The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Lorelai POV

Everything is different. Nothing is the same as before. It's like I'm in some sort of whirlwind romance. I haven't heard a single word from Jackson, and it's causing me some anxiety, no matter how many times Knox seeks to reassure me that he's gone from my life completely. I've gotten used to sharing Knox's room with him, but not used to being a lady of leisure, as it's called. I'd only recently discovered that Constance had known about my fraternizing with Knox and didn't fire me due to his orders. However, I've had to officially resign from the cleaning company, and it's left me without anything to do during the day, as Knox refuses to see me do any more cleaning unless it's our room, and even then it's begrudgingly. "Knox, I can't live like this," I tell him quietly, sitting on the bed as he slowly takes off his headphones to turn around and look at me.

It's been like a fairytale the last few weeks and while I find myself continuing to fall harder than I've fallen for any other man, Jackson included, it doesn't feel right for me to sit on my hands and do nothing. It's not me. It feels strange, and I feel like I'm just sitting around and waiting for him to finish work. I offered to help at the company, but after the last incident, Knox refused that offer as well. Not that I could blame him for that.

"Can't live like what?" he asks, genuinely confused.

I suppose for him this is the normal routine. But I've always worked hard for a living. I've always paid my own way. Rachel was designing my dress for the upcoming fundraising event and while I was looking forward to it, and she seemed like a really nice woman, I still didn't have anybody to talk to in the house. Unless you counted Mr Grant and lan, but they were often out at the company or doing business. I didn't like to disturb them and I didn't like interfering with Knox's work either. "This," I said softly, staring down at my hands "Knox, I need to work. I need to do something," I told him, feeling at a bit of a loss.

He still looks puzzled. "But don't most women enjoy shopping and going to spas during their spare time?" he asks.

I try really hard not to take offense to that. He only has experience with other wealthy socialite women after all and maybe that's all he's seen. But me, I'm bored. I like shopping but not spending somebody else's money. I haven't earned it.

"Knox," I said indignantly, "not every woman is like that. I feel like I need something to do with my time. Something that's going to allow me to do stuff while you're busy with..." I gesture at his computer "Your things."

He exhales slowly. "Well, what are you thinking?"

His voice is genuinely curious rather than upset.

I don't know. I can't go back to being a maid. Mr Grant would have a conniption if I attempted to clean other houses. But there had to be something that would still be deemed appropriate.

"Why does it matter so much, what I do with my time?" I blurt out, feeling slightly angry now. "Why does it reflect so badly on you if I choose to work and do a menial job? If anything, I would have thought it was a good thing."

My tone is slightly bitter. I guess days of being cooped up with nothing but Knox's company were beginning to wear thin, despite all the love-making and distraction in between.

This was not my world, I thought pensively. Knox looked slightly worried now, as he stared at me.

"Nobody is saying that it's bad" he protested, moving to sit with me, "but as my girlfriend, it's just expected that..."

"By who? Your wealthy circle?" I interrupted "Damnit Knox, you keep acting as though I'm something that needs to improve myself when I'm happy as who I am. Are you ashamed of me?" I asked, watching as a look of shock appeared on his face "Are you ashamed to be seen with me unless I conform to what society demands me to be?"

He grabs my hand. "Lorelai, I would never be ashamed of you," he protests.

Really I thought to myself, then why hasn't he remembered me from the strip club? I hadn't even thought of telling him that's where we had met, hoping he would remember for himself, but he hadn't mentioned it, and now I felt it was far too late to broach the subject. Or maybe I was afraid to. Because if he hadn't mentioned it, it meant it was because he didn't want to remember.

"Then let me work," I told him, looking into his eyes. "Let me do something that makes me happy. I shouldn't have to stop doing what I love, in order to fit into a world that I'm not sure if I'm ever going to fit into anyway."

A rueful smile appears on his lips. "I guess we have been a little pushy," he admits. "My father is just afraid that you'll be eaten alive by the socialites if we don't prepare you and lan," he pauses "lan just wants the best for you." "What about you?" I challenged, raising a brow "what do you want?"

