Page 19 of The Billionaire Dating Dad (The Holidates #18)

Violet

One week later

“ W hat are you wearing?” Juelle shook her head in disapproval.

“Clothes.”

“If you think I’m letting you go to that recital like you haven't been balling your eyes out for days, then you don’t know me.”

“Days?” Violet cringed. She’d cried for two days, three at best.

“Huh-hum.” Juelle pulled out a black one-piece jumpsuit. “This!”

“It’s too sexy for a kid’s rehearsal, Juelle.” Violet’s fingers caressed the soft cotton.

“Negative. It’s just what you need to pretend that you’re over him.” Juelle practically beamed with her excitement. “Get dressed while I grab my red Valentinos.”

“That’s too much, you love those shoes.” These past few days would have been complete torture without her bestie.

Juelle smiled. “I love you more.”

By the time her friend returned with the shoes, Violet was fastening the zipper into place along her ribs.

Except for a few evenings with Dimitri, she didn’t get many opportunities to dress up and had forgotten how good the soft material felt against her skin.

The jumpsuit followed her curves, extenuating the flair of her hips and slender legs.

Juelle whistled. “Girl, you look good.”

“Thank you.” She slipped on the shoes, sucking in a shuddering breath at the sight in the mirror.

“Here.” Juelle momentarily blocked her view. “Red lipstick to go with your shoes.” Pleased with herself, Juelle stepped back to survey her handy work. “Eat your heart out, Dimitri Popova.” She dropped her car key in Violet’s hand.

Violet rolled her eyes. She didn’t have the heart to tell her friend that running into Dimitri wasn’t part of the plan. But she did agree that she looked damn good. “You’re a lifesaver for loaning me your car.”

Juelle waved away her thanks and slipped out the apartment door. “Don’t forget to walk like you’re on the runway,” Juelle yelled. “And have fun doing it.”

Thirty minutes later, Violet pulled into the parking lot where the recital was being held. The lot already filled with cars was a good sign. Busy meant she wouldn’t be seen. Not drawing attention was exactly what Violet hoped for.

Her palms tingled the closer she got to the auditorium. I’m here to watch Maddie perform. Nothing more. Her body hummed at the thought of Dimitri and it would only get worse if she saw him. Stood close enough to inhale his scent.

No. She wouldn’t let herself get that close.

Standing at the rear of the auditorium was safe. It was best for her pride if she didn’t witness him holding May the way he’d held her throughout so many nights. One after the other the dance groups performed all the while Violet tried not to search the rows of seated guests.

Temptation won and she skimmed the crowd from the shadows. One glimpse to etch his features into memory was all she needed.

Violet found him — the back of his head anyway, as he sat in the front row with his family.

She recognized his broad shoulders and the wavy strands of his thick raven hair anywhere.

It wasn’t the view of his brown eyes or the angle of his jawline, but she didn’t need those.

Violet had something far more valuable — his salty taste on her tongue, the memory of her body quivering under his touch as he thrust deep, taking her to orgasmic bliss.

Violet bit the inside of her cheek as waves of heat blanketed her skin.

Sensual heat sparked every cell in her body to life.

She was aroused.

Damn, Juelle and her red heels.

Violet groaned. And damn Dimitri for making her body attuned to his presence. She was free from her obligation and he no longer mattered.

If only she could convince her body of that little white lie as she panted from desire.

Violet blinked when the room erupted in cheers. Maddie’s group stood on stage bowing, their faces lit in smiles. She had no doubt the girls had done spectacularly in their rendition of ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.’ But she’d missed it.

Lights flooding the room were her cue to leave. Yet, she craved one, then another glance of Maddie. Violet swallowed. Her justification for remaining as the crowd thinned seemed like a good one until Dimitri lifted Maddie into his arms. Their eyes locked and Violet panicked.

Stand where you wouldn’t be seen. Watch the performance, then leave. That was the extent of her plan. Be invisible. Wasn’t that a skill she possessed as a nanny?

“Violet!”

She cringed, quickening her steps toward the main entrance.

It broke her heart to keep walking, to pretend she didn’t hear Maddie call out to her.

But as selfless as she’d tried to be two months ago, she couldn’t watch Dimitri be in love with someone else.

Perhaps someday, but that day wasn’t today.

Not when her heart was shattered into a million pieces.

Worse, she didn’t want to see the love in May's eyes when she gazed up at Dimitri.

Because loving him was intense and deep.

