The Billionaire Rescue

by Jenna Brandt

  After a few more moments’ hesitation, she decided that Christian was right. “Okay, you can pick me up at seven.”

  “On one condition,” she heard her father demand as he came back into the room. “You have to agree to take a bodyguard along with you.”

  Both Megan and Christian turned to face her father, surprised by his return.

  “I’m more than capable of protecting Megan,” Christian protested.

  Megan reached out and placed her hand on his arm. “I know you can, Christian, but with my bodyguard nearby, you won’t have to be on edge. Dimitri will alleviate that for you, and we’ll be able to enjoy our time together more.”

  Christian seemed to contemplate the idea. Slowly, he nodded. “I’ll agree to whatever you need, just so long as I get to spend some more time with you. I’ll be back at seven to pick you up.”

  7

  Christian wanted to impress Megan. He spent a half hour picking out his best pair of slacks and button-up shirt. He ran some gel through his hair and spiked the front slightly, then added a dab of cologne.

  On his way to pick her up, he stopped off and grabbed a bouquet of roses. He climbed the steps to the Williams mansion, then knocked on the door.

  “I’ve got it, Rhoda,” he heard Megan say from the other side, right before she opened the door to reveal her smiling face. “You’re right on time.”

  “What can I say, I’m a punctual person.”

  “That’s good, I’m trying to be better about it myself.” Her eyes drifted to the roses he was holding. “Are those for me?”

  “Sorry, I was distracted by how amazing you look in that dress,” Christian complimented, noting that she looked just as good in red as she did blue. The form-fitting dress hugged her in all the right places and ended just above the knees. He pushed the bouquet towards her. “I can’t believe you look better each time I see you.”

  Megan’s cheeks tinged pink as she accepted the flowers. “Do you bring flowers to all the victims of fires you’re investigating?” she teased with a small laugh.

  “No, this is a first for me.” Christian decided he needed to make his intentions clear. He was there to woo Megan and prove to her that he deserved a second chance. “I thought we established earlier, tonight isn’t about the investigation.”

  “Got it,” she said with a grin. “Strictly personal.”

  “Exactly, no shop talk. I want this to be about you and me, and nothing else.”

  “I can take those for you, Miss Williams, and place them in a vase,” Rhoda said from behind Megan.

  She turned and handed the flowers off to the servant before she let Christian escort her out of the mansion, with Dimitri following a respectful distance behind them.

  “Thank you for the flowers. It’s been a long time since anyone did something like that for me,” she confessed, as he helped her into his SUV. “Well, at least without wanting something in return,” she added.

  “I don’t have any ulterior motives. The pleasure of your company is all I want.” He shut the door behind her, then went around and climbed into the driver’s seat. He checked the rearview mirror, making sure that Dimitri was in the car behind them.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “It’s a surprise,” Christian said, excited to share a bit of his past with her.

  Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a small, out-of-the-way Mexican restaurant. She looked around with a confused look. “I’ve never been here before.”

  “You’re in for a real treat,” Christian promised. “The parents of my best friend from high school own it. They took me in after my own parents moved back to Mexico City.”

  “That’s right, I remember you mentioned you’re originally from Dallas, too.”

  “Yep, it’s why I returned after a couple of years out in California. You can take the man out of Texas, but never the Texas out of the man. I missed my home.”

  “Well, for my sake, I’m glad you did,” she admitted with a smile. “Do you get to see your parents often?”

  “Not as much as I like, but we keep in contact via video chat and phone calls.”

  “That’s got to be hard, not having your family nearby. Even though my parents irritate me to no-end, I couldn’t imagine not living near them and seeing them on a regular basis.”

  They made their way inside, Dimitri following behind, and were immediately greeted by his friend’s mother. “Christian, it’s so good to see you,” the older woman gushed, as she reached out and pulled him into a hug. “When you called to set this up for your girlfriend, I was so happy to find out you’re finally settling down. Every time I ask Miguel about you, he tells me you’re busy with your job at Disaster City.”

  “Let the poor boy breathe, Maria,” Miguel’s father gently ordered as he came up to them. “It’s good to have you come by, Christian. It’s been too long.”

  “I’m sorry about that, Mr. Reyes. Miguel’s right though, my job keeps me pretty busy.”

  “We have our best table ready for you in our private back room. We also have a table set up just outside the room for the bodyguard you mentioned.” Maria curiously eyed the giant man behind them for a split second, then gestured for them to follow her. “We’re so happy you’re here.”

  “Thanks for arranging all of this.”

  “Anything for our star quarterback,” Maria praised. “You changed Miguel’s life by winning that state championship. He earned his scholarship to Arizona State, and now he’s got his law firm here in town. None of that would be possible if you hadn’t led the team to victory.”

  “Miguel was a big part of that, too,” Christian reminded Maria. “I couldn’t have done it without him.”

  They took seats at the table and Maria handed them each a menu. “I’ll be back in a little bit to take your orders. Can I get you drinks in the meantime?”

  “I’ll have an iced tea with lemon,” Megan ordered.

  “I’ll have the same.”

  Maria hurried from the room, leaving them alone.

