Not Her Billionaire (The Jack Kemble Duet Book 1)

by Sky Corgan

  Not Her Billionaire

  SKY CORGAN

  Text copyright 2017 by Sky Corgan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

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  SYNOPSIS

  An arranged marriage? Who does that anymore? Apparently, my parents think it's okay to sell me off if it will benefit their company.

  It can't be that bad. Jack Kemble, the man they're marrying me to, is one of the hottest bachelors on the market. He's also an arrogant prick.

  I try to play the part of his dutiful fiancée until he tells me I'll need to go to a special school to learn how to meet his needs. This is way out of my comfort zone. Should I do my best to mold myself into his perfect wife? This marriage is important to my family, but my heart may already belong to another.

  Heat level: Smokin' Hot

  This is a stand-alone novella.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  About the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  It was one of the saddest yet happiest days of my life. In a few short hours, I would be flying to meet the man I had been promised to, multibillionaire Jack Kemble. He was practically a movie star—a man of every woman's dreams, with a chiseled physique and a smile that could stop you dead in your tracks.

  It wasn't all happy times, though. As I sat in my room, my gaze darted to all the memories on my bedroom walls, avoiding the eyes of the man in front of me. Liam and I had been best friends since kindergarten, and as the years turned us from innocent children into adults, it had been clear that he wanted something more. Still, my arranged marriage had kept any feelings that I had for him at bay, and he had suffered through it, just content to be by my side.

  Now I would have to say goodbye to him forever, and I could almost feel his heart breaking as he stared at me longingly.

  “Please reconsider, Melita. You know you don't want this.” His voice was strained, and I could hear the crisp pain in his words.

  “You know that I have to do this for my family.” I let my eyes fall to my hands, and then they instinctively crossed my lap to his. His thick fingers twitched, and I couldn't help but remember all the times those same unsteady hands had held me in my moments of darkness. How would I ever survive without those strong hands to comfort me?

  The tears began to flow, despite my resolve not to cry. Crying would only weaken both of us, and I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already had.

  “What if you don't love this man?” he asked.

  “People don't always marry for love,” I reminded him, trying to recall the lessons my mother had taught me.

  Coming from a wealthy family wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Often times, marriages were arranged so that two families could join assets, making them both even wealthier. My parents were deeply enriched in the oil business, while Jack's family was into everything else. If our marriage went through as planned, my family would give Jack a large sum of money to expand his business to overseas markets, and my father would become CFO of Jack's corporation. It was a win/win situation for all involved.

  If not for Liam, it would have been a win for me as well. What girl didn't want to marry a handsome billionaire? But the ties that bound me to Liam were strong, and there were definite secret feelings there. Leaving him would break my heart.

  “It's time to go,” my mother said through the bedroom door.

  “I'll miss you,” I told Liam, taking his hand into mine.

  “If he doesn't treat you well, you come back to me. Do you understand?” His voice commanded my attention, and I allowed myself to gaze into his silvery-blue eyes a final time. So beautiful and soothing. I would miss them, too, the way they seemed to look at me with all of the gentleness and affection in the world.

  We embraced, and I worried he might never let me go. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted him to let me go. But then my mother was at the door, opening it and giving us both her best impatient glare.

  Liam walked me out to the limo, and I watched him through the back window as we drove out of sight and I left the life that I loved behind.

  The flight to New York was grueling, despite first-class accommodations. I spent most of it nauseous, though I couldn't tell if it was from altitude sickness or nervousness. I tried to distract myself by imagining what Jack would be like, but I think that only made things worse.

  He would be waiting to greet me at the airport, and hopefully, he'd be considerate enough to leave the paparazzi at home. They tended to follow him around like dogs, looking for any juicy tidbit that they could present to their papers or news stations. From what I could tell, Jack didn't have a personal life. Every woman he went out with, every good or bad thing he did, was quickly aired across the nation like dirty laundry. It was sickening to know that my life would soon be like that simply because of my association with him.

  When I stepped into the NYC airport terminal, I didn't have to scan the crowd long to realize that Jack wasn't waiting for me there. In his place stood a large, intimidating-looking man in a suit holding up a cardboard sign with my name printed on it. Maybe it was for the best that Jack wasn't there in person, I thought with a sigh, a bit relieved that the butterflies in my stomach could have a rest. At least this way, I didn't have to worry about the paparazzi.

  The man greeted me and escorted me through the airport. He seemed nice enough. Obviously, one of Jack's bodyguards.

  After picking up my luggage, he led me outside to a waiting limo. Courteously, he opened the door, and I stepped inside, nearly tripping on myself as my eyes landed on Jack Kemble sitting coolly with his legs crossed.

  He leaned forward and extended a hand to guide me into my seat. “Miss Rickard.”

  “Mister Kemble. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.” I put on my best smile, trying not to blush.

