by Anne, Melody
OTHER TITLES BY MELODY ANNE
BILLIONAIRE AVIATORS
Turbulent Intentions
Turbulent Desires
Turbulent Waters
Turbulent Intrigue
BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS
The Billionaire Wins the Game
The Billionaire’s Dance
The Billionaire Falls
The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal
Blackmailing the Billionaire
Runaway Heiress
The Billionaire’s Final Stand
Unexpected Treasure
Hidden Treasure
Holiday Treasure
Priceless Treasure
The Ultimate Treasure
UNDERCOVER BILLIONAIRES
Kian
Arden
Owen
Declan
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Text copyright © 2020 by Melody Anne
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Published by Montlake, Seattle
www.apub.com
Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
ISBN-13: 9781542016759
ISBN-10: 1542016754
Cover design by Letitia Hasser
Cover photography by Wander Aguiar Photography
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PROLOGUE
Lights flashed in Sarah’s eyes as unintelligible words floated around her.
There was so much darkness—too much. The world was full of a myriad of colors, so when you saw it in black and white, you knew something was wrong—very, very wrong.
“Let’s go code three.”
“Stay with us, Sarah,” she heard someone say. They sounded so far away. There was a face above her, but she couldn’t seem to focus on it. There were no eyes, no mouth, no nose. It was just a black-and-white blur above her with a halo of light behind it.
“Can you tell me your full name?”
She tried to answer, but she couldn’t seem to find her voice.
“Sarah, when is your birthday?”
Again she couldn’t answer.
“We have a twenty-six-year-old female who was the restrained passenger of an SUV traveling at approximately sixty-five miles per hour. Their car was hit on the passenger side at high speed, and airbags deployed. She had to be extricated from the vehicle. She has a distended abdomen, labored breathing, and decreased level of consciousness. Her blood pressure is eighty-three over forty-two with a pulse of one hundred and thirty; O2 sats are ninety-three percent and dropping. Possible internal bleeding.”
Sarah wanted to know who they were talking about, but she couldn’t find her voice. She heard a moan but wasn’t sure where it came from. Nothing felt real at the moment. Nothing felt right.
A bright light shone in her eyes, and she tried turning away, but she couldn’t move her head. Where was she? She tried to focus. There were sirens, but they sounded distant. She couldn’t move her body. Panic was beginning to set in. Where was Noah? She’d been driving with Noah. Suddenly he’d yelled, and then everything had gone dark.
“Do you know what month it is, Sarah?”
Why were they asking these questions?
“Can you tell us what happened?”
If she could speak, she’d tell him to give her a second to answer one question before he spouted off another, but there wasn’t a point, anyway. She couldn’t find her voice.
“Her pupils are equal and reactive,” the voice said. “Let’s get two IVs started wide open.”
Oh no. She hated needles. Those had better not be going into her.
“Stay with us, Sarah. Let’s keep those eyes open,” the voice said. She was growing more and more irritated. She needed a nap. She’d been working hard. It wasn’t a crime to take a little nap. She was in a dream right now, after all, so shutting her eyes was exactly what she needed to do.
“Her blood pressure is now seventy-eight over forty. Heart rate is still in the one hundred thirties. Oxygen has dropped to eighty-four percent, and her breathing is more labored. We are going to need to intubate en route. We’re ten minutes out.”
Where were they ten minutes out from? That face above her was growing blurrier by the second, and she didn’t want to keep her eyes open anymore. They shut, and she felt darkness enveloping her.
“We’re losing her.”
Sarah wasn’t sure what that meant, but it didn’t matter. The darkness that had been slowly seeping in washed over her like a cool breeze and took away all her confusion. She sighed as the voices faded away into nothingness.
Noah looked in at the black-and-blue body of Sarah, and for the first time in at least ten years, he felt a stinging in his eyes. He’d been the one driving. No, he knew he wasn’t responsible for the drunk driver who had smashed into them, but he felt responsible for not reacting faster. He’d walked away from the crash with a few bruises, and Sarah had nearly lost her life.
For months she’d been telling him they weren’t right for each other. Maybe she was correct. Maybe he was too dangerous. Maybe his need for excitement and adventure would eventually kill her.
He’d never been so scared as when she’d been loaded into that ambulance. And now the evidence of his recklessness was right there in front of him. She was unconscious in the bed after a long surgery.
He needed to let her go—it was what she wanted. He knew it would be better for her. He just wasn’t sure he’d be able to do that.
“Sir, you’re not supposed to be back here,” a woman said softly as she gently placed a hand on his arm.
“I know. Please, just give me a minute. I won’t go in. I won’t disturb her,” he pleaded. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d begged for anything from anyone.
