The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
[Book 2] Chapter 3

Knox POV

Instead of a pub as I'd suggested Damien took me to a stripper's or a gentleman's club as he liked to call it instead. I was not interested but he insisted that we sit and partake of a few drinks and try to loosen up. He kept to soft drink, aware that he needed to remain alert in case of danger. I did not have such compunctions and proceeded to drink myself tipsy while keeping a wary eye on the women who danced on stage and jiggled their breasts for tips. I tried not to judge women based on their occupation but I always felt that doing stripping for a living was repugnant. There was one girl though, that drew my eye. I didn't know why. She was like the others, dancing and swaying to the music, dressed in nothing more than a thong that left little to the imagination, and yet, my eyes continued to dart towards her. Her skin was smooth and creamy, her eyes were like big emeralds, and that hair. It looked soft and wavy as it cascaded all the way to her buttocks, a light caramel brown that made my mouth go dry. She looked so innocent. So vulnerable. She didn't have the defeated look that so many of the other strippers had. Not yet. It made me curious even as I tried not to show too much interest in her. But she was drawing me to her, no matter how hard I was trying to resist the lure. She was stunning and seemed unaware of how beautiful she really was. It was all I could do to keep my composure when she served us later. I couldn't help myself and asked her why she did what she did. Money, she said. But there was a sense of helplessness when she said it. This book has many missing chapters and scenes if you're not reading it on Jo b n I b.co m. When she walked away, I watched her go with regret. She had been brutally honest, a refreshing change from the women who tried to flatter me or lie to me in order to get into my bed or have me spend an exorbitant amount of money on them.

"You like her," Damien said smugly leaning back in the booth and regarding me with surprise "You can't take your eyes off her."

"She's different," I said, sipping at my drink "She's not trying to flatter me or talk me up."

"Why don't you ask her for a private lap dance?" he asked with a wicked grin.

I looked at him sharply "Because I'm not that kind of guy who preys on vulnerable women who can't say no."

He sighs and plays with his soda. "You're no fun," he says grumpily "and she does reserve the right to say no."

"Not if she's desperate for the money" I shot back, a little angry "If she's desperate she would say yes, even if she didn't want to."

He goes silent. I'm still in a foul mood, although seeing the girl had helped with some of that.

"She's young," I said at last.

"What?" Darius is stymied by my thoughts.

"She's young. It makes me wonder how she got into this line of business or got into this sort of job" I admitted wryly. "Don't" Darius warned me "You're too nice for your own good Knox. She's not a lost puppy or a charity case. Sometimes you have to learn to walk away. You don't need to start wondering about her life story."

I scowl at him, even while part of me acknowledges that maybe he's right. It's dangerous to start thinking about this girl's history and who she is, what she's gone through. I have a tendency to want to take in strays or help those who wouldn't hesitate to stab me in the back. I need to learn to step back.

"You're right" I acknowledge and Darius breathes a sigh of relief.

My phone rings. I glance at the ID and give a sigh. Why am I not surprised it's lan? I debate whether to pick up or not and see Damien's amused smile. I grit my teeth and pick up the phone.

"What?" my voice is quiet, aware of the men surrounding us in other booths or at the stage staring up at the current stripper with lustful eyes.

I don't want to disturb them while I take this call or be overheard if I can help it.

"Where are you?" lan's voice is terse and full of irritability.

"Out" I don't bother to elaborate. If I told him I was at a stripper's, he was bound to explode or have a heart attack.

Grant's don't lower themselves to such places. Yada, yada, yada. I could almost hear lan lecturing me in my head.

"Out where?" lan continues to probe.

"None of your business lan," I say quietly "Are you calling me because you want something or because you're concerned?" I suspect it's the former. Silence. "Both."

I snort. "How surprising. What is it you want brother dear?"

"Knox, I'm concerned about you. When you left the hospital, you weren't in the greatest head space. If you tell me where you are, I can come pick you up."

