The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Knox

POV

God, she's distracting. She's so beautiful, in a wholesome, natural, down-to-earth way that's far more attractive than any supermodel or heiress that's heavily made up. The way her breasts push against that dress, the way it hugs her curves. My mouth goes dry as I look at her and she doesn't even know the kind of images that continue to plague my mind. The relief I took care of upstairs has done nothing to satiate the longing I'm feeling for her and the desire to take her back to the bedroom and show her just how much I want her. To do something like that would automatically put her job in jeopardy and would also cause a potential scandal. This is the first time I've seriously considered wanting a maid and I don't know what's wrong with me.

I learned more about her today than I needed to. Who would have guessed that she loved Patricia Cornwell too? Or that she liked flowers and gardens? I wasn't the outdoorsy type but I liked animals, just like she did and although I enjoyed music, I couldn't sing to save my life and as for dancing.....well, I could waltz and slow dance but otherwise, I had two left feet. Why did my mind niggle at me whenever I thought about her dancing? I frowned. It was like I was trying to remember something but I didn't know what it might be. There had been pain and a hint of anger in her eyes when I mentioned her parents. There was a story there, a story she hadn't wanted to tell. I wondered what it was. She was so young still. Five years younger than myself and my hands itched to know what her story was, to do my thing and look into her background but I knew it was a major invasion of her privacy and I fought the urge, not wanting to upset the woman who was fast intriguing me more than any other woman had. She wasn't bitter or resentful that she worked as a maid. She had sounded slightly upset that she hadn't gone to college, but there was still time for her to be able to go, I thought with a flash of inspiration, before frowning. Unless there was a reason for her not going? Was it any of my business? I had vanished from the dining room before she came back from the kitchen. Forced myself to sit at my desk and put my headphones on so that I couldn't hear her when she came back. Her voice was so soft and sweet, that it was like music to my ears and it mesmerized me. If I could hear it, it would distract me. So I ensured I couldn't. I kept my back to the door and deliberately focused on the work I was doing, the encryption key I was working on, and kept my eyes right on my screen even as I sensed she entered the room. I could smell her delicate perfume and tried not to groan as she moved about, my eyes fixated on the screen, my eyes darting towards her occasionally when she was turned away from me. It was taking everything in me to remain where I was. What should have only been two hours of work, three at the maximum stretched to all day because I kept making mistakes and having to redo my work. I couldn't focus properly. My eyes were darting between the screen and her. She bent over to make the bed and I swallowed hard as I took in the dress hiking up her thighs, the sheerness of her stockings, the luscious curves of her thighs. It was t*****e. Pure t*****e. There were times I came dangerously close to banging my head against the computer in despair. What kind of man could focus on a computer when there was a goddess mere inches away? There was only so much a man could endure, I thought, scowling and rubbing my temples. By the time she left that evening, I was a veritable wreck, the work only just completed and I turned the chair around and sighed in relief, my room tidy and smelling clean, along with the faint scent of her perfume.

"Gods" I groaned.

This was hard. I stood up and stretched, getting the kinks out of my back and my neck. I needed to take my frustrations out on something or someone. Ian just happened to pop his head in and I turned towards him with something akin to a vicious snarl. "Hey Knox," he said cautiously as he took in the expression on my face, and the malicious glint in my eyes "How did today go? I got the encryption you sent, but how did Lorelai go?"

"How did Lorelai go?" my voice was dangerously quiet as lan nodded, looking confused "She was fine lan, just fine" I spat out "She did a great job, look at my room" I gestured wildly at the bedroom while lan nods approvingly "I couldn't be happier" my voice is tinged in sarcasm.

"Really?" he said carefully "Because you sound a little frustrated" he added looking at me carefully.

I snort "Frustrated doesn't even begin to cover it, brother."

If he was smart he would read between the lines. I hadn't been this frustrated by a woman ever. Lorelai seemed to be the exception to a great many things, I thought grimly.

