“You’re wealthy.” She didn’t say rich. Rich was a different thing. Rich was something a person could become through hard work and a modicum of luck. Michael Malone was something different. He was from generational wealth. The kind that didn’t like it when a middle-class girl came sniffing around their sons.
“I have money I did very little to earn. But you should understand that I don’t have anything on my father or my twin brother. I left that life a long time ago. I went into the Navy after college and left the family business entirely to my brother. He’s the CEO of the company now that my dad retired. JT and his wife run Malone Oil and Energy. I don’t take anything from the company. I live off my salary from McKay-Taggart and the interest off my trust fund. I really do work for a security firm.”
“But you don’t need to work at all.” It made her suspicious. Wealthy people didn’t work for others. They indulged themselves in art or sport, or some of them worked for charities. She’d found very little in between.
“Everyone needs to work,” Michael argued. “I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
How could he not get why she would be upset? Had today taught the man nothing about her life? “I am basically on the run from the press because they think I’m a gold digger.”
“I don’t think that.” He moved toward her, a weariness on his face. “Vanessa, I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I’m not sure when I was supposed to show you my bank account. I’m only trying to protect you.”
She got a queasy feeling in her gut. He’d done nothing but help her and she was complaining. “I’m sorry. I don’t want anyone to think I’m after your money. Maybe I should go to a motel. Or I can call Dani. She said they might have a place in the building I can use.”
His gorgeous lips turned down in a frown. “So you think it’s better the press potentially finds out you’re staying with Julian Lodge than me?”
“I wouldn’t be staying with him.” But he had a point. It was precisely why she had turned Dani down when she’d offered her one of the rooms in the building.
“Do you think those reporters would care?” Michael challenged. “It’s one thing to work for the man. It’s another to live in his building. They proved today that they’re not going away.”
She’d been thinking about that all day. “Someone tipped them off.”
“You think they won’t do it again? I know a lot of people are scared of Lodge, but you should know that I had some of my techs look around the web. There’s talk about a couple of the tabloids offering big money for pictures of you. I think the kind of money out there will be able to tempt even a few of Lodge’s employees. The press would love to gossip about you finding another…”
He stopped, but she knew exactly the words he’d been about to use. “Sugar daddy?”
His face fell. “I didn’t mean it that way. I was talking about how the press would spin the situation. Please come inside, and we can talk about this. I’m sorry you’re disappointed in my living situation, but I truly think this is the best place for you to be. The security here is excellent, and I don’t care if someone discovers you’re here with me. The press doesn’t care about my family. We’re boring.”
He was being completely naïve. “You won’t be if they find out you’re associated with me.”
“Let me take that risk.” He held a hand out. “Please stay here for a few days and let me watch out for you. I’ve been trying to take care of you all day. I don’t care about what the press might say. We know the truth about our relationship. Can we just chill for the rest of the night and deal with this tomorrow?”
He was right. He’d been nothing short of perfect with her all day long. He could have left at any moment. She was an adult who could handle herself. Not that she’d shown him that. She’d mostly cried and clung to him. “I’m sorry this afternoon was rough on you. You shouldn’t have to deal with my problems.”
He groaned and took her hand. “Vanessa, stop. I wouldn’t have been anywhere else.”
“Because we signed a contract. I understand that part of the contract talked about protecting me, but that was in the club.”
He threaded his fingers through hers. “No. It’s everywhere for as long as we’re in this relationship. I know it seems odd to you, but for me it’s an honest and open way to relate to each other. For the length of our contract I’m going to do what it takes to protect you.”