Seduced by the Billionaire

by Barb Han

  A deep sigh escaped as the band tightened around her chest again and the pain between her shoulders intensified.

  She focused on the two-inch screen in her hand and scrolled.

  Having located a flight, Rae entered her payment information and waited for confirmation. DENIED. She had to squint to read the shocking word on her screen.

  How could that be?

  She dropped to the floor, folded her legs, and then pulled up her credit card statement online.

  Intensely, she studied the screen. She’d been a few days late on her last couple of payments, sure, but she’d paid her bills, fees included.

  Please don’t do this.

  Desperate, she scanned every line of her statement for a clue, some reason as to why her credit would be denied. The knot in her stomach tightened shooting waves of nausea rippling through her body.

  There it was. Plain as the day is long.

  OVER THE CREDIT LIMIT. And way in over her head.

  Panic gripped her causing painful stabs in her chest. The tone in Walt’s voice had been clear. Be here for this meeting or don’t come back. Oh God.

  The little bit of financial security she’d meticulously amassed for five years was gone. Poof. Worse yet, she was in debt. And now she would lose her job if she didn’t make it back in time. And her father would be dead.

  A stab of regret speared her. A momentary indulgence of self pity ripped through her. If she’d known she would have ended up broke anyway, she should’ve quit cleaning her own toilets years ago and hired a service. Or better yet, she should’ve spent lavishly on parties or clothes. She should’ve taken vacations to exotic places while being pampered with massages and pedicures. She damn well wouldn’t have scrimped and saved every penny, sacrificing anything that didn’t fit into her ultimate goal of financial security—a goal that had disappeared as quickly as stardust trailing behind a shooting star.

  She folded over in a heap on the floor and bit back bitter tears as the reality of her current situation hit. Not only was she broke, but she was in the hole. Stranded. She’d fallen from a small mountain she’d carefully climbed to the top of, and everything was gone. Her dreams of settling down someday and having a family went poof along with her financial security.

  And yet, she knew in her heart she was glad she’d saved every penny to give more time to her father. He’d be gone already without her support and backing. Her only real regret was that it wasn’t enough.

  Either way, she wouldn’t change the past if she could. She wouldn’t trade any of those things for what she was doing for all the perfectly painted pink toenails in the world. She’d always known it wasn’t her father’s fault he’d had to turn her over to CPS.

  Besides, her childhood had made her self-reliant and strong.

  The whole experience had taught her a valuable life lesson early on. Under the right circumstances, even the ones who loved her most would let her down.

  Rae Stevens depended on no one.

  Her body burned for how frustrated she was at not being allowed to see her father before she left. And what if she couldn’t get back in time?

  How could he be so selfish? Didn’t he understand her need to battle for their relationship even if he wouldn’t? No, especially if he wouldn’t. Damn.

  Why couldn’t he fight for her just once?

  It can’t end like this. Not when there was so much left unsaid between them.

  Rae winced, gritted her teeth, and then fired off a request to increase her credit limit, keenly aware of Daegen’s intense scrutiny. She couldn’t afford to lose control in front of him. Her killer instincts kicked in, warning her not to reveal more than she absolutely had to, not to display any signs of weakness.

  Feeling the shock of Daegen’s stare provided an excellent reminder to focus.

  “What are you doing on the floor?” He leaned forward, offering a hand up.

  She swallowed a sob and stood. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” Her chin jutted out. She needed to get a grip. “Is there nowhere else to stay besides the room next to you? Servant quarters in the back?”

  “It’s a small villa, as you already know,” he said icily.

  The sharp words harpooned her. She did already know…all too well.

  She softened her expression, preparing to take control of the situation by changing her approach. “It’s a beautiful place. You of all people know I love it here. I was just hoping for a bit more privacy.”

  “Then close your door,” he shot back.

  If only life were that easy.

  Rae glanced around at the perfect place. She could get used to staying here even as she reminded herself of the danger in that thinking. “This room will be fine then.”

  He ate up the real estate between them in one long stride, backing Rae against the wall. The solid mass that was Daegen pressed against her, and she felt him, hard, against her belly. His hand grazed her cheek before his finger lingered on her lips.

  “It will have to do until you move to my bed where you belong.”

  Her stomach quivered. Her breath hitched. Heat flooded her thighs. Taking a deep breath, she managed enough air in her lungs to power her arms to push him away. “I need to freshen up. I trust there’s a lock on the bathroom door.”

  “You didn’t ask for one before. Besides, I only go where I’m invited,” he countered, looking straight through her with an expression that made her stomach flip-flop.

  “That so?” she snapped. Rae tried to offset her out-of-control physical reaction, forcing her hand by sheer will to reach over and slap his away. “You’d do well to mind your manners.”

  He released a haughty snort as his gaze roamed over her. “You want me to touch you.”

  “Is that what you think I’m doing? Welcoming your hands on me?” she asked, her tone every bit as incredulous as the look on her face.

  Daegen smirked his coy half-smile. Quietly, he whispered a few soft-spoken words in his native tongue that she understood on a primal level as his perfect lips pressed against her wrist.

