The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 69

Flair POV

I woke up to a tongue licking my face and a furry face nudging me, causing me to giggle while Grayson mumbled in his sleep. "Okay Roscoe" I giggled, getting up and patting the dog on the head "Let's take you outside so you can do your business."

He whined at me but obediently padded after me as I headed downstairs and towards the large glass doors, opening them and shivering slightly in the coldness of the breeze, wrapping my arms around myself as he began to dart and play in the grass. It was so early that the sun was only just beginning to rise, but the sky was beautiful, and I reveled in it, stretching slightly and humming under my breath. Roscoe began to act strangely. He was whipping his head around and trotting back and forth. I frowned. "Come on Roscoe"

I was getting cold, and while I had no issues with the dog playing, I did want to go back inside and into some warmer clothes. But Roscoe ignored me. He began to snarl, causing me to look at him in alarm. He hadn't exhibited such behavior like this yesterday. Not at all. He was angry. But it wasn't aimed at me. I felt a moment of trepidation.

"Grayson" I yelled, "Somethings wrong with Roscoe."

Roscoe's ears pulled back. A menacing expression came over his face. He stalked towards a large tree and began to bark. Loudly. Over and over again, as I squinted. A brilliant flash of light hit me full in the face and I stepped back, temporarily blinded and stunned. Was that what I thought it was? Roscoe began to snarl some more and paw at the ground. Then I saw something move in the tree, camouflaged well in their dark clothes before they made a deadly mistake and fell from the tree, right in Roscoe's path. Roscoe pounced, his lips pulled back, growling furiously as the man stared up at him, his camera still dangling around his neck as I gaped. I couldn't help myself, I let out a shrill scream, slightly panicked. The man turned his head, but couldn't move with Roscoe right over him. Grayson's footsteps turned to a run as he sprinted towards me. I pointed at the man on the ground and Grayson's expression turned to fury.

"Call your dog off" the man shouted at both of us as Grayson stood there, his body shaking with rage.

Roscoe growled, looking ready to tear the man's throat out. He had to be a member of the press, I surmised, my heart beginning to beat normally again. Grayson didn't look in a hurry to call Roscoe off at all.

"You're trespassing in my yard" Grayson snapped, thankfully clad in a pair of sweatpants and shirt, storming forward as I followed behind, my own manager palpable now.

"Get this dog off of me" the man repeated, not daring to shove Roscoe who looked at both of us before turning his attention back to the man.

"What are you doing in my yard and who are you?" Grayson said evenly, standing a few paces back and observing the man carefully.

"My name is Jordan and I'm from the press. I was just going to get some photos of you both, for a story" he said in desperation, Roscoe's drool beginning to drip onto his face "I didn't mean any harm."

"Do you have any idea how many laws you've broken?" Grayson said icily "I have a mind to let my dog tear you limb from limb and claim it was defending my property" he snarled.

I nodded in agreement, pissed beyond words. The photographer looked concerned now.

"I'm sorry," he said weakly "but I need the money. I haven't taken a decent photo in weeks and I was promised a good amount if I could get photos of you or your new wife at home."

Roscoe put his paw threateningly on the man's chest. I smiled at the dog, happy with how protective he was. "I didn't even know you had a dog" Jordan continued weakly "Nobody has ever mentioned you had a pet."

That's because we didn't until last night, I thought a bit maliciously. I fought back my grin. "Roscoe, come," I said, wondering if he would listen.

The dog's ears perked up and he looked directly at me. I made another come hither motion and he obediently got off of Jordan and trotted to my side. Jordan heaved a big sigh of relief that was soon forgotten as my husband reached down and hoisted him roughly to his feet.

"Good boy Roscoe," I said patting the dog while his tail wagged "Such a good boy" I praised him.

Who would have thought the dog had such a protective instinct? Somebody had trained this dog before it was abandoned and starved. I continued to pat the dog while Grayson glowered at the man who had disrupted our peaceful morning. "Give me the camera," he said frostily, and Jordan reluctantly peeled the camera off from around his neck and passed it to Grayson.

