Billionaire's Secret: The Complete Series

by Simone Sowood

“Her spirits are better than ever. Collin,” he said turning to me. “My family doesn’t know how to thank you enough for this.”

  Here we go. I wasn’t there to be thanked or to have people feel indebted to me. I only wanted to help someone I cared about.

  “Paul, I’m going to have to lay down a rule. I don’t want to hear another thank you for this ever again. It is the least I can do. It’s the least Sandra deserves.”

  Paul’s lips pursed, like he was sucking in his cheeks in an attempt to control his emotions.

  “It’s good to see you again,” Paul finally said, clasping my hand and patting my forearm.

  The doors slid open and I followed Paul and Jenny out of the elevator and down the hall. A door opened about halfway down the cream hall and Sandra stepped out.

  “Mom!” Jenny took off running and had her arms around Sandra within an instant. As tiny as Jenny was, her mom looked even more small and frail. I guessed it was the cancer, or the treatment, or both. Whatever it was, I wanted to make her all better for Jenny, and I would do anything in my power to make that happen.

  Paul and I arrived at the door. Sandra let go of Jenny to give me a hug, her ribs and backbone protruded into my hands and I hugged her back. Uneasy, I let her go and urged the four of us into the apartment.

  “How’re the accommodations? Is everything okay?”

  “Oh, they are simply perfect, Collin. Thank you so much,” Sandra said.

  I looked at Paul and grimaced, and he shifted his feet.

  “Would anyone like anything to drink?” the nurse asked, appearing from the kitchen area.

  “Yes please, something cold,” I said and turned to Sandra and Paul, “have you eaten lunch yet?”

  “I’m just finishing it, it should be ready in a few minutes. Is a salad with chicken strips okay with you, sir?”

  “Yes, fine. Please, call me Collin.”

  The nurse dipped her head and disappeared back into the kitchen.

  The four of us sat around the thick, wooden dining table. I don’t know who designed this place, but they’d definitely furnished it with grandmothers in mind.

  I guess they figured old ladies would be the bulk of the customers who came to stay for the easy access to the hospital next door. Unfortunately for them I don’t think they realized just how much younger in spirit the old people are today compared to a few decades ago.

  Jenny and her parents chatted but I tuned most of it out, freaked at the situation I found myself in. What was I doing here, playing house with a nice family like Jenny’s when I had my own fucked-up thing going on in Hawaii?

  What kind of a shithead was I, sitting here, laughing and chatting like this?

  The nurse sat a jug of iced tea on the table, along with four glasses. I picked up the jug and poured some in each glass.

  “So, Mom, I can’t wait any longer. Have the doctors said anything?”

  “Yes, yes, they have. They’re getting test results back and he’s put me on a new cocktail of drugs. One he said is very promising and going to be the future of cancer treatments,” Sandra said.

  “Are they proven?” I asked.

  The three looked at me with disbelief in their eyes.

  Paul cleared his throat and said, “I think we’re at a place where we have to try all the experimental options there are.”

  I nodded to regain my composure. “Good, I knew Jenny would find the best possible place for you, Sandra. I have full confidence in the doctors here.”

  We finished our meal just before two. Every second longer I sat there with them, making chit-chat like I was a part of the family, made me more desperate to get the hell out of there. Finally the nurse cleared the last of the plates and I took my opportunity.

  “If you good people can excuse me, I have some business to attend to while I’m down here,” I said standing.

  “I didn’t know you had a club here,” Jenny said.

  A smirk spread across my face, “Babe, I have a club everywhere. It’s just whether or not I attach my actual face to it. This one’s a tier two. But I still like to keep up to date with them.”

  Jenny stood and followed me to the door, twisting her hands in front of her.

  “You don’t have to go. You’re welcome to stay, you know.”

  “I know,” I said through a forced smile. I bent over and kissed her cheek, inhaling her scent as I did. I wanted nothing more than to taste her fully, after the things I’d told her on the plane ride. Instead, I walked out the door.

