Beyond The Billionaire!

Chapter One

It had been a long hard day for Ruth Evans. She had worked a late night shift the night before. Then she had to go in the next morning. She was sure this was her boss's way of paying her back. Her boss was pure evil. He hated her. She had no way of getting another job. She tried that.

He kept giving her a bad review of her work ethic. So, she was stuck where she was. She had been working at this hotel since she was twenty years old. Since she turned down Mateo Holden's marriage proposal.

He had not wanted a wife. He only had wanted her for a trophy wife. She once thought he loved her. Wanted to be with her. But he had not.

She had accidentally overheard him talking over plans with his father. Then she learned the awful truth. Mateo did not love her. Not in the way she loved him. Her father had once been their lawyer as well. Her father fumbled to win a case for them. A very important one.

And his family never forgave her father or Ruth for that. Mateo thought he was going to get her to marry him. To make her father pay. She had been used. She never was going to let Mateo Holden get his hands on her again. Ever!

If only she could get herself free from this job. Free of him forever. But it was no use. She was going to be stuck there. At least Mateo traveled on business. She never saw him around these parts. And that was just as well for her.

She liked to keep things that way.

♥ •♥ •♥

"Hello, Holden Hotel, how may I help you?" she grabs the phone to answer it. "Let me check my systems here. It looks like yes; we have a honeymoon suite here for you! Yes, on that day. Would you like for me to book it?" she questions the customer on the phone. "Sure, we take Visa" she tells them. "Alright. You are all set. We will email you the confirmation code. Did you get it? Good good. Alright. You are all set. We look forward to your visit here" she says before they hang up.

She sighs. Someone sets a cup of coffee in front of her. At her stand. She glances up to see bellhop Jax Reed. Jax was a sweet but much younger man. He fancied her.

But he was far to young. She was not interested in younger men. That did not stop Jax from chasing after her. He did not take no for an answer.

"What is that?" she asks as she stifles back a yawn with the palm of her hand.

"I thought you could use that. I know you were on the double shift last night" he tells her.

"Thanks, Jax but I better not" she says. "I will be up all night if I drink that"

"Decafe" he tells her. "two sugars and a creamer"

"Oh thanks, okay then" she laughs gratefully.

She downs the coffee. The smooth bland texture tasted great. Gave her the little pep she needed to wake up and finish the rest of her shift that day. At least it was nearly time for her to go on home. Where she longed to go all day long. But she had a half an hour left here.

♥ •♥ •♥

"I am so beat!" mutters Ruth.

Jax leans on her counter. "Why, does Holden have it in for you? Why does he not let you quit?" he wonders.

"I do not want to get into it" she warns him.

"Tell me" he orders. "Or I will not go"

"I refused to marry the guy. Merge our families together for business. I will only marry for love. Woman do not turn down a man like Mr. Holden. And so, he is angered with me. Maybe when the right woman comes along and he forgets all about me then he will set me free" she explains the best she can.

"What an asshole" mutters Jax with anger.

She sighs. "Look the walls around here have ears. Do not go around saying bad things about the Holdens. They own this town" she whispers a warning to him.

"Fine. I am not scared. Come at me boss man" challenges Jax before he heads out the door to go back to work.

♥ •♥ •♥

Ruth shakes her head. She gets back to work on her computer. Her phone rings. Some people need her at the counter. Work work work. More work. Her feet were killing her.

She needed to go shoe shopping soon. Her old shoes were wearing thin on her. And hurting her toes. He neck had a kink in it from staring at the computer all day long.

Ruth glanced over at the clock on the wall. Not one moment had changed. Yet. Maybe she should have had that caffeine after all that Jax offered to her. Or an expresso. But then once she got home, she would never get to sleep at night.

She gets back to work. Trying to keep her eyes off the clock on the wall. Someone taps her on the shoulders. She turns to see her coworker Leena Curtis. She was early. She was there to cover the night shift that night. She normally did.

"What are you doing here early?" asks Ruth curiously.

"I know that Holden has been riding your ass really hard this week. I felt so bad for sleeping in while you were here at work. Please go ahead and leave early" she offers.

Ruth shakes her head no. "He will know I clocked out early. He will make me pay for that" warns Ruth.

"Leave your keycard with me. I will put it back in your locker. And no problem" offers Leena.

"But the cameras?" worries Ruth.

"I will say you were on your period. You got sick" jokes Leena.

"I don't know" yawns Ruth.

Leena places a hand on her shoulder. "You are a good hard worker. He is not going to fire you. He wants to keep you, here right? Do it. Come on! Stick it to the man!" orders Leena. "leave early with pay" she challenges Ruth.

Ruth bites her lip. She was really tired. She did need to go by the store to get new shoes for work. She did need to go to bed early. Did she dare?

How would Mateo ever find out anyway? Not like he was in town right now. By the time he did find out it would be over with. He would make her pay again. She was sure of that. So why not stick it to him??

♥ •♥ •♥

"Alright" laughs Ruth in agreement.

"Leave your key card with me" orders Leena.

Ruth nods then places her work keycard in the palm of Leena's hands. "Thanks a million" says Ruth before bolting out to the break room to get her belongs.

She grabbed her things from her locker. Stuffed her work vest into her locker. Then left it unlocked so that Leena could leave her key card in there for her the next day.

Ruth sighs as she unlocks her car door when she gets out to the parking lot. The day was bright and sunny. She loved being here in Ocean Isle North Carolina.

But she hardly got to enjoy the beach any more now that she worked at the Holden Hotel. Sea gulls caw over head of her. The hotel had a wonderful beach view. That was the only time she got to see the beach any more these days.

She throws her purse into her front seat. Then she gets her cell phone on her charger once she starts the car up. Her car was not the best reliable one. But her car got her to work and from work. That was all she needed it to do. She starts her car up. It sputters angrily at her.

Ruth knew she should have gotten more than a half a tank of gas that morning. But she was going to go get more gas in it on her way home when she had more time for that. And her paycheck would be in her checking account by now.

♥ •♥ •♥

"Come on please do not do this" she begs of her car.

She tries starting it again. It stalls but finally starts back up. "Yes!" she gasps. "Finally!" she hoots happily.

She backs up. Then she has the car sputter back stalling on her in the parking lot.

"s**t" she grumbles with anger as she pounds her fist on the car. "Ouch!" she exclaims as she grasps her hand while she winces in pain from it. "that is going to bruise later" she sighs.

She rubs her sore wrist. Then starts her car again. "Start you hunk of junk!" she snaps at it with anger. "Come on!" she pleads. She starts it finally. "Yes!" she exclaims. "Thank you! Thank you!" she happily hoots.

She goes to go. Not bothering to look ahead of her.

Then bam!

♥ •♥ •♥

"Oh s**t" she mutters. "Oh, s**t oh s**t!" she exclaims. She hit someone in the rear. She covers her face with her hands. "Why me?" she groans.

She waits for the other driver to get out of their car to talk to her. She rolls down her window part way. She sees someone get out. Her eyes could not believe who she hit.

He walks over to her. Looks into her car. "A little soon to be off work isn't Evans?" he asks her.

"Hi Mr. Holden" she groans softly. "I am really really sorry" she sighs. She rests her head on her stirring wheel. She was not going home any time soon now.

Maybe never!