His Hired Mistress: A BWWM Billionaire Romance (10 page)

She found a link and click on it. Her mouth almost dropped when she read the headline: BUSTED: MARRIED BILLIONAIRE NATHAN SPARKS IS CAUGHT WITH ESCORT! PHOTOS SOON TO COME!

“What?!“ Jamie said out loud.

“What’s wrong, babe?“ Christian asked.

Jamie ignored the term of endearment, “I’m so sorry, but I have to go. Something has come up that I have to deal with.“

“Damn, you have to leave now?“ he asked in disappointment.

“I do,“ she replied as she pushed back from the table. “I’ll call you later.“

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later,“ he said with a smile. “Whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll fix it. You can fix anything.“

*

The following morning, Jamie sat in her SUV as Perry drove her to see her first client of the day. She was glued to her iPad as she tracked the progress of what was occurring with Nathan. She didn’t reach out to him, she just went home, stalked social media, and made a few probing phone calls. According to what she’d heard, it was true that there were photos of Nathan picking up a hooker.

She didn’t want to believe it, but by ten o’clock that evening, the photos were released. They were indeed photos of him in his car picking up a hooker. The pictures didn’t show his face clearly, so he could possibly weasel his way out of it. She wondered what he was going to do about it at this point. She didn’t feed Michael Patterson information about what to do in a crisis, so he could have to come up with that information on his own.

She then realized that none of it was her problem. She didn’t need to be concerned with Nathan’s fuck ups. Why the hell was he out buying a hooker? What was wrong with him? Why would he go after all of the fame and do something like that? She guessed that she couldn’t expect him to have a strong moral compass considering that they had an affair. She was just relieved that her personal business wasn’t in the street.

She clicked off social media and read a press release that her client Nona released without her consent. People hired her to manage their image and then they did the dumbest shit that she had to clean up. Why the hell would she send out a press release about her breaking up with her boyfriend? Also, it read like she wrote it herself. She included far too many details regarding her personal life. Now, it was time for her to clean up the mess of a client that actually belonged to her.

At the end of the day, Jamie sat in her office and read emails. She hated reading them, but it was a necessary evil. She just thanked the Lord for her personal assistant. She only had to read about a tenth of the emails that came to her inbox. Her assistant either got rid of some of them or answered them.

“You have a visitor,“ her assistant said.

“Who is it?“ Jamie asked in annoyance. She hoped like hell that it wasn’t Christian, she told his ass that she could call him. He couldn’t just stop by her office whenever he wanted. He was not her man and he never would be again.

“It’s Nathan Sparks.“

Jamie’s body froze. Nathan was out there. He was in her office and he wanted to see her. What the hell should she do?

“Should I send him in?“

“Yes,“ her voice squeaked. She hated it when that happened.

She stood up because she hated sitting when people arrived. She hadn’t felt that awkward in her body since she was a teen. Where was she supposed to put her hands? Should she lean on her desk? She should put a hand on her hip? Instead she opted to cross her arms and fix a blank expression on her face.

He entered the room. A rush of emotions hit her like a Mack truck. He looked so good. Better than she remembered. Not a strand of his inky-black hair was out of place. His freshly shaped beard made him look so manly.

“Hello Jamie,“ he said. “Thank you for seeing me.“

Jamie nodded, “What’s up?“

“I need your help.“

She gave a tight-lipped smile and her body tensed. He needed her help, he was standing in her office asking for her help and her mind had gone completely blank. She always had something to say. She took a deep breath and motioned him towards her couch without another word.

They sat and she was able to gather her thoughts, “What do you need my help with?“

He placed his head in his palms, “Come on Jamie, don’t make me completely grovel. I’m sure you’ve seen the reports and pictures. My current publicist is good, but they don’t have any clue about how to deal with this situation. They are scrambling right now and they don’t have a workable game plan.“

“Oh so you mean the company that I absolutely cannot stand because of how crappy and snakish they are, let you down? The company that you practically handed my hard work over to can’t help you? How surprising.“ Jamie said as she crossed her legs.

She willed her hands to stop trembling. She didn’t realize just how angry she was at him until he sat in her face. How could he do that to her?

“I know, I’m so sorry but it was Stephanie’s idea and when they found out that we were leaving your company they really catered to Steph. When they told her just how much they didn’t like you and that the dislike was mutual, Stephanie signed with them immediately. Due to the situation I was in, I had to oblige. I hope that you understand.“

Jamie scoffed and shook her head. The blood surged through her veins and the only way that she could keep from flying off the handle was to remain silent.

