Maid for a Magnate

She came to work for the Rowlings and did her job—and that was about all the human contact she had lately. She’d been too wrapped up in materials, designs and fantasies of runway shows with her clothing draped on models who could fully do her stylish fashions justice.

Not that Catalina hated how she looked, but she wasn’t blind. She knew her curvy yet petite frame wasn’t going to get her clothing noticed. She merely wanted to be behind the scenes. She didn’t need all the limelight on her because she just wanted to design, no more.

As opposed to the Rowling men who seemed to crave the attention and thrive on the publicity and hoopla.

Adjusting the fresh arrangement of lilacs and white calla lilies in the tall, slender crystal vase, Catalina placed the beautiful display on the foyer table in the center of the open entryway. There were certain areas where Patrick didn’t mind her doing her own thing, such as choosing the flowers for all the arrangements. She tended to lean toward the classy and elegant...which was the total opposite of the man she worked for.

James on the other hand had more fun with her working here and he actually acknowledged her presence. Patrick only summoned her when he wanted to demand something. She hated thinking how much Will was turning into his father, how business was ruling him and consuming his entire life.

Will wasn’t in her personal life anymore, no matter how much she still daydreamed about their kisses. And Patrick would only be her employer for a short time longer. She was hoping to be able to leave Alma soon, leave behind this life of being a maid for a man she didn’t care for. At least James was pleasant and a joy to work for. Granted, James hadn’t betrayed Cat’s mother the way Patrick had. And that was just another reason she wanted out of here, away from Patrick and the secret Cat knew about him.

Catalina shoved those thoughts aside. Thinking of all the sins from Patrick’s past wouldn’t help her mood.

Patrick had been deceitful many years ago and Catalina couldn’t ignore her mother’s warning about the Rowling men. Even if Will had no clue how his father had behaved, it was something Catalina would never forget. She was only glad she’d found out before she did something foolish like fall completely in love with Will.

Apparently the womanizing started with Patrick and trickled down to his sons. James had been a notorious player before Bella entered his life. After all, there was nothing like stealing your twin brother’s girl, which is what James had done to Will. But all had worked out in the end because Bella and James truly did love each other even if the way they got there was hardly normal. Leave it to the Rowlings and the Montoros to keep life in Alma interesting.

Catalina just wished those recent kisses from Will weren’t overriding her mother’s sound advice and obvious common sense.

Once the arrangement was to her liking—because perfection was everything whether you were a maid or a CEO—Catalina made her way up the wide, curved staircase to the second floor. The arrangements upstairs most likely needed to be changed out. At the very least, she’d freshen them up with water and remove the wilting stems.

As she neared the closed door of the library, she heard the distinct sound of a woman sobbing. Catalina had no clue who was visiting. No women lived here, and she’d been in the back of the house most of the morning and hadn’t seen anyone come in.

The nosy side of her wanted to know what was going on, but the employee side of her said she needed to mind her own business. She’d been around the Rowling family enough to know to keep her head down, do her job and remember she was only the help.

Inwardly she groaned. She hated that term. Yes, she was a maid, but she was damn good at her job. She took pride in what she did. No, cleaning toilets and washing sheets wasn’t the most glam of jobs, but she knew what she did was important. Besides, the structure and discipline of her work was only training her for the dream job she hoped to have someday.

The rumble of male voices blended in with the female’s weeping. Whatever was going on, it was something major. Catalina approached the circular table in the middle of the wide hall. As she plucked out wilted buds here and there, the door to the library creaked open. Catalina focused on the task at hand, though she was dying to turn to see who came from the room.

“Cat.”

She cringed at the familiar voice. Well, part of her curiosity was answered, but suddenly she didn’t care what was going on in that room. She didn’t care who Will had in there, though Catalina already felt sorry for the poor woman. She herself had shed many tears over Will when he’d played her for a fool, getting her to think they could ignore their class differences and have a relationship. “I need to see you for a minute.”

Of course he hadn’t asked. Will Rowling didn’t ask...he demanded.

Stiffening her back, she expected to see him standing close, but when she turned to face him, she noted he was holding onto the library door, with only the top half of his body peeking out of the room.

“I’m working,” she informed him, making no move to go see whatever lover’s spat he was having with the unknown woman.

“You need to talk to Bella.”

Bella? Suddenly Catalina found herself moving down the hall, but Will stepped out, blocking her entry into the library. Catalina glanced down to his hand gripping her bicep.

“Her aunt Isabella passed away in the middle of the night,” he whispered.

Isabella Montoro was the grand matriarch of the entire Montoro clan. The woman had been around forever. Between Juan Carlos being named the true heir to the throne and now Isabella’s death, the poor family was being dealt one blow after another.

Will rubbed his thumb back and forth over Catalina’s arm. “You know Bella enough through James and I figured she’d want another woman to talk to. Plus, I thought she could relate to you because...”

