by Serena Vale
“Alexei, stay with me.” He tried so hard to keep his eyes open, but they were so heavy, he just couldn’t fight them anymore. As unconsciousness pulled him under, he could still hear Chloe’s tearful voice in his ear.
“Stay with me, Alexei. Don’t leave me. I love you. Stay with me…”
Epilogue
One year later
As Alexei stared down at the beautiful, perfect baby he held cradled in his arm, he still couldn’t believe it was real. The doctors had told him he was incredibly lucky. If the bullet had been just a hairsbreadth higher it would have pierced his heart. After several weeks in the hospital, he had emerged alive, but severely weakened, to find Chloe gone, sent back to the states rather unceremoniously. She had been lucky not to have been arrested for flying into the country illegally, but he had had his fleet of lawyers pull some strings.
It had taken several more weeks to realize that Russia was no longer a safe place for him to be. Dominic and Sergio had been arrested, but rumors were already circling that Alexei had something to do with it. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out if he stayed there.
So, he decided to move. He sold or consolidated many of the businesses and assets he owned in Russia, reached out to people he knew in America, and decided to start a new venture. Being a father. The idea terrified more than anything else had in his entire life. But as he stared down at the bright blue eyes, so much like his own, he was overwhelmed with a sense of love, and with a sense of rightness.
He had struggled so hard his entire life, fighting for every scrap that came his way until he finally made it to the top. But none of his other accomplishments compared to the joy of having a child with the woman he loved.
As if conjured by his thoughts, Chloe walked through the door, stopping as she took in the sight of them.
“Hi, dear.” She had to stand on tip toe to lay the sweetest kiss against his cheek. “And my other dear.” She gave their little boy the same soft peck. She took a deep breath before looking up at him. Alexei was struck by the deep, honest love he saw shining from her beautiful amber colored eyes. Love for him, and for their child. It was more than he could ever have hoped for. And certainly more than he deserved.
“kogda zvezdy vyravnivayut…” he whispered to their little baby boy, sleeping peacefully in his arms, feeling like the luckiest man in the world as Chloe turned, and smiled that secret smile at him. When the stars align.
THE END
Billionaire’s Marriage of Convenience
Chapter 1
The law firm of Hawke and Harrison request your immediate presence in the matter of the reading of the wills of Mrs. Talia Sullivan-Strokowski and Mr. Dominic Strokowski III.
Dominic read the words for what must have been the fiftieth time. That was it. The only words printed in deep black ink on the soft vellum that had been on the equally blank envelope. Not even a signature. But he was familiar enough with his father’s lawyers to know that they, and their clients, prized inconspicuousness above all else.
His parent’s names looked like those of strangers. He didn’t recognize them, still couldn’t comprehend them even after weeks of knowing. His mother and father were dead. He was alone.
It was still so hard to believe. His parents weren’t that old, both in their mid-sixties. Hadn’t been that old, Dominic corrected himself. Their private jet had crashed, some unexplainable technical failure that cost the lives of his mother, father, and the pilot that had been steering the plane. It was supposed to be just a quick trip to Tokyo and then back to Russia. Back to their palatial home just outside of Moscow. They never made it back.
As he stood up from the massive, red mahogany desk that used to be his father’s, Dominic stalked out of the office with the lawyer’s letter still crumpled in his hands. It was a long flight to Boston from Moscow, where his father’s law firm was located. Where they were summoning him. It was also where his mother grew up, before falling in love with the enigmatic billionaire and moving with him to Russia to start a new life.
He knew she still had family there, but they had basically cut her out of their lives when she’d moved away. It was something his mother had never gotten over, he knew. Dominic slowed as he walked to the long, carpeted hall to where his bedroom was in the west wing of the house, noticing the gilt-framed photograph hanging on the wall.
It was a picture of them, of his parents. He grabbed it off the wall, staring at their familiar faces, feeling a lump of emotion form in his throat, threatening to choke him. He swallowed it. He was head of the family now, the only one besides his younger sister who was back in boarding school in England. He was also head of the business, and it needed a strong leader. Someone who could step into the giant hole his father left behind. But he had been trained and tutored his entire life to take over running the business after his father retired.
Dominic choked up again at the thought. His father had never gotten the chance, a freak accident ending his life way too soon. Gently, he hung the photo back on the wall and headed to his suite to pack. He was already calling the private airstrip to get a jet ready for the long flight to Boston.
*
“…Do you have any questions for us regarding the final amendments to the will, Mr. Strokowski?”
Dominic stared blankly at the legal document, then up at the lawyer who sat staring at his from across the large desk. Against his will, his light blue grey eyes were drawn back to the papers in his hand. There was a lot of legal jargon mixed in there, but basically it declared that he would never be able to inherit the family’s business unless he was married with a child, let alone have access to any of the vast fortune stashed in several banks across Europe.
He sawed out a harsh, bitter laugh. There was no humor in it.
“Is this real? Is this even…possible?” Dominic struggled to make sense of it. Why would his father do this to him? He was only thirty three!
