Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (9 Book Bundle) (64 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Deborah

After
a night of bad dreams, I awoke the next morning surprised to not find
Will in bed beside me. My head felt heavy as I sat up and forced myself out of
bed. I tried remembering what we did the night before but my head hurt too
much.
Guess this is what a hangover
feels like.

Finally
managing to make it to the door, I stumbled a few feet then held on to the
doorframe.

“Will?”
I said, my voice raspy and dry. “Will? Where are you?”

“Will’s
gone,” said a deep voice.

A
chill went up my spine, raising the tiny hairs at the back of my neck. I gasped
feeling the icy clutch of fear again as yesterday rushed back to me. Reaching
for the door, I tried to close it as quickly as possible but fell to the floor.
As I attempted to stand, the sound of footsteps closed in so I crawled towards
the bed hoping to hide.

“Deborah,
stop. You’re going to get hurt,” said the voice.

My
heart felt like it would burst at any second. I couldn’t breathe and I shivered
as a cold sweat covered my body. The room began to spin when a pair of strong
hands slid under my arms and lifted me up like a rag doll.

“Please
don’t hurt me. I swear I don’t know anything,” I begged.

“Deborah,
focus! Its me, Stewart. You’re experiencing the after effects of the drug they
gave you. The poison in it has a slow release.”

Suddenly
my vision cleared and I recognized him. Breathing a long sigh of relief and
feeling weak, I let him carry me into the main room of the suite and set me
down on the couch. As he entered the kitchen, I looked around for any sign of
Will. I hoped he would return to the hotel after leaving us at the monastery.

“Stewart?
Where’s Will? What do you mean he’s gone?”

Stewart
came back with a glass of water and handed it to me.

“Drink.
Its not going to taste good, but this elixir will counteract the poison in your
system.”

I
took a sip and grimaced. The elixir was thick but cold. As I drank I felt its
affects already taking over the poison in my system.

“The
whole thing?” I asked as I looked at the tall glass.

“Yes,
just drink. I let myself in earlier when I came looking for Will. You were up
but feverish. I hoped sleep would help, but its obvious the drug they used was
meant to kill Will after they released him.”

“Kill?”
I took a gulp of the liquid once I realized it would save my life.

“Will
left the jet but my sources tell me he’s back in Canyon Cove at King
Manor.”

“Why
would he just leave like that? Never mind, don’t answer that. I can’t even
begin to imagine what he’s going through. For twenty-five years he thought his
parents were dead, now he knows his father is still alive.”

“I’m
sure when he’s ready you’ll hear from him,” Stewart said as he took the
empty glass from me. “In the meantime, try not to worry.”

“Not
worry? People tried to kill us yesterday and you’re telling me not to
worry?” I couldn’t help the hysteria in my voice.

He
didn’t seem phased by my tone. Looking briefly at his watch, he turned back to
me, his eyes changed from calm to dangerous and then calm again, but I knew I was
safe.

“As
of fifteen minutes ago, the organization those men belonged to has been
terminated. The bodies were uncovered,” he chose his words carefully as if
they meant much more than they should. “Will can now lead a normal
life.”

Stewart
looked down, his brown eyes sad and I realized how much Will’s father being
alive affected him too. Remembering how he saved us, I couldn’t help but ask
how much he knew. I didn’t know if he would tell me, but I had to give it a
shot. He knew things Will needed to know but never would.

“Stewart?
You knew Bill King was alive, didn’t you?”

He
didn’t reply. He examined my face for a moment before walking over to the large
window and looking outside at the picturesque view. Rubbing his bald head as if
he was pushing imaginary hair out of his eyes, he finally sat on a large chair
with his back to a corner of the room.

“Yes,
I knew he was alive. I’ve always known.”

I
nodded, my suspicions confirmed. It wasn’t enough though. Who was this
mysterious man who devoted his life to the man I loved? Looking over at him,
his eyes seemed warm and welcoming, not those of the vicious killer I knew him
to be.
How did he get that way?

