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KATHERINE HANDEL HAD to be model tall and perfectly model thin. She breezed into the dining area of the country club, dressed in a navy-blue wrap dress and low heels. Allyson stared enviously at Katherine and then her designer handbag. Her salary was actually pretty good, and was going to get even better with her contract renewal, but there was no way she could afford a thirty-thousand-dollar handbag.
Allyson’s heart hammered in her chest, the thought of Katherine Handel working at Prescott already making her anxious. Katherine’s older brother, Nicholas, would be getting a board position here in New York, but Allyson hadn’t heard Katherine would be joining the office as well.
“There you are,” Dane’s mother said as Katherine approached the table. “We were just talking about you.”
“Nothing scandalous, I hope.” Katherine glanced at Allyson before turning back to Liliana.
Allyson scowled, annoyance already gripping her. She was the perfect daughter-in-law for Liliana Prescott. Not that it should matter, but the thought irked her anyway.
“Dane, why don’t you say hello to Katherine,” Liliana scolded.
Before Dane could reply, Katherine pulled him into a tight hug. “It’s so great to see you again,” Katherine said in a plummy accent.
“Likewise,” Dane said, sounding surprised. “I didn’t know you’d moved out to New York.”
When Katherine released Dane, she ran her hand along his jacket lapel and said, “My managerial position was part of the merger deal. I was going to tell you at the gala; it’s such a pity we didn’t get a chance to chat. You seemed rather preoccupied.”
Dane frowned. “Pity.”
Katherine turned her attention to Allyson, her hand still on Dane’s lapel. “Hello again, Ms. Smith. It is still Ms. Smith, correct? I wanted to congratulate you at the gala, but I saw how things turned out with the press. Simply awful.”
There wasn’t a sincere bone in Katherine Handel’s body. Allyson bit her tongue.
“The New York press is absolutely dreadful,” Liliana said. It took every ounce of Allyson’s strength not to roll her eyes at Liliana’s comment. Liliana had no qualms about sending the media after Dane when he dated one of the heiresses she threw at him, so her hatred of the press was borderline hypocritical. And why was she trying to talk like she was British?
“They’ve got nothing on the British tabloids. They’re ravenous, like wild dogs.” Katherine shook her head, her hair swaying perfectly to the left and right.
“I’ve heard horror stories,” Allyson said tightly. “Have you ever had to deal with them, Ms. Handel?”
Irritation momentarily flashed in the British beauty’s eyes, but Katherine quickly covered it with a smile. “You’re nobody if you haven’t had to deal with the British tabloids.”
“Then you must be a real somebody,” Allyson said softly, alluding to the London media’s obsession with Katherine. Allyson knew from her online celebrity gossip consumption that the British media didn’t care much for the dull and staid older Handels, but their fixation on Katherine and her brother was legendary. Both were gorgeous, wealthy, and unmarried. Plus, the younger Handels were cunning when it came to milking the press for attention.
But Allyson had learned from her dealings with Liliana. She had to bite her tongue sometimes when it came to a member of the board like Liliana, but she wasn’t going to let Katherine intimidate her.
“I hear you’re a real New York somebody as well,” Katherine purred. “How many wedding gowns has the local press snapped you in?” She laughed, like she was pulling the comment off as a joke.
Heat crept up Allyson’s face. She tried to fight the rising sense of humiliation.
“Allyson and I need to get back to work now,” Dane said dryly. “It was... good to see you again, Katherine.”
“I could use a bit of help since I’ll be starting work at Prescott Global headquarters tomorrow,” Katherine said. “I’ll only take fifteen minutes of your time at most.”
“It’s all right, Mr. Prescott.” Allyson got up out of her chair. “I can spare a few minutes to help Ms. Handel.”
Dane frowned again. “Fine. But we don’t have much time. I need you in the office today, All—Ms. Smith.”
Allyson nodded and followed Katherine to the sitting area on the other side of the room. The sofas in front of the big screen TV were empty, so Allyson made sure to sit as far away from Katherine as she dared.
As Katherine sat down and crossed her long legs, Allyson took a moment to subtly study her. Katherine’s style was elegant and sophisticated. There wasn’t much personality to her fashion, but there didn’t need to be. Everything she wore was timeless.
