Cherishing His Best Friend: A Billionaire Protector Mystery Romance

by Alexa McLean

  Reis reacted with quick reflexes and caught me before I could fall. At that moment, time seemed to slow. He reeled me in and pinned my hair behind my ear. “Are you okay?” He asked, once again in that sexy whisper of his.

  My mind turned to mush and all I could really do was focus on his lips and how much I wanted to kiss them. All I wanted to do was raise onto my tippy toes and close the gap between us but to do so was wrong. It would be a disrespect to my father and to my own morals. As useless as Jeremy was, I couldn’t cheat on him.

  So, I forced myself away. “Thanks,” I mumbled once I had maintained my distance. “But we should probably get going now.”

  “I’m guessing I’ll be the one to drive because I doubt you can manage with those death traps on your feet.”

  “If you wouldn’t mind...”

  “Of course not.” He said with a smile as he took my hand and weaved our hands together. That gesture alone was enough to fill my whole body with a deep, lasting warmth. “So, you won’t fall.” He explained as he helped me toward the door.

  Outside, there was a gorgeous black Cadillac parked in my driveway. I don’t know why I was surprised. This guy was a billionaire after all. I guess I never expected myself to ride inside such a luxurious vehicle.

  Like a perfect gentleman, he opened the passenger door and helped me inside. Once I was settled, he rounded the car and got behind the wheel. I stared through the windshield, trying to ignore the feeling of electricity and excitement that buzzed in the air. My beating heart didn’t help the situation.

  “Roger’s Funeral Home, I’m guessing?” He asked as he backed out of the driveway and into the street.

  “It’s still the only funeral parlor in town.”

  “This place hasn’t changed a bit, has it?” He said with a chuckle before driving off.

  WHEN WE ARRIVED AT the funeral home, it was already packed. Through some miracle, Reis was able to find a parking space right beside the hearse. I shivered knowing that my father would soon be carried in that thing and brought to his final resting place. I still couldn’t believe it.

  “Brandi, come on.” Reis had already opened my door but I had been so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I hadn’t noticed him do it. He held out his hand and I took it, trying to garner some strength from the man that had once been my best friend.

  He wrapped his arm around me for further stability and helped me inside.

  There, I was greeted by the funeral director who instructed me to where I was supposed to sit during the service. I could barely understand a word she said because I was much more concerned with the casket in the middle of the room. So, I waited until I thought she was done and walked up to the wooden structure.

  My heart broke straight in two when I saw him laying there. He didn’t even look like my father anymore. He looked like some zombie starring in the next blockbuster horror flick. “No...” I moaned as I dropped to my knees with grief. “Dad... you can’t be dead... you just can’t be...” I reached out my hand but I did not touch him because Reis was there to pull it back. He kneeled beside me and offered a shoulder to cry on. “He was... the only family... I had left...”

  “I know... I know...” He kissed the top of my head. “But he’s in a better place now and he certainly wouldn’t want his daughter crying like this at his funeral.”

  “Why did he do it...” I sobbed. “He vowed to give up the vile stuff and yet...”

  “We all have our moments of weakness. We shouldn’t blame him for his.” Reis squeezed my hand. “Come on, the mourners will be here soon.”

  In a daze, I went back to my seat and sat there for a while until the funeral director opened up the doors to the public. The whole town came to pay their respects and each one of them gave me their condolences. Even Mr. Travis dropped in.

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Ms. Johnson. Your father will be dearly missed by the community.” I couldn’t help think that he didn’t mean a word he said. After all, he and my father had been sworn enemies.

  “Thank you,” I answered all the same. I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to get into an argument with this man. So long as he didn’t do anything to blatantly disrespect my father, I would leave him be.

  Time ticked by ever so slowly. Every time I looked over at the clock, it would refuse to budge. My feet were sore from standing but with so many people rolling through, I never had the opportunity to sit down.

  Finally, the line waned and eventually, it stopped altogether.

  The director said a few words about my father before instructing all those who wanted to attend the burial service to check-in with her co-worker at the door.

  I lingered in the room until everyone had left. Only then did I walk up to my father. I knew this was my final goodbye. “Do you need a minute?” The director asked.

  “Yes, please,” I answered.

  “Take your time.” She nodded her head and left the room so I could have a bit of alone time with my dad.

  “Why did you do it?” I asked, tears already falling down my cheeks. “Why did you have to leave me like this? I know I’m not a little girl anymore... but you were still my dad...”

  Reis placed his hand on my shoulder. “There’s nothing you can do, Brandi. Let him be at peace.” He had to pry me away.

  The funeral directors nodded in appreciation as they closed the casket right before my eyes. I lost it. Charging forward, I reached for the casket, wanting to crawl in there myself.

  Reis grabbed me by the waist and kept me from doing any stupid. I struggled against him but he was much too strong for me to counter. “Brandi, calm down.”

  But I couldn’t calm down. The tears flowed like a river.

  “Dad!” I screamed, breaking down into a mess of sobs.

