Exposure_A Stone Billionaire Series Novel

by Kaya Woodward

  I should've gotten up early.

  “I would've preferred if you'd heard it from me,” I tell her.

  “Yes, well it's fortunate for all those girls, all that information was erased. Elizabeth always was trouble; I can imagine she was probably planning to blackmail a politician or two. Your cousin Caleb was reading on the internet that apparently, all the information she was keeping, was deleted, the only person that's incriminated in her whole prostitution ring is her. It's quite strange. Though I do feel bad for that Winthrop boy, poor thing. Did you know him? He was a friend of your father's I believe.” My grandmother asks.

  I haven't mentioned my marriage to the Darlingtons.

  I'm not entirely sure how to explain I married a stranger.

  Not that he's a stranger to me anymore.

  “I'm sorry?” I motion for Evan to come closer as I put my namesake on speaker.

  “Well Caleb read, that Corban Winthrop was arrested, early yesterday morning, for tampering with her files, apparently they think he was helping her try to erase things, but she's still being put on trial. He's being held in prison on bond, or bail or something or other. I would imagine your father would know more than I would,” Ava senior continues.

  “Are you sure?” Evan asks.

  “Oh Evan, darling, how are you? I didn't know you were there. Heavens Ava, did you have me on speaker the whole time?” Ava senior laughs. “You kids these days, your phones and all these complicated things you do. You really must come out here some time; it's just gorgeous all year round.”

  “We will, Grandmother,” Evan smiles at the phone. “Did you say Caleb was visiting?”

  “He was. I think he was heading to New York, to see Elizabeth just in case she needed anything because no one else will see her. Family is family; we had to send someone,” Ava sighs. “That boy never learns.”

  I don't hear the rest of their conversation because of the roaring in my ears as I scrounge the paper for any news of Corban.

  Then I turn to the business section, and my heart drops for him.

  I know why he did what he did.

  He erased all of Elizabeth's files, anything that would expose me, and everyone else.

  He wanted to protect me.

  And he destroyed himself in the process.

  Winthrop Communications Investors Lose It All Overnight.

  “Corban lost everything,” I breathe in through my mouth, trying to stand upright as I scan the article, trying to figure out if this is a dream, or if this reality.

  Trying to understand exactly what happened.

  Corban did what he did.

  To protect me from Elizabeth.

  I know my father had something to do with this.

  I also know Corban gave up his life's work.

  For me.

  “Ava?” Athena is staring at me.

  “Yes?” I look up at her, tears threatening to spill from my eyes again because no one has ever done anything like this for me before.

  “Look at what he did for you,” Athena feels the need to point out the obvious.

  “This is his life's work. He spent his life building this business. He lost it overnight. For me,” I can’t even believe I’m saying these words.

  Then I ask her the one question I need to ask because I'm not sure if I'm dreaming.

  “Athena is this real?” I ask.

  “This is as real as it gets Ava,” She nods to me.

  It feels like I'm stumbling as I hit the button for Noah's penthouse upstairs, where he's in damage control mode.

  “No,” Noah's screaming into his earpiece. “Tell them, that there's no comment until Corban has been released.”

  He pauses and looks about to scream again when he sees me. “I said there's no comment. I've got to go,” He presses a button on his phone and tosses the earpiece on the couch.

  “You let him do this?” I ask my father.

  “I did,” Noah nods. “I asked him if he would do it, and it was entirely his choice. He knew what he was doing; he wanted to make sure she paid, so she did.”

  “And so, did he,” I am stunned.

  That's the only explanation he has for me.

  It's written all over my father's face that Corban always knew he would have to do this if I was ever going to trust him again.

  “I can't, believe he did this for me,” I stutter.

  “He'll be alright. He might not have something he built with his own hands, but you were more important to him than anything else. He saw that,” he explains.

  “That might not be true,” I press my lips together, hands on my hips.

  “What?” Noah raises an eyebrow at me. “Ava, he just gave up his business to protect you and-”

  “Dad I'm pregnant,” The words tumble out of my mouth.

  For the first time since I've met my father, he's speechless.

  He stops talking entirely and goes paper white.

  He looks like he needs to sit down for a moment but stays upright as he digests the information I've given him.

  “Dad?” I ask.

  “You're-” He stops talking.

  “Too much? Calling you dad? And the pregnancy thing?” I wince.

  I grind my teeth.

  I realize that we still have a lot of ground to cover, but keeping secrets never did any good for the Stone family, so before I go bail my husband out of jail, I need to make sure my father and I are on solid ground.

  And he is my father.

  Whether he's ready to be or not.

  “As long as I'm not grandpa,” He comes back down to earth finally, looking down at my still flat stomach. “You're pregnant?”

  I nod slowly, biting my lip. “Corban and I are having a baby.”

  “Oh Ava, congratulations,” He opens his arms to me, and for the first time since I found out that Noah was my father, he embraces me in a warm hug.

  I wonder exactly what our relationship is going to be like.

  It's awkward at first. But we warm up to each other.