“Yes, Mr. Strokowki, it is completely real, possible, and binding. As of now, all of your family’s assets are frozen, except your own funds, of course. Your father also allowed for a small stipend to be released each month until…” The beady eyed lawyer cleared his throat, “Well, until the terms are met.”
“The terms are met!” Dominic exploded. “You mean until I’ve trapped myself into some loveless marriage and somehow procured a child!” He ranted in angry Russian for several minutes as he paced the large office. After a few minutes, he regained some measure of control.
With a stiff nod at the blank faced lawyer, Dominic turned and made his way hastily out of the room.
Chapter 2
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Banks. There are no other openings available here at Hawke and Harrison. There are several other very good law firms in the area, and I’m sure they would be more than happy to hire you on.”
Layla stared back at the smiling blue eyes and vapid expression on the woman sitting behind the desk, cheerfully, blankly. It didn’t matter to her one way or the other if Layla didn’t get the job, or the fact that she had gone to every other reputable law firm in the Boston area, without success. She also didn’t care that Layla had just suffered a massive tragedy, the death of her mother, and was about to lose her home. The home she had grown up in, and now couldn’t afford.
Her mother had been the only person she’d had in the entire world. And now she was all alone. After a moment of silence, Layla realized that she had been dismissed, so she quickly stood, held out her hand, firmly shook the other woman’s, and left. She held on to her composure until she got through the oversized, heavy wooden door separating the hallway and the office she had just been in.
She squeezed her big, dark brown eyes shut tight against the tears that threatened, but it was useless, as first one, then two, then a small flood made tracks over the velvet brown skin of her cheeks. Angrily, she swiped at them, casting them away as she took several deep breaths. She didn’t work her ass off to get through Harvard law school just have some secretary tell
her that she wasn’t good enough.
As Layla stalked down the office towards the lobby, she tried to continue her mental rant, spurring on her anger. Anything to drown out the constant sorrow that had followed her around like a shadow since her mother’s sudden heart attack just a few months before. It still felt like she would be waiting her Layla when she got home with a big cup of hot tea and her cinnamon cookies that her mom knew were her favorite.
Layla stomped out into the expensive marble lobby, and just as she was passing the bank of elevators, filled with lawyers, and other employees of Hawke and Harrison, the right heel of her towering stiletto broke off with an audible snap. Gasping, and caught by surprise by the sudden unevenness, she tried to lean back and regain her sense of balance. But it was too late. Her groan of embarrassment at toppling over in front of all those people turned into an oof as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, catching her at the last minute.
“Hey, are you okay?” The warm, accented voice whispered too close to her ear, sending an alarming wave of pleasure rushing through her. It took her a moment to find her voice.
“Um, yes…yes, I think so.” She slipped out of her now mismatched heels. “Thanks to you.” Layla looked up into his eyes, and was struck speechless again. Silver blue eyes stared down at her from the face of a demi-god. Thick black hair curled heedlessly around his ears, just brushing his jawline. He swept it back as if out of habit, but the motion took her breath away completely as every muscle across his impressive chest and shoulders flexed in perfect symmetry.
Layla was not a small girl, she thought of her burgundy, size fourteen dress that hugged her ample hourglass curves, but this giant of a man made her feel down right petite. He towered over her, especially now that she now longer had the added five inches from her high heels that took her from her normal five and half feet to almost six.
He led her over to a row of cushy armchairs that made up the waiting area just inside the lobby, and she sat, looking helplessly at the ruined shoes. It was the last nice pair she owned, the only one she’d kept after selling everything that she could, trying to raise extra money. She tried to keep the desperation at bay, but inevitably, it welled up, overwhelming her after yet another painful rejection.
“I thought you said you were okay? Are you hurt?” The stranger who had saved her asked as he took the seat next to her, examining her for any injury. Layla gestured with one dark, delicate hand in the air, waving away his concern.
“No, no it’s not that.” Layla protested. “I wasn’t hurt, I swear, it’s just…” She paused, taking a deep breath, trying to stem the flood of tears that she could feel welling just behind her big, dark eyes.
“What? What is it then?” In an unexpectedly tender gesture, he tucked one lock of wavy, brown hair behind her ear. “You look so sad, vozlyublennaya.” That meant sweetheart, she knew, in Russian. She had lived there for almost a year in college as part of a study abroad program.
Before she knew what she was doing, before she could even stop herself, the words were tumbling out of her mouth. The entire story about going to law school with dreams of becoming a high powered lawyer, the last year of upheaval with her mother’s death, suddenly finding herself up to her ears in debt, and about to lose the only home she had ever known. And now, she didn’t even have a job.
Layla knew it had been a long shot, applying at one of the best law firms in the country, but she was out of options. Desperate. After she was done telling the handsome stranger her sad story, she couldn’t meet his hard eyed gaze, and so she turned away, scanning the now empty lobby as she tried to calm her racing heart.
Her breath caught as she felt his strong fingers under her chin, tilting her head toward him, making her look at him. There was a strange light of determination growing in his silver blue eyes, and it made it impossible to look away. A long moment of tension-filled silence held between them, wrapping around them. Finally, he spoke.