  “When we were walking back here, I noticed all the pictures on the wall. There was one of your football team along with a newspaper article about your championship win.”

  “Yes, the Reyes’ are really proud of what we did. It changed all of our lives.”

  “From our conversations online, I seem to remember we graduated the same year. I went to St. Michael’s and you went to Richland Charter on scholarship, right?”

  He nodded. “Why do you ask?”

  “I think we were probably at the games at the same time. I was a cheerleader. If I remember right, our schools had a huge rivalry. We were the state champions until your team took the title my junior year.”

  “That’s right. I remember that now. I wonder what would have happened if we met back then?”

  “The same thing as now. We’d have to fight against being from different worlds,” Megan lamented.

  “But it would have been worth it. I know it is now. I’m willing to overcome anything we have to, in order to make this work.” Christian reached out and placed his hand on Megan’s hand on the table. “Would you be willing to give me a do-over?”

  “Aren’t I already doing that?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “Glad to hear it.” The need to seal their decision to be together with a kiss prompted Christian to lean across the table and place his lips upon hers. He welcomed the warm softness of her mouth and the happiness it brought him to know this was just the beginning of something incredible.

  Even though Christian didn’t want to, he ended the kiss and sat back down in his seat. “Man, I’ve always been a sucker for a cheerleader in uniform. Do you still have yours? I wouldn’t mind seeing you in it.”

  Megan reached across the table and playfully slapped him on the arm. “Stop it. There’s no way I’m putting that on again.”

  “So, you do have it?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she teased with a wink.

  “Oh, yes,
I would.”

  Maria returned with their drinks, then took their order. Over their meal, they discussed how Christian ended up at Disaster City. He told her about specifics regarding his job as an instructor. She asked about Cinder, and how their relationship works.

  “I’m glad to hear you like dogs. That would be a deal breaker if you didn’t. Cinder is like my child.”

  “I always wanted to have a pet, but my parents didn’t want the hassle of one. It was funny, because they wouldn’t have taken care of it, anyway. It would have been someone on staff.”

  The bill came and Christian paid it. As they exited the restaurant, he asked, “What do you want to do next?”

  “You don’t have plans?” Megan inquired with surprise.

  “If I’m honest, I didn’t know how you were going to feel after dinner. I was hoping that this was going to go well and that you would want to do something more. I figured if that happened, we could just wing it.”

  “How about I take you somewhere?” she offered.

  “Really? I’m intrigued. What do you have in mind?”

  “Since you surprised me with dinner, it’s my turn to surprise you for the after activity. It means I’ll have to drive your vehicle, though.”

  Christian tossed her the keys. “Have at it. I’m up for an adventure.”

  Megan drove to the center of downtown Dallas and arrived at Thanks-Giving Square, a famous Texas landmark. Its 15-foot sunken design created a serene, green island in the middle of a bustling city. She parked the SUV in a public parking lot just as Dimitri approached the SUV and tapped on the window.

  Megan rolled it down. “What’s going on, Dimitri?”

  “I need to check out the area for safety before you exit the vehicle,” he said in his Russian accent.

  “We’ll wait here,” Megan agreed as she rolled up the window, then turned to face Christian. “Have you been here before?”

  Christian glanced out the window. “I came here once on a field trip when I was in junior high. I don’t remember much, though.”

  “This is my favorite place in the city,” Megan explained. “And I want to share it with you.”

  Dimitri returned and gave the go-ahead for them to exit the vehicle. Megan and Christian made their way into the urban refuge with Dimitri following a courteous distance behind them.

  Christian reached out and took Megan’s hand in his own as they strolled along the walkways that wove through the square. Flowing water from the Great Fountain dampened the noise of the city. Added to the calm pools by the Court of Praise, a tranquil oasis was created in the center of the metropolis.

  Megan pointed out several places along the way, telling him all the details. From the artists that designed the different art pieces, to the reasons behind them.

  “How do you know so much about this place? It can’t simply be from just visiting.”

  She debated about telling him about her family connection. She didn’t want him to think she was bragging. Deciding to take a chance, she told him. “My grandfather was one of the original businessmen that helped create this place in the sixties, so I grew up coming here for events. Someone from my family has always held a position on the foundation board, and I asked my father if I could take over for him last year.”

  “You help keep this place running?”

  She nodded. “I think it’s important to celebrate diversity while recognizing that we’re all connected.”

  “I know what you mean,” Christian agreed. “It’s a welcome change to be with someone who sees things the same way. You don’t know how many women I dated that had a narrow view of life.” His eyes grew wide for a moment, and he quickly added, “Not that I’ve dated a lot of women, mind you.”

  Megan let out a laugh and shook her head. “It’s okay if you did. We both have pasts. I’ve dated my share of shallow men. Not to mention how my parents view the world. I love them, but they’ve lost their way when it comes to what they have and what they do with it. They’d rather spend their money on themselves and showing off, than helping others. I used to be just like that, but Heidi’s death changed me. I realized there were far more important things than looking good, partying, and having nice things. I wanted to do more and started looking for ways to help the community.” Megan stopped on the bridge that crossed over the Great Fountain. She turned and placed her hands on the railing. “After Heidi’s death, I came here a lot on my own. I would sit and pray, asking God to help me figure out how I could make up for being such a bad friend to her while she was alive. I didn’t cause her death, but I could have done more to stop it.”

