Give Me More--A Sexy Billionaire Romance A.C. Arthur (the giving tree read aloud .TXT) 📖

him that at the moment. The feud between RJ’s father, Ron Gold, CEO and lead designer at RGFashions, and Tobias King, owner and designer at King Designs, was nothing new. It had been going on for more than thirty years and began with the two men working at RGF when Ron’s father was still alive. Ron and Tobias grew up attending private schools and then college together, carrying their friendship into the fashion industry while being groomed by Ron’s father. Then one day, that was over. Tobias left RGF and started King Designs. Before Tobias’s first runway show, news surfaced that Ron had accused Tobias of stealing RGF designs to open his own fashion house. After his initial denial, Tobias never spoke of the design debacle again, until earlier this year when a similar situation occurred, only this time it was found to be true.

As Eddie continued to grumble, Grace thought back to the most recent development in the Gold/King feud.

A disgruntled designer from King Designs, Lenzo Fuchetti, coerced a receptionist from RGF to steal a design for a couture wedding gown. Once pictures of the King Designs gown were featured in a tabloid alongside RGF’s gown with the headline accusing Ron Gold of stealing, Tobias and Ron went to the police to request a full investigation. When that was complete Tobias was the first to submit a public apology to Ron. Since that was also the time the men learned that Tobias’s nephew Chaz was dating Ron’s daughter, Riley, the two men decided it was time for the feud to end.

Grace wasn’t convinced that was the whole story or that these two families were actually burying the hatchet they’d been swinging at each other for so long. Which was why she’d gone to Eddie with the idea for this in-depth exposé. Now Eddie knew she had a personal connection to the story as well, having dated Ron Gold’s son. There was no need for her to ask how he’d found out. News was Eddie’s business and the Daily Gazette, where he was editor in chief, had a big entertainment section. The Golds and figures in fashion often appeared there.

“Look, you’re right I should’ve told you about being involved with RJ, regardless of how long ago it was. But I promise you I can be unbiased. I can get this story and the boost in your circulation, Eddie. And when I do, you’re going to return the favor by giving me a byline and a permanent column because I’m a great investigative reporter and you know it.” She’d graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism and had built her career so far writing freelance. It was all that mattered to her. She already had a couple interviews lined up for this story, and coming here to the island where Riley Gold was about to get married would put her in close proximity with all the players.

His frustrated huff was loud and he mumbled a few curses before continuing. “Hell, I don’t even remember who I was sleeping with ten years ago, so I guess that could be considered a long time. But you listen here, if I let this slide and you stay on this story, I don’t want a watered-down version of what Ron Gold’s been peddling to the media for the last thirty years. I want the truth mixed with some juicy scandal. You think your boyfriend’s going to give you that scoop?”

“First, he’s not my boyfriend...anymore. RJ and I are incredibly old news and besides that, this is business. I’m dedicated to my career, just as RJ’s dedicated to his. He’ll respect that I have a job to do.” At least that’s how she hoped it would go down. For the past few days, thoughts of how RJ would react to seeing her after all this time had been mingling with memories of the deeply emotional relationship they’d shared. A relationship she’d walked away from and promised herself to never look back on—until now.

“Yeah, those are some nice words you’re shooting me. Just like that pitch you sent me a couple weeks ago. But I need more. You’ve got twenty days to deliver that story or I’ll make sure no syndication ever takes a pitch from you again. Got it?”

“Got it,” she replied through clenched teeth, and disconnected the call.

How dare he speak to her that way? She wasn’t some newbie in the field of journalism. She’d been building her portfolio with stories in a variety of industries, on blogs and in magazines, and she’d even done a review in the New York Times two years ago. Of course, her name had been buried at the end of the article with more credit going to the new cosmetics product she’d been endorsing, but it was still a shining moment in her portfolio.

This story was going to be her crowning glory. Yes, the moment she’d thought of it, she’d immediately recognized the conflict of having once been involved with RJ. But what better way to prove how much she’d grown as a journalist than to write a story that she was close to, with integrity and honesty. This story was going to get her permanently on the staff at the Daily Gazette and she’d finally have proof that her career as a journalist was just as real and noteworthy as her sisters’ careers as concert pianist, psychologist and obstetrician. Eddie Kane and his threats weren’t going to throw her off track. To solidify that statement, Grace tossed the phone toward the bed but heard it roll across the floor.

Wait, roll?

A quick glance toward the sound had her looking back at the phone still in her hand. “Dammit!” She dropped the phone and hurried toward the vibrator on the move, hoping to get to it before it passed through the patio doors she’d opened upon first entering the room.

She chased it, another curse about to pass her lips, when to her horror the stupid thing picked up speed and