  “How do you think he's going to react?”

  “Honestly, I think he's just going to be happy to see you, maybe let's not spring the pregnancy thing on him, quite so quickly. He's had a rough couple of days as of late. You know, with everything,” Noah says.

  “He lost everything for me,” I say in a daze.

  I didn't need him for the money though; he always knew that.

  I needed him because he was the man who set me free of everything I'd been holding onto for so long.

  It never had anything to do with my mother; it never had anything to do with how we met.

  We set each other free of how we were living our lives, in a dull, repetitive circle.

  Like breathing new life into an old game.

  I'm a new woman with Corban.

  He's quickly become the person I want to turn to, all the time, in so many ways.

  I know now what I didn't know before.

  I had to lose him, to know that I need him, all the time, every day, forever.

  ***

  “I still can't believe you're married,” Victoire's smooth voice washes over me.

  She stands in the visitor waiting area, looking positively infuriated.

  “And you're a fucking Stone. Ava Stone. That has such a great ring to it. And look at me, such a pauper I'm working for your father. God damn it,” Vic clicks her tongue.

  She's far from poor, but she's got expensive tastes and working as a public relations specialist for Noah Stone was a job high up on her list of things she would consider doing.

  It's a good thing PR is one of those things she's exceptionally talented at.

  “Well, I never did like to keep it simple,” I add with a laugh.

  “No, no you didn't. Though it's a tad unfortunate that you managed to land Corban Winthrop right before all of this,” She does look slightly relieved, however.

  Her name is mysteriously, also, left out of Isa Incorporated.

  Like her sexy alt
er ego never existed.

  Vic and her ex-husband will both be thankful for that, I know that much.

  She didn't say as much when I ran into her in the visitor waiting area, but it's written all over her face.

  Victoire started with Elizabeth around the same time, and she's been through a whole hell of a lot because Elizabeth wasn't nearly as kind to her.

  That's why she married up to get out and divorced a hell of a lot sooner than she thought she would.

  “Well, he's still my husband. Through thick and thin,” I tell her casually.

  “So gorgeous!” She reminds me. “Shall I tell him that you're here, or do you want to surprise that blissfully handsome man? Though I imagine that no one looks good in orange,” A laugh accompanies her wry smile.

  “I'll be waiting outside to surprise him,” I tell her.

  It was hard not to come running to him.

  Not to immediately come rushing to his side.

  But I wanted to get the money myself.

  I want to make sure I was the one responsible for getting him out of jail.

  I want him to know that I have his back, as much as he had mine, for everything he gave up.

  For me.

  For us.

  For our family.

  “We'll have to do a double date sometime. I'm sure you have someone single, eligible, and handsome for me to try on for the night. Even if he isn't rich,” Victoire giggles before the number she's holding in her hand is called.

  “That's my cue to go. He should be out as soon as I'm finished with him,” She looks me up and down, giving me a once-over. “You look fantastic Ava; he's going to drop dead when he sees you. I'll see you in town.”

  “Talk soon,” I promise.

  Chapter 34: Corban

  July 5, 2017

  The first person that sees me in an orange jump suit is Noah's publicist Victoire.

  In a pinstripe knee length skirt, with a minuscule waist, a matching vest.

  Her jacket is thrown over her arm holding an extremely expensive looking bag, which tells me that he clearly pays her way too much.

  One of the other prisoners waiting for a guest, at a booth two seats down, cat calls her and she surprises me by banging back on the glass at him.

  “You want me to come in there and fuck you up too!” her high blonde ponytail swinging in the air.

  “He already fucked up my vacation!” Her smooth voice is so obviously angry, and all that anger is about to be directed at me as she takes the seat across from me and wipes the phone down with a wipe from her purse before speaking into it.

  “So, you,” She smirks, but her eyes tell me she's angry.

  “Me,” I speak into the phone.

  She's the first person I've talked to in the day I've been in the low security prison they tossed me with my ridiculously large bail.

  I'm not sentenced, just being held.

  Noah has promised that they will figure out I had absolutely nothing to do with her business, but until then, I'm probably finished for a bit.

  No traveling, no business activity, just sheer boredom and hopefully Ava.

  “Your investors aren't going to forgive you. You're finished. Your publicist has obviously quit, seeing as I am present,” She speaks with so much authority I wonder who the boss is.

  “Noah has announced that you will be signing over all business activity to him, and therefore will no longer have anything to do with your corporation or otherwise, but, it's finished anyway,” She continues.

  Her next words are like a punch to my stomach. “You're over.”

  “So that's it,” I nod slowly, trying to digest that this is really happening.

  Isn't that what I wanted anyway?

  I wanted Ava to see I would let it all slip through my fingers for her?

  “That's it,” She announces. “I'm here to get an official statement. Or rather tell you what it is.”

  “And that is?” I ask

  “No comment,” She shakes her head. “And that's being thorough. You are not to talk to anyone from the press, or otherwise, after you are bailed out. Is that understood? I've worked hard to protect Noah Stone's pristine image and I don't need you mucking it up with this business. I understand what he's done, but he doesn't need to be involved in this shit. He's already done enough damage handling things for you,” She replies, still angry.

