Billionaires for Charity: Part Three (Menage Romance Serial)

by Marie Carnay

  James couldn’t believe the words coming out her mouth. Professing love one minute and cold, calculated strategy the next. “I’m not your ticket to the top.”

  She sneered. “Why is that, James? Because I won’t fuck Winston again?”

  James frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’d never ask you to do that.”

  “You already did. Or don’t you remember that night?”

  “I didn’t ask you to sleep with him. You wanted to. It’s not my fault you had second thoughts in the morning.”

  Dominique folded her arms across her chest. “Is it really that much better with her?”

  James sighed. “It’s not about being better. It’s—different.”

  “Because she’s into both of you.”

  “No. Because she sees past the billions. She sees me.”

  Dominique rolled her eyes. “Good. Because come Monday morning, you won’t have them anymore.”

  “If you call your father I’m suing your ass. You’ll be knee deep in a libel lawsuit no lawyer will be able to save you from.”

  Dominique smiled and James’s stomach lurched. “Then call your lawyer, James, because it’s already done. My father should be demanding full redemption as we speak. As soon as the markets open, he’ll be cashed out. And you can kiss your biggest fund goodbye.”

  Fuck. “You’ve made a huge mistake.”

  “No, you did when you broke up with me. I’m just getting even.” She turned and walked to the hall. “You can see yourself out, right?”

  Miranda sipped her coffee and flicked her foot back and forth. After a night of restless tossing and turning, she needed to get it together. If James and Winston couldn’t determine who was out to get them, the business would collapse. And it would be all her fault.

  Dawn trudged into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. “Ugh. Mornings.” She gave Miranda the not-yet-awake stink eye. “You seem perky.”

  “I can’t sleep. All I can think about is WaterStone. How I’ve messed it all up. They could lose everything because of me. Their company. Their employees. Billions of dollars.”

  “I thought you said Winston’s from money.”

  “He is. But James isn’t. His first car was a Honda Civic hatchback for god sakes.” Miranda took another sip and grimaced. “If their investors freak out, they’ll never recover. And it’ll be all my fault.”

  “No, it won’t. They were the ones who bid on you, remember? You had nothing to do with that. Stop beating yourself up.”

  “I should have made a choice. Picked one of them. Instead of…whatever it is I’m doing.”

  “Living your life. Loving two men. It’s unconventional, but so what? You’re not married. Last time I checked it’s not illegal to date two guys.” Dawn took a sip of coffee and sighed. “That’s better.” She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down across from Miranda. “Don’t you remember all those stories my mom used to tell?”

  Miranda shook her head.

  “Yes, you do. About how she dated every eligible college boy who called. She even dated my dad’s fraternity brothers. While she was dating him.”

  “Times were different then. I doubt she was sleeping with them. And definitely not at the same time.”

  “So? All I’m saying is, don’t sit here mourning a relationship that isn’t over. You don’t know what’s going to happen. They’re billionaires. They can solve it. Right?”

  Miranda exhaled. “I don’t know if anyone can solve this.” She stood up and walked into the kitchen when her phone rang.

  She picked it up and answered. “Hello?”

  “Miranda. It’s James. I’m sending a car to pick you up. We need to talk.”

  She swallowed. “I’m at Dawn’s. I’ll text you the address.”

  “Fine. It will be there within the hour.”

  “Okay.” Miranda bit her lip and glanced at Dawn. “Is…everything all right?”

  “No. It’s not. And for once, I don’t know how to fix it.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  “YOU’RE SURE SHE’S already talked to her father?” Winston paced in front of the windows, head down, brow furrowed.

  Miranda’d never seen him so intense. Focused. When she’d arrived, James was already there and the two of them were knee-deep in conversation. It didn’t take long for her to get up to speed.

  “All I have is her word. Which isn’t much.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  “But I don’t doubt her. Even if she hadn’t talked to her father yet, she sure as hell has by now.”