"That's the property of..." he began to protest, but one glance from Grayson had him shutting up.

I could see Grayson flicking through the images and deleting them. "You scared my wife this morning, be grateful I haven't laid my hands on you," he said angrily "You paparazzi are nothing but leeches," he said, deleting another image and another one as Jordan looked on in disappointment "No respect for people's privacy" he added with a growl and then glanced at me "are you okay Flair?"

"I am" I assured him "Just got a little fright this morning, that's all. Thank goodness for the dog" I added, kneeling down and hugging a delighted Roscoe who continued to wag his tail.

Grayson finished deleting the photos and slammed the camera into Jordan's chest. Judging by the way the other man winced, it was none too gentle either. The man wisely did not say a word. "Get out of my house," Grayson said, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him through the open doors "and you can tell your damn company I'll be in contact with them later. The nerve of you. If Flair had been hurt because of your actions, or been more emotionally distressed, you wouldn't even be able to walk through these doors" his voice thundered.

I heard the sound of the front door being opened and then the slamming of it shut. I hoped he hadn't flung the man out of the house, but judging by Grayson's expression, it was a high probability. He came storming back and grabbed me, looking me over for any injuries while Roscoe sat on his haunches. He gripped me gently by the chin "Are you sure you're alright? He didn't hurt you, or touch you?" he asked with a sense of urgency.

He was being overprotective. I was touched. I looked down at Roscoe and gave a shaky smile. I should be used to the paparazzi and media by now. But it never failed to amaze me the lengths they would go to in order to take their photos. I wondered what kind of story the man was working on and decided I didn't want to know.

"Grayson I'm fine," I told him gently as he continued to look doubtful "Roscoe got to him before he could so much as get up from the grass" I continued.

He relaxed slightly and let go, crouching to pat the dog. "Good boy Roscoe," he said chuckling "I guess I'm grateful we have you" he praised the dog and then raised a brow "But it begs the question, who trained him to be so protective?"

I shrugged "I don't know but I'm certainly not complaining," I told him lightly.

He stopped patting the dog and then stood back up and put his arms around me. "I'm sorry," he said softly "When I heard you yell out, I panicked. The man should never have been able to get into the yard. I'll get more security cameras and hire a security man straight away," he said.

"We have Roscoe," I said and he chuckled.

"Yes, well Roscoe might not be able to take on everyone," he said shaking his head "and it might give me peace of mind to have somebody walking the perimeters at nighttime at least."

We began to walk inside. "At least it was only one reporter or photographer" I pointed out as Grayson began to pull out cereal from the pantry.

He frowned "You don't suppose they've found out your real identity?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

I shook my head, Roscoe lying down on the floor now, with his head between his paws "No, I think maybe they were just looking to expand on the story of our secret wedding" I pointed out with ease.

He smirked "Maybe I should have sent him to Charlotte's house then. I'm sure she would have been more than eager to talk to him."

I giggled "That's not nice Grayson," I said as he put a bowl of cereal in front of me and handed me a spoon and milk.

"It's true" he laughed joining me and beginning to eat "As it is I won't be surprised if she gets married in a hurry" he added with a shrug and a nonchalance that surprised me.

"Oh?" I said, not comprehending.

He gave me a sidelong glance "She wants the company as well. Now I'm married, she's going to have to hurry if she's got a chance of getting her hands on it."

The cereal felt thick and lumpy in my mouth as I swallowed. It was tasteless. Just like that, I felt the overwhelming obligation to give Grayson what he had requested before the wedding and our marriage. It was left unsaid, but I could see the look of hope in his eyes and the questioning expression on his face. I forced a smile on my lips, "I guess that we have to get a bit more serious then" I said quietly, staring down at my cereal.

I saw him frown, saw him open his mouth to say something when his cell phone began to go off upstairs.

"s**t, I better get that" he cursed and jumped to his feet, dashing upstairs while I stared morosely down at my cereal. It no longer held any appeal to me.