The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

"I love you too."

Words I hadn't expected to hear come from Lorelai's lips, words that I hadn't realized I had been desperate to hear until she uttered them. I moved, kissing her with a fierceness that belied my protectiveness and my desire to claim her for my own, leaving both of us gasping for air as I reluctantly pulled back. Her cheeks were flushed bright pink and her eyes were sparkling. "We need to get you a ring," I told her quietly, holding her hand and turning it every which way as I examined it closely. "Isn't it too soon?" she tries to protest, even as I help her to sit, the maids putting a plate of food in front of her to eat. "No. I want you to wear my ring" I tell her honestly "so that everybody knows you are mine."

She nibbles on her lower lip as she eats. Soon enough she's finished and she has no recourse to continue trying to argue as I eye her with narrowed eyes.

"Knox, I don't think" she begins and I shake my head, grabbing her hand and resolutely going to march towards the door when the doorbell rings.

I frown "Are you expecting anyone?"

She gasps "Oh they are here. I forgot for a minute."

She claps her hands and rushes for the door. I blink as she opens and shuts the front door, leaving me standing there bemused. Had she just abandoned me to speak to a friend of hers? I feel slightly confused by her actions. When she opens the door again there's a wide grin on her face while I'm puzzled. She's holding a cage in one hand. I eye her suspiciously. She smiles wider.

"I thought that you could use some company while you work" she begins as I stare at the cage uncertainly "And I thought that this little kit would be perfect for you" she finishes, glancing up at me hopefully.noveldrama

She had to have purchased it at the fundraiser, I thought numbly, it was the only explanation I could logically think of.

I continued to stare at the cage. Of all the pets she could have chosen, Lorelai had chosen to get me a ferret baby. It was small and it was cute. But didn't they bite? I had heard they could be vicious little things when provoked. I edged closer, taking hold of the cage so that I could peer a little closer at it. Its beady little eyes fixated on me and it blinked.

"Isn't it cute?" Lorelai gushed "They're supposed to be really smart and trainable.

Smart, trainable. Is that how she thought of me, I thought eyeing the little Kit. The notion stung a little. I placed the cage down in front of me on the nearby hall table and played with the latch. Lorelai looked on indulgently. Part of me recognized she had bought this as a gift for me and I should be grateful, but another part of me wondered at the reasoning behind it. My hand slips inside the cage and lightly grabs the ferret, which obediently rests inside my hand. Its fur is softer than I imagined it would be. It reminds me of a tiny raccoon.

I stroke it. I stare at it transfixed. My mouth goes dry. I have always liked animals but never considered getting one for myself before. I had always been afraid I would forget to feed it or give it the attention it deserved. Even as a boy I had refrained from asking for a puppy or a kitten, knowing that it would cause nothing but trouble for the servants who continually had to pick up after me. I feel a lump in my throat as I gently place the ferret back down and close the cage securely. Lorelai is quiet and watching me anxiously. For a moment I say nothing, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

"Knox" she whispers when I stand there "is everything okay? I didn't mean to offend you with the gift, I just thought...." she trails off.

I swallow hard. "You bought me a pet," I say finally.

She blinks, looking confused "Yes" she stammers "I just thought that maybe since you like animals you might want this one. If you don't we could take it back but it's a rescue" She bites her lips, her anxiety beginning to show.

"I always wanted a pet" I murmured.

She looks relieved, her body relaxing slightly. "I'm willing to help you look after him. He doesn't have a name yet" she said as I turned back to her.

No name. My lip twitches slightly. Suddenly I'm filled with this insane desire to research ferrets and everything they are capable of. I know they are intelligent creatures but I'm not sure of their full capacity in what they can do. My fingers itch to start typing at the computer, my mind already beginning to switch over with hundreds of possibilities.

"I'm going to call him Midnight," I say as she nods, and then I narrow my eyes and take her hand as she looks at me in dismay "But enough distractions" I growl as she looks up at me innocently "We need to go find a ring."

"We can't just leave Midnight alone. It's his first day" Lorelai protests.

I glance over my shoulder. Midnight is peering anxiously through the cage. My heart melts. I grit my teeth and stride back, taking hold of the cage.