Katherine looked like a younger clone of Dane’s mother; next to her, Allyson felt...cheap. Where Katherine was slender, Allyson was curvy. Allyson’s purple satin blouse and tight pencil skirt were flashy compared to Katherine’s tasteful dress. Every movement the Englishwoman made was the picture of feminine grace, while Allyson suddenly felt hopelessly clumsy and awkward.
“I could never pull a skirt like that off,” Katherine said suddenly, gesturing to Allyson. “My bum is far too small.”
Allyson forced herself to take a deep breath and count to ten inwardly. There was no use in causing a scene. She absolutely could not afford more attention right now. Not with a scandal still hanging over her head. “What would you like help with?”
Katherine tossed her head back. “I don’t need help. Not from you anyway. I just wanted to warn you.”
A chill crept up Allyson’s spine. “Warn me?”
“Yes,” Katherine said. “It’s not sporting if I don’t give you a fighting chance.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your little scandal is all my doing.”
Allyson gasped. She knew Katherine was more than likely cruel and unscrupulous, but she had been certain the press leaks had come from her own family or Dane’s. “How?”
Katherine plastered a smile on her face. “I had a private investigator follow darling Dane a few weekends ago. I wanted to see if I could dig up a little dirt. Just to blackmail him into giving me another look. He dumped me once, and I don’t get dumped. Not by new-money Americans anyway.”
That elicited another gasp from Allyson. “The Prescotts aren’t new money. Why on earth would you think that was a good idea?”
“The Prescotts got their money long after the Handels did. All of you Americans are new money.” Katherine held out a hand to admire her nails.
“Why would you want Dane to give you a second look if you have such a low opinion of the Prescotts anyway?” Allyson asked. Apprehension gripped her. This was the most insane conversation she had ever had. Probably more insane that the conversation she had when Liliana tried to bribe her to divorce Dane.
“Because you Americans are the future,” Katherine replied. “If I have to get felt up by one more British inbred I’ll go mad. I intend to conquer this country and—”
“Dane is your ticket,” Allyson finished.
“You’re smart for an American,” Katherine said with a sneer.
“And you’re bitchy even by British standards.” Allyson regretted her remark instantly. Katherine was trying to hurt Dane. It was best to get as much of the truth out of her as possible so she could figure out a way to protect him. She’d also take anyone out in her line of fire.
“You’re feisty. I think I like you.”
“I don’t like you,” Allyson retorted.
“You think I care what some assistant thinks?” Katherine’s lips turned up into a cruel smile. “Like I was saying, I had Dane followed. And then I got the photo of you in a wedding dress and I assumed the worst.”
“The worst?” Allyson couldn’t stop herself from asking.
“That Dane had lost his mind and married the help.”
The urge to slap Katherine Handel was overwhelming. She balled her hand into fists and hid them between the couch cushions. “You’re the one who leaked the photo to the press?”
“I figured the worst had happened and I’d lost Dane before I’d had a chance to get even. Might as well make you two as miserable as possible and torpedo your plans of getting away with a secret wedding.” Katherine smiled, her face robotically perfect. “But that’s not the best part.”
Allyson’s heart sank. Something in Katherine’s tone let her know that there was something even worse to come. “It isn’t?”
“No, it isn’t. You sister, Monica, right?” She waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter, I don’t care. She started digging, trying to figure out who leaked the photo. Apparently, she didn’t like the fact that everyone thought you had landed Dane. So, she snooped until she found me and then rang me to set the record straight. I’m sure you can guess what she told me.”
A wave of nausea took hold. Monica really had betrayed her. It didn’t surprise her and, yet, it did. Allyson knew her sister was capable of a lot of awful things, but the truth still shocked her. Monica was really that jealous of her?
Katherine reached over and brushed an imaginary bit of lint off Allyson’s blouse. “She told me that we had gotten the story wrong. You and Dane weren’t married at all. Imagine our shock when we realized you two were going along with the lie. It seemed so unfair to let the world believe such an outrageous falsehood. Especially Dane’s poor parents.”
Allyson said nothing, too hurt and angry to even know how to respond.
Katherine sat back in her seat. She clearly wasn’t finished. “It’s been a fun month. First, I leaked the wedding photos., Then, I leaked a rumor that you were pregnant. How you two scrambled to sort that out!” Katherine laughed. “Then, I made sure the truth came out the day of the gala. Maximum humiliation. So satisfying, considering how Dane humiliated me by dumping me.”