  Frozen, Rae lost all will to fight against the swell of need rising up.

  “Why did you really come here?” he asked. His gaze on her. Scrutinizing. Assessing.

  She feared he’d break through her defenses and see right through her just like before. She’d stood on the precipice with him once. Got the hell out of there before she lost everything. Her heart would never survive.

  Even with that in mind, this place brought with it so many memories of their history together. And of course Daegen would know her well enough to know all the thoughts it would evoke.

  Except she had a secret.

  Little did he know, there was so much more at stake for Rae than blowing a deal or hurt pride. She leveled her gaze and straightened her back.

  It was time he knew the stakes.

  “You’re testing a drug that might be able to save the life of someone I care about. He’ll most likely die if you don’t help him.

  He might anyway.”

  Chapter Three

  “Someone you love?” A lone thought seared through Daegen, forcing his breath to freeze. Was she in a relationship? Once he knew she wasn’t married, he hadn’t considered the possibility she might be romantically involved with someone else. Either way, he wouldn’t refuse her request. How could he? It was Rae.

  Her shoulders sagged, deflated, and his heart squeezed.

  “My father.”

  The tense muscles in his jaw unclenched as his breath released in a hiss. “I didn’t know you had a father.”

  “Everyone does, Daegen.”

  “That’s not the point and you know it.” She’d never once talked in detail about family. If memory served, she’d said her parents were dead. End of subject. She had kept herself closed off then, refusing to tell him anything about her past. Now, she’d returned with more secrets.

  On closer scrutiny, the dark circles under her eyes looked as though she hadn’t slept in weeks. Boy, did he feel li
ke an ass for propositioning her.

  “Well, I have one now.”

  “A man you wish very much to save.” Is that why she kept herself at arm’s length from men? From him?

  Daegen didn’t normally have any qualms with no-strings relationships. Except the one woman he’d wanted to get to know better had ditched him.

  If he could unlock her past, he might be able to get her to open up a little. Then he would know why she’d walked out without so much as a backward glance. Why do you still care?

  She moved on. He should too.

  “Not sure if it’s possible but I’d like to try,” she said.

  Prudence dictated the necessity to investigate her story fully before he continued. It wouldn’t take long. He needed a few days to be sure. “I’ll help you.”

  “Really?” she asked. A glimmer of hope streaked across her tense expression. If this was an act, she had him. Her blue eyes were pale and vivid. Pure. “He doesn’t have much time left.”

  “I understand.” If what she said was true, verifying the information should be easy. A phone call to the hospital could verify her father’s admission. It’d take a bit more digging to get personal information like his diagnosis. “And I have conditions.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “Which are?”

  “If I give you the drug, you sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

  “Done.”

  His team was tied up for the next twenty-four hours. He could make the call himself to find out if her father was in the hospital. A thorough investigation would take longer. “You agree to stay here for two days while I make the necessary arrangements.”

  She recoiled as though she’d been slapped. “My dad could be gone by then. I can’t do that.”

  She looked small standing there. Vulnerable. The urge to reach out to her, touch her, hold her overwhelmed Daegen. He couldn’t allow emotions to color his decisions. “Then there’s no deal.”

  Her face was a study in determination. He couldn’t tell which way she’d go. His plan wouldn’t be to keep her from her father. Arrangements would be made to bring him to the island. If she were playing Daegen for an idiot, he wanted her under his roof when his investigator reported back.

  “Fine.”

  Her favorite word to use when she meant the exact opposite. “You’ll do it even though it makes you unhappy? No sneaking out the back door as soon as my back’s turned?”

  “You’re my father’s only hope. I have no other choice.”

  ****

  Two days were all it would take to destroy the rest of Rae’s life. A slow tremor started at her core, rising to her chest.

  By the time she made it home in two days, she’d be fired, and her dad would be dead. Her heartbeat quickened.

  Her mortgage payment was due in two days. It wouldn’t be long before the bank took her condo. Then she’d be homeless too. The exact center point between her shoulder blades roared with pain.

  She picked up her suitcase, walked away from Daegen, and heaved it onto the bed.

  Kota appeared in the doorway to let her know food was waiting on the terrace.

  Not the least bit hungry, she thanked him anyway. The last thing she could think about was eating. “I’m fine. But thanks.”

  He hesitated. His gaze bounced from the floor back to her as he bowed deeply. “Food is good. You not eat enough. If you don’t mind me saying, you look too skinny.”

  Even though her stomach roiled at the thought, Rae couldn’t argue it’d do her good. She needed to keep up her strength. “Okay. I’ll come.”

  She was rewarded with a show of white teeth. “I make special meal for you.”

  The view facing the sunny south side of the island could’ve been out of a travel brochure. The place was everything Rae remembered and more. Her nights spent at the villa had replayed in her dreams a thousand times, which had nothing to do with the landscape and everything to do with the man inside.

  Part of her wished she was asleep on a plane heading home. Sleep? She almost laughed out loud. What was that anymore? Because a rebellious piece of her wanted to be here with Daegen just like before. His arms around her. Touching her. Needing her.