  Jenny

  I closed the door behind Collin and flitted back to my parents. Life had not been this good in a very long time. I’d barely been able to get back to Maine since the original diagnosis, and before a couple of weeks ago that diagnosis was nothing but pain and heartache.

  Who would’ve thought a few weeks ago that my mom would soon be getting a second shot at life?

  And all because of Collin, the man who’d vanished out of my life seven years ago and had now inserted himself back in it, as if he’d never left. As if he’d never ripped apart my heart.

  “Oh, sweetie, I am just so glad you two are back together. You always were so perfect together.” My mom’s face beamed brighter than her words.

  “And I know he said he doesn’t want any thanks, but we have to do something in return for him,” my father said.

  “So, when do you see the doctor again?” I asked, changing the subject. I couldn’t comment on what was going on between Collin and me, because I didn’t know myself.

  I mean, it was one thing to get his drinking under control. But he was still in that party environment every night, how long before he couldn’t resist any longer? He needed to get out of that environment.

  “And now you’re thirty, I assume you realize it’s time to settle down. Collin seems to have come back into your life at the perfect moment.” I only caught the end of what my mother said. The bit where she put pressure on me for a grandchild.

  “Now, Jenny, you don’t need to go and scrunch your face up like that. Your mom’s simply making an observation.”

  I let out a massive sigh, wondering how long this conversation was going to go on for. I hadn’t seen them face to face in months, and this is all they want to talk about?

  “Mom, Dad, I hate to break it to you, but Collin and I aren’t back in a relationship. We’re just old friends. Good old friends.” Were we? That’s not what my heart was telling me.

  “Oh, sweetie, look at you. Your face is flushed just saying that.” My damn inability to lie to my mother again.

  “Fine. I don’t know what’s going on. We’re just taking things slow, figuring us out. I don’t need you two piling more pressure on the situation.”

  “Now, honey, there’s no need to snap,” my father said.

  “But you must have some idea what this is like for me. The man who walked out on me just strolled back into my life with an offer to save my mother’s life. Think about it!”

  My father pursed his lips but remained quiet, throwing my mother a glare in case she wanted to respond.

  Collin

  It was shitty of me to bail out on Jenny and her family, but I couldn’t sit there any longer, pretending to be the good kid they once knew.

  I figured I’d swing by my third-rate nightclub and freak the hell out of the manager with a surprise visit. Even though the club didn’t open for another three hours, and wouldn’t really get swinging until ten. Oh well, it was somewhere to go.

  On the way, we drove past the mall and I had the driver stop. I don’t know what came over me; buying shit wasn’t my thing. I had people for that.

  The driver let me out in front of Saks Fifth Avenue. He opened the door for me and I stumbled out, looking up at the huge department store attached to the even bigger mall. What the fuck am I doing here? Was this better than being with Jenny’s family?

  Fuck it. I walked in, like I knew where I was going. I saw a sales associate and went up to her.

  “Hi, I need a big
teddy bear,” I said.

  “I’m sorry, sir. This is the cosmetics department. The toys are all upstairs.” I wasn’t in the mood for this shit. I steeled my face and looked at her again. She may have been young but surely she understood that when a customer wanted something, the customer got it.

  “Um, okay. If you’d just like to wait here and I’ll phone somebody for you.”

  Finally. The smell of all the perfumes mingling together made me gag and I kicked myself for not walking deeper into the store. I leaned on a counter, waiting for the woman.

  “Sir, someone’s coming right down. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  I thought about it for a second. Maybe Jenny would like a present.

  “Yeah, a bottle of Clive Christian number one.” Her face went blank.

  “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that brand. Can I interest you in another? Maybe a Cartier?”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. Why didn’t they have it? I thought this was a high-end store?

  “Sure, fine. Whatever you have that’s the best.”