Chapter Twenty

Stewart

Most people don’t realize
how transparent they are
,
I thought. In the seconds an average person took to make a decision, I already
knew what their choice would be and why that person chose it. That didn’t make
me special. It made me observant.

Deborah
sat curled up on the couch and I knew what she wanted to ask. I waited for her
to ask it. In all these years I never revealed anything about myself to anyone
and I could see the gears turning in her head as she realized she could just
ask me.
Do it, Deborah, ask. It really
is that simple.

“How
did you get involved in all of this? You were in your twenties when you started
raising Will, that means you were already…” Her voice trailed off but I
knew the word she couldn’t bring herself to say.

“An
assassin,” I said completing her sentence.

I
couldn’t help but grin. It was a word that always brought a smile to my face.
She nodded, her face a mixture of awe and fear.

“You
realize what you’re asking me can get you killed, right?”

Deborah’s
face went white and for a brief moment I thought she might get sick. I knew
better than to mess with someone recovering from that poison, but I couldn’t
resist.

“Just
because I asked doesn’t mean you have to tell me,” she said.

I
could tell she was choosing her words carefully, not wanting to scare me away
even though she herself was frightened. Sinking into the chair, I smiled at her
hoping to put her at ease.

“I’m
playing with you, my dear but you are right to be concerned. A hired assassin
doesn’t live as long as I have without knowing how to manipulate people.”

“Is
that what you’ve done to Will? Manipulated him his whole life?” She asked,
her voice rising with anger.

“No.
Will has always been different. He was the closest thing I ever had as family
and his father was like a father to me. I would risk my life for the King
family. And I have.”

Sitting
quietly for a moment I wondered how much I should tell her. It wasn’t that I
didn’t trust her. I learned long ago that trust wasn’t as important than fear
and I knew she wouldn’t speak out of fear of what I could do to her.

“You
have to understand that I have never told anyone my story before, not even Bill
King. Although I’m sure he knew. You see, it all started around thirty years
ago, when I was eighteen. I became an assassin because of a woman.”

Thirty Years Ago

Jeanne
DeMarco was the prettiest girl in the neighborhood. With her long, thick black
hair and sparkling blue eyes, she could command the attention of anyone in town
with just a smile. Somehow I lucked out and she only had eyes for me.

I
never knew my father and when I was younger a raid on the brothel my mother and
I lived in took her away from me for the rest of my life. Placed in a
halfway house for kids, I learned to take care of myself. I was rude, tough,
and would do anything for the love of my life, Jeanne.

“I’m
graduating high school next month and then I’m gone,” Jeanne said, laying
in my arms as she pushed my shaggy blond hair out of my eyes.

Every
night I slipped into her bedroom and stayed over. Her parents never knew and
the halfway house didn’t care what I did as long as I didn’t end up in jail.

“Then
we can go together. Wherever you want to go.”

“No,
Stewie. You don’t understand. I need a better life than this shit hole.”

“Please
don’t call me that. We can make a better life together. I’ll do anything for
you, Jeanne.”

She
sighed and rolled over, turning her back towards me. I closed the distance,
pressing my body against hers and listening while her breathing slowed into the
rhythmic pattern of sleep.
I have to
show her I can give her a better life or I’ll lose her forever,
I thought.

While
Jeanne was in school the next day, I filled out job applications in the few
neighborhood shops that were left. Every one of them turned me down. I was too
young, too inexperienced, whatever excuses they could come up with. I knew the
truth. I knew none of them wanted to hire some punk-ass kid from the
halfway house. No one gave me a chance.

As
I made my way to the high school to pick up Jeanne from school, I walked past
Hargrove’s. They were a small department store then, not the large fine
department store chain Will inherited. That didn’t happen until the flagship
store was built where the old tenements once stood. One of those buildings was
the halfway house I was supposed to call home.

Walking
past a small window display I noticed the jewelry department in the center of
the store. It was staffed by a rickety old man with coke bottle glasses and a
hump on his back. He looked like almost too easy of a mark, but when I spotted
a thin gold chain with a heart dangling from it, I knew I needed to get it for
my girl.

