REBEL
A quick afternoon's shopping with Klaus's wife, Catya, was to be an easy solution for passing the time in the afternoon. It was instead a scene from a soap opera.
After hours of slipping on dresses at a high-end store—varying from ravishing nightgowns to racy sundresses—I had finally found a number of them that made me look and feel like a million bucks. Approaching the checkout station, I got out my black glossy card, ready to pay.
The cashier gave a wary smile. "Oh, Miss Rebel, there's no need for that. Everything's taken care of."
I raised my eyebrows. "Taken care of?"
"Yup. Actually…" She hesitated, looking back and forth between me and her computer monitor as if concerned about my reaction. "The deed to this shop is actually in your name."
I went still. The deed?
Catya whistled softly and leaned against the counter. "Your guy certainly knows how to make an entrance, doesn't he?"
"Statement? This is on the brink of lunacy!" I cried, wrestling with my phone to dial Daniel. My mind was reeling. Dressing me up was one thing. But a whole boutique? And without asking me? My heart thudded as the call went directly to voicemail.
"Relax, Rebel," Catya told me, smiling as she examined a diamond-encrusted clutch on the counter. "Why are you so angry? Men like Daniel exist to spoil women like us. It's in their blood."
"I don't need him to spoil me," I snarled, pacing back and forth behind the counter. "I'm a billionaire myself. I don't need—"
"His billions?" she cut in, arching a perfectly groomed brow. "Honey, it's not a question of need. It's about allowing the man to demonstrate he cares. Now, if Klaus brought me to the boutique." She trailed off dreamily. "Let's just say I wouldn't be whining."
I sighed, still staring at my phone. "This has nothing to do with the boutique, Catya. This is about him doing things without my permission. It's. controlling."
"Or romantic." She shrugged. "It's all in how you look at it. But if you're so upset, why don't you go yell at him?"
That's how we ended up at Daniel's office building thirty minutes later.
The thin receptionist at the front desk looked like she wanted to melt into the floor the moment I walked in. "M-Miss Rebel," she stammered, holding onto her clipboard. "Mr. Cross is in a meeting. Perhaps I can—"
"Tell him I'm here?" Thanks, but I'll do it myself," I smiled, pushing past her. Catya followed behind, her heels clacking sharply on the marble floor.
The meeting room door was in front of me, and I strode through without knocking. The room fell silent as all heads turned to stare at me.
And then I saw her.
She leaned unsettlingly near Daniel, her bright red lipstick threateningly close to his ear as if whispering something pleasant—or lapping at it. She was stunning in the kind of way that seemed phoney: sculpted cheekbones, flawless skin, and a shirt that showed more than it covered.
Catya took a quick gasp of air behind me. "Well, isn't this just amazing," she complained.
I didn't miss Daniel tensing up the moment he saw me. His eyes grew wide for an instant in a state of panic before he jumped up from where he was sitting.
But I wasn't going to make a scene. Not yet. I smiled placidly and went into the room and sat down at the table, folding my legs beneath me. Catya, always needing to be included in the drama, sat down next to Klaus, who was looking at her as if she'd walked into a minefield.
Before anyone had a chance to say a word, the woman with the painted-on hair pipe spoke up, her tone dripping with condescension. "Excuse me, but who are you? And why is it okay to barge into a meeting uninvited?"
Daniel winced in visible shock, but before he could even get a word out, I leaned my head and smiled at her. "Oh, I'm Rebel," I said matter-of-factly. "Daniel's boyfriend. You?"
Colour drained from her cheeks, but she quickly recovered herself, straightening up. "I'm Mia. His ex and his one true love." She bestowed upon me a saccharine smile. "Now, how much would it cost you to get out of him?"
The room was quiet. Klaus choked on his coffee, and Catya had to stick him in the ribs to cut off his guffaws.
I blinked, thoroughly amazed at her audacity. Then I laughed—long and hard. "Sweetheart," I said, wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of my eye, "you don't make enough money to be able to afford me."
Catya snorted, quickly covering it up as a cough.
Daniel's jaw tightened as he whirled on Mia, his voice slicing. "Mia, you never speak to Rebel like that again. She's not just my lover—she's the love of my life."
Mia's self-satisfied smirk faltered but then masked over quickly. "Well, you certainly have a type," she said, her tone growing icy. "Bold, aren't we?
"Brazen enough to come in here and mess with you," I snapped. "But don't worry—I'm not going to waste my time on you."
Daniel heaved a deep breath, advancing a step. "Rebel, I can explain—"
I held up a hand to stop him. "Don't. I'm not upset. Just. Curious. What was going on here, exactly?"
Klaus coughed, clearly attempting to dispel the tension. "We were discussing a business crisis. Mia, uh, is on the legal staff."
"Part of the staff or part of the furniture?" Catya muttered to herself.
Mia gave her a dagger glance, but Catya appeared completely unconcerned.
Daniel scratched his hair, looking at me. "I swear, Rebel, this was not what it appeared. She was just—
"Sort of like licking your ear?" I finished for him, arching an eyebrow.
Mia had opened her mouth to respond, but Daniel stopped her. "Enough," he stated firmly, his eyes never leaving my own. "Rebel, you know I'd never put anything—or anyone—between us."
I regarded him for a moment, seeing the worry in his gaze. Then I sighed. "Fine. Let it slide—for now. But we have to talk about the boutique."
His lips twisted into a tiny smile. "What about it?"
"What about it?" I repeated in amazement. "You bought the entire business and put it in my name without even consulting me?"
He shrugged like this was the most natural thing in the world. "I'd give you the world if I could. A boutique seemed like a good place to start."
I looked at him, torn between anger and amusement. "You're impossible."
"And you love me for it," he whispered, enveloping me in a hug.
I smiled for myself. "Maybe."
We didn't have time to make our exit, however, before Mia cut in once more, her words heavy with poison. "This isn't over."
I turned back to look at her, my smile cutting through the air. "Oh, honey, it was over before it ever began."
I swept my arm around Catya's, and we made a quick exit, leaving tension—and Mia—behind.
As we got into the elevator, Catya whistled softly. "Well, that was exciting. Klaus is going to be discussing this for weeks."
I nodded my head, a tiny smile on my lips. "I bet Mia is not through yet. She's going to be trouble."
"Oh, absolutely," Catya said. "But if anyone can deal with her, it's you."
The doors shut on the elevator, and I couldn't help but wonder exactly how far Mia would take this—and how prepared I'd need to be when she did.