Nathan stared at her pleadingly, “I know that if you were in charge, the photo never would have been leaked. Now the woman is more than likely going to sell her story to the press and I want it stopped. We can’t allow her to get famous from this, it would ruin everything that I’ve built.“

“So that was really you in the pictures? I was hoping that they were photoshopped or that it was someone that looked a lot like you. Wow,“ she said as she blew wind through her cheeks and shook her head.

“I know, I know. It was stupid,“ Nathan admitted.

“It wasn’t just stupid. It was idiotic. What would possess you to do something like that? Do you know how many hookers are willing to come to you? You couldn’t meet one at a hotel or some shit like that? I really don’t understand what’s wrong with you men. You make some of the dumbest choices that I’ve ever seen. Money doesn’t even shield you from your own stupidity. Does your wife know that you’re here?“ Jamie asked.

“I want to hire you again and actually it was Stephanie’s suggestion that I come here. Things will be kept strictly professional. I can assure you that I’m over everything that happened before. You won’t have to worry about me trying to pressure you into anything illicit. Please just take us back on as clients and help us,“ Nathan asked.  “I’m aware that my actions weren’t the brightest, but I had my reasons. My job isn’t to make you understand why I did what I did. I just need to know if you are willing to help me make it go away.“

His words singed her ears. He was over everything that they had as if it was nothing. The carelessness in which he said those words river danced on her heart.

Stop being so emotional about all of this. He is over the affair between us and that’s a good thing. Maybe now you can get over it, too. How can I get over it? It’s something that I think about all the time. Just breathe Jamie, just breathe. This would be a great chance to show people what your business can do. It would be great to snatch him back from Michael Patterson too. Okay, I can do this but it’s not going to be cheap. If he wants you back then he’s going to have to pay, that will either send him running for the hills or you’ll get a hefty sum.

“I can take you back on, but since you’re in the midst of a crisis that you created for yourself, my fee will be doubled,“ Jamie said with steel in her eyes.

Nathan nodded agreeably, “I completely understand. I can have the money wired to you within an hour of this meeting.“

Jamie put out her hand for a shake, “Then congratulations, I’m back on board.“

He shook her hand, “Now what do I do?“

“Give me every piece of information that you have on her and allow me to do the rest.“

Nathan searched through his phone and Jamie wrote down every detail that he had. After he left her office she began the process of tracking the prostitute down.

Chapter8

Within a couple of hours, Jamie and her team tracked Natalie Foxx down. Her real name was Sandra Pine. Jamie sat in the back of the SUV and prepared for the meeting. There was no way that she was going to let a hooker bring down the man whose image she built. Sure, over the last six months he had been with another PR company, but they used her blueprint. She still had a lot invested in Nathan and his empire. Whatever happened to him publically was a reflection on her. He was not going down in flames; she couldn’t afford it. Not when all eyes were now on her company to fix it.

She met Miss Foxx at her personal residence. She stayed in a pretty decent condominium; being a hoe was paying off for her.

“All right Perry, I’m going inside. This shouldn’t take long.“

Perry got out and opened her car door, “I’ll be here.“

She walked to the gate and got buzzed in. Natalie lived on the second floor so she opted for the stairs. The woman that wore a sleazy pink body con dress in the photos was now in sweatpants and a t-shirt. She was prettier now than in the photos in Jamie’s opinion. Natalie had natural beauty. Her blonde hair was pushed behind her ears and her curly hair tumbled down her back. She looked like a doll, a curly haired blonde hair and blue-eyed doll.

Natalie smiled nervously, “Come on in. I was just getting some cleaning done.“

Jamie walked inside and sat on the blue contemporary sofa.

“I don’t really know what to say,“ Natalie said as she bit her lip and ran her hands down her gray sweat pants.

Jamie stared at her without smiling. The woman was nervous and that was a very good thing. She needed to keep her on edge so that she could keep her quiet. If she was too nice to the woman then she would feel as if she had the upper hand.

“What will it take to ensure that you don’t speak to the public about any of this?“ Jamie asked.

“W-what? You mean... like money?“ Natalie asked.

“Yes, money. Nathan wants to ensure complete discretion in this matter.“

“I don’t know,“ the woman said stupidly.

Jamie narrowed her eyes at her. What did the woman think that she was coming over for? To have tea? She had to know that she was coming over to discuss money, the woman couldn’t be that dense.

“Will one million in cash right now be sufficient? I’ll give you the complete contents of this briefcase. If you remain quiet for the next six months, you will receive another two million. If in a year you’re still quiet, you will receive another million.“

Natalie’s eyes dilated, “Umm, okay, I can agree to that.“

“Great,“ Jamie said quickly before she pulled out documents.

