Chapter One
Derek Titan looked around the crowded room and had to force himself not to yawn. He couldn’t stand attending events where everyone drank too much, laughed too loud and tried far too hard to impress each other.
Derek knew he was what women considered a real catch. Hell, a stupid magazine had done a write up on Seattle’s most eligible bachelors and placed his picture as number one. He’d been furious and tried to have himself taken out of the article but his attorney had spouted some crap about freedom of speech. Since the article, he was being approached by even more materialistic females.
The magazine listed his net worth as equal to Bill Gates. They’d also said he was tall, dark and handsome. He stood over six feet, with broad shoulders and muscles that rippled throughout his entire body. He hated gyms but he ran every morning and sometime in the evenings too. He’d discovered at a young age running was a great form of relieving his stress.
He knew the second best way to relieve stress was to take a woman to bed. The minute he was done with her, he walked away, though. There were many women who tried to get him to stay but no one held his interest longer than it took him to button up his pants.
After his heart had been shattered by Jasmine, he wasn’t interested in any other woman. He figured once he got his revenge, he’d think about settling down.
A woman breezed by him wearing entirely too much perfume and he snapped back to reality. He sighed as he grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter.
These parties were all about who had the most to offer. The women were on the prowl and the men were fishing. He wasn’t interested. If he wanted a woman, he could have one at any time. He wasn’t interested in superficial, wanna-be socialites.
He watched as a couple of ladies passed by, dripping in diamonds and low cut gowns. They were trying to catch his eye and normally he’d make their day by flirting a little, giving them the impression they stood a chance but today wasn’t that day. He had a raging headache and he was pissed he’d been summoned.
“There you are, boy. What are you doing hiding in the corner?” Daniel Titan, his father, walked up and questioned him.
“I’m wondering why I’m here when I’d rather be home with a scotch and my feet up,” Derek replied.
“You’re here because you received a request from your father. I have some things to discuss with you later,” Daniel said in his no nonsense voice.
“And it couldn’t wait until later?” Derek questioned.
“Oh live it up a little. You’re always so busy adding a few more million to your bank account you don’t stop to smell the roses,” his father admonished him.
“I live it up plenty, hell I was in Milan last week.”
“You were in Milan on business, that doesn’t count,” his dad told him, a bit exasperated.
“For me, the ideal time is mixing business with pleasure,” Derek told his father, with a waggle of his brows. Both men relaxed.
“Seriously, Dad I do have a headache. What’s so important it couldn’t wait until morning?” Derek asked. Once Derek had made his first million he’d moved his father to the city and Daniel was the Chief Financial Officer of his huge corporation. His father was brilliant and had helped the company grow further. His dad may have had several hard times while Derek was growing up but he was essential to Derek’s company now.
“David Freeman’s here tonight and he’s talking to some people, trying to get investors,” Daniel answered him. Derek was on instant alert. He searched the room, spotting his enemy. He was the one who’d made him the cut throat business man he’d turned into.
“It’s far too late for him. By tomorrow morning his company will be mine, no matter what he tries tonight,” Derek said with a sneer.
As Derek watched David, a beautiful woman approached him, stepping up on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. David didn’t even bother to turn and acknowledge her, which she didn’t seem to notice. The man noticed nothing around him if it didn’t have dollar signs on it, not even his stunning daughter. Derek’s eyes narrowed to slits. He hadn’t seen Jasmine for ten years and those years had been very good to her.
Her dress was skin tight on top, dipping low in both the front and back. Her curves were even more pronounced now that her body had matured. She had dark hair, which was swept up in a classic bun, with tendrils floating around her delicate face. Her dark brown eyes had once mesmerized him. They had a hypnotic quality, with their deceiving innocence shining through and the thick, dark lashes surrounding them.
He was angry at the tightening in his gut at just the sight of her. She’d nearly destroyed him and yet he still wanted her. His full revenge included her though, so he’d have her in his bed again and then she’d be begging him not to leave.