  It felt like sitting across from a celebrity. Jack Kemble was wearing distressed jeans and a stylish t-shirt with a black dress coat. His dark disheveled hair was accented perfectly by a large pair of sunglasses, which were completely unnecessary for the dimly lit limo. After a moment of being intrigued by him, I began to realize that the whole get-up was a bit silly, as if he had gone out of his way to try to impress me. Perhaps he was just as nervous as I was.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” He bent forward to kiss my hand before releasing it back to me. “I apologize for not meeting you inside. I figured you would probably be exhausted coming off of your flight and wouldn't want to be bothered with the media.”

  “How considerate of you.” I nodded in thanks.

  “We're going to my parents' house for dinner right now. They're greatly looking forward to meeting you as well.”

  “It sounds lovely.”

  “Would you like some champagne?” Jack leaned towards the built in wine glass holder to take out a glass before I had even responded.

  “No, thank you. My stomach is still a bit unsettled from the flight.”

  He straightened himself, looking ever collected. My nerves were on fire, and I only hoped I seemed half as calm as him.

  “So, tell me a bit about yourself. I'm to marry you in six months, and I don't even know anything about you,” he said.

  “Well,” I searched for things to say. I
n all honesty, there wasn't much to tell. “I just graduated from UTSA with an Associates in Mathematics. After we're married, I plan on going back to school to get my bachelors and then my masters and PhD.”

  “Very admirable. What do you hope to do with your degree?”

  “I'd like to be a calculus professor at Yale or Harvard.”

  “Impressive ambition. I like a woman with ambition. And hobbies? What do you like to do for fun?”

  “Painting and playing the harp.”

  “I would love to hear you play some time, and see some of your artwork.” He sounded genuine, but I was almost certain it was only out of respect for our upcoming marriage. “Is there anything you would like to ask me?”

  I couldn't think of anything. To be honest, I had researched him thoroughly before my flight, spent every moment of the last few days that I hadn't been packing or spending time with Liam to learn everything I could about the man whom I'd soon call husband.

  Fresh out of high school, Jack Kemble had become immersed in business, forgoing college for a hands-on education. His father schooled him in all matters related to running a multibillion-dollar corporation, and whenever Jack had gotten up to speed, his father had handed over the reigns, going into early retirement. He still coached Jack on the more difficult aspects of business, but for the most part, Jack was on his own, handling things with the grace and professionalism that were rare in someone his age.

  “Your hobbies are fly fishing, hunting, and golf. You have a dog named Brownie and a horse named Winnie. When you were eighteen, you began learning your father's business and had taken over shortly after turning twenty-four. Your birthday is March sixth, and your favorite food is peanut butter sandwiches with bananas,” I rattled off all that I could remember.

  A wide grin spread across Jack's face. “Very impressive. I see you did your homework.”

  “I did,” I giggled.

  “Now I feel like I came completely unprepared.”

  “I'm afraid you won't find out much about me on Google.”

  “Then I get a free pass for not knowing your favorite food.”

  I enjoyed his lighthearted humor, and he was surprisingly easy to talk to. Maybe things would be alright after all.

  At dinner, Jack's family was more than courteous. They seemed genuinely interested in my life back in Texas, and of course, they asked plenty of questions about my father's oil business. I did my best to answer as accurately as possible, never one for giving out misleading information.

  When dinner was over, I was shown to my room. It was generously large. Even bigger than my bedroom at home. Before I unpacked, I took a few minutes to lie on my bed, looking up at the cream-colored ceiling and going over the night's events in my head. All was going well so far. Jack was incredibly polite and very handsome. It seemed like he would make a good husband.

  While I tried to imagine how our life would be together, my mind kept drifting back to Liam. He had looked so upset when I left. It was strange to be without him—without anyone that I knew from back home. Here in New York, I was completely alone. Jack and his family were all that I had now. It would be a hard thing to adjust to.

  Tomorrow, Jack would return to his mansion, but I would be left at his parents' house. His parents were old-fashioned Christian Catholic and felt it was inappropriate for me to live with him before the wedding. I wasn't sure if I was happy about that or sad. From what the media had told of Jack, he had a ferocious sexual appetite. While I was sitting at home, denying Liam's advances and remaining celibate, Jack had been out living it up, dating supermodels and famous actresses.

  Maybe it was better for me to stay with his parents. I was still a virgin and not sure if I was ready to be pressured into sex. Jack's parents had the right idea. I only ever wanted to sleep with one man in my entire life, and that would be my husband.

  Yet at the same time, I couldn't help but feel that being parted from Jack left him open to invite other girls to his mansion without me knowing. While he seemed like a good guy, I didn't trust him on that front. He lived fast and carefree. Old habits wouldn't die easily, I was certain.

  The night was restless, and after trying and failing to go to sleep for over two hours, I decided to get up and step outside. A breath of fresh air would probably do me some good.