  “Here.” The director handed over a box of tissues. “I think she is going to need it.”

  “Thank you,” Reis answered since I was much too distraught to answer her myself. Gently, he took one of the tissues and wiped away my tears. “I know how hard it can be to say goodbye but you have to let him go. He made his decision and that’s the end of it.” When I refused to look at him, he took me by the shoulders. “Brandi, I don’t care how hard this gets. We’ll get through it – together.”

  I blinked and my vision came back into focus. “Reis...” I whispered. He was the only person who had ever shown me this level of kindness. I honestly didn’t know what to say to him.

  “We need to go.” He held me close as we walked back to his car and followed the hearse. Technically, I should have been riding in that car as a member of the immediate family but I refused to even entertain the thought. The thing creeped me out.

  SO, I BURIED MY FATHER. By then, I was much too numb to cry. I simply went through the motions until it was all over.

  Then came the reception. It wasn’t big by any means but enough people showed up to fill the hall I had booked for the occasion. Most of the guests hovered around the food. My guess? That was the real reason why they had decided to come around.

  “How are you holding up?” Reis asked, his eyes full of worry. It touched my heart that even after so many years apart, he still cared about me. In a way, it felt like nothing had changed. Well, except for the fact that he was a billionaire now and that he probably had a beautiful model waiting for him in every city.

  “I’m fine... I’ll get over it. Everyone does, sooner or later.”

  “Doesn’t mean it’s easy.” He said as he squeezed my hand. “I just want you to know that I’ll be here whenever you need me.”

  I bit the inside of my lip. I really wanted to believe him but I knew that he was just passing by. Someone of his caliber didn’t stick around a small town for very long. He had more important things to worry about.

  Left alone, my eyes wandered along the hall. It was then that I spotted Jeremy. He was scarfing down food like he had been starving for weeks.

  Oh, did it tick me off. He had the gall and audacity to skip my father’s funeral
to then arrive at the reception, eat all the food, and never even say a word? My blood was boiling to an impossible degree as I marched up to him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  His mouth was so full that he couldn’t even manage to answer me properly.

  “Why weren’t you at the funeral?” I snarled.

  “Sorry, babe, I fell asleep. I set an alarm and everything...!”

  “You fell asleep?” I stepped forward and pushed him up against the buffet table. “What kind of birdbrained answer is that? And what? You so conveniently woke during the reception and decided you had the right to come here and eat the food?” Venom dripped from my every word and I just couldn’t hold back any longer. “You know what? I don’t have to do this anymore. I’ve put up with you for way too long and I’m done. Do you hear me? Done.”

  “Baby, please, you aren’t thinking straight.”

  “Oh, I think I am.” I pointed to the door. “Now, get out.”

  “You can’t do this to me!” He shouted as he puffed out his chest like a bullfrog. If it was supposed to intimidate me it wasn’t working. “So, what if I missed your father’s funeral? Is that really such a big deal?”

  “Is it really such a big deal?” I narrowed my eyes, fists shaking by my side. “I’m going to try and pretend that you didn’t just say that.”

  “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? That you’re so much better than me? Well, you know what, Brandi? You’ve been a waste of time if I’m perfectly honest with you.”

  I scoffed. “I’ve been the waste of time? Are you being serious right now?” I was close to pouncing on this guy. If he said one more word...

  And then Reis stepped beside us. “I think she has asked you to leave.” His voice was leveled with confidence.

  “Who the heck are you?” He asked, squaring up to the billionaire. “I don’t remember asking you into this conversation. This is none of your business.”

  “It became my business when you started to disrespect my friend,” Reis growled, his eyes growing dark. “Now, unless you want to do this the hard way, I suggest you do as she says and leave.”

  Jeremy muttered under his breath, took some pastries for the road, and left with a little black cloud following after him.

  “Good riddance,” I said finally releasing the breath I had been holding.

  Chapter 6: Reis

  SERIOUSLY? THAT LOWLIFE was Brandi’s boyfriend? Well, I guess I should say, ex-boyfriend. There’s no coming back from that.

  “Shows over, folks,” I said to try and get everyone back into their seats. Quickly, they filled up their plates and spoke amongst themselves in hushed whispers. It was no secret what they were talking about.

  “I can’t believe he would do that... and at my father’s funeral reception...” She shook her head. “I know our relationship wasn’t the strongest but I never thought he would treat me this way.”

  “Hey, don’t give it another thought. He’s gone now.” I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “Now, how about we eat something.”

  “I’m not hungry.” She mumbled underneath her breath.

  “Of course you are.” I pointed at the eclairs. “Are these still your favorite dessert?”

  “Hmm?” She lifted her eyes to see where I was pointing.

  “Eclairs. You used to love these things when we were kids. I was just wondering whether they were still your kryptonite.”

  “How do you still remember that...?” She asked like I had just said something in a foreign language.

  “I remember everything. It’s one of the things that make me a good businessman. But now is not the time for that.” As I spoke, I took a plate and stacked it high with some of the food I thought she would like. Only then did I bring her back to the table.