Swiping
it was easy, almost the easiest grab I ever did. I felt a rush as I left the
store, rubbing the gold heart in my pocket between my fingers. But as I got
closer to the high school, a tall slender man with dark brown hair began
walking beside me.

“For
money or for your girl?” he asked as he walked beside me.

“What
are you talking about old man?”

“Don’t
play dumb with me, Stewart. I’ve been watching you for months.”

“Then
fuck off you perv. You think I don’t know about men like you who watch little
boys?”

“Cut
the act. I know you swiped that necklace for your girl. And I know she wants a
better life than what’s left here. I can help you with that.”

“And
why the hell would you do that? What do you want?”

“Because
you remind me of myself when I was your age. Come with me and I’ll show you
what your life can be like.”

School
was letting out and in the distance I easily spotted Jeanne walking down the
brick steps of the school with her friends.

“She
deserves better than this dump,” I said quietly. “Let’s go. But if
you try any funny business I swear I’ll cut your balls off.”

He
laughed and turned up the block. I followed, trying to keep up with his long
strides since he didn’t bother to slow down. As he drove his large black
Lincoln Continental out of the city, I realized I didn’t even know his name yet
he knew mine.

“William
King, by the way. By now you’re wondering who I am. You can call me Bill.”

We
arrived at a large brick house in a suburban neighborhood. It was the biggest
house I’d ever seen in person and I found it hard to not look impressed. Inside
Bill showed me to his office where a huge wooden desk dominated the room.
Taking a picture frame off his desk, he perched himself on the edge and handed
the photo to me.

“That’s
my Jeanne. Her name is Charlotte. She’s not like us and would never understand
the life we grew up with.”

I
looked at the picture of the happy couple holding a baby. She had the same eyes
as Jeanne and I couldn’t help but let my guard down a little.

“You’re
nothing like me, man.”

“Shut
up and listen. I know you’ve had it rough. I’m not denying you that. But I know
how you think. And I think I can train you.”

“Train
me for what?”

“Do
you want to make a lot of money? Give that girl a better life?”

“Yes,
I already said that. I’d do anything for her.”

“The
military has a strict training method that only a few are welcomed into and
even less pass. I graduated from their elite system with honors. I’m leaving
that business. Charlotte and Will deserve better and I believe the store is the
way to do that.”

“What’s
that got to do with me? Just spill it, man.”

He
gave me a crossed look and I felt the icy grip of fear around my heart.
Suddenly I understood what he was suggesting.

“I’m
willing you train you the way I was trained. I need someone who can learn how
the new cartel thinks and see when we can take advantage of their situation.
You’re going to help me with my last job and then protect my family. In
exchange I’ll make you richer than you can imagine. You’re still just a child—”

“I’m
not a kid, I’m eighteen. I’m not even in high school anymore.”

“Dropping
out of school doesn’t make you an adult. I’ll make you into a man you can be
proud of. One your girl won’t look down on like she does now.”

I
stood up and got in his face. Bill wasn’t disturbed at all and shoved me hard
on my chest, forcing me back into the chair.

“You’ll
work for me,” he said. People will think you’re my driver while I train
you in the arts and methods that will help protect my family from harm. You’ll
be well compensated, but no one must know exactly what you do. No one.
Understand?”

I
nodded. I understood more than he could imagine.

That
night I entered Jeanne’s window like I always did. She sat at her desk writing
and didn’t turn when I entered.

“I
did it Jeanne. I found a way for us to get out of here. I’m going to make a
great life for you,” I said.

She
didn’t turn around at first. Instead she shook her head slowly until she smiled
sadly at me.

“Let’s
go to bed,” she said.

Present
Day

“I
never saw her again. She left in the middle of the night while I was deep
asleep.”

“Oh
Stewart, that’s so sad,” Deborah said now sitting at the edge of her seat,
with her face in her hands.

“Turns
out what she was writing when I arrived was a letter to me. She met someone
else, someone she thought would be able to help her get the life she wanted.
And he convinced her they had to leave right away.”

“Did
you ever look for her?”

“No,”
I said quietly. “I finally accepted she didn’t want me. She might have
loved me, but I guess sometimes love isn’t enough.”