Going in Deep (Billionaire Bad Boys 4)

He’d given this a lot of thought, and his business was flourishing. High-six-figure flourishing. He didn’t have that many expenses now that Alyssa was funded by the trust.

When he’d mentioned it to Alyssa, which he’d done because he didn’t want his sister to find out and be upset she wasn’t told, Alyssa had been excited for Alex. She’d also insisted they dip into the trust because there was money there that Julian had allocated for college, that Alyssa hadn’t used.

Julian hadn’t made any decisions about going that route.

And he wanted to give this sweet girl a good start in life. God knew, she’d come out of a rough situation with more grace than many people would have managed to have. He admired her.

“I couldn’t.”

But in her wide eyes, he saw something he hadn’t noticed there since he’d met up with her on the street.

Hope.

“But I can and I’m offering.” He reached out and clasped her cold hand.

“Why?” she asked.

That was an easy answer. “Because I couldn’t do it for my sister. The accident changed the course of her life. Let me do this for you. An education is important to whatever you want to do in life.” And he wanted to get her away from lowlives like her brother.

She sniffed and grabbed a napkin, wiping her eyes. “I don’t understand why you’re so good to me.”

“I feel … like I should have done more for you when Billy went to jail. That if I was clean at the

time, and hadn’t been so selfish, I’d have offered to help you out anyway. You could have avoided foster care. So please let me do this. You’ll be helping me, too.” He’d feel less guilty for abandoning her to the system.

She jumped up, came around to his side of the table, and hugged him tight. “Thank you. Just … thank you.”

He grinned, his throat full. “You’re welcome.” He felt damned good about how this conversation had gone.

Even if his love life was in the toilet, he’d just changed the course of Alex’s life. And about that, he could feel proud.

* * *

Sunday morning, Julian took Steve for a long walk, and when he returned, Billy was just leaving, walking out the front door of the building. He didn’t stop to talk, meeting up with a group of dirty-looking guys on the corner.

He rushed upstairs and let himself inside to find Alex standing in the hallway, looking shaken and upset.

He unhooked the dog’s leash, and Steve ran for his water bowl.

Julian grasped Alex’s elbow and led her to the couch, where he sat down, pulling her beside him. “What’s wrong?”

If Billy had said or done anything to upset her, Julian would strangle him.

“I can’t say.” She attempted to stand, but he called her name.

“Alex, wait. What did you Billy do to upset you?”

She bit down on her lip so hard she drew blood.

He clenched his hands into fists. “Alex?

A sob escaped her throat. “He wants me to sell drugs. To find kids who want some and send them to him. He’d be their dealer.”

Her voice cracked, and it took all of Julian’s self-control not to lose it in front of the upset girl.

He blew out a long breath and sighed. “What did you tell him?”

She shook as she answered. “To go away and leave me alone. But he said I owed him. That he gave me a place to sleep and paid for my food when I was younger and now it was time for payback.” Tears dripped down her face.