by Piper Page
“How long have you worked for us now, eight years?”
I could see him counting backwards. “About that.”
“Has any harm come to you or your family?”
“No, none that I can say.”
“So you’re going to stand there burning those steaks and tell me that now, because I’m with your daughter, something has suddenly changed?”
“It has changed, von Larsen. She doesn’t know about any of this. What do you think is going to happen when she finds out that we know each other, that I work for you? That the man she thinks she knows as her father, that she trusted…” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. I could tell his emotions were high.
* * *
I know how you feel, she is a precious girl.
* * *
“Banks, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sunny doesn’t have to know of your involvement, but I still need to count on your involvement.” I raised my eye brows, hoping he fully understood. “I’m willing to ‘improve’ your situation here.”
“Fuck you, von Larsen I ought to throw you out on your ass,” he snapped. “You think you can buy my daughter, you fucking conceded bastard?” The long, serrated barbeque spatula waved brazenly at me, swinging close to my face.
“That’s not what I meant.” I held my hands up, protectively. “Banks, she’s pregnant. She and I are having a baby.” I braced myself for his attack, my hands up to take the brunt force of the blow and my jaw clenched. After several minutes, when I didn’t feel the strike of the grilling tool I dared to open my eyes. Were those tears in the man’s eyes?
He wobbled on his plaid house slippers, and I grabbed him in time to set him down in a chair before he could fall over.
“I’m not trying to buy your daughter, and I’m not trying to pay you off, Banks.” I pulled up a chair beside him so we were on the same eye level. “Sunny wants her picture-perfect family. I want her to have it. We want our child to have a grandfather that he or she can visit with on Sundays, just like this. A grandad to play with and learn from, and one that isn’t stuck behind federal bars. I can support you so you don’t have to stay in a compromising position. You can retire early with no fears that you or your family would have to give up a very comfortable life—I’ll make sure you have one you are used to, or even better, and Sunny will never be the wiser for it.”
I could see the wheels spinning in his head. “A baby?” he whispered.
I nodded. “I’m sorry we didn’t go about things in the right order, but I care about Sunny, and I want this baby with her.”
He looked up at me, eyes steely as he paused for a few long, searching moments. “You’ll always put her first, and my grandchild?”
“Always, you have my word.”
He nodded. “I know that your word is good, Cole. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed in my daughter, but the news of a grandchild outweighs that. Is she happy?”
“I think so,” I said with a relieved grin.
He nodded again and got up to flip the charred steaks. “You keep her that way, or no money in the world nor the fear of cold bars could keep me from making you pay if you hurt her.’
“Understood.”
We dined on steak, some of the best potato salad I had ever tasted, corn on the cob, and crescent rolls over the next few hours. Sunny’s mother took delight in piling scoop after scoop of food onto my plate. It wasn’t my usual meal, but I couldn’t refuse her. I held Sunny’s hand under the table, giving her secret squeezes and glances when I could to let her know everything had gone well.
“Sunny, have some more meat,” said her father, pointing at her half-eaten plate of food.
“I’m okay Dad, it was delicious, but I’m full, thank you.”
“Nonsense, you’re eating for two now!”
The room went silent.
Sunny’s mother clutched her breast and screamed. “A baby?!”
Sunny was stunned and speechless.
* * *
Rescue her.
* * *
I set my napkin down on the table cloth and stood up. “Well, we weren’t really prepared to tell everyone this way, but yes, it’s true.” I took hold of her hand. “Sunny has made me a very happy man. We’re going to have a baby, and we’re thrilled. We know this is a shock, but we hope you will all be as happy as we are about it.”
Sunny’s mother covered her mouth with her napkin and cried. Her father also wiped away a tear. It took several minutes, but soon, the din worked its way up from a mumbled titter to a joyous thunder and everyone was out of their seats, shaking my hand and hugging Sunny.
“My God, a baby.”
“Our first grandchild.”
“I always thought it would be you, Maggie”
“Thank God it’s not me!”
“We have to plan a shower.”
“What are you going to name it?”
Sunny beamed with all the questions. She looked gorgeous. I glanced over to her father, and he nodded at me with a twinkle in his eye. He hadn’t accidentally slipped up. He winked at me.
* * *
I get it. Money and power aren’t everything.
24
Sunny
Cole and I lay together in bed. I could feel the motion of the water beneath us as the yacht bobbed up and down on the gentle waves. Thank goodness the second trimester had arrived and taken all that awful morning sickness with it. Our doctor said everything was on course and looked to be in tip-top shape. That didn’t stop Cole from being extra cautious with me, though. He cooked me all-natural, healthy, non-processed meals. When the doctor told him I was perfectly fine to keep running, as long as I felt well, I thought Cole and the physician would argue until the sun came up. In the end, Cole agreed to the continuation of my morning running routine, with one stipulation. I now had a running partner. If Cole wasn’t working, he would run with me. When he was not available due to work or being out of town, he sent me with one of his security team. I even had Jake’s company a few times.
