really loved her, she accepted painfully. Not any of her silly boyfriends. And Carl, least of all.

  True love encompassed more than sexual attraction. It was deeply caring, and strongly committed, and totally unconditional. True love didn’t abandon you when things got tough. True love was like a rock.

  And true love, Leah realised ruefully, was not be found in a pair of dark eyes that sizzled and smouldered whenever they looked at her. She knew exactly what Jason Pollack wanted from her, and it wasn’t commitment and caring. He didn’t want to be her true love, just her lover.

  The man had to be resisted.

  Not an easy task, she conceded as she recalled what had happened to her this afternoon.

  How long, she wondered, before he made his next move? And he would. She was sure of it.

  Maybe it was time for her to move on. To resign and find herself another job.

  She shouldn’t have the same trouble as she had the first time. She had experience now.

  Yes, Leah decided. That was what she had to do. Resign.

  She’d type out the letter at work tomorrow. And when Jason Pollack brought her in for that interview, she’d give it to him.

  Chapter 6

  By four o’clock Friday, Leah had worked herself up into a state. Jason hadn’t called her in for that interview, though everyone else seemed to have trundled down to the function room over the past three days. Today, all the reps had been brought in off the road, going in for their interviews one by one, then stopping by her desk afterwards to tell her how absolutely fantastic the new boss was, and that their jobs were safe.

  Peter, of course, was very relieved, though he confided to Leah that he hoped someone eventually told Mr Pollack—or his offsider—how hopeless their field sales manager was. Shelley had totally botched up their territories, he’d complained. As well as their country runs.

  By four twenty-five, Leah had given up hope that she was going to have the opportunity this week to hand in her resignation personally.

  Part of her was relieved. She hadn’t been looking forward to another confrontation with Jason Pollack, which is what it would have become.

  On another level, she wished it was over. Now, she would think about that infernal man all weekend.

  Leah started tidying up her desk, ready to leave at four thirty, when Trish showed up, looking flushed and excited.

  ‘I’m not going down to the pub for drinks tonight,’ she announced. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘That’s all right,’ Leah returned. ‘I’m going straight home tonight, anyway.’

  She’d been afraid the new and much-lauded boss might show up at the pub, since he didn’t stand on ceremony. The last thing Leah wanted was to be with him in a semi-social situation. It had been bad enough, greeting him politely every morning and afternoon this week, as well as during the day when he walked past on the way to the factory, or the canteen, or wherever he’d been going. He always smiled at her, and it was impossible not to smile back. Her mouth simply didn’t obey her when he was around. Neither did her eyes. She hadn’t ogled him, exactly. But it had been a close call.

  ‘Where are you off to instead?’ she asked Trish.

  ‘You’ll never guess. Bob’s asked me out.’

  ‘Bob who? Oh, you mean Bob, the right-hand man.’

  ‘Yes.’ Trish beamed.

  ‘That’s great, Trish,’ Leah said with a warm smile. ‘Bob seems nice.’

  ‘He is. Very. Jim’s most put out, but I’d already told him it was over between us. He’s gone off home in a huff.’

  Leah frowned. ‘I didn’t see him leave.’

  ‘He went out the side door.’

  ‘Has Mr Pollack left the same way?’ she asked hopefully.

  ‘No. He’s still in the function room with Bob. And you’d better start calling him Jason. He hates being called Mr Pollack.’

  Leah sighed. ‘I won’t have to worry about that for much longer, Trish. I’ve decided to resign.’

  ‘What? But why?’ Trish looked upset.

  ‘I think it’s time I tried something a little more challenging.’

  ‘Oh, dear, I’m going to miss you terribly. Couldn’t you possibly find something more challenging here? Bob told me Jason is planning a brand new advertising campaign to get sales moving. You might be able to help with that.’

  ‘I don’t think so, Trish,’ Leah said, switching on the answering machine, then bending down to get her handbag from where it was sitting on the floor u
nder the desk.

  ‘You haven’t resigned yet, have you?’

  ‘What’s this about resigning?’

  Leah’s head snapped up to find Jason striding towards them, his handsome face not smiling at her this time. Bob was a few steps behind, his face full of smiles as he looked at Trish.

  ‘Leah. She says she needs something more challenging,’ Trish said before Leah could assemble her thoughts, and her defences. ‘You could find her something in marketing, Jason, couldn’t you?’

  The boss’s darkly frustrated eyes went to Leah’s. ‘I would not dream of forcing Ms Johannsen into doing anything she didn’t want to do,’ he replied, the use of her last name showing he was not pleased by her decision. ‘But if she wishes, yes, I’m sure something could be arranged. I would hate to lose such a valued employee.’

  ‘See?’ Trish said happily.

  ‘I hear you and Bob are going out to dinner tonight,’ Jason directed toward Trish. ‘Why don’t you two run along and leave me to have a private word with Leah? I was meaning to speak to her today, but time simply ran out on me.’

  Leah hated the feeling of people talking around her. Hated the feeling of losing control of her own life.

  She didn’t want to have a private word with this man. She didn’t want to have a private anything with him.

  But Bob was swift to obey his boss’s command, and soon they were alone together.

  Though thankfully, not for long. The office staff kept going by on their way out, saying a polite cheerio to Jason, then calling out to Leah that they’d see her later down at the pub.

  Finally, however, the trail of people ceased and Leah was forced to face her nemesis, alone.

  ‘You go somewhere for drinks on a Friday night?’ he asked from where he was still standing on the other side of the desk. Thank goodness.

  ‘Usually. But not tonight.’ She stood up, her handbag at the ready to make a quick exit.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Trish won’t be there. I usually sit with her and I don’t like to go alone.’