The Billionaire's Housekeeper (Betsy Jones Book 1) - Unedited

Chapter 23

There was no way to describe the fury that was coursing through Nick's body. Even after several hours, the emotion had not dimmed. Not that there were any outward signs of his emotional turmoil unless you counted the tremor in his hands. Every other part of Nick was cool and composed, so composed that it caused Markos to send him concerned looks every few minutes.

Nick buried his hands into his pockets and turned away, unable to meet the man's gaze again. He didn't need or want concern. What he wanted was justice for Betsy. The fact that his naked body was also plastered over the internet was just a minor concern. No, it was the fact that Betsy's privacy had been violated which caused his temper to ignite.

The world outside was calm, the sea appearing serene as sunlight glinted off of the surface. There wasn't even a cloud in the sky. From looking at it, no one would think that a storm was brewing, waiting for the right moment to bring its wrath.

"We will sort this out Nico. We will find the one's responsible for this and we will make sure they are punished." Markos placed a hand on Nick's shoulder as he came to stand by his side. "We have an agreement with the local paparazzi. They do not violate our privacy and we give them exclusivity. Whoever did this was not a local. Loyalty runs deep around here."

Nick nodded his head. "I know. I've received reports that the culprit tried to sell the photos to the local press but they all refused." He ran his hand through his hair as he ground his teeth together. "Unfortunately the person selling the photos did a lot to conceal their identity. They used burner phones and a rather unimaginative alias. Joe Bloggs. I would laugh if this situation was happening to someone else."

The hand on his shoulder squeezed. "We'll get this sorted out."

"I've already got things set in motion. All of the sites which have posted the pictures will find themselves tangled up in a lawsuit very shortly." Nick muttered, folding his arms across his chest. "They will regret ever accepting the photos."

"Have you spoken to Elizabeth?"

Nick nodded his head, his eyes dropping down to his folded arms. "She's speaking to her sister right now. I'm not even sure why she's staying. Almost any other woman would have run for the hills if their naked body was splashed over the internet." Nick pressed his lips together to stop any more words from spilling out of his lips. He wasn't even sure why he was speaking, it was as if the words have a mind of his own just spilling from his lips before he could filter them.

Markos patted his shoulder, his eyes softening in understanding. "She is a unique woman. I told you from the beginning she is the type of woman you marry. I don't think she is going to go anywhere. Her heart is already involved. But that doesn't mean you can play the fool."

"I don't intend to."

A shrill ring filled the air. Nick stepped away from Markos's hold. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Nick stared at the caller ID for a moment before nodding his head towards the older man.

"I've got to take this. If you'll excuse me."

Striding away as fast as he could, Nick pressed the phone to his ear as he picked up the call. "Nick speaking."

"It's Tina," his assistant spoke through the phone. In the background, he could hear the click of the keys as she typed away on her computer. The woman was a workaholic but her dedication to her job was one of the things he respected most about her.

"Did you manage to do what I asked?" Nick asked as he found his way into the entrance hall, his eyes immediately being drawn to the tiled floor.

"I did." Tina replied after a pause, her hesitation loud and clear. "Are you sure you want to do this?"