  She nibbled on a few morsels. But the eclairs didn’t stand a chance. She practically swallowed them whole.

  I chuckled. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you’re still a fan.”

  “Oh, stop it.” She growled in a playful manner.

  “Your father had quite the sweet tooth if I remember correctly.”

  “He did...”

  “Hey...” I reached over and took her hand. “Cheer up. He wouldn’t want you to keep crying like this. Your father raised a beautiful, smart daughter that I’m sure he was very proud of.”

  “Was he though?” Brandi picked up her fork and dragged it across the table. “I never amounted to anything... I mean, look at you... you’re this successful billionaire and I’m just...” She squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Brandi.”

  “I’m just a small-town girl who never bothered to follow her dreams.”

  “There’s still time,” I said with an encouraging smile. “You could still follow your dreams. I bet you still have that guitar of yours hanging on your bedroom wall, don’t you?’

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m too old for that now.”

  “I think you’re the ridiculous one. You’re never too old –”

  “Stop right there.” Brandi held up her hand. “I don’t need a pep talk right now. My dreams are no longer important. With my father gone, it is my responsibility to take care of the diner and that’s all I can ever do.”

  I sighed because I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn’t about to budge on the subject. “Alright, my lips are sealed – for now. But don’t think that this is the end of this conversation.”

  “You’ve always been stubborn.”

  “That goes for the two of us,” I said. “Now, this place is a ghost town. Why don’t we get you home? I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

  “Finally, you’re making sense.”

  I got up and offered her my hand. As I helped her to her feet, I laced our fingers together. I knew it was wrong of me to think of making a move but with her boyfriend out of the picture, I finally had a chance. The only problem was that moving too quickly might imply that I was trying to take advantage of her vulnerability. As much as it might kill me to wait, that was exactly what I needed to do. There was no way around it.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked as soon as we were in the car.

  “Can you stop worrying about me?”

  “I can’t do that, Brandi. You mean too much to me.”

  “I don’t see how...” She whispered.

  “We practically grew up together. You were my best friend – the one person I trusted most in the world. Sure, I left to pursue a college degree and I’ve been gone for a little while but that doesn’t change a thing. I swear you mean as much to me now as you did back then.”

  “Do you really mean that?” She turned to look at me and I could tell that she was studying my face, searching for answers.

  “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

  I WALKED HER UP TO the front door. “Do you mind if I see your phone for a second?”

  “What for?” She said with a hint of suspicion. “Don’t you have your own?”

  “Sure, but it has a horrible habit of dying on me.” I lied. “I just need to make a phone call.”

  “A phone call?” She cocked her head to the side. “Might I ask who you’re calling.”

  “Someone important.” I grinned in her direction. “Just trust me, will you? I’m not going to download porn or anything.”

  “Reis!” She slapped my chest. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Sorry, already did... but I rather think about you in bed inside.” I said with a wink. “Now, come on, fork it over.”

  “Fine. Fine. But this better be as important as you say it is.”

  “Why? What are you hiding?” I cocked my eyebrow in question. “Does this small-town girl have a secret I don’t know about?”

  “Keep it up and you won’t be making that phone call of yours.”

  “Alright, alright, I’ll quit teasing.” I held up my hands to prove my innocence.

  Satisfied, she fished her phone out of her purse and handed it over. “Make it quick.”
/>
  She tried to look over my shoulder but I was a bit too tall for her to succeed.

  “You’re doing an awful lot of typing for someone trying to make a phone call...” She said, trying to snatch the phone back.

  I avoided her grasp. “And... done.” Only then did I drop the phone back into her palm.

  “What did you do?” She asked, examining her phone like it was a bomb or something.

  “I just gave you my number. Consider yourself lucky. There aren’t many people in this world with that privilege.” I said with a wink. “Now you can call me whenever you want to.”

  Brandi looked down at her phone, pushed a button, and held the receiver up to her ear. A second later, my phone started to ring. “Yes?” I answered.

  “I want you to stay.” She whispered through the line. “Tonight, I mean. Don’t go...” She hung up the call and presented me with a set of puppy dog eyes. How was I supposed to say no?

  “Alright but on one condition?”

  “What’s that?”

  “You better have a decent coffee machine.”

  “I have instant coffee, does that work?”

  “I guess I will have to make do if it means staying here with you.”

  “Did you just rhyme?”

  “Maybe I did.” I chuckled. “You forget that I used to do theater when I was in high school. I still remember a line or two of Shakespeare.”

  “How was I supposed to forget? I went to every single one of your performances.”

  “That’s right and you always sat in the same exact seat.” I watched as she struggled to open the front door so I wrapped my hand around hers and helped her ease the key into place. While doing so, I pressed my body up against hers, nearly pushing her into the door. My instincts flared with the need to take her right then and there. I had waited much, much too long to be with this woman.

  Blood rushed between my legs as I thought about all the things I wanted to do to her. Oh, I would have her screaming by the end of the night. She’d be shaking until the sun came up.