  A small man appeared carrying a teddy bear as big as he was.

  “That’s perfect. I need you to send it to Honolulu.” Both the man and woman looked at me in a puzzled way.

  “Um, sir, it’s probably better if you order it online and it will ship directly from the local store.”

  “Whatever, go ahead.” Their eyes widened at me. “Look, I have to go now, here’s my card, I’ll wait three minutes for you to make all the arrangements.”

  “Okay, sure, sir,” the man said snapping my black AmEx out of my hand. I scribbled down the Honolulu address for him. Why had I come in here in the first place?

  The woman wrapped the small perfume bottle for me and I tucked it in my inside suit jacket pocket and got out of there.

  I slumped into the back of the car and had the driver take me to the club. Someone would be there to let me in. Or I’d break the fucking door down. I had to get out of this car. I had to get out of that apartment with Jenny’s family. Most of all, I had to get out of my fucked-up life.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket. Raylene. The last bitch on earth I needed to think about right now. I hit end and fucked around on my phone until her number was blocked for good. I instantly felt lighter. If only it were that easy to get rid of her.

  A few minutes later my phone buzzed again, a text from Daniel.

  It’s all kicking off here, Blake’s flipping out.

  I didn’t know what was going on with Blake lately. The smallest thing set him off.

  What’s going on? Can you calm him down?

  Don’t know, everything was calm then a few minutes ago he went nuts and punched through a wall, we’ve stuck a glass of scotch in his hand, five fingers.

  I don’t even know if five fingers would have any impact on him, that’s probably the body mass equivalent of me dipping my tongue in a glass.

  Give him more, keep pouring and try to get an answer out of him.

  This was one more problem I didn’t need.

  Jenny

  My parents and I sat and chatted away the afternoon. The nurse was amazing, bringing us drinks and a healthy carrot cake. She made sure my mother took her medicine on time and generally looked after all of us.

  It was exactly the relaxing day I needed after the night before. There still had been no word from Jay about how Abbie was doing, but I trusted he was doing the best for her. I had to. There was nothing at all I could do about it from Texas and, as much as it wrenched my insides, I had to trust Jay.

  By dinner, there hadn’t been any word from Collin either, and I assumed he would be busy at his club.

  It was a little strange, having another person pottering around the apartment, seeing to our every need. But sitting with the nurse, Colleen, was fantastic. It broke the attention away from my settling down and getting married to more trivial matters.

  Mom was still exhausted, from her treatment in addition to everything else. Her health, the travel, being out of her own home. Dad and she went to bed around eight-thirty, and Colleen and I sat around watching mindless television.

  I was glad Colleen didn’t feel the need to force conversation with me. My mind was too wrapped up in everything and I didn’t want to seem rude. At least I felt a little easier about my mom, now that I knew the care she was getting.

  Abbie was an unknown, and it frustrated the hell out of me. I hated feeling so powerless to help her. But I didn’t have much choice in the matter. All I could do was wait for news from Jay. I don’t know why he was at the club, but good thing he was there to save her from the blond man who’d drugged her.

  Collin. I hadn’t heard from him in hours. Was he even coming back here tonight? He’d left his overnight bag here. But the abrupt way he’d rushed out made me wonder.

  Or perhaps he was working, and working in a nightclub meant finishing at some ungodly hour of the morning.

  “I’m going to turn in, Jenny. Have a good night.”

  “Good night, Colleen. Once again, thank you so much for taking such amazing care of my mom.”

  Colleen rested her hand on my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze as she walked away. It was difficult to tell if she was trying to reassure me or prepare me for the worst.

  * * *

  By It was eleven and I was still up, watching reruns of sitcoms I never liked in the first place. My eyelids, already tired from little sleep the night before, the early plane ride and the day with my parents, felt like they were made of lead.

  But I didn’t know what to do. Where was Collin? Why hadn’t I even heard from him? A simple text? Anything? I gave in.