  “Shit.” Winston stopped pacing and flopped on the couch. “Have you been able to reach Templeton?”

  “Not yet. Niles is trying to track him down. It seems he may be vacationing in Malta.”

  “Great.”

  Miranda watched as James and Winston brainstormed out loud, shooting down option after option and coming up empty. She still couldn’t believe that James’s ex would be so ruthless and bitter. To ruin an entire company because her former boyfriend had moved on…it was unbelievable.

  As the men lapsed into silence, she voiced the question she’d been afraid to ask. “If Dominique won’t change her mind, and her father cashes out his investments…what happens to WaterStone?”

  James looked up and her heart sank. “It will dissolve. Our biggest fund will collapse and the rest of our investors will demand redemption. There’s no way to survive a blow like this.”

  “Has her father always carried this much weight? I mean…one investor ruining the whole fund…isn’t that bad?”

  Winston shrugged. “If funds are performing well, there’s no reason to leave. Investors usually care about money more than anything else.”

  “And in this case, if it were only Templeton, and not the three before him, we’d survive. The main fund would take a blow, but wouldn’t dissolve. But with three already gone…it’s a different story. Investors are skittish. They don’t like waves.”

  Winston nodded. “Add in the bad press and we don’t have a chance. There’s no way to spin it to our advantage.”

  Miranda closed her eyes. A multi-billion-dollar company up in smoke. If she hadn’t come along…If they hadn’t bid on her in the auction…Dominique would have no leverage. There would be nothing for her to use. She pinched the bridge of her nose and blinked back the threat of tears. She didn’t have time to cry.

  With a deep breath, she opened her eyes and met James’s stare. “If Templeton doesn’t redeem, would WaterStone be okay?”

  “Perhaps. But we need to stop the bad press too.”

  “Won’t it die out now that she’s been found out? You have to have connections in the press. Someone who can silence her.”

  “It’s bigger than Dominique now.” Winston rubbed the back of his neck and looked over at James. “Right?”

  James nodded. “I’m afraid so. The story’s taken on a life of its own. Even if we could show she’s lying, the press are eating this up like candy. I’m not sure there’s a way to stop it until….”

  “Until what?” Miranda held her breath and waited as both men turned to her.

  “Until there’s nothing left.”

  “You mean WaterStone?”

  “I mean everything. The business. Our fortunes. Us.” James stood up and walked to the bar. “The publicity’s only going to get worse. Paparazzi everywhere. Outside our houses, our work. Shit, Miranda, they’re probably camping out outside your office right now.”

  “They’ve been outside my apartment since Friday night. I’ve been staying with Dawn.”

  “See? It’ll only get worse. I—we—can’t ask you to bear that burden.”

  “It’s not a burden.” Miranda stood up and walked over to James. “And it will die down. Give it some time.”

  He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “If WaterStone collapses, and we have nothing…”

  “You shouldn’t give up. There has to be a way.” Their gazes met and all she could see was
sadness. Defeat. Damn it to hell. The two best men to ever walk into her life weren’t going to lose everything because of her. She turned to Winston. “Do you agree? Do you think there isn’t any way to stop this?”

  Winston smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “At this point, we’d need a miracle.”

  With a frown, Miranda turned away. She walked back to the couch, picked up her purse, and made up her mind. They hadn’t asked for her help, but she wasn’t going to let them be ruined. Not when she had a chance to fix it. She slipped her bag over her shoulder and spun around. “I um…need to go. You two should work together. Find a way to stop the redemption. I’m going home to take some time and think.”

  “Are you sure?” James walked over with a frown. “The thought of you all on your own…I don’t like it. Don’t leave because you think you’re in the way.” He reached up and stroked her arms and she forced herself to stay still.

  “I don’t think that. It’s just…I should go.”

  He rubbed his thumbs over her bare skin and she shivered. “We could forget it all. Fall into bed and pretend the sky isn’t falling.”

