The Protective Billionaire

by Christine Kersey

  “Hello, Aubree.”

  Taking a step back, she screamed, “Help! Help me!”

  Immediately there was commotion at the bathroom door, but with it locked, the person on the other side—presumably Brian from security—couldn’t get in.

  “Unlock the door,” a voice shouted from the hallway.

  Aubree’s gaze shot to Tyler, who stood right in front of the door. If she could just get past him… She thought about the self-defense moves she’d worked on with Cameron, but none of them dealt with this situation. They were all about disabling an attacker, not moving someone out of the way.

  “You look lovely this evening,” Tyler said as his gaze raked her body.

  Holding back a shudder, Aubree forced herself to remain calm. “What are you doing in here?”

  “I’ve been keeping an eye on you this evening, and when you got up, I hustled in here to wait for you.” He laughed. “Guess it paid off.”

  There was more commotion at the door. Tyler kept his eyes on Aubree as he shouted, “Don’t open that door or I’ll shoot her!”

  And then, to Aubree’s horror, Tyler lifted his vest to reveal a gun tucked in his waistband. With a grin that showed how much he loved being in control, he pulled it out and held it by his side.

  “He has a gun!” Aubree screamed to make sure whoever was trying to get in would know what they were up against.

  What was taking Aubree so long? Cameron glanced at her place at the table, then he looked toward the back of the room. Brian wasn’t there, so he knew he had to be with her. But still, something didn’t feel right. Then, as he was looking toward the back, someone opened the door to the ballroom to enter and Cameron caught a flash of a uniformed police officer running down the hall.

  His heart stopped beating before going into a gallop, and without saying a word, he stood from the table and strode briskly to the back of the room and into the hallway. At first everything seemed calm and normal, but as he walked toward the area where the restrooms were, he was met with chaos—a group of people stood beside the door to the ladies’ room, including Brian.

  Aubree was in trouble.

  Breaking into a sprint, Cameron raced to the group. Why were they just standing there? Were they afraid to go inside? What was going on?

  “Brian,” Cameron said, and his security man turned to him. “What happened?”

  “I heard a scream and when I tried to go in the door was locked. Then I heard a man’s voice saying if we opened the door, he’d shoot her.” Brian’s jaw clenched. “Then I heard Ms. Nichols yelling that he has a gun.”

  Cameron felt like he’d been hit in the gut with a two by four while a vise squeezed his chest.

  “Mr. Shah, are you okay?”

  Cameron’s throat felt like it was closing up, but he had to get a grip, had to take control. His eyes went to the police officer, who was talking into his radio.

  “My wife’s in there,” Cameron said as he shoved through the people to reach the bathroom door. And in his mind, she was his wife. Not his pretend-wife, but his actual wife. It had been nearly a month since he’d met Aubree and just over a week since they’d started their marriage charade, but in that time he’d fallen head over heels for her. He loved her as much as any husband loved his wife, even if she was uncertain about moving forward with him.

  He would do whatever it took to save her.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  “What do you want?” Aubree asked as she stared at Tyler’s face and tried not to let her gaze drift to the door behind him. She didn’t want him to know how much she wanted to escape or that she was scrambling to come up with a plan.

  “I just want to talk to you.”

  The gun swung in her direction as he gestured toward her with it in his hand. She recoiled.

  He looked at the gun like he’d forgotten he was holding it, then he grinned as he tucked it in his waistband. “I don’t want to shoot you, Aubree.”

  That was small comfort because she didn’t trust him not to change his mind. Wanting to get his train of thought pointing in another direction, she asked, “What do you want to talk about?”

  He pointed to her then back at himself. “Us. I want to talk about us.”

  There is no us! she wanted to scream, but she forced herself to remain calm, calling up all the acting skills she could muster. “What about us?”

  Tyler’s forehead furrowed and his eyebrows bunched. “Things were good between us. Our wedding was on track, and then you…” His lips compressed and he shook his head. “You took up with some other man?” He grabbed a fistful of his vest, pressing his hand against his chest. “I’m hurt, Aubree.”

  “We’ve got to get in there,” Cameron said, his voice filled with agitation.

  “We need to proceed with caution, sir,” the police officer closest to him said. “The man is armed and we know nothing about him.”

  “It’s her stalker. It has to be.”

  There were a number of police officers standing outside the bathroom door and a SWAT team on its way. They’d pushed Cameron back and they’d begun evacuating the hotel. They’d wanted him to leave too, but he’d flat-out refused. There was no way he would leave Aubree.

  Cameron had told the officer in charge about Tyler and they were checking hotel video to see if they could verify it was him.

  “Sir, we need you to move back so we can do our job,” the officer said.

  With a deep frown, Cameron moved back a few steps, but stayed as close as he could.

  How was she supposed to get out of this? And what was happening on the other side of the door? She was certain they were trying to rescue her. Did Cameron know what was happening? Was he just outside the door? Was that thick piece of wood all that separated them?

  “I’m sorry if I hurt you, Tyler. I truly am.” She wasn’t at all, but she had to convince him otherwise. “But it’s time for you to move on.”

  “No!”

  Aubree jumped at the shouted word.

