Fake-Married to My Billionaire Boss

Chapter 52 : Confrontation

Raul

All eyes are on us as I walk into the party with Olivia on my arm.

After what happened last night, the last thing I want is to parade her in front of my family and a roomful of their friends. But this is something I have to do.

There's a familiar hush that descends among the guests around us as we make our way toward Bianca and her mother.

"Raul, you made it," Tia Camilla says, holding out her arms to me.

"Of course, Tia," I say. "You know I wouldn't miss Tio Augustine's birthday." I disengage my arm from Oliva to envelop my aunt in a hug. She looks resplendent in lavender tonight, her eyes shining with joy as she looks at me. She looks at Olivia, then back at me, her expression curious. I feel a twinge of guilt, the knowledge that my actions will inevitably result in hurting her, but I tamp it down. "I don't think you've met my assistant," I say, smiling. "Tia Camilla, this is Olivia Barnes."

My aunt's expression turns genuinely sympathetic. "Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry about what happened," she says, pulling Olivia in an embrace. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you, Señora Hernandez," Oliva says. "Rau— Mr. Marin says I should come tonight, but I didn't know if—"

"Of course you should be here, hija. We were all worried about you. Of course it's very sad what happened to Nicolas, but it mustn't have been quite terrible for you too."

"That's why I invited her, Mama," Bianca says. She puts an arm around Olivia. "I want Ms. Barnes to know that we're all here for her in this terrible time."

Tia Camilla shudders. "To think, the police still hasn't arrested the culprit. Why, we could all be in danger."

"Well, tonight, I'll be here to protect you, Tia," I say.

"Of course you will, hijo." She laughs, then turns to Olivia. "Come, we'll introduce you to the other guests."

"I'll go see Tia Carmen and Tia Sylvia, all right?" I say.

Olivia turns wide eyes at me, but I smile and squeeze her hand to reassure her. "You'll be fine," I whisper. "I'll find you later, okay?"

She nods, smiling sheepishly before reluctantly releasing my hand.

I walk away, moving through the crowd with an urgency that the guests around me must sense because they gave me a relatively wide berth as I passed. I acknowledge the people I know and those I'm familiar with. Although I kept my greetings brief, they slowed me down in my progress and it took a while before I finally found her.

Kate has her back to me as she moves along one side of the room, evidently to avoid the crush of guests. I recognize the way she walks and the diamond earrings she's wearing. She's not a tall woman, and it doesn't take long for me to cover the distance between us.

As I stand behind her breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume, the weariness I didn't know I've been carrying with me for days eases away. "Looking for someone?" I say.

She's suddenly very still. "Not really," she says, without turning around.

I've been carrying the sound of her voice with me every day, not knowing when we'd speak again. Hearing it now nearly breaks me and I touch the small of her back, my fingers aching with longing. She sucks in an audible breath. When she turns to face me, I gather her in my arms.

"What are you doing?" she says, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Dance with me, Kate."

She blinks, as though processing what I just said. Then her expression turns wary. "Do you think that's a good idea?"