  She gave herself a mental slap. The only reason she came to the island was to gain his help. He’d agreed. Her father would receive the care he needed. Nothing else mattered. Period.

  Besides, maybe she could salvage her job. Maybe she could convince Walt to move the meeting? If not, couldn’t she Skype in? A spark of hope lit in her chest. Why not? She knew all the material by heart anyway. She could give that presentation in her sleep.

  When the tiny hairs on the back of her neck tingled, she turned to make eye contact with Daegen. Her radar had sensed his presence before she’d heard a sound.

  There he stood. Remarkable. Sexy. She was too drained from their last interaction to be angry. On autopilot, every muscle in her body went on full alert requiring energy she couldn’t afford to lose.

  “How was lunch?” he asked, quirking his dark brow as he eyed her mostly full plate.

  She pointed to the fruit she’d tucked in her napkin. “Couldn’t quite get past the smell of this one.”

  “Durian fruit. Hard prickly skin on the outside and a rather unkind scent.” His hawk-like nose wrinkled as he picked up a piece, peeled the casing back, and brought the flesh to her lips.

  She took the bite, clamping down the vibrations caused by his thumb grazing her bottom lip.

  “Inside is where the sweet flesh is tender.”

  Rae forced her shoulders back and attempted a breezy smile. Was he still talking about fruit? “Mmm. It’s really good.”

  The corners of his mouth tilted upward in an otherwise close-mouthed smile. His uniquely sexy smirk. “I need more details about your father. Where is he? How long has he been sick?”

  “He’s at Dallas Presbyterian.” The invisible band around her chest tightened. Securing Daegen’s help should make her feel better. And when it came to her father, she was ecstatic. Her thoughts refocused on the ice in Daegen’s glare before. And the bitter words he’d said. Words that had cut through her ribs and punctured her heart. Words that settled sadness in her chest. She reminded herself again she wasn’t in Borneo for a reunion. “I located him six months ago. By the time I found him, he was on his deathbed in a government-run nursing home. My life savings has already bought him an extra six months. He doesn’t like to talk about it. I had to make myself a nuisance to his doctor to get the truth. You know what the medicine treats.”

  One brow lifted, increasing the dramatic effect of Daegen’s sharp angled features. The worry lines on his face deepened. “A rare blood disease.”

  If he was thinking it, she had to give him credit for not asking. No. She hadn’t been tested. Yes. She knew it was genetic.

  She nodded. “With a name too long to pronounce.”

  Sympathy smoothed the brackets around his mouth. “Current treatment is costly and ineffective. How are you covering all the bills?”

  She stared at him, looking for a chink in his armor. His granite features and high slashing cheekbones gave away nothing more of his emotion.

  “I’m keeping things going,” came out on a sigh. The muscles between her shoulder blades pulled taut.

  His expression softened as he looked at her. “How are you really?”

  Opening up about her true feelings came as natural to Rae as peeling the skin off a live snake. She’d agreed to stay on for two days...there was nothing in the bargain about hanging around Daegen while she was there. “Fine. I’d like to freshen up.”

  She pushed her chair away from the table, excused herself, and walked away.

  Slipping into the cool spray of the shower, she hoped the water would rejuvenate her tangled muscles.

  Her hand shook when she reached for the shampoo. The bottle slipped through her fingers, colliding with her foot. She dropped the soap no less than six times.

  She toweled off, pulled her hair in
a tight ball, and picked up a rubber band. The band snapped across her fingers, hit the mirror, and landed in the sink in four pieces.

  Battling back tears of frustration, she scooped up the fragments and threw them into the trash. She located a new band, tested it, and wrapped it around her loose ends.

  Rae settled on her bed and booted up the laptop. She needed to brain dump information to complete a file and e-mail another to her boss. She also wanted to verify her credit limit had been increased so she could schedule a flight home. Two days. She shoved loose ringlets of hair out of her eyes, and powered up her computer. She could endure just about anything for that long if it meant saving her father.

  The screen was black. What now?

  She unplugged it, pulled the battery out, and tried again.

  Nothing.

  Damn. Damn. Damn.

  She couldn’t boot up her computer correctly anymore?

  The third try offered similar results. She searched her bag and quickly realized she didn’t bring the electrical cord either. She’d packed in too big a hurry.

  Frustrated, she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. Why does everything have to be so impossible lately?

  A few calming breaths later, she snagged her cell. Before she could punch in the hospital’s number, Daegen knocked on the open door. His phone was to his ear. Her heart stuttered as she waited for him to say something.

  He mumbled a few uh-huh’s into the receiver, then focused on her.

  “There’s someone you should talk to,” he said, holding out his cell. “Your father.”

  “What? Can’t be. He’s not communicating with anyone.”

  “His mind has changed.”

  “He blocked phone calls,” she said, still stunned.

  “That won’t happen again. I think you’ll find he’s ready to speak to you now.”

  How on earth? Rae didn’t waste another second trying to figure out how Daegen had worked this miracle. She accepted the phone.

  “Dad, what’s going on?”