"He can come with us" I growl as Lorelai gapes "Problem solved."

"I don't think that the jewelry store will be too pleased to have an animal on their premises" Lorelai tries to reason.

"We're Grants, they'll make an exception," I tell her dismissively, motioning for her to walk ahead of me.

She looks resigned. I chuckle. Midnight shakes his head at me and then lies down with his tail curled around him.

"Knox, I'm happy with just a plain ring" Lorelai murmurs as we get into the limousine.

"Are you?" I raise a brow, putting the cage carefully next to me as she leans back in the chair, looking nervous "Because I'm not. You're going to be engaged to a Grant. It's expected that you wear a ring reminding people of that fact. Do you think I would cheapen out on something like this? Lorelai, the press is going to take pictures of the ring on your hand. It can't be fake and it can't be some cheap knockoff."

My tone is admonishing and slightly chiding. She looks frustrated. "Knox, I'm not the type to want a fancy ring" she explained tersely "I don't want something massive on my finger that feels like it weighs a ton just because you have an image you want me to uphold. I still want something that feels like me" she finished.

I understood that. It was a fine line between trying to appease her while also pleasing the public and the media's image of

us.

"Lorelai, I want you to be comfortable with the ring you choose," I tell her softly as she looks at me gratefully "Do you know what you like?"

She frowns "Not really" she admits nonchalantly "I've never gone engagement ring shopping before."

"But there must be a style you like. Colour? Clarity?" I pressed.

Wasn't this something every woman knew about? She shook her head, her lips flattened, and a stubborn expression on her face.

"No Knox" she sighs "and I always thought when a man asked me to marry him he would get on one knee and propose with a ring. I guess I might have been expecting too much," she says resignedly and I try not to wince.

I had taken that from her. The proposal she must have been dreaming of. This wasn't exactly a dream engagement by any means. She'd literally been strong-armed into it and although we'd both finally admitted we loved each other, it still didn't make up for what she was now being forced to do. I glance out the window moodily, while Midnight runs around his cage and causes Lorelai to giggle, relieving some of the tension in the limousine.

The Limousine pulls out in front of the jewelry store. Lorelai glances out the window and her eyebrows rise. She looks stunned. I glance at her "You didn't think I would take you just anywhere did you?"

She swallows hard. "I guess not but Knox this place is..."

"The best jewelry store in the country" I interrupted as she stared at me incredulously "and contains the most unique and unusual rings, something I'm sure you'll appreciate."

"It's also the most expensive" she tried to say and I gave her a sharp look, causing her to fall silent.

"Expense is not to be taken into consideration," I told her firmly as I got out of the limousine and helped her. I glanced at the cage and then took it out, handing it to the bodyguard who had traveled in a car behind us discreetly. "Carry that."

The bodyguard looked put out as he walked behind us into the jewelry store. Immediately we were greeted by the manageress.

"Welcome to Sophisticated Diamonds" she beamed, smiling widely at us both while Lorelia began to look apprehensive "It is such a pleasure to have you in our store Mr Grant."

She shoots a perplexed look at my bodyguard and the ferret but says nothing. I take hold of Lorelai's hand while the manager continues to smile widely at me.

"How can we be of assistance to you Mr Grant? Are you looking for something in particular? We at Sophisticated Diamonds are only too happy to help you and your...." she pauses and looks at Lorelai who is dressed comfortably rather than formally and sniffs, raising her nose to the air "assistant."

Assistant. I see Lorelai blush profusely at the word and look down at her clothes. I hadn't even registered what she was wearing because she always looked beautiful to me. I force myself to remain calm even in the face of the manager's insult and make a show of taking Lorelai's hand and kissing the palm of it in front of the manager. "Actually," I say with deliberate emphasis and narrowed eyes "My fiancee and I are looking for an engagement ring. I trust that won't be too much trouble for you?"

Immediately the woman, whose nametag ready Sophie, began to apologize. "I'm so sorry Miss" she blushed "Forgive my insult. Please, follow me and I will show you our most unique and prized rings in stock."

I followed behind Lorelai "Remember that money is no object" I murmured in her ear as a warning "and if you can't choose something I won't hesitate to do it for you."

My voice was dripping with warning. I was determined that she would get her dream ring today.