  Tyler gritted his teeth and leaned forward. “I don’t want to move on.” Then he exhaled and straightened. “Don’t you get it? We’re meant to be together.”

  She had to put a stop to this, had to make the truth clear. “I’m with Cameron now. He’s my husband and I love him.” Even as she said the words, she knew they were true. She’d fallen in love with him. The dark cloud that had been hanging over her wasn’t a cloud at all. It was a wisp of her own making, one that she now realized she’d placed there herself out of fear. One that she could banish.

  “Liar! He’s not your husband. You said so yourself. I read it in the news. You made it all up.” Tyler’s face scrunched up in a look of confusion as he took a step toward her. “Why would you do that?”

  He was getting closer—less than ten feet separated them. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe if he got close enough…

  “Tyler, you and I,” Aubree motioned between them, “will never happen. You need to know that.”

  He took another step toward her and Aubree’s heart banged against her ribs. What if he lost it? What if he decided to shoot her?

  “No,” he said as his head swung from side to side. “That’s not true.”

  He wasn’t close enough for her to reach him. She looked him dead in the eye. “I want nothing to do with you, Tyler. Nothing.”

  His eyes widened and his mouth fell open, then it was as if a curtain slid over his face as his expression went blank. “If I can’t have you, then no one else can.”

  He reached toward the gun in his waistband, and that’s when Aubree made her move, calling up all the lessons she’d had with Cameron.

  Barreling toward him as best she could in high heels and a floor-length gown, she held her arms out in front of her and slammed into him. His eyes went wide as he crashed into the bathroom door and the gun clattered to the floor and skidded under the row of sinks.

  It sounded like someone had slammed against the bathroom door. Was that Aubree? Was Tyler hurting her?

/>   Panic swept over Cameron and he tried to shove through the mass of police officers, but they were having none of that.

  “I need to help her,” he shouted.

  The police officers ignored him and one of them lifted a battering ram in preparation to force the door open.

  Aubree recognized Cameron’s voice yelling from the other side of the door, but she was too busy fighting Tyler to do anything about it. Desperate to escape the bathroom and escape the man who would rather see her dead than with Cameron, before Tyler could regain his balance, she slammed the heel of her hand into his nose as hard as she could. He slapped his hands over his nose with a strangled cry as blood seeped between his fingers.

  Taking advantage of the distraction, Aubree hiked her gown up, then bent her knee and rammed it into his groin. Tyler collapsed onto the floor in a groaning heap, but now he was lying against the door, which kept her from pulling it open.

  With her heart throbbing painfully in her chest, Aubree reached past him and toward the lock, but before she could reach it, Tyler grabbed her by the ankles and yanked her so hard that she fell on her butt. At first she was startled by the move, but then frustration that her escape had been thwarted swept over her. She would not allow this delusional man to destroy her life.

  Scrambling backwards on her rear end, she moved toward the gun that was lodged under the row of sinks, but Tyler had the same idea and he lunged forward, landing on top of her. His arms were longer than hers. He was going to reach the gun first.

  Pinned beneath him, she frantically tried to figure out how to get him off of her, but he was too heavy and she had no leverage. And then he reached the gun.

  “No!” The scream came from inside the bathroom.

  The sound of Aubree’s desperate cry for help penetrated Cameron to his very soul, and without hesitation, he tried to shove his way into the midst of the police officers, but before he could go very far, the one holding the battering ram slammed it against the door once, twice, and then the door swung open.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Cameron’s gaze went right to the scuffle on the floor. A man was lying on top of Aubree and he had a gun in his hand. And then he saw blood smeared on the floor.

  Was it Aubree’s blood? Was she hurt?

  Cameron’s heart plunged and his throat closed up. He had to get to her, but his path was blocked by the police officers.

  “Freeze!” One of the officers shouted at the man holding the gun. The officer had a gun trained on the man.

  Instead of complying, the man shoved the gun against Aubree’s temple, then he turned his head to look at the men in the doorway. “Back off or I’ll kill her.” His voice was flat and cold. Cameron recognized him. It was Tyler.

  Was Cameron about to see the woman he loved killed right in front of him? The thought was incomprehensible. He had to do something. Now.

  “Take me instead,” Cameron shouted as he pushed forward.

  All eyes swiveled to him.

  “Let her go and take me instead,” Cameron said again.

  “No, Cameron,” Aubree shouted from the floor.

  He couldn’t see her face, but hearing her voice gave him strength. “Yes.” Cameron’s eyes went to Tyler’s face. Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, “I’m the one who caused you all this pain, Tyler.”

  “Sir,” the officer in charge said, “you need to step back and let us handle this.”

  Cameron shifted his gaze to the man standing in front of him. “Please. Let me try this.”

  “You could be killed,” the office said in a low voice.

  He was well aware of that, and he shook his head before looking at Aubree stretched out on the floor, helpless and vulnerable. “I can’t let him kill her.”

  The officer opened his mouth to speak, but Tyler said, “I’ll make the trade.” His voice was soulless and flat.

  Terror and triumph surged through Cameron. Aubree would be safe.

  The gun was still pressed to Aubree’s forehead.