Swallowing, she nodded. When she and Will had dated briefly, Catalina had just lost her grandmother, a woman who had been like a second mother to her. Will had seen her struggle with the loss...maybe the timing of the loss explained why she’d been so naïve to think she and Will could have a future together. For that moment in time, Catalina had clung to any hope of happiness and Will had shown her so much...but it had all been built on lies.

Catalina started to move by him, but his grip tightened. “I don’t want to bring up bad memories for you.” Those aqua eyes held her in place. “As much as Bella is hurting, I won’t sacrifice you, so tell me if you can’t go in there.”

Catalina swallowed as she looked back into those eyes that held something other than lust. For once he wasn’t staring at her as if he wanted to rip her clothes off. He genuinely cared or at least he was playing the part rather well. Then again, he’d played a rather impressive role four years ago pretending to be the doting boyfriend.

Catalina couldn’t afford to let her guard down. Not again with this man who still had the power to cripple her. That kiss weeks ago only proved the control he still had and she’d never, ever let him in on that fact. She could never allow Will to know just how much she still ached for his touch.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, pulling her arm back. “I’d like to be alone with her, though.”

Will opened his mouth as if to argue, but finally closed it and nodded.

As soon as Catalina stepped inside, her heart broke. Bella sat in a wingback chair. James rested his hip on the arm and Bella was curled into his side sobbing.

“James.” Will motioned for his twin to follow him out.

Leaning down, James muttered something to Bella. Dabbing her eyes with a tissue, Bella looked up and saw she had company.

Catalina crossed to the beautiful woman who had always been known for her wild side. Right now she was hurting over losing a woman who was as close as a mother to her.

The fact that Will thought Catalina could offer comfort, the fact that he cared enough to seek her out, shouldn’t warm her heart. She couldn’t let his moment of sweetness hinder her judgment of the man. Bella was the woman he’d been in a relationship with only a month ago. How could Catalina forget that? No matter the reasons behind the relationship, Catalina couldn’t let go of the fact that Will would’ve said I do to Bella had James not come along.

Will had an agenda, he always did. Catalina had no clue what he was up to now, but she had a feeling his newfound plans included her. After all this time, was he seriously going to pursue her? Did he honestly think they’d start over or pick up where they’d left off?

Catalina knew deep down he was only after one thing...and she truly feared if she wasn’t careful, she’d end up giving in.

Three (#ulink_09ac6e81-d1be-574f-b22a-33b1606fdd81)

Will lifted the bottle of scotch from the bar in the living room, waving it back and forth slightly in a silent invitation to his brother.

James blew out a breath. “Yeah. I could use a drink.”

Neither mentioned the early time. Sometimes life’s crises called for an emergency drink to take the edge off. And since they’d recently started building their relationship back up, Will wanted to be here for his brother because even though Bella was the one who’d suffered the loss, James was no doubt feeling helpless.

“Smart thinking asking Catalina to help.” James took the tumbler with the amber liquid and eased back on the leather sofa. “Something going on there you want to talk about?”

Will remained standing, leaning an elbow back against the bar. “Nothing going on at all.”

Not to say there wouldn’t be something going on very soon if he had his way about it. Those heated kisses only motivated him even more...not to mention the fact that his father would hate knowing “the good twin” had gone after what he wanted, which was the total opposite of Patrick’s wishes.

James swirled the drink as he stared down into the glass. “I know Isabella has been sick for a while, but still, her death came as a shock. Knowing how strong-willed she was, I’d say she hung on until Juan Carlos was announced the rightful heir to the throne.”

Will nodded, thankful they were off the topic of Cat. She was his and he wasn’t willing to share her with anyone right now. Only a month ago, Bella had caught Will and Cat kissing, but at the time she’d thought it was James locking lips with the maid. The slight misunderstanding had nearly cost James the love of his life. “How is Bella dealing with the fact her brother was knocked off the throne before he could fully take control?”

The Montoro family was being restored to the Alma monarchy after decades of harsh dictatorship. First Rafael Montoro IV and then, when he abdicated, his brother Gabriel were thought to be the rightful heirs. However, their sister, Bella, had then uncovered damning letters in an old family farmhouse, indicating that because of a paternity secret going back to before World War II, Juan Carlos’s line of the family were the only legitimate heirs.

“I don’t think that title ever appealed to Gabriel or Bella, to be honest.” James crossed his ankle over his knee and held onto his glass as he rested it on the arm of the sofa. “Personally, I’m glad the focus is on Juan Carlos right now. Bella and I have enough media attention as it is.”

In addition to the fact that James had married a member of Alma’s royal family, he was also a star football player who drew a lot of scrutiny from the tabloids. The newlyweds no doubt wanted some privacy to start building their life together, especially since James had also recently taken custody of his infant baby, Maisey—a child from a previous relationship.