GRAEME UNCAGED: Part One (Taming the Billionaire Book 2)

GRAEME UNCAGED

PART ONE

Copyright 2015

PROLOGUE

The tabloids had a field day with the wedding.

The story Graeme and Olivia laughed over most was online on
www.BestBritishGossip.com
. The reporter had managed to get a shot of the newlyweds when they arrived at the airport in Bermuda, and another one  of Graeme with his arms around Olivia as he taught her how to golf at the most exclusive golf course in Bermuda. They’d taken an aerial shot of Graeme and Olivia sunbathing on their private beach, and another of them frolicking in the surf. The text was worthy of a bestselling fantasy novelist.

  Britain’s wealthiest banker, Graeme Browning, tied the knot Friday, October 15
th
to the gorgeous Olivia Stone, a Currency Trader for his bank, Browning’s Mercantile Bank. The happy couple have been dating for over a year and kept it quiet, not letting even their families in on the secret until just before the wedding, which was held in their London townhouse.

The wedding was appropriately lavish, as befits a billionaire.

Family sources estimate Mr. Browning and Ms. Stone spent over a million for a hundred family and friends to celebrate their union. The bride’s gown was a one-off design by famous British designer, Vienna Winsome and our spies tell us the price tag was close to Thirty Thousand Pounds.

She was accompanied by six bridesmaids and two flower girls all dressed in differing shades of blue. Her father walked her down the aisle.

Flowers alone cost nearly Twenty Thousand, and a celebrity chef was hired to cater the ten course dinner.

The same family source let us know that Mr. and Mrs. Browning are staying at the most luxurious private residence on the island of Bermuda. They arrived with their own chef, butler, valet and ladies’ maid in their private jet, a 747.

When they return home a month from now, Mrs. Browning will assume the position of Vice-President in charge of Currency Trading for the worldwide activities of The Browning Group.

She is a dedicated career woman only a year younger than Graeme, who is 38.

Mr. Browning becomes Chairman of the Group on January first when his Uncle, Sir David Browning retires to follow his passion for collecting rare Scottish butterflies. His wife Lady Christine Browning shares this wonderful hobby with enormous enthusiasm.

The happy couple have just purchased a magnificent Georgian Manor with twelve bedrooms in Belgravia at a cost well over One Hundred and Fifty Million Pounds and have engaged London’s top designer, Mr. Graeme Browning’s cousin Frank, to decorate with a budget of Twenty Five Million. The house is to be complete done over in ultra modern design, with the colour theme of purple, black and white. No other colors will be permitted in the décor, and only purple and white flowers will grow in the garden and greenhouse. Purple is Olivia Browning’s favorite colour.

They will have a staff of sixteen to look after the new home.

They will divide their time between London and the south of France where we are told the bride has a fifteen room country getaway with a magnificent sea view and an Olympic sized salt water swimming pool.

The new Mrs. Browning has a passion for synchronized swimming which Mr. Browning encourages from a lounge sipping single malt whiskey. She practices at least six hours every day and has over three hundred black bathing suits with colour coordinated goggles.

 
Olivia forwarded a link to her best friend, Linda.

Linda,

Greetings from the happy, happy, no, ecstatic bride!

Married is better, Linda, really. You’ll find that out Valentine’s Day when you walk down the aisle to marry Michael

Can you believe this article? 

I’m 37, not 20!

I’m a career woman, about to take over John Taylor’s job, a not a nearly 4 month pregnant mother-to-be studying hard to be a good wife to the Chairman of the Banking Group.

We’ve been dating for a year, not three months, if you can call our relationship
dating.
They did get the keeping it a secret part right, though, didn’t they?

They say we spent a million on the wedding???? How????

Man oh man, wonder who the
family source
is this time…William at the pub again?

Perhaps Uncle David was having a bit of fun; he does have a unique sense of humour.

I don’t think it was Amanda; she was too shaken up by Graeme’s outburst when he thought she’d spilled the beans just before the wedding.

The dress cost only Seventeen Thousand, not the Thirty Thousand they claim. Vienna’s beaded creations might run to Thirty, but as you know, my lovely wedding gown was peau de soie, no trim…

You became six bridesmaids and two flower girls dressed in blue instead of being my only attendant, resplendent in your deep pink sheath, looking wonderful! .

As you know, I don’t have a father, haven’t a clue who he is…and I have no desire to ever find out. An abusive grandfather is more than enough family for me, thank you very much.

The flowers were expensive, but Rose says nowhere near to the sum this article claims they cost.

And Rose would know, since she ordered them, wouldn’t she?

Mrs. Green has metamorphosed into a celebrity chef, our lovely four course dinner has expanded to ten courses, and we have acquired a staff, both travelling with us, and for our new home. (Mrs. Green will be shocked to know she’ll be supervising sixteen bodies instead of four!)

Graeme was amused that the corporate jet has expanded into a 747.

The new house price and Llewellyn’s decorating budget grow each time the tabloids write about it. I think the
family source
must be Uncle David, since he claimed Frank to be the designer! Only a few of us know that Graeme regards his cousin as both no-talent and colour-blind.

Graeme is anxiously waiting to see the house I own in the South of France and to sip single malt while I practice for six hours a day. He says I can ditch the 300 black bathing suits and swim naked.

The one thing that is accurate is the home we’re staying it.
Magnificent
does not do it justice. It may well be the best home in Bermuda. Aunt Christine’s relatives own it and kindly loaned it to us for the honeymoon.

Graeme is having great fun teaching me to golf. Actually, he’s a very good teacher and I am enjoying the game a lot.