  “I get it,” I sigh heavily.

  Victoire just shakes her head, her high ponytail and long blonde hair swinging as the prisoner next to us whistles at her and she shoots him a glare, her perfectly executed cat eye narrowing at him, and I wonder exactly what she will do if another prisoner says one word to her.

  Victoire may be a perfectly put together Park Avenue woman, but I get the feeling that she isn't above kicking ass.

  Something tells me she's been to a jail before, she doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable.

  “Either way, your bail has been paid. They'll have you out of here soon. Has anyone roughed you up yet?” she asks nonchalantly.

  I expect her to start chewing gum and put her feet up on the little counter in front of her.

  She goes from proper to casual in three seconds flat.

  “No. Luckily,” I glower.

  “Well keep it that way,” She hangs up the receiver, giving me a good once over to make sure that I'm in one piece before getting up, tossing her jacket back and picking up her bag.

  She commands the attention of the room, her heels clicking as she leaves the visiting area.

  “Come on Winthrop,” one of the guard's grabs hold of me. “You're out of here for now,” He nearly sneers at me.

  I think I'm lucky I didn't have to share a cell with anyone, lucky that someone, probably Noah posted my bail.

  Because I haven't heard a word from Ava.

  They force me back through the way I initially came, pat me down again a good couple of times, and hand me back the bag of things.

  And the grey suit.

  It stinks.

  “Can't I get something else?” I plead.

  “You want to keep the jumpsuit? They might not let you out,” One of the guards laughs at me.

  If my only misfortune now is this damn suit, then I'm goddamn lucky for a split second.

  “Well,” I scratch my head. “Jesus, my fucking luck.”

  “If I had a wife that looks like that paying my bail? Fuck I'd just walk out there naked,” Another guard laughs at me. “Good luck with that.”

  Ava.

  I'm suddenly desperate to get out of here.

  Suit or no suit.

  When I walk out the last gate of the jail, in that same stupid grey suit, still stinking of champagne, all I can think about is how I absolutely wreak.

  Ava is wearing a white dress with a low lace V-neck.

  It tucks in gently at her narrow waist, coming down just below her ass.

  Her hair is curled and free flowing, still slightly sun bleached, and natural.

  Everything about her is perfect.

  Her arms are crossed as she leans against my blue GT-R, smirking at me the whole time as I close the distance between us.

  The distance between us doesn't feel like a million miles anymore.

  Especially when she props her sunglasses on her head, showing off her left hand to reveal that she is, indeed, wearing her wedding band.

  My ring is back on my finger too, where it belongs.

  I walk towards her slowly as she leans against the car, her smile grows as the anticipation builds.

  I can feel my body heat up in the sun.

  I break into a run, and Ava runs for me.

  My beautiful blonde goddess jumps right into my arms as I swing her around, her legs closing around my waist as our lips find their way together.

  Our kiss isn't ruined with the prospect of this relationship, this marriage, and everything being ruined by deep dark secrets.

  There is no darkness anymore.

  Everything is out in the ope
n.

  We are free.

  Every single touch from her lips sends a spark flying through my body, and when I finally set her down, breathing heavily, the first words she says make me laugh.

  “You stink,” Ava shakes her head, but her blue eyes are brilliantly lit up, and she is practically glowing, and happy to see me.

  “You posted my bail?” I ask.

  “I posted your goddamn bail,” she laughs.

  I watch her close her eyes, leaning back against my car as I shower her skin with kisses.

  We don't care where we are anymore, because we are back together, reunited, and no one is going to tear us apart ever again.

  “You are my husband after all,” she purrs

  “Does this mean you forgive me?” I ask.

  “How could I not?” her question is serious

  Those beautiful lips say what I want to hear, and I am kissing her again, for a long time before she pushes me away.

  “What?” I worry for a moment.

  “I can't believe what you did for me,” She tells me.

  I inhale the scent of her hair deeply as I bury my face in her neck.

  “Why? If anyone was going to do it, it was going to be me. You deserve a man who's worthy of you Ava,” I whisper in her ear. “You deserve the best.”

  “I deserve you,” Her whisper comes back fierce, and we are kissing again, her hands entangled in my hair. “I just want you back.”

  She knows the only thing I am guilty of is loving her so much I let everything I had slip through my fingers to be with her.

  I let it all go so I could have her back in my arms.

  It was worth it.

  Chapter 35: Ava

  July 5, 2017

  Corban comes out of the shower, his hard body dripping wet as I lay on the bed expectantly. Unsure how to tell him about the baby.

  I want to tell him but I'm not sure what his reaction will be.

  Corban's expression is fierce with the passion I've come to know and love about him.

  He will always be the man I know and adore. This much I am sure of.

  I never tried to change a man before.

  Somehow this man has changed me, as he lays beside me on the bed, propping his head up on his hand, his finger running along my thigh, underneath my new dress.