  “How long are you going to punish yourself, Megan?”

  Her head whipped to the side, her eyes rounding with shock. “What do you mean? That’s not what I’m doing.”

  “Isn’t it, though? You’re noble for performing all the altruistic acts that you do for others, but every time you bring up Heidi, or someone else does, I can see you still hold yourself responsible for what happened to her. It’s almost as if because so many people blamed you for it, you took that on yourself, even though it was an accident.”

  Megan blinked hard several times, trying to fight back the tears that were forming at the corners of her eyes. “You’re the first person to tell me out loud that it wasn’t my fault. My family supported me, but they never talked about what happened. My friends purposely avoided the matter and wanted to move on as quickly as they could after Heidi’s death. I’ve felt so alone for so long,” she choked out.

  “You don’t have to feel that way anymore. I’m here for you,” he vowed, pulling her into his sturdy arms. She let herself melt in the warmth and comfort she felt in his embrace. “I’m so glad God brought you back into my life.”

  “Me, too,” he whispered against her ear, before leaning back and looking into her eyes. “There’s nowhere else I would rather be.”

  She knew what was coming next. His need to kiss her was written all over his face. His mouth glided down towards her own; his lips settling against hers. The kiss was gentle at first, testing to see if she would accept him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her fingers tangle in his hair at the top of his collar. It was an invitation for him to take the kiss deeper, the passion he’d been holding back bursting forth. In that moment, Megan knew that she was right where she wanted to be with the man she’d loved, lost, and found her way back to again, in the most unlikely of ways.

  8

  Christian stared through the two-way mirror, watching Chad Mortonson as he sat with his lawyer—a curvy brunette in an expensive tailored pantsuit—in the interview room at the local Dallas police department substation. He looked irritated and antsy, which is exactly how Christian wanted him to be. The more frustrated he was, the more volatile he would get, causing him to slip up.

  Detective Bradshaw, a burly, short man with a receding hairline, entered the room. He took a seat across from the other two people, placing a file down in front of him. The words Williams arson investigation were printed in the corner. Chad’s eyes settled on it for a moment, then flicked back up to meet the detective’s eyes.

  “Thank you for coming in today, Mr. Mortonson.”

  “It didn’t really sound like I had a choice when you showed up at my house yesterday,” Chad grumbled, prompting his lawyer to reach over and gently place her hand on his. The act made Christian wonder if there was more to the relationship than just business.

  The brunette turned her attention back to the detective. “My client came here willingly, but he doesn’t have all day. Can you please get on with it and ask him what you need, so he can be done with this?”

  “Of course, I’ll do my best to make this as quick as possible,” the detective said as he opened a small notebook and pulled out a pen from his blazer pocket. “Mr. Mortonson, can you tell me where you were two nights ago from the hours of ten to midnight?”

  Chad looked over at his lawyer, who in turn nodded her head, signaling to him that it was okay
to answer. “I was at my home all night.”

  “Is there anyone who can verify that?”

  Chad pressed his lips together as his eyes darted to his lawyer again. She nodded a second time. “I do, but I want a guarantee that this will stay confidential. I can’t have what I was doing getting out; it could ruin my reputation.”

  “Mr. Mortonson, what could really ruin your reputation is being arrested and convicted for a series of arsons,” the detective stated bluntly. “Just answer the question.”

  “I had a woman over at my place. She can verify I was there during that time.”

  “I’ll need her name and contact information.”

  Chad shifted in his seat, his eyes dropping to the table. The lawyer pulled out a business card and slid it across the table. “Miss Deveroux’s contact information is on the card. She’ll confirm my client’s alibi.”

  Christian could see that the detective seemed satisfied and was about to let Chad go. Christian, however, knew there was more he needed to ask. He bolted out of the back room and came around to the entrance of the interview room. He pushed the door open and charged inside.

  Chad’s eyes snapped to stare at Christian. First shock, then indignation, and lastly rage played across the other man’s face. “What are you doing here?” He turned and glared at the detective, then accused, “You can’t seriously let Megan’s new ‘boyfriend’ barge in here during my interview. This can’t be legal.”

  Good, his feathers are ruffled, Christian thought to himself. It’s time to add a little more pressure.

  “You can call me Investigator Perez, the head arson investigator from Disaster City Search and Rescue,” he shouted out, flipping out his badge and slamming it down on the table. “I was at the gala the other night, working the Williams arson case undercover, which means I know for a fact you weren’t at your home the whole night. That would be impossible, since you were at the gala, threatening Miss Williams and acting out violently.” He slammed a picture from the video footage on the table next to his badge. “I think this was you. I think that you flew into a jealous rage after seeing Miss Williams had moved on. You decided to pay her back by setting her apartment on fire. I think you’ve been paying her back for weeks, strategically setting places connected to her on fire.”