  “I’d be up for that.” Winston walked over and slipped his arms around her waist. His chest pressed into her back and she closed her eyes.

  “You have no idea how much I want to. But you need to focus. Not forget.”

  “We can’t change your mind?”

  She shook her head.

  “All right.” James leaned in and kissed her—lips gentle and soft, fingers caressing her cheeks. She wanted more than anything to take it back. Wrap herself up in the pair of them and forget all about the tabloids and the threat to WaterStone. But they needed her. James pulled away and gave her a sad smile. “Call if you need anything. If the paparazzi are there, you run into any reporters, anything—you know how to find us.”

  Winston nuzzled the back of her neck and spun her around. “We mean it. We want you safe, Miranda. No matter what.”

  “I’ll be fine. Really.” She raised up on her toes and he leaned in, swiping his tongue across her lips and kissing her until she couldn’t breathe. Damn. Two men who turned her on and turned her whole world upside down. For a while, she’d been in heaven. Sometimes life could be a real bitch.

  With a deep breath, she stepped back and nodded at both of them. “Goodbye, gentlemen.”

  “Goodbye, darling. We’ll see you soon.”

  James stepped up and took her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll get through this. Together.”

  Miranda nodded, but turned away before he could see the tears filling her eyes. They’d get through it all right. But it wouldn’t be together.

  “For the record, I still think this is a terrible idea.” Dawn huffed and crossed her arms.

  “I know. But it’s the only way. I can’t let them ruin their lives because of me.”

  “But you love them.”

  “Exactly.” Miranda smoothed the front of her dress and took a final look in the mirror. Conservative black pumps, black dress, cream cardigan. Classy. Demure. Heartbroken. Everything she wanted the world to see.

  The door to the green room opened and a woman with headphones walked in. “Ms. Holmes? We’re ready.”

  “Thanks.” She turned to Dawn. “Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck.” Dawn gave her a quick hug and Miranda turned to follow the staffer. I can do this. No problem. She stepped up onto the set and sat down in the single chair as the reporter did the same. Awesome. It just had to be the same one.

  “Ms. Holmes.” She gave her a small nod and took her seat.

  “Ms. Gilroy.” Miranda took a deep breath and propped up her lips in a smile.

  “And we’re live in five, four, three…”

  “Good morning, New York. I’m Rebecca Gilroy and I’m here with a woman who’s face has been plastered all over New York tabloids the last few days—Miranda Holmes.”

  “Hello, Ms. Gilroy. Thank you for having me.”

  The reporter flashed a smile. “Of course. Call me Rebecca. Now, Miranda, you’ve caught the attention of quite a few news outlets for your relationship with billionaires James Waters and Winston Stone.” She turned to the camera and smiled even wider. “For those who don’t know, I interviewed you here not that long ago. At the time, you claimed there wasn’t anything going on between the three of you. Was that a lie?”

  Miranda swallowed. Here goes nothing. “Yes. What I’d said about the date was true—we did go mini-golfing. But afterwards…I slept with them.”

  “Why did you lie?”

  “I…I thought that’s all they wanted. Everything I said was what I felt inside—two sexy billionaires, want me? Not possible. But they did. For more than just a date.”

  “Was it all a competition? Some sort of game?”

  “When I was here, speaking with you, I wondered. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t sleep with them because of the auction. I slept with them because they’re gorgeous and sexy and so far out of my league. Who wouldn’t want to pretend to be Cinderella for a night?”

  The reporter nodded. “But it wasn’t just a night. According to the reports, you three have been spending all your time together.” She picked up a stack of papers. “Gawker says a source claims you’ve been spotted at a sex dungeon in the Bronx—and all three of you engaged in lewd acts in front of a crowd. According to Page Six, both of your boyfriends were all over you at a restaurant—kissing and groping you before you all disappeared into a bathroom to have sex. The entire place could hear you.” She set the papers on her lap. “It goes on and on. There have to be dozens of allegations all related to your sexual indiscretions.”