  As quiet as a mouse, I wrapped a robe around myself and tiptoed through the mansion to the top story living room which opened onto a balcony that overlooked the estate. The night breeze was fresh and crisp against my skin, cleansing me of my worries as I looked out across the fields and hills behind the Kemble estate.

  “Couldn't sleep?” a voice stirred me, and I swirled around to see Jack walking towards me in nothing but a pair of sweat pants. The way they hung from his hips brought deliciously naughty thoughts to mind, and I felt ashamed of myself for even having them.

  “No,” I replied, pulling the robe a bit tighter around me. “Between the flight and meeting you and meeting your parents. . . it's all just been a bit overwhelming for me.”

  “That's understandable,” he said as he stepped up beside me, peering out into the darkness as if he was taking in the landscape for the first time.

  “It's very beautiful out here.” I turned my gaze into the distance.

  “Not as beautiful as you.” The smile in his voice was apparent.

  It sounded like a cheesy line, but my cheeks still grew warm from the thought that he found me attractive. I sighed contently, unable to think of anything to say in reply.

  “Are you looking forward to the wedding?” Jack asked.

  “I suppose. It's still a ways off.”

  “Yes, but it's best to prepare now. We're going to be married for a very long time.”

  It was such a funny thing for him to say.

  “The rest of our lives,” I added.

  “Yes.” He sucked in a breath. “I need to be upfront with you. Being my wife isn't going to be easy.”

  “I didn't think it would be.” I glanced at his suddenly serious expression.

  “I wish that you would have come sooner. I have certain needs . . . as a man.”

  Oh no, I thought, my mind racing with panic. Here's where he asks me if I want to have sex. What will I say? If I deny him, things will be awkward between us, but I can't just agree. What about what I want—my needs?

  “There are certain things that I like to do in the bedroom, and I need to know that you'll be able to handle them before we wed,” Jack continued.

  “I'm a virgin.” The words came out of my mouth before I could even think to stop them. It was the only thing I knew to say to hopefully bring this unpleasant conversation to an abrupt halt.

  “Oh, really?” He rubbed the back of his neck, shooting me a glance of what I could only describe as discomfort. Now things were really awkward.

  “Yes.” I tried to remain strong, preparing my rebuttal for his advances.

  Jack took a deep breath before speaking again. “There's a school in California that I'd like you to go to before we're married. They can teach you how to be the kind of lover that I need.”

  “Why can't you teach me?” My voice was small, almost frightened sounding. I couldn't believe that we had just met, and he already wanted to talk about sex.

  “I'm not that great as a teacher. And if you're a virgin, then you're definitely going to need lessons.”

  I considered this for a moment. The prospect sounded fun and exciting, yet at the same time, I was offended that he wanted to send me away so quickly after arriving. “We only have six months to plan the wedding. I don't think it's a good idea for me to leave so soon.”

  “The school is only for a week. I knew that we didn't have a lot of time, so I signed you up for the condensed version.”

  “You already signed me up!” I gasped, looking at him incredulously. How dare he sign me up for some creepy sex school without asking me first? If this was how our marriage was going to be, then maybe it wouldn't work out after all.

  �
��I thought you'd be a bit more . . .” Jack hesitated, looking for the right words to say not to piss me off. It was a bit too late for that, though. If Liam were here, he'd give Jack a good lesson in how to treat a lady. Was this really what I'd been saving myself for?

  “A bit more what? Slutty?”

  “That's not what I meant. Calm down, will you?” His expression was pained. “It's not what you think. This school is one-hundred percent professional. You'll learn things about yourself that will completely change your life. And when you come back, I promise I'll be the husband you deserve.”

  “And what if I don't want to go to this school?” I folded my arms over my chest, refusing to look at him.

  “Then we'll still get married, but I doubt it will be a happy marriage.”

  I sighed, gazing out into the darkness. I had honestly expected him to say that we wouldn't marry if I refused. Maybe I had even hoped for it. Everything was happening so fast. It seemed like one surreal event after another. I just wanted life to slow down and be normal.

  “What kind of school is this anyway?” I asked finally, huffing to show my disapproval.

  I could hear the reluctance in his voice. “Have you ever heard of BDSM?”

  It sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall what the acronym stood for exactly. “Isn't that something to do with fetishes?”

  “Something like that. It stands for Bondage, Domination, Sadism, and Masochism.”

  “Sounds like slavery to me,” I cut in sharply.

  “It's about willingly giving yourself to someone else for their pleasure,” he explained calmly. “The school I'd like to send you to will teach you how to be a good submissive so that you can fill all of my sexual needs.”

  “Can't I do that without being a slave?” My words were bitter.

  “I know this is a lot to digest right now, but I'd really like you to consider it. You're a beautiful woman, and I think we'll make a great couple. But a big part of marriage is compromise and being willing to fill each other's needs. If you can't do this for me, then we've already started off on the wrong track.”