He kisses the palm of my hand, causing my heart to skip a beat as I meet his charcoal eyes. "Isn't it obvious" he murmurs, "I want you. Just you."

It was moments like these that made me feel like we were the only two on earth at that point in time. I felt his lips press against mine, gentle, loving, and reciprocated, closing my eyes and feeling my anger beginning to fade. He stroked my hair and pulled back, his eyes awash with worry. "I don't want you to be unhappy here" he confesses, "so by all means find something that makes you happy, but I'm going to ask one thing" he continues as I begin to eye him suspiciously, wondering what request he's about to make of me. "What's that Knox?"

This had better be good, I think, as he smiled at me, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Think long and hard about what you want to do, and we'll accommodate it. But I ask that you start it after the fundraising event" he said, while I listened, "it would be hard for you to work while still doing all your fittings for Rachel and needing time off to attend it."

He made sense, I acknowledged, not angry in the slightest with his common sense remarks. I dipped my head. "That I can do," I said more cheerfully than I'd been a few minutes ago, "so long as you promise not to object to whatever I choose to do."

He hesitates. "How about I will try to keep an open mind about whatever it is. But you do know you could go back and study Lorelai," he told me as I gaped at him, "go to college, study, get a degree. I am more than willing to pay for you to get a more evolved education. You're only young," he said sincerely.

Wow. I hadn't even considered that. It had been such a dream for so long that it hadn't registered that I would have time to go back and do that now. It made me stare at him in disbelief. Was he really willing to put that much money into me doing something I wanted? I was speechless for a moment.

"Just think about it," he said quickly before I could protest, "I just want you to know there are options."

"Knox" I began, and then wrapped my arms around him, taking him by surprise and knocking him onto the bed so that he was beneath me.

I kiss him, hard, my hair creating a curtain that gathers around both our faces. His eyes darken as he gazes up at me. I cup his face, feeling the chiseled jaw of his and the softness of his skin. I pulled back and stroked his cheek.

"You know, you can do that to me anytime you want" he whispers teasingly as I giggle at him.

I go to move, and his arm wraps around me. "No" he groans, "you feel comfortable there."

I roll my eyes and gently dislodge myself. The door is open, and we hear lan's voice from the doorway. "You do know that a door both opens and shuts to give you privacy" he deadpans.

I giggle while Knox shoots his brother a glare. "We know how a door works" he snaps, "what do you want lan?"

He sounds put out, but I know him well enough by now, and it's just an act.

"He was coming to tell you that I was here" Rachel chirped, tilting her head and stepping out from behind lan with a grin "I have your dress here for you to try on Lorelai" she sang. "Again?" I asked.

How many times did a dress need to be tried on? Rachel saw my hesitation. "This is the last time. The fundraising event is in two days" she said nonchalantly as I tried not to cheer in my mind, "so if it fits, I am officially done. It's one of my best creations" she said with satisfaction, "and I'm so glad you're going to do it justice."

I blush and stand up feeling awkward. Knox begins to stand but Rachel shakes her head. "Nope, no seeing the dress until that night", she declares bossily.

"Sucks to be you", lan smirks, but Rachel pokes him in the chest.

"You either or Mr Grant," she says, flipping her hair "It remains a secret. Flair and Lorelai are going to be the prettiest at the event."

"What about you?" lan asked, surprised.

She winks at him "I'm staying home with the baby. Timothy is doing overtime for Grayson on one of his cases and I quite frankly, am exhausted. This mumma is going to relax and watch movies on the sofa with chocolate and a child on her lap. Judge me all you want" she said warningly. "No judgment," I told her smilingly, "that sounds nice."

She laughs "It sounds like something a boring old lady would do, but I appreciate the kindness of your words. Let's go. Besides," she added as Knox and lan scowled at her, "I'm thankful you gave me this opportunity. I was starting to freak out about how many favors I owed Knox. He keeps count, you know" she warned me and I laughed, joining her in the hallway as the boys shut the door with sulky expressions.