Twinkle of Love - Completed

Chapter 14

"Are you sure you want to bring this Barry into this?" Jace questioned as he pulled up before the building that housed the Earl's legal firm.

Lucy eyed the imposing high-rise confidently. Having Jace, Richard, and Knyte work towards finding Cat was one thing but Lucy knew there was something she could do herself. Something that would ensure Prince Sadiq left the Littles, the Neils, and the Reeves well alone.

"Just drop me off right here," said Lucy. "I'll take the bus back."

"I could wait," said Jace quietly and Lucy turned to clasp his face and pull him down for a kiss.

"I'll manage, Jace. I'll call you." Dragging him down for another earth-moving kiss, Lucy straightened her clothes and stepped out onto the pavement. Waving Jace off, she turned to walk into the building, knowing this would be the only time she would ever march in as purely a client and not a legal assistant. Having called ahead, shamelessly name-dropping the Reeves name and arranging an appointment, Lucy was able to gain access straight to the man himself.

"Lucy?"

"Barry, how are you?" Started Lucy, determined to start the meeting on a positive note.

"You called yourself, Reeves," stated Barry drily. "Billionaire industrialist Richard Reeves, to be exact."

"Well, I couldn't very well walk in as myself, Barry. You know that. I wouldn't have made it past the front door. Waving your name card and crying legal assistant would only have seen me as far as HR."

Barry frowned at her. "What is the meaning of this visit, Lucy. I am a busy man. I charge by the hour," he reminded her. Lucy rolled her eyes impatiently. "I am studying law, Barry. I am not that dim. I have a legal matter I need to discuss with you—as a client."

Barry merely frowned at her some more. "Well, I'll have Jane Dode see you then. She'll be more up your alley."

Lucy huffed out an exasperated breath and only just resisted stamping her feet. She marched up to Barry and stood nose to nose with him, or at least as close as their height difference permitted, and stared right up at him. "Oh, stop being so pompous Barry. I"ll meet your fees, whatever it is. If I wanted Jane Doe as my lawyer, I would have sought her out myself. Now, let me remind you, you're billing me by the hour, so let's not waste it on trifles."

Barry finally broke off into a wry grin. "I thought I was billing Reeves for this hour. And its Jane Dode not Doe."

Lucy merely shrugged. "Bill Richard if you please. I'll have him forward me the bill."

"And when did you start swimming in money, Lucy? If you don't mind me asking?" Questioned Barry, indulgently.

"Since yesterday, to be exact. My first single is a global chart-topper, don't you know?" Lucy muttered sarcastically, more out of her own bemusement than anything else. It was almost surreal, how she went to bed broke one night and woke up wealthy the next, if the numbers Kim Helbott was tossing around were anything to go by.

At Barry's continued confused look, Lucy sighed. "If you can go by two identities, Barry the Earl, then so can I. Allow me to give you my real name Barry." Lucy reached out proffering her hand for a handshake. "I was born Luxy Ara Starr."

The coin dropped after a second. It was only then Lucy really understood just how famous her father really was. But she wasn't entirely surprised either. If his singing alone had catapulted him to stardom then the past history of ever-unfolding family misfortunes and the recent famed notoriety of his family name had shot the Starr name to where they rightfully belonged—twinkling high above the rest. With a dawning understanding of just who he was now dealing with, Barry Earl Stanton reached out his own hand to grasp Lucy's firmly.