“This is a non-disclosure contract, you will sign it. If you open your mouth about anything regarding what happened between you and Nathan, I will ruin you, understood?“

Natalie shakily signed it and practically hugged the suitcase to her chest. “What’s crazy is that he and I didn’t do anything. We didn’t have sex. He just paid me to sit and talk with him all night in a hotel. He was so nice to me; he only wanted to talk. He even let me keep my clothes on. There wasn’t anything sexual about what we did at all. Tell him that I’m so sorry that there were photographs taken of us and that I wouldn’t have said anything even if he didn’t pay me. He doesn’t have anything to worry about. Also, please tell him that I hope he finds happiness, he deserves it.“

Jamie raised an eyebrow in surprise. It wasn’t what she expected to hear but that kind of story could still damage his career. His marriage would get picked apart by the media and many would speculate and think that the hooker was lying and others would pick Stephanie apart limb by limb. They didn’t need a story like this one getting out and now, she would be the one to mold the story.

***

An hour later, Nathan and Stephanie sat in Jamie’s office on her couch. Jamie sat across from them and tried to forget the history that the three of them had with one another. All of it ceased to matter in the present moment. She had to job to do and sitting around reminiscing and feeling guilty didn’t help anyone.

Her eyes carefully scanned Stephanie. She looked just as perfect as she had six months before. She wore a vintage pin up pink and white polka dot dress. It was cute and it hugged all of her manufactured curves. Her hair was pulled back to show the beauty of her classically pretty face. Next to her sat Nathan, his discomfort radiated off of him in waves. He squirmed a bit, leaving Jamie to assume that it was because he was in a room with his wife and ex-lover while discussing an incident with a hooker.

“We need to keep this damage to a minimum,“ Jamie continued. “You and your wife need to be seen together smiling in public as soon as possible. Hiding out isn’t going to help; it can only hurt. The sooner you two are seen being happy together, the sooner the rumors will go away. The photos on their own won’t do much damage without the hooker explaining it and giving it some context. Don’t acknowledge any questions about those photos, but always pull the conversation back to what you’re doing now in terms of philanthropy and to how much the two of you love each other. My team is drafting up a statement for the media and that’s all that they’re going to get.“

Stephanie nodded her head in agreement, “I think that’s a good idea. Right now the media are like hungry sharks in the water. They’re camped outside of our house and it’s so fucking frustrating. I’m not going to give them any more ammunition than they already have. Nathan has given them plenty.“

Nathan cleared his throat, “Thank you Jamie. Is there anything else?“

“Yes, actually there is. I also have my team booking some publicity opportunities for the both of you. You both have to go together, there needs to be solidarity. If they suspect that there is something wrong in your marriage then all of this falls to pieces, we can’t have that.“

“Whatever you say, “Stephanie agreed. “We’ll clear our schedules and dedicate time to fixing this public spectacle.“

Jamie’s eye twitched. How did Stephanie manage to be so calm and cool about all of it? If she found out that her husband was picking up hookers, there would have been hell to pay. Jamie also definitely wouldn’t sit in the office of the woman who slept with her husband, not unless it was to gouge her eyes out. Stephanie claimed to love Nathan, but did she really? She couldn’t, could she? How can you be okay with your husband fooling around and treat it as if it were just a minor inconvenience?

Jamie mentally shrugged all of her questions off—none of it was her concern. Nathan was an adult male fully capable of making his own decisions. Only he knew the condition of his marriage and men tended to do whatever they wanted. No one was forcing him to stay with her. He stayed in his marriage because it was where he wanted to be.

“So please, tell me right here and right now if there are any other skeletons in your closet? I need to know now so that I can take care of them. Now that this is out, the media will start digging in this area of your life. I can close and lock any open doors before they catch wind,“ Jamie said confidently. “Let me fix it now.“

Nathan shook his head, “No, nothing else.“

Stephanie bit her lip as if she were holding something back. Something in her eyes told Jamie that she had a lot to say.

***

At the end of the day, Jamie was surprised to see Stephanie back in her office.

“I need to speak with you,“ Stephanie said. “He didn’t want to say anything, but I thought that it needed to be dealt with now.“

“Okay,“ Jamie replied. “Go ahead, I’m listening.“

“There is this woman, Kimberly Moore. Nathan had an affair with her five years ago. I think it’s best that she’s silenced now. She strikes me as the kind of woman that would sell the story to make money. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had something in the works right now. Five years ago, we were rich but we weren’t famous. Now we are, and I’m sure that she’s looking for a way to capitalize. She’s street trash,“ Stephanie spat.