Cole rolled over and pulled me in close, spooning me from behind, his hand on the small bump that was my abdomen. I felt safe and secure. I stroked the warm skin of his arm. I missed him when he was away from me, and he had just gotten back from Vegas, so waking up next to him was a very happy moment for me. Usually, when he was away for any amount of time, we escaped to the yacht as soon as he returned. Our new house was in the process of being revamped to Cole’s specifications, and we were scheduled to move into it before I hit my third trimester. The addition of the nursery needed to be finished before Cole felt comfortable with us living there. He didn’t want to subject me to any unnecessary dust or fumes, or even noise from construction. I smiled to myself, laying there with him. He was really keeping his word to protect me, and I adored him for it.
We stayed on the yacht and at the penthouse. After the bungalow was packed up and secured, I only traveled back to Galveston to see my parents a few times a month. My father retired and had taken up golf. My mother was happy he was out of a dangerous job, but I felt like she found him underfoot a lot. He and Cole were civil, though, and that was as much as I could ask of them. I truly had a good life. My job at the hospital would be waiting for me if I chose to return. I couldn’t see that far into the future. My immediate plans were just to be with Cole, get to know him more, and take care of this little bundle of joy when it arrived. I knew I loved Cole, and I believed he loved me. Our lives together might not have been “in the box,” but we were happy.
I listened to the even intakes of breaths as he slept beside me. The steady rhythm lulled me back into slumber. Safe in Cole’s arms, my baby and me.
* * *
Cole
* * *
Something brought me back from the brink of sleep. It may have been a dream, or a noise, I wasn’t sure, but I was wide awake. I turned my head to see Sunny softly sleeping in my arms. She looked so beautiful. I knew she was self-conscious of her changing body, but each day she
only became more gorgeous to me. I glanced over at the dresser where a gift box lay open. Every time I left her for business, I was sure to bring back a new item for the baby. My eyes went to my suit jacket that was hanging on the back of the chair. This time, I had brought a gift back for her as well.
Being away from Sunny for any extended period of time was crushing to me. Even though I knew she was well-protected, it still pained me and gave me anxiety to have her out of my sight. For the most part, when we first moved her in with me, it was because we still hadn’t dealt with Lenny Filippo. I was worried every minute that she was away that he was going to nab her and use her to get to me. The man was scum and had no respect for life, only for notoriety and control. It was actually Jake that brought him down.
Jake was willing to step in and run with Sunny on days me or my security staff couldn’t. Why she insisted on running through this pregnancy baffled me. She should have been on a couch with her feet up, growing our baby, not concerned with her figure. And I adored her figure, pregnant or not. It was during one of these jaunts through the Houston streets that Jake took note of a vehicle that was following them, a black SUV. He called in and had his team follow the utility vehicle straight to Filippo’s hideout. Jake busted through the doors and beat the hell out of him. Knocked him out cold, threw him in the trunk, and shipped him and his SUV off on one of our cargo freighters. He’d be out of the picture, and if he had any lick of sense, he’d take the hint and leave for other territories. Jake made that clear.
If anything, good things came from Lenny nosing around—it had upped our game, and the three of us were on high alert at all times now. It was an eye-opener all around. We were all getting to ages of new phases in our lives, I was sure Sunny and the baby were just one. I rubbed her stomach, and my eyes went wide. I ran my hand softly over the smooth skin again, then sat up straight in bed.
“Oh my god.”
Sunny fluttered her eyes and turned on to her back, the small bump pushing up the sheet that was draped over her. “What’s wrong?” Her voice was laced with sleep.
“I felt something.”
“What?”
My blood was racing with excitement. “When I rubbed your stomach. I felt something.”
She gave me a sleepy smile. “I’m hungry. I need pancakes.”
I scowled. “No, it wasn’t a gurgle.”
Sunny lifted her camisole up and reached for my hand. “Here, feel again.”
I felt the warmth of skin on skin. I leaned in close and whispered “Was that you, baby?”
Sunny yelped. “Oh my god!”
I beamed. “See?”
She laid her hand beside mine. “It moved!”
“And you wanted pancakes.”
“I still want pancakes.”
I rolled my eyes, and we sat there silently, waiting for another soft kick or punch. Five minutes passed, and Sunny looked at me. “Guess the baby wants pancakes too.”
“Fine. Stay put, I’ll get us breakfast.”
Sunny
* * *
I could smell the scent of buttery hotcakes and maple syrup wafting through the door of the yacht bedroom. Cole was true to his word, as always. He came back with a tray laden with pancakes, bananas, grapes, and orange juice. He sat down and rested the tray beside me. I snagged up a doughy cake and took a huge bite out of it. It was heaven in my mouth. The one thing about no more morning sickness was that my appetite had increased to weird levels. I had no issues putting down full meals with dessert to match Cole’s own portions.