  “Come in,” Tyler said. “Alone. And shut the door.”

  “Let the woman go first,” the lead officer said.

  Tyler laughed. “Not gonna work that way. The moment I take this gun from her head, you’re gonna shoot me.” He shook his head, then looked at Cameron. “He comes inside and then I make the trade.”

  “No,” the officer said. “You’re not in charge here.”

  Tyler pressed the gun harder against Aubree’s temple and she cried out. Tyler grinned. “Wrong.”

  Tyler was getting agitated. Fearing for Aubree’s life, Cameron spoke before the officer could say anything else. “I’ll do it.”

  The officer frowned at him. “I can’t allow you to put yourself in danger, sir.”

  Frustrated that the officer couldn’t see that he had no other choice, Cameron was about to protest when Tyler said, “You have ten seconds to get in here and close the door.”

  “No, Cameron!” Aubree screamed. “No!”

  “One,” Tyler said, his voice flat. “Two.”

  Cameron’s heart slammed against his ribs as he stared at the lead officer. “I have to go in there.”

  “Three.”

  The officer’s nostrils flared.

  “Four.”

  Cameron was ready to bodily move the officer out of the way.

  “Five.”

  “Cameron!” Aubree yelled. “Stay out.”

  “Six.”

  With his jaw clenched, the lead officer stepped aside, opening a path for Cameron to go inside.

  “Seven.”

  With his eyes on Aubree, Cameron stepped through the doorway.

  “Close the door,” Tyler said.

  The battering ram had broken the lock, but it hadn’t knocked the door of its hinges, so Cameron shut it behind him and held it closed with one foot.

  Aubree couldn’t believe Cameron was putting his life on the line for her.

  “Get off of her,” Cameron said, his voice practically a growl.

  Tyler chuckled, but he got off. Now she could draw in a lungful of air.

  Her gaze shot to Cameron, who stood at the door, so strong and handsome. Then she looked at Tyler. Blood stained his white shirt and was caked on his nose and chin. And he still held the gun.

  Pushing herself to her feet, she looked at her emerald-green gown. Tyler’s blood was smeared across it.

  “Are you hurt?” Cameron asked as he took a step in her direction.

  “Stay there,” Tyler said, pointing the gun at Cameron.

  With a glance at Tyler, who was watching them closely, Aubree shook her head. “I’m okay.”

  “Come here,” Cameron said.

  With a tentative smile and a glance at Tyler, she took a step toward Cameron.

  “Stop,” Tyler said, his gun swinging toward her.

  She froze in her tracks.

  “She gets to leave,” Cameron said, his voice firm. “That was the deal.”

  Tyler grinned. “In a minute, big man.” Then he waved the gun in a move over there motion as he walked toward the door. “You go see your wife,” his lip curled on that. “I’ll hold the door closed.”

  Cameron strode toward Aubree as Tyler took his place at the door, his back pressed against it and the gun held in his hand.

  Cameron reached Aubree and drew her into his arms. She sank against him, beyond relieved to have him with her. But she was terrified to leave him with Tyler.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said. “Offered to trade places with me.”

  Cameron gazed at her, his blue eyes bright. “I love you, Aubree.”

  Her heart swelled with emotion and tears clogged her throat as she banished that dark cloud for good. “I love you too.”

  “Enough,” Tyler said.

  They both looked his way. The gun was pointed in their direction.

  “Time for her to go,” Cameron said.

  Tyler laughed. “You think you’re so smart, but looky here. Now I have yo
u both in my sights.”

  Aubree’s heart dropped. Not only was he going to shoot her, but Cameron as well.

  Someone pounded on the door, which pushed Tyler forward a few inches.

  “Back off!” Tyler shouted. “Or I’ll shoot them both.”

  “Let her go,” Cameron said, his voice firm, his face implacable.

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do,” Tyler sneered.

  “Please,” Aubree said, exhausted and frightened and completely willing to beg. “Let us go.”

  Tyler’s gaze shifted to her and his eyes narrowed. “Why should I? What have you ever done for me?”

  This man held their lives in his hands and it was only because of her. She was the one he was obsessed with. She was the one who could bargain with him.

  She looked straight at Tyler. “I’ll do whatever you ask, just let Cameron go.”

  “No,” Cameron said, his tone disbelieving. “You’re the one who needs to leave, Aubree. You’re the one I want to keep safe.”

  She could see she was going to have to take matters into her own hands. Not wanting to leave Cameron’s embrace, but knowing there was no other way, she gently peeled his arms from around her and took a step toward Tyler.

  “What are you doing?” Cameron and Tyler both asked, Cameron’s tone disbelieving, Tyler’s wary.

  “I just want to talk to you,” she said to Tyler, her voice calm and soothing as she slowly approached him, her gaze locked on his.

  His eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

  Aubree noticed that he’d lowered the gun a few inches so that it was pointing at the floor.

  “Let’s all walk out of here together,” she said. Then she smiled. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”

  He seemed mesmerized by her, and when she was three feet away, she slowly lifted her right hand with her palm tilted upward, like she was going to caress his face. “It’s going to be okay, Tyler,” she murmured.