“I’m going to grab some charts. I’ll be walking past here again in about two minutes, and I know this doorway will be empty,” she said with a sympathetic smile.
He nodded, too choked up to say anything more. The nurse walked away, and his eyes caressed Sarah’s battered body. He stood there for another minute and fifty-five seconds; then he silently turned and walked away.
He was as clueless then as he had been from the moment he’d met this beautiful, frustrating, stubborn, amazing woman. He knew what should be done—he’d just never been good at taking the easiest
or right path.
CHAPTER ONE
If a smile could break your face, then Sarah was sure hers was going to crack at any minute. The smile wasn’t real, but she could sell it—was great at selling it. She’d learned early on in life that you faked it till you made it. Those who said that method didn’t work weren’t trying hard enough.
She was going to pull out of this project. Joseph Anderson had spoken to her about being a part of this massive veterans center a few months ago, but no contracts had been signed, and she wasn’t sure what he’d been thinking, anyway. She’d only graduated school a few months earlier, and yes, she had faith in herself, but getting a project like this one was huge—it was for people like Noah.
She didn’t want to work with Noah any longer. She’d been confused from the beginning with this man, and she’d tried her hardest to make it work. But sometimes it took a stronger person to know when to quit versus trying to stick it out. She was smart enough to walk away. She’d nearly lost her life a few months earlier. The accident had caused complications, and she’d been truly scared for probably the first time in her life. That had woken her up. She’d been too carefree in life, had been taking too many chances. Now it was time to get her priorities straight.
She was walking into the huge Anderson Corporation. Her head was held high, and that smile that was killing her to maintain was firmly in place. She was going to be professional . . . and firm. The best thing for the center was for her to walk away.
It felt like an hour in the elevator to the top of the building. Joseph’s oldest son, Lucas, now ran the massive Anderson empire, but Sarah was very aware of who the head of the family truly was. Joseph’s idea of retiring just meant he didn’t sit in the offices for ten hours a day. He now had much more time to mess with people’s lives—his current obsession. She just had no idea what he saw in her.
She entered the huge lobby on the top floor, and her stomach tightened as she looked around at the beautiful sitting areas and the plants that reached the three-story-tall ceilings. She couldn’t even imagine how much it cost to maintain this place. She didn’t want to think about it. She wondered how many people actually told Joseph no. She’d bet all she had it didn’t happen often.
“Hello, Ms. Jennings,” a perky brunette said from behind a desk the size of most people’s kitchen counters. “Mr. Anderson is waiting. You can go on back.” The smile the woman wore was just about as big as Sarah’s, but hers looked genuine. Of course it was. She worked in a pretty great position for the best company in Seattle.
“Thank you,” Sarah said. She didn’t need to ask which way. The massive hallway was a good indication of where she needed to go.
“Can I bring you something other than coffee?” the woman, whose nameplate read Jennifer, asked.
“No, thank you,” Sarah said. Her smile was beginning to falter.
She moved down the hallway, hearing Joseph long before she neared the door. He said something, then laughed loudly. Her smile turned up, but this time it was real. She wondered how a person could feel that much joy all the time. Joseph was an enigma, certainly a person she’d love to know more about. Maybe she should’ve majored in journalism instead of design.
She stepped up to the door, not sure if she was supposed to knock. It was wide open, but no one was looking her way. She stood there feeling even more unsure than she had when she’d been outside the building trying to decide if she should enter.
As if he could sense her—or she’d made a sound, which she was sure she hadn’t—Noah turned, his gaze boring into hers. Damn! She hadn’t seen him in over a month, and the impact of his eyes still had the power to make her legs tremble.
“Hello, Sarah. You look well,” Noah said. His voice was a soft purr that contrasted so much with Joseph’s deep baritone. Of course Noah could get just as loud as Joseph when he let down his guard. But most of the time he had a purr that would make any woman want to curl up on his lap.
“Hi, Noah,” she said, turning away quickly. She couldn’t face him too long. She’d rather look at Joseph, even though the man intimidated the crud out of her. “I’m sorry if I’m late, Mr. Anderson.” She wasn’t late, but since she was the last one in the room, she felt the need to apologize.
“Nonsense, young lady. We were just having a chat while we waited for you to arrive,” Joseph told her. “Sometimes it’s a real pain to navigate your way through this city.”
“It most certainly is,” Sarah agreed as she moved forward. “Which is why I live in Cranston and not the city.”
“Yes, I’ve grown quite fond of the small town of Cranston.”
“I would think so, with the massive project you’re doing there,” she said, feeling tense all over again. She needed to spit out the words that had to be said and then walk from the office with her head held high and her dignity intact. She felt utterly tongue tied, though, which was nothing unusual around this beast of a man.