The hatred that came through in Stephanie’s tone and eyes was enough to make Jamie blink. She got a glimmer of the woman that hid beneath the perfect and pristine facade. On the inside, Stephanie was a hateful woman. However, didn’t she partially have the right to be? She had a husband that seemed to cheat on her or embarrass her every chance he got. The guilt that Jamie attempted to suppress made its way towards the surface. She played a part in making the bitter woman that stood before her.

“Okay, I’m on it. Don’t worry about it, I’m glad that you came to me with this,“ Jamie told her.

“Yeah, whatever, just fix it,“ Stephanie left her office just as quickly as she came.

*

The night seemed as if it was never ending. Sure, she could have met the woman the following day, but the sooner she got it all over with the better. Jamie sighed as she stared out of the window of the private jet. It was only a two hour plane ride to get to Phoenix, but that took a huge chunk out of her evening. Sleep wasn’t anywhere in her future, but she chalked it up to her career. If she wanted to sleep then she should have been a receptionist.

At first, she planned on sending someone else to speak to Kimberly, but when she saw Kim’s photo, she just knew that she had to do it herself. The woman looked so much like her in pictures that it was scary. Jamie wasn’t sure how to take this new knowledge. Since Nathan knew Kim first, was she considered a temporary replacement for her? Maybe that was why he got over her so easily because she was simply a carbon copy. Shit, for all that she knew Nathan had five or six women in his past that looked like her. Did he just fetishize black women that looked like her? They were all good enough to sleep with but none of them were good enough to marry?

Jamie made a deep weighted sigh and took another sip of her gin and tonic. She just didn’t know about anything anymore. This was exactly why she shouldn’t have slept with a married man. It was her job to fix his problems, not become one of them. Now how could she judge him properly for his poor mistakes when she fell for him like a lamb going to the slaughter? There was a sour taste in her mouth as she fought to swallow the last of her drink. She was so stupid. She was just a stupid girl, very much like the ones that Jazmine Sullivan sang about. She was a broken toy of Nathan’s, now she just had to pick up the pieces and operate like there was nothing wrong with her.

Jamie arrived to the meeting ten minutes early and expected to be the first one there, but Kimberly was already waiting for her in the back of the expensive restaurant.

“Whoa,“ Kimberly said as she stood to her feet to greet Jamie. “I feel like I’m looking at a slightly taller version of myself. Who’s your daddy?“ she laughed.

Jamie smiled, “I can see what would make you think that. The resemblance is very weird that’s for sure. Maybe we’re long lost cousins or something.“

Kim shrugged, “Hell, who knows. Have a seat, I’m already drinking and eating. It’s late and I was hungry.“

Sitting across from the woman that looked so much like her with the exception of hair length was uncanny. Kimberly was about three inches shorter than her, model thin, a sleek nose that was slightly thinner than her own, and lips that were slightly thinner as well. She was also a tad bit darker. It was true; they could have been related.

“Okay, let’s go ahead and get this over with,“ Kim sighed.

“As I’m sure you already know, Nathan has been in the middle of a scandal very recently. I’m the head of PR for him. I’m tying up all loose ends to ensure that none of this gets out of hand. So, I’m willing to pay you for your silence regarding the nature of your and Mr. Spark’s past relationship, provided that you sign a non-disclosure agreement here today.“

Kim’s eyebrow raised, “How much are we talking?“

Jamie pulled out a check from her bag and pushed it towards Kim. A smile spread across her face when she saw the sum of two million dollars.

“Sure, give me the paperwork,“ Kim said as she pulled out a pen. “I’ll sign it right now.“

“That was easy,“ Jamie said observantly.

“Hey, I didn’t expect this to happen. I could use the money for sure. I’m not hurting for cash, but I generally only pull in about two hundred thousand a year. I’m not broke by far, but this sure moves my retirement up,“ Kim said excitedly as she signed the papers.

When she finished Jamie looked them over and placed them in her briefcase, “All right, it was nice doing business with you.“

“I’m surprised that he hasn’t put the moves on you,“ Kim said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. “Has he?“

Jamie shifted in her seat, “I’m not going to dignify that with a comment. Our relationship is strictly professional, nothing more.“

“Oh, your loss. That man can do some pretty amazing things with his mouth. Also, just to let you know, I was never going to tell anyone about what happened between Nathan and me. I’m not that kind of person. I didn’t get involved with him for money, I did it because I wanted to.“

Jamie nodded, “Great, now you’re richer for it.“ She began to grab to her things to prepare to leave.

“Oh, his wife is also a scary bitch, too. I didn’t want to brawl with her. She made it very clear about what would happen if I continued seeing him.“

Jamie scowled, “What do you mean?“

Kim blinked a few times as if she were second guessing herself, “You know what, it’s nothing. I guess she acted like any woman would considering the circumstances.“