  Are you coming back here to sleep tonight?

  It took a few tries to phrase it right. I didn’t want to sound desperate, but neither did I want to sound annoyed. At first I’d added with me in your arms, but deleted it. It seemed too desperate, too forward. It had too much implication that I understood what was going on between us.

  I held my phone to my face, tapping the edge to my teeth as I waited for his response. Still waiting, I tapped my teeth against it some more.

  My phone beeped, yanking me out of my trance.

  Be there in fifteen.

  My heart pounded in my throat. Had he been waiting for a signal from me all night?

  I rushed around, brushing my teeth and washing my face. Whoever Collin had sent to my apartment that morning even packed my moisturizer, which was nice. In a creepy way.

  ns, I worried I was being too forward. There was a light tap at the door. I rushed to open it, in case he woke up the others.

  Collin stood there, his one hand on the door frame, his other holding his suit jacket over his shoulder. My insides flipped over at the sight of him.

  It was as if I were seeing him for the first time in seven years, not a few hours. Like I got that drunken, blurry moment back in full Technicolor glory. Half his mouth smiled at me, and it took all my willpower not to tackle him and rip the rest of his clothes off right there in the hallway.

  “I wasn’t sure if you were coming back or not.”

  He kissed my cheek, and I heard him inhale the scent of my hair. I turned my head to him and our lips met, tentative at first before becoming full of need. The icy blast of peppermint on his tongue sucked the breath out of me and my knees weakened.

  Collin bundled me into the apartment and I had to lead him to where our bedroom was. At the far end from my parents and the nurse.

  By the time we reached our bedroom, he’d lifted me clear off the ground. I wrapped my legs around him and it was impossible not to notice the huge erection digging into me, making me drip with want.

  I loved how he could lift my little frame and wrap it around him however he wanted. He always had. Except now I felt even more secure in his arms. Collin’s strength had only increased over the years, along with my desire for him.

  As we tumbled into our room, we were doing our best to strip the clothing off each other. He�
��d dropped his suit jacket somewhere near the door, and I pulled apart the buttons of his crisp, black shirt, exposing his Celtic knot tattoo in the process.

  I still wanted to hear the story behind it, but for the moment I focused on licking around its maze, sucking and tugging his taut skin into my mouth.

  He pushed my body against the wall and pinned me to it as he undid his suit pants while my tongue continued to explore his muscles.

  Collin pulled my panties aside and drove himself into me. My back against the wall caused the furniture to shudder. Gravity pulled me down, his cock filling me as he pushed up into my slick walls.

  “I’ve always wanted you,” he said, his voice a low baritone.

  I moaned at the words as they set me on fire. His cock swelled and surged harder as he continued to pound me against the wall.

  Our mouths locked and our tongues twirled. Every inch of my skin, against his, against his clothes, against the wall, electrified with excitement.

  Collin grunted, the guttural noise pushing and crashing my body into spasm against him. I gasped for air but was unable to fill my lungs as chaos rocketed through my body.

  I had no choice but to lean against him as he continued to drive into me. My spasming walls gripped his shaft and he came in me.

  Without moving me, his muscled arms held me in place and swiveled us around to lay me on the bed.

  “I’m glad you came back,” I said through my heaving chest. Collin shed the remainder of his clothing and got into bed alongside me, holding me tight against his body.

  “I had some work. A new prospect in Cancun had come up.” The words punched me in the stomach and I hollowed out my back to take the pain.

  “Cancun?” I knew his stay in Chicago would be short before he moved onto his next city, but this seemed way too short. But it always was going to be the case. Collin had spent the past seven years living in some crazy number of different cities, why would that pattern change now?

  * * *

  “Bye,” I said leaning into the car. “Are you sure you don’t want to come up?” It had been a busy couple of days, and the flight back to Chicago seemed to go on forever. Both of us were wiped out, and fatigue left us barely speaking in the car from the airport.