“All this because you were dumped?” Allyson stared at the woman across from her, stunned.
“All this because everyone knew I was going to marry Dane. I had no plans to marry some dullard like my mother did. If I couldn’t have a prince, I’d have the next best thing. Excitement, the world at my feet. Then he had the audacity to dump me. But I’ll win in the end. I always do. The British tabloids are going to go absolutely mad when Dane Prescott and I finally get married. Even better when I divorce him.”
“That’s what all this is about?” Allyson demanded. “Fame and attention?”
Katherine’s eyes narrowed, her lovely face suddenly as harsh and rigid as a mask. “Yes. You almost got in my way. Payback is a bitch, my dear, and now I’ve made it my mission to destroy you.” She stood and straightened her clothes. “Fair warning.” She turned, and headed out of the room without a second glance.
Allyson sucked in a sharp breath, not realizing she hadn’t been breathing. This woman was going to war. I’m screwed. So’s Dane. Nobody would be safe from Katherine. And nobody’s going to believe me.
What was she going to do? She turned slowly and tried to compose herself. She had to go back to work. To Dane and Liliana.
***
ALLYSON APPROACHED their table, her face pale. Dane swallowed, angry that he’d let the viper talk to his girl. Allyson looked ashen. Grief stricken.
“Where’s Katherine?” he asked as he got up from his chair.
“She went to the ladies’ room,” Allyson replied, her face the picture of misery. “I think.”
Damn it. It was obvious Katherine had said something. He fought the urge to reach out and pull Allyson into his arms. He wanted to protect her from what had caused the fear in her eyes and whatever else had transpired. Except they were still keeping their relationship a secret. That might change soon, but this was clearly not the best way to break the news to his parents. Not now that it was so clear his father was having some kind of crisis over the whole thing. A sudden gesture might just add to the chaos. “We should get back to the office.”
“Of course,” his mother said. “We’ll wait for Katherine.”
After saying goodbye to his parents, he guided Allyson outside to the car. They didn’t say a word.
As the driver navigated the car away from the country club, she slumped back in her seat. There was a sheen of sweat on her skin.
With a frown, he touched her forehead to check for a fever. Normal. “What’s wrong?”
She hesitated. Then she turned to face him, her bright green eyes shining. “I want to tell you, but not right now. I need time to process.”
It was probably a good thing she wasn’t planning on hiding the truth from him like she had when his mother tried to bribe her, but the look on her face still troubled him. He had tried to cut things short at the country club when Katherine showed up. But Allyson had insisted on helping her.
Long before the merger deal was signed, he was certain that Katherine would remain in London to stay in her managing position at the old Handel and Company offices that were now being turned into Prescott Global offices. Her move to the New York headquarters came as a surprise. While Allyson was busy helping Katherine, Dane had pressed his parents for information. Katherine’s move wasn’t part of the official merger deal but, at the gala, his parents had offered her a job at headquarters to sweeten the deal and get the Handels to sign the merger.
“Take all the time you need.” It killed him to say it, but what she needed now was space. If he pushed her to tell him what was wrong, she might not trust him again. After his accusations upon discovering his mother’s attempted bribe, the fact that Allyson was still willing to try to be open was probably miraculous. He refused to jeopardize the fragile trust they had rebuilt since then.
Still, he just knew that Katherine must have said something awful to his Allyson. The thought enraged him. When he figured out what was going on, he was going to put an end to whatever Katherine was plotting. There was a reason he had dumped Katherine so quickly. She had a cruel and vindictive streak he didn’t like. She was the type of aristocrat who treated wait staff horribly, and expected to be worshipped and adored for no other reason than being beautiful and wealthy. Not his type at all.
No wonder his mother liked Katherine so much. That thought made him uneasy. He hated being on opposite ends of his parents. He sensed his relationship with them fraying. It was as if the more his feelings for Allyson grew, the more the world tried to punish him for it.
“Thank you,” Allyson whispered.
As he draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, he vowed to protect her. Nobody was going to mistreat Allyson and get away with it. He wasn’t going to put up with Katherine and he wasn’t going to let his mother transfer Allyson to another department. He’d deal with it.
He held her close and kissed the top of her head. Allyson needed time. And he was ready to give her that time.
It just pained him to realize that their brand-new relationship had gotten off to a rocky start.