“I’m not the one doing the project,” Joseph said before looking at her for a long moment, as if he knew what she wanted to say. It made her even more nervous. He finally looked away to pull out a folder. “I have your contract, which should’ve been signed a while ago. With the accident and all, we’re a little behind schedule, but we can fix that right now.”
She felt her throat tighten. Again she wondered how many people told this man no or refused something he asked of them. The answer had to be zilch to none.
“Sir . . .” The look he gave her made her stop what she’d been about to say.
“You know I hate being called sir,” he said with a slight frown. She shifted in front of the large desk he was occupying. Sarah wondered where Lucas was. It would be so much easier to tell Joseph’s son she didn’t want the job than to tell the man himself.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Joseph, but Sarah and I have spoken about this project at length, and she’s told me she doesn’t want to be on it,” Noah said. He was looking at Joseph rather than her, and there were frown lines etched in his forehead. He hadn’t been happy with her when she’d told him she was quitting. His mood obviously hadn’t improved.
Joseph’s knowing gaze centered in on her, and she felt like a grade school student about to be scolded by the principal. She wanted to remain strong, but it was difficult to do with two alpha men who were obviously unhappy with her staring her down. Well, that was just too bad for both of them.
“Why do you want to step down?” Joseph asked. Of all the scenarios she’d played out in her head, she hadn’t once considered he might ask her that question. She wasn’t sure why not. She didn’t know how to answer. “Is it something I’ve done?” He now looked concerned, instantly making her feel bad.
“No, of course not . . . Joseph. It’s just that with the accident we’re already behind schedule, and I think Noah will move much more quickly without my help,” she said, feeling brilliant for coming up with that on the spot. There was no way she was telling Noah’s uncle she didn’t want to do the project because she wanted to jump his nephew every second they were together. She also wasn’t going to mention how much the project meant to her.
“I’d take it as a personal insult if you were to walk away,” Joseph said. “I take time when considering who I want to work for this company, and I personally handpicked you.”
Sarah was speechless again. Her friends would find that quite amusing, as she always seemed to have something to say. Sometimes she talked just because she didn’t want to have nothing but silence surrounding her.
But to get back to what Joseph had asked—it was fairly simple. She was afraid to work with Noah for many reasons. The strongest was her attraction to the man, but also her pride was in there. Noah’s name was the big one on this project, and she didn’t want to be jealous about that, but she had no doubt she’d be living in his shadow. She had a lot of pride herself and didn’t like to be considered second best. She wasn’t sure what she should do.
She found herself unable to answer Joseph. His eyes tw
inkled. The man knew he was nearly impossible to refuse. She wanted to do just that out of principle. But still she stood there silently. What had happened to her entire pep talk to herself? She was failing miserably.
“Sign this form, and we’re right back on track,” Joseph said as he pushed a pile of papers toward her. She had no choice but to step a little closer to the desk and therefore closer to Noah as well.
Though in her opinion she felt Noah would rather she walk away, he didn’t seem to be thrilled about the idea. She just wasn’t sure what was going to make any of them happiest. She decided not to speak as she picked up the papers and began to read through them. For once Joseph was silent. Noah hadn’t been saying much at all since she’d stepped into the room. She was used to that. He seemed to be a man who thought a whole lot.
She read the contract. It was more than fair to her. She’d already been doing the job for quite a while, and she was being paid more than she could’ve ever hoped to be paid for a newly graduated architect. She should just sign the papers and do her job. Still, she hesitated.
When she looked up again, she found both Joseph and Noah staring at her. Joseph was holding out a pen that probably cost more than her rent the last month. She felt like a deer in headlights.
What was she going to do?
Her eyes connected with Noah’s, and she lost her breath. There was a challenge in his gaze. Her shoulders stiffened. Tick tock. Time was running out.
CHAPTER TWO
Three days passed, and Sarah spent most of that time pacing in her apartment. She’d always been perfectly content in it . . . until recently. Now it felt almost like a prison. She didn’t understand how anyone could break the law knowing they’d have to live out the rest of their days in a six-by-twelve-foot space. Some cells might vary a little in size, but that was the average. Her apartment was slightly bigger than that, but it felt even smaller at the moment.
The contract she’d managed to get out of the office without signing was like a beacon flashing at her from her small counter. It seemed to scream at her every time she passed by it. Sign me . . . sign me . . . sign me . . .
Ugh! She needed to just rip it up, wait until three in the morning, and leave a message on Joseph’s phone like the chicken she’d become lately. But no matter how many times she’d picked it up with the intention of doing just that, she hadn’t been able to do it. She’d simply set it back down, then tossed and turned all night. So the dang contract was not only tormenting her but giving her dark circles beneath her eyes on top of it all.