And those golden handcuffs you gave us? They might be worn out by the time we get home, thanks so much for that gift!

Well, my husband and the ruler of my Universe has just woken from his nap by the pool. I shall go and tend to his (and my) carnal needs.

Love to you and Michael,

Mrs. Olivia Browning

The happiest bride on the planet

ONE

“Good morning, Daddy.”

Graeme sighed. He really wasn’t in the mood for a conversation with his youngest daughter.

He wasn’t in the mood for a conversation with anyone.

It was one minute past nine on a blustery late October Monday morning. He’d been at his desk for two hours already. The desk was piled high with correspondence he
had
to deal with, his calendar filled with meetings.

The week long honeymoon in Bermuda had stretched to ten days and been wonderful, but look what he’d come back to!

Uncle David had left everything that had arisen while Graeme was away for him to deal with now. Everything. He’d been back four days, and he was still buried in things he had to do. Why he and ‘Livi had even spent most of the weekend here in the office…instead of home in bed where newlyweds should be.

“Yes, Louisa? How are you?”

“Beautiful wedding, Daddy. Amanda’s face was a Kodak moment, I would say.”

“Was it? My eyes were on my bride, not our cousin.”

“Oh, she was stunned. I think she was stunned at how beautiful ‘Livi looked, Daddy, and she was pissed because she realized that she and Haillie were the only two in the room who hadn’t been told it was a wedding they were coming to, not a dinner.”

Graeme chuckled. “Yes, well...”

“Has she been on your case yet, Daddy?”

“No. She’d gone back to University while we were in Bermuda. She did call about ten minutes ago, but I was on a conference call.

“Are you very busy, Daddy?”

“I’ve got a foot high pile of letters on my desk and two important meetings after lunch, princess. Oh, and about a hundred emails I must answer.”

“What are you doing for lunch, Daddy?”

Graeme winced. He’d planned to work through lunch but the anxiety in his daughter’s voice told him she had other ideas.

“Do you need to talk, princess?” 

“Oh, Daddy,” Louisa sobbed, “I really need to talk. If you and ‘Livi could have lunch with me, I’d be so grateful.”

“Twelve o’clock,” said Graeme firmly. “Be here at twelve and we’ll go somewhere nice.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” sniffed Louisa.

“Troubles with William?” asked her father.

“Oh, Daddy, how did you guess?” The sobs were louder now.

“Dry your tears, princess. We’ll sort it out over lunch. Are you sure you want ‘Livi to come, or just me?”

“I’d really like Olivia too, please. She’s a woman, she’ll understand...and she so sympathetic...you chose your partner well, Daddy, unlike me….”

Graeme pressed the intercom button.

“Rose, get me a reservation for three at the Savoy Grill for half past twelve, will you? And unless it’s my wife or a daughter, hold all my calls for the next two hours while I plow through all this paper. Move the Department Head’s meeting to half past two, the meeting with Public Relations to half past three and that conference call to Geneva to four. Oh and get Gideon on the line and ask him to come straight up to see me, will you?”

The Head of Security for the Browning Banking was seated across from Graeme within five minutes.

“Thanks for coming up here so quickly, Gideon. I’ve got a small task for you, and I need the information before noon.”

“No problem, Graeme. What do you need?”

“I’ve come back from my honeymoon to a teary daughter who needs to see me for lunch. Louisa. I can only imagine that my son-in-law has been up to something serious to upset her that much. His stupidity usually just rolls off her back.”

“Hmm, actually, Graeme, I’m not surprised, having met William twice now. Give me an hour or two, will you?”

“Right. I would like to know sooner rather than later. Louisa’s pregnant and I don’t want that idiot seriously upsetting her.”

“I understand, Graeme.” Gideon rose and left the office.

“Oh dear. I’ll be ready, Graeme. I’ll switch with one of the other traders.”

“Meet me up here, will you? Five to twelve.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“I’m only Sir in in our bedroom, baby. Here I’m your husband.”

Olivia giggled. “Yes, husband.”

It was just after eleven when Gideon was back in Graeme’s office.

He had a look of pure disgust on his face.

“The stupid fool is banging his secretary twice a week at the Four Seasons, Tuesday and Friday after work. He tells Louisa he’s playing squash and drinking with his mates.”

“Why am I not surprised, Gideon? I wish she’d never married the bastard. By the look on your face, you have more to tell me.”

“He’s actually started to look for a flat for Maxine, the secretary, now he knows he doesn’t have to pay for a new house. Graeme. She lives with her parents, and that limits his access.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“About eight months. But he’s only been careless about it for the last few weeks. The girl’s his intellectual equal, and thinks he’s going to leave Louisa and marry her.

“Neither one of them has been discreet so most of his office know, and of course the pals he’s supposed to be playing squash with.”

Gideon put a file on Graeme’s desk.

“Here are copies of the records from the hotel, and I do have two people who will testify at the divorce hearings if they are required.”

“I won’t ask how you got that information, Gideon. You are a miracle worker.”

Gideon smiled. “The Hotel’s Head of Security is an old army mate of mine, Graeme. He says he’s sure we can pull some more pictures of William and his indiscretion from their security cameras, should we need them.”

Graeme nodded. “Thanks, Gideon. I would imagine Louisa’s going to be looking for a divorce.”

“I should hope so, Graeme. What an indiscreet idiot that man is. I doubt that Maxine is the first, and yet William and Louisa have only been married about two years, haven’t they? I remember the wedding…and the investigation you had me do on him then. ”