She’d fulfilled her promise. Now it was time to accept a new nanny position far away from Wheelcaster and the man who made her believe she too could have the love she read in fairytales.

“Violet, it’s me, Maddie.”

So close. A few more steps and she would have disappeared into the late afternoon’s setting sun. She squeezed her eyes tightly. While she ignored Maddie’s call before, she couldn’t pretend not to hear it now.

Taking a fortifying gulp of air, she plastered a nervous smile on her face before turning in time for Maddie’s hug.

Violet savored the embrace. Her eyes stung from holding back tears. She’d missed Maddie fiercely and had underestimated just how much until now.

“You came,” Maddie said.

“I promised you I would see your performance.”

“I told Daddy you’d come.” Maddie smiled “Didn’t I Daddy?”

“You did.”

Violet sucked in a shallow breath. She could try to ignore Dimitri but her body had other ideas.

Fortifying her courage, she glanced up and met his piercing gaze.

She gasped at the changes in his appearance since she’d last seen him.

His hair was a little wilder than she remembered and a week-old stubble marred his jaw.

A ruthless frost had chilled the warmth in his eyes and she was stunned and heartbroken.

Lingering after the performance got her here, staying would be a mistake. “It was nice to see you again, Maddie.”

“Leaving again?” Dimitri asked.

“I—” Her gaze flickered to the Popovas rapidly approaching. “I came for Maddie.”

His eyes slowly raked her outfit, stripping her bare and bringing her body to life everywhere his eyes touched. Why did she believe she could come, then quietly walk away unnoticed?

“Alexei,” Dimitri clenched and unclenched his jaw.

“Brother?” Alexei answered, amusement curving his mouth into a savage smirk that said she was in trouble.

Oh, hell.

“Make sure May and my daughter get home safely.”

“You know I will,” Alexei said, squeezing Dimitri’s shoulders.

Violet swallowed when Dimitri closed the distance between them. His hand cupped her elbow, steering them toward the double doors she meant to escape through minutes ago. This wasn’t happening.

She almost stumbled when she stepped outside and saw his car and his driver Carl waiting for them, making her wonder if he’d known she had arrived long before Maddie saw her.

“It’s nice to see you again, Ma’am,” Carl said as he opened the door.

Violet hesitated.

“Get in the car, Violet,” he practically growled in her ear.

This Dimitri wasn’t the man that held her at night. This was the billionaire that got what he wanted. The man that ran his family empire. He took. And as she peered into his unmoving eyes, Violet realized this side of him was always beneath the surface, leashed. Controlled.

The engine roared to life to compete with the pounding in her heart. As much as she wanted—no, needed— to forget about her attraction to Dimitri, nothing seemed to work. Not distance. Or time. And certainly not him being her boss.

“Make sure the plane is fueled and ready,” he said into his phone. “I’m on my way.”

He was being far more high-handed than she was used to. Then again, she admitted, she’d never seen him this angry either.

“No need for a full crew,” he said. “My f—” he paused, glancing toward her. “My fianceé is with me. She’s more than capable to attend to my needs.”

“What did you just say?” Her stomach tightened at his words.

“That you’re more—”

She shook her head. “Not that part.”

“You’re going to be my wife, Violet, you need to get used to hearing it.”

Wife. Don’t read anything into his possessive demeanor, Violet. “You haven’t asked and I didn’t accept any proposal.” He was really pushing his luck thinking she would accept his half-assed…whatever that was.

“I have all the time in the world to get it right then. Don’t I?” He smirked as if she’d issued a challenge.

Violet took a steadying breath. Dimitri unleashed was dangerous.

“How did you get to the event?”

Violet stared out the window as they traded the suburbs for the long stretch of highway that took them to the airstrip. “I borrowed Juelle’s car.”

He grunted. “You won’t be doing that again.”

She turned to face him as they reached the airstrip. “What does that mean?”

“It means you can either purchase a car or I will arrange a driver for you.” He said the words casually as if discussing his dinner options. “While I don’t need your choice right now, I do need the keys to your friend’s car.”

Fishing the keys from her purse, she handed them to Dimitri. “Give the keys to Alexei, he’ll know what to do,” he said to Carl.

“Yes, sir.”

He may be composed but her enthusiastic pulse quickened in overdrive.

She’d never been inside a private plane before.

The interior resembled a luxury living space instead of the rows of chairs she was used to on airplanes.

The sofas were upholstered in beige with rich gold and royal blue pillows as decoration.

The end-to-end carpet added to the coziness of the space.