"It's best you don't know," I say truthfully and lan lets out an exhale as though struggling to control his temper.

I could only imagine the scandal if I was photographed by the media at being at such a place. Luckily nobody seems to have recognized me. Possibly because nobody would suspect a Grant from frequenting such a place. Not to mention the kind of people who did frequent this place were not exactly in the same league as the Grants. It wasn't superiority that made me feel that way, merely facts.

"That doesn't fill me with confidence Knox," lan said grimly..

I don't care. "Well, not my problem lan. Just spit out what you need."

"Fine" lan is irritable now.

Good. So am I. He's ruining my mood and I can't see the girl anywhere now, further disappointing me. "I need you to look over those prototypes. I suspect one of them has a major fault and I'm not comfortable agreeing to move forward without your input. The investors are pushing for an answer" he said apologetically "and are becoming impatient."

Business as usual. Cue the technological genius who would be able to spot a fault or mistake in the engineering or the technology itself. I try hard not to sigh, just once it would be nice to be needed for something remotely normal. Not that it's lan's fault I was a technological genius, but still. Just once, it would be nice to be needed for something, anything else. "Fine," I say curtly.

After all, it's not lan's fault that we are both CEOs of the Grant Company. I have just as much interest in keeping the company running smoothly as him. Although part of me guiltily acknowledges that he does the majority of the work while I do most of the other work behind the scenes. But lan's always been interested in the business a lot more than I have been. To the point of obsession in some respects. He's the consistent one. I'm the one who's a mess. "Thank you, Knox, I would be lost without you," my brother says truthfully.

I give a scornful laugh "Cut the crap, lan, we both know that's not true, but I thank you for the lie regardless. I'll see you at home. I'll look over the prototypes and give you an answer in the next few hours or day" I allowed.

"Great."

He hangs up.

I stare blankly at the phone and then put it back in my pocket. So much for wallowing in self-pity. Damien regards me calmly. "I take it that we're leaving then?" he asks nonchalantly.

I frown. I glance around the club and spot the girl, whoever she is, moving from table to table, scurrying back and forth while the owner of the club watches her with his arms folded across his chest. It angers me that he's not helping her while she works hard. I begin to pull out my wallet and place several large bills on top. "What are you doing?" Damien hisses.

I look at him innocently. "Leaving a tip."

"That much?" he asks in disbelief "For getting drinks? They weren't exactly flaked with gold"

I shrug "She needs the money and I don't. Besides, she's working hard" I pointed out, turning my head to watch her one last time, a look of envy on my face "I would say she's earned it, wouldn't you?"

He shakes his head. "I will never understand you" he mutters. "There are times when you seem almost human" he mocked. I give a chuckle "Don't worry about it. Nobody else seems to either" my voice is slightly bitter.

He gives me a sidelong glance as we stand up and I begin to gather my coat, putting it back over my suit. He ensures I have my phone and wallet, guiding me out of the club. We stumble out into the parking lot. I blink against the brightness of the light, my eyes struggling to adjust. "It's too bright" I mutter while Damien takes my arm and begins to steer me towards the car.

"Maybe if you spent more time outside, you wouldn't have such a hard time being in the sunlight" he suggests ruefully. "You're like a damn vampire who's allergic to sunlight" he teased.

I scowl at him. It was true I spent hours and even days at a time cloistered in my room at times. I couldn't come up with a good counter to it. I sighed. "Whatever, let's just go home," I said morosely.

I glanced back towards the club. I never even got the girl's name. Maybe it was for the best, I thought dismally. If I had her name, I would be tempted to look into her background and that seemed a little stalkerish to me. But her face remained in my mind as I

climbed into the passenger side of the car and Damien got in the driver's side. Unfortunately, I would forget about her in due time, once I was once again surrounded by my computer and delving deep into my work. My mind could only retain so much information and unfortunately, it would discard anything it deemed unimportant as I worked on my projects.