Wild Billionaire Romance - Chapter 90: Chapter 90

MEREDITH
Why am I so nervous?
It was ridiculous.
There was a time when I could afford all the top fashions.
I’d been spoiled and petted and praised most of my early life. But that was mostly because people were sucking up to me or my father, er, stepfather.
Anyway, it had been years since I had anywhere fancy to go. I felt nauseated, and the butterflies in my stomach were more like fighter jets.
I barely ate all afternoon.
I knew it was silly. Josef had seen, caressed, touched, and kissed every inch of my soft, curvy body.
He knew where all my freckles were. Saw and loved on all my pink bits.
It was completely ludicrous for me to feel self-conscious. Especially in clothes.
And yet, here I am, chewing my lipstick off.
I ran my hands over my soft belly and bit my lip as I waited for my husband to come pick me up.
But will he like it?
He bought it, so he should. I mean, he told me he was buying me something to wear.
But he went a little overboard.
The dress I had on was completely gorgeous. But it clung to me like a second skin.
And old-fashioned as it was, I wanted to please him with my appearance.
We were going to a dinner party to celebrate the wife of his friend. This was important.
Like an interview.
Truth was, I didn’t really know who he was close to, but I wanted to. I wanted to meet the people in his life.
Curiosity had plagued me all day. It was all I could do to focus on work.
Work.
That reminded me. Right before I left, we’d gotten a new admission to the shelter. I hated having to leave early, but the other employees would take care of her. I knew that.
The sweet young mother was sporting a full arm cast and a black eye. My heart damn near broke when she told me her story.
Well, the bits and pieces she’d shared.
It was a wonder someone who’d been hurt that badly was willing to confide in anyone at all, let alone a stranger.
It was a humbling experience when someone trusted you without you really earning it.
Ellie was her name. She seemed shy and timid. But she’d been hurt so many times, I couldn’t be sure if that was her real nature.
All I knew was she needed help.
Leading her to one of the small efficiency rooms in the back, newly secured courtesy of my husband, I gave her my number and one of the mobiles we had on hand for residents.
It was important they did not use any of their own electronics.
Phones, tablets, and computers could all be traced.
I’d confiscated what she’d brought, offering her son an older but safer tablet to use. Then, I locked her things away in a go dark bag and stored them in the safe.
I recognized the name brand clothes she wore, and the designer backpack her small son had carried in with him. They came from money. Or her abusive piece of shit husband did.
Ellie was safer than she had been before she arrived. That was just a fact. Too often did these cases turn fatal, and so many women did not get the help they needed.
That was why I worked at St. Elizabeth’s and why I hoped my husband wouldn’t mind that I used the money my stepfather had paid into my old bank account for years, to set up temporary housing for those women who didn’t want to sleep inside the shelter. Women who just didn’t feel safe there.
I understood.
I mean, the shelter was easy enough to track. Plenty of exes had tracked their spouses or significant others to our doors, and the resulting confrontations were difficult and sometimes violent.
Ellie was one of those women who felt she needed to go elsewhere. But where? That was the question.
She was fine at the shelter for a little while. But her husband had money and he would find her. She knew it and I knew it. Which was why I also knew she wouldn’t stay there long.
She needed something more permanent. And I was going to find it for her.
With a little over seven figures in my account, that’s what I had of Franklin Gray’s blood money, I called the shelter’s lawyers and asked them to find a place I could buy as a sort of off-site accommodation for women in the tri-state area.
They were looking into it, and I felt a deep sense of satisfaction knowing I could use the money for something good. Sure, the law tried to help, but I never met a restraining order that could physically stop someone hellbent on hurting another.
Ellie’s was just one story, but something about her drew me to the woman. Maybe it was her sweet little boy. Either way, I left work feeling a sense of hope for the first time in a long while.
The night security guard waved goodbye to me when I went into the hall to meet Mario who’d arrived at four to bring me home.
I had no idea the surprises that were waiting for me inside the condo. And when I saw them, I cried happy tears.
Such beautiful surprises.
If my husband was trying to sweep me off my feet, he’d succeeded.
Dresses, gowns, pants, blouses, purses, and shoes. Dozens of the most exquisite items I’d ever seen had been delivered to the penthouse.
Even better, all of them had pink somewhere in the design.
And there, placed right on top of the bed, was a small envelope with my name scrawled across the back. I opened it, and there was a note tucked inside.
Pick something delicious, Little Red. I’m feeling ravenous.
Your Big Bad Wolf.
Excitement filled me and I’d giggled for five full minutes as I flitted from bag to bag and hanger to hanger.
Everything was so beautiful. So colorful. And all the right sizes.
Someone had obviously been inside the condo, because all the dresses and clothes were in the closet on velvet-covered hangers. I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
I felt like a teenager getting ready for prom. Something I’d missed in my youth.
We were going to a party. Tonight. And he wanted me to meet his friends. Squeal!
I was nervous, but also eager to be introduced to the people close to him.
I took a quick shower, careful to keep my long hair dry. I dressed with care, rubbing the new jar of imported body butter my husband had bought me all over my skin first to make it soft.
Josef had truly outdone himself. I only hoped he was happy with the result.
The dress I’d chosen to wear was a deep, dusky shade of rose. The material was soft and stretchy, so it fit perfectly over my wide hips and large bosoms.
It even did a fine job of camouflaging my soft tummy with its ruched bodice and sweetheart neckline. Tight sleeves came down to my elbows, and the fitted skirt ended a few inches below my knees, giving me a very 1950s glam look that I adored.
I wore black accessories, low heels, and a matching clutch, and I pulled my hair up and away from my face in a simple twist. My make up was all done, and I already used the restroom one last time.
I just had to wait for him to show up.
Sighing and shaking out my hands. I was in the middle of my get yourself calm girl stretches when the elevator pinged, and the door opened.
“Wife—holy fuck!”
Next thing I knew, Josef had blurred across the room and had me by the hips. His gaze was frozen on my body in a stare I felt down to my toes.
Gulp.
“Um, do you like it?”