  “None of it is true.”

  The reporter flipped through the pages. “So you’re telling me you’ve never gone to a night club with them? Never let them grope you on a dance floor in front of everyone?”

  “No. Never.”

  “They didn’t cancel a critical company meeting because they were too busy between the sheets?”

  “Nope.”

  She set the papers down. “Well, if none of these stories are true, why are they all over the news?”

  Miranda swallowed down her rising nerves. I can do this. “They’re billionaires. They have to have enemies, right?”

  “But you’re not. You’re just an ordinary woman who’s been thrown into the lion’s den. Let’s read some of the latest tweets, shall we?” Rebecca turned toward the camera and read off a teleprompter. “bunnychick32 says, ‘Come on we all know billionaires are sick and twisted. Stop lying Miranda!’ And jezebellerants writes, ‘Just admit it! You’re sleeping with them for money! #mirandacomeclean.’”

  Miranda inhaled and glanced at the ceiling. Just breathe. Remember why you’re here. She blew out her breath in a huff and looked at the reporter. “Is there a point to this?”

  “Yes. You might be an average woman, but you’ve turned two of the most successful businessmen in New York into tabloid fodder. Rumors are that their investors are upset about these developments. Claiming they’ve lost their edge. That they’re thinking with another part of their anatomy and not their brains.”

  “That’s not true. They’re deeply committed to WaterStone.”

  “It doesn’t look like it from the allegations in the papers.”

  “All I can say is, those stories are lies. The reason I asked to come on today is to stop this madness. James and Winston have done nothing wrong. If anyone is to blame for all this, it’s me.”

  The reporter cocked her head. “How so?”

  “Because I couldn’t choose!” She scooted forward on the chair and pleaded with her eyes. “Don’t you see? I’ve been on a million dates and it’s all the same. Men settle for women like me. I get the leftovers, the castoffs. The men with relationship issues or the ones who can’t hold down a steady job. Not men who have it all together.”

  “Or men who are good in bed.”

  “That’s not what this is about. James and Winston didn’t want just sex. They ac
tually wanted to get to know me. Have a relationship with me. A woman who snores and drinks too much coffee and likes cake better than a treadmill. We have something special. The three of us.”

  “How so?”

  Miranda broke into a smile. “James took me out of here after the last interview. I was so upset—I thought I’d just confirmed to the world that I was plain and ugly and unwanted. But he put me in his car and do you know where we went?”

  “Back to his place?”

  Miranda shook her head. “The mountains. He drove me up to this little patch of land that he owns and made me take my shoes off and walk in the grass. It has a view of the whole Hudson Valley and the Manhattan skyline looks like a painting. He gave me a part of himself. No man’s ever done that for me before.”

  “And what about Mr. Stone?”

  “Winston?” Miranda grinned. “He’s cocky, I’ll give you that. But he’s sweet too. He—he didn’t have good relationships growing up. Not like I did. But he tried for me—he even brought me a cupcake, can you believe it? The man has everything money can buy and he brought me a cupcake to cheer me up.”

  The reporter sat back in her chair. “They sound like gentlemen.”

  “They are. That’s what I’ve been trying to say. We aren’t in some sex-crazed, kinky threesome. It’s just me, regular Miranda Holmes, and two men I don’t deserve.”

  “So why haven’t you picked one?”

  Miranda wiped at the corner of her eye and gave a small smile. “Because I’m in love with them both.”

  “Do you think they’re in love with you?”

  “I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter anymore.”

  The reporter frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because I’m here, on live television to say to everyone that it’s over. I know it’s my fault that we’re even news. If I’d been able to choose, none of this would have happened. And WaterStone wouldn’t be at risk.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m walking away. I’m not going to let my actions ruin the two best men I’ve ever met. If me being involved with them puts all they’ve built—all they’ve worked so hard for—in jeopardy, then I have no other choice.”