He raises a brow but has the sense not to comment, sensing that I need to vent or do something to get rid of my anger. I look at his suit and then give him a twisted grin.

"Meet me in the gym?" I say blithely "I need to go work out before I lose it."

"Sure. I didn't get a chance to work out this morning" lan says casually "See you in ten."

Great. I had something to do with my excess energy. I shut the door and quickly change into sweatpants and a tank top, shoes, and grab a towel, heading downstairs and to the back of the house to our personal gym. I moodily survey the equipment. With the mood I'm in, I'm not sure if I go for Cardio, weights, or both.

Weights. I begin to start heavy lifting and by the time lan makes it down here, I'm covered in sweat.

"Whoa, somebody was eager" he commented drily.

I shoot him a glower "I needed to."

"Is Lorelai that bad?" he asked, beginning to grab some dumbbells and work out beside me "I thought she was a nice girl. She seems to be quite pleasant" he added with a sidelong glance at me.

I let out a grunt "She is nice" I pant between lifts "and sweet and caring" I pause "And beautiful damnit lan or did you not notice?" I growl, putting the weights down and staring right at him. Was the man blind or f*****g oblivious I seethed.

He smirks. "Oh, I noticed."

Bastard. I want to grab him by the neck and strangle him. "What were you thinking? Why not an older maid?" I snarl, grabbing a kettlebell and beginning to lift and lower it as lan regards me.

"It wasn't my decision, it was the agency's. This was the last one they were willing to send Knox. We were lucky to get her. Besides, it's not as though you're attracted to her, is it? She's a maid for heaven's sake...." he trailed off as realization dawned. "Oh my god, no," he said in shock, his eyes widening as he gazed at me in horror.

"Yes," I snapped "Okay. I think she's beautiful. Doesn't mean I'm going to do anything" I exhale "but it makes it damn hard to be around her."

He looks amused. "You've never been interested in any of the maids before, why this one?"

I glare at him "I don't know. She's just..." I shrug unable to explain it clearly "She's just, it's her" I finish dumbly.

He snorts "She's pretty but I didn't think she would bring you to your knees. You sound like a lovestruck moron," he said, lowering his dumbbells and regarding me steadily "Knox you know that you can't fraternize with..."

"The help I know" I growl "Do I look like the kind of man who would do such a thing? She's five years younger than I am" I added.

lan stares at me. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned I knew that. I avoid his gaze and angrily grab a heavier kettlebell. "You and Lorelai sound like you're getting a bit friendly," he said carefully.

"We talked while she worked" I grunted "That's all."

I also made her eat while I did but he didn't need to know that. Besides father would probably spill that to him later. Traitor. "Knox, I know that you have a tendency to want to fix things," lan said and I looked at him, narrowing my eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just that sometimes you're attracted to people because you think they are broken," he said bluntly "Lorelai's not broken. She's a determined young woman with a bright future ahead of her. Don't confuse attraction with l**t" he advised me coldly "because you know as well as I do that mistakes can happen and that you can find yourself being married off before you can so much as blink if she gets pregnant."

"I'm not stupid" I hissed as he looked at me nonchalantly. "I don't plan on sleeping with her but.."

"But nothing" lan snaps "You're a Grant and she's not. She's not from our world and because I like Lorelai, she deserves better than the fakeness of the world we live in. It's not all glitz and glamor like everybody believes it to be" his voice is bitter now "It takes a special person to want to be involved with us and put up with everything. Flair got lucky" he said reminding me "Grayson adores her like no other but that kind of love is rare. It would take a miracle for either of us to find that kind of love for ourselves." He falls silent. Both of us are envious of our younger sister who managed to find a husband who loves her more than life itself. But she spent her whole life on the outskirts hiding the fact she was a Grant. Ian and I didn't have the same opportunity. I sigh and put down the kettlebell. "I understand," I tell lan quietly as he looks at me pained and with hurt in his eyes "I'll keep that in mind."

Lorelai deserved better than me. I was broken too. I just did a better job of hiding it.

...