“I want to offer you a deal.”
Chapter 3
Layla glanced nervously down at the crumpled slip of paper in her hands, re-reading the scrawled address written there for at least the hundredth time. She looked up at the bold, gold plated numbers on the gate in front of her. Yes, they did match, just as they had the last several times she checked.
She couldn’t see much beyond the wrought iron gate except for a small path, the home itself obscured by trees, but she had grown up in Boston and Layla knew that this was one of the most exclusive, expensive areas in the city.
She also knew she was stalling. Trying to avoid the real reason she was still standing there, hesitating. Unbidden, the conversation with the stranger, who had turned out to be none other than Dominic Strokowki, replayed again through her thoughts. He had been brutally honest with her, but he had also offered her a way out. A way to put her crumbling life back together.
Dom had told her all about his parent’s heartbreaking death, and Layla could still remember the awful look in his eyes, desolate, alone. Exactly how she felt, still reeling from her own mother’s death. That moment had solidified a bond between them, and she could feel it even now.
As sad as it had been, hearing about his parent’s accident, even worse was what had followed. He had laid it all out starkly, not trying to seduce or sugar coat. His father had denied him everything, his fortune, the business, his entire inheritance, his very birthright, only to be released after he was married and had a child.
And for some completely unknown reason, he had decided that Layla was just the person he needed. And I need him, she thought to herself, even though she hated finding herself dependent on a stranger. She had gotten yet another notice this morning. She had mere days to come up with over fifty thousand dollars or the bank would take her home. The home her single mother had raised her in, loved and cared for her in all of those years.
Doubts swirled through in a torrent. What he wanted from her…could she really give him that? Marry a man she barely knew, have a child with him? A wave of molten heat spread through her at the thought. He was devastatingly handsome, and exuded a raw sexuality that was impossible for her to resist. She wanted him that much she knew. Her body clenched in pleasure at the idea of feeling his big hard body pressed against hers, the contrast of his pale skin against her dark until they were both so entwined…
Mentally, she shook her head, trying to banish the images that were conjured at the thought. Her heart was racing, and she could feel the hot blush staining her cheeks a dark scarlet under their normal mocha hue. She pressed both hands to her face, trying to calm herself.
Layla had made her decision the night before, staring at an ever growing mountain of bills and threats from debt-collectors, she realized that she didn’t have much of a choice at all. She didn’t have anyone to turn to. The only other person she had in the world was gone, and she was left alone. Just like Dominic.
Taking a deep breath, she moved to press the call button next to the gate, but just as she was about to press down it opened, seemingly of its own accord. Startled, Layla glanced around, but didn’t see a camera or anything that would have alerted whoever was inside. Fortifying herself, she stepped onto the property, and headed down the short lane to the house itself.
It took just a few moments to reach the front entrance of the house, if she could even call it that. It was almost a palace, standing over three stories high, and so massive she couldn’t even see the entire building from where she was standing. Layla realized that to Dominic, her debt of fifty thousand was nothing more than pocket change to him.
She hesitated again, as she stopped in front of the giant double doors that led into his home. Could she really do this? Could she go through with this? She knew her situation was desperate, with no job, no money, and a mountain of debt she could never hope to crawl out of on her own. But marry Dominic, and have a baby together? Once more, doubts flooded her, weakening her resolve.
Just as she made up her mind to turn around and forget this cr
azy scheme of his, her cell phone rang. Immediately grateful for the distraction, she dug it out of her black leather purse and answered.
“Hello, this is Layla Banks.”
“Ms. Banks, this is the accounts receivable department for Saint Mary’s Hospital.” Layla’s stomach dropped. She should have known. The only people who called her these days where people she owed money to. The disconnected voice continued, blithely unaware of the panic he caused in her.
“Ms. Banks, our records indicate that you are several months behind on your payment. Unfortunately, if we don’t receive a payment soon, we will have to issue a lien on your assets.”
“I know. I know I’m late. But I’ll be able to make a payment within the week, I promise.” Layla held her breath, choking back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.
“I most certainly hope so, Ms. Banks. I really don’t want to do that.”
Layla hung up the phone dejectedly, and turned around again until she was once more facing the door. She threw her shoulders back, looking straight ahead. Her decision was made.
With a decisive step, Layla stalked toward the big, oak double doors, raising her hand to knock. Again, before she could even reach the door, it swung open revealing an older gentleman in a crisp black suite.
“How do you guys keep doing that?” She mumbled under her breath as he gestured for her to enter.
“I’m sorry, what was that miss?” He inquired as he took her jacket from her. She quickly shook her head.
“Oh, it was nothing.” Firmly, she held out a hand. “I’m Layla Banks.” He stared her still outstretched hand for a moment, as if unsure what to do, before reaching out and shaking it in a short grasp.
“I am Jonathon Fitzgerald, but most people refer to me as Fitzgerald.” He released her hand and took a step back, seamlessly handing her coat off to a woman Layla hadn’t noticed before standing just behind him. She hastily turned to introduce herself, but a quick gesture from Fitzgerald had her scurrying into another room.