“Okay,” he laughed as he pulled the tray away.
I pouted and tried to grab another pancake.
“Wait—you can have the whole stack, but you have to eat fruit in between each one. Deal?”
* * *
Such a watchful, concerned man. Give me a pancake.
* * *
I plucked a handful of grapes and popped them into my mouth. “Happy?”
“Yes.” He kissed my nose and gave me back the tray. I dove in and ate the next two cakes while he had his back turned from me.
“Sunny?”
“Mmm?” My mouth was full.
“There’s one more thing.”
“I’m eating the banana, now.”
He laughed. “No. That’s not what I meant.”
I lifted my eyes from my plate. Cole was on his knee beside the bed. My mouth hung open, a half-eaten pancake in my fingers.
* * *
What are you doing, Cole?
* * *
I swallowed the lump of banana in my mouth and dropped the remainder back to the plate, my appetite gone. “Cole?”
“Shh, just listen.”
I snapped my mouth shut.
“My father may have made some bad choices in his life, my mother and my brothers were not one of them. I don’t agree with how he lived, but I understand why he did what he did. My dad was famous for giving us boys advice through idioms. Like, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, life is what you make it, the early bird gets the worm.”
I nodded, listening with baited breath.
“One of his favorites was ‘nothing lasts forever.’”
* * *
What?
* * *
My heart sank, and I thought I was about to upheave my pancakes, grapes and all.
* * *
Is Cole leaving me? Gosh, these pregnancy hormones are making me jump to crazy extremes!
* * *
I could feel the growing flood of tears behind my eyes. I looked up, ready to protest. But Cole was kneeling there with a robin’s egg blue velvet box open. In its bedding was a diamond so big I thought it would weigh down my hand to the ground. I looked from it to him and back again.
“Will you be my nothing?”
It took me a minute for me to register that he was asking me to marry him. The tray of food crashed to the floor, and I flung myself into his arms, nearly knocking him to the floor. Cole caught me and cradled me safely to his chest, where I kissed his mouth repeatedly. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He laughed and kissed me back. “Is that a yes?”
“That’s a ‘forever and ever,’ Cole. I love you.”
25
Jake
Jake
* * *
I swiped out of my text message screen. So, my brother had finally popped the question, and it looked like I was going to have a niece or nephew and a new sister-in-law soon. I hoped my brother knew what he was doing. I turned my attention back to the laptop on the counter that separated the penthouse kitchen from the rest of the living area.
“Well, brother, I’m glad you’re happy with the same everyday action. Me, I’m looking for a little something different.”
I waited for the screen of the Love or Lust website to pop up so I could sign in. Now that I had my own place here in the penthouse, I was free to remodel my old space into something a bit more “playful.” If everything was on schedule, the workers should be installing the two-way mirror today. The screen beeped, and my fingers scrolled through the various faces and bodies of some very tasty-looking ladies. “Who will be the lucky one tonight?”
* * *
Find out more in Jake’s story, Rainmaker 2 as Jake meets his match in an undercover cop posing as an escort. Things are about to get naughty….Releasing March 18, 2017
And now please enjoy a bonus novella—DANGER— for your reading pleasure
Simply scroll right. :-)
Chapter 1
Krista
“Is this seat taken?” I smelled him before the husky voice snapped my attention to my right at the sudden intruder. At the sudden intruder who… oh my, looked like a walking billboard of the man who bought a woman anything she wanted. Van Cleef necklaces and Hermès bags—I could tell by the twisting of his gold pinkie ring with the massive square cut diamond shining under the magical night lights that danced with the tropical night air.
My hands shook; I did not belong in a fancy place like t
his. I was afraid to even speak, for if I did, wouldn’t my ignorance be surely found out? That I was just a poor girl pretending for the night to be a rich woman?
He’s probably just ordering a drink and needs a spot. Right. On that note…
“Sure, help yourself.” I said, mustering every bit of confidence I could, like an actress on set at the audition of her life.
“A southern girl, I like that.”
I carried around a slight southern twang from where I’d grown up. I’d moved back to New York at age ten, and I’d never been able to shake it.
The way he looked at me was chilling, not bone chilling but confidence chilling. He looked at me directly in the eyes; butterflies floated down to my toes at the intensity of the moment. With an intense stare like that, it was as if he were reading my very soul.
Nervous, I reached for my water and took a cold sip, letting the icy temperature wash down my sudden, electric heated shivers.
The stranger leaned in closer to me, and the overwhelming flood of his cologne engulfed my being like an invisible blanket, as if already marking me as his.
“What are you doing here all alone?”
I guarded myself, crossing my arms over my chest. His sleeves were inked with flowing bold and black Spanish words, snaking around his body where I couldn’t see. I wanted to read every word on him like a book I couldn’t put down.
Act cool, Krista.
