Beauty and the Billionaire

My mother’s words roll around in my head. I grab my phone, checking one last time to make sure Ryan or Kennedy haven't called or texted.

Honestly I didn’t want to leave my brother to watch over her, but there wasn’t much of an option.

“You got here quick.” Carter is waiting for me outside.

“My mother called,” I inform him.

“You really did get a shit card when it came to your family.” He shakes his head.

Wasn’t that the fucking truth. My father, God love him, was a mess and half-blind to the shit going on around him. Mom is a snake, always thinking she’s doing the best for everyone, and Ryan has been a fuck-up since puberty. Well, he was until recently. He finally seems to be getting his shit together.

I am going to make my own family now. One worth truly having. If it wasn’t for Kennedy, that wouldn't be happening for me. Even having seen the baby on the ultrasound I worry over this not being real. That something or someone might try and take it from me.

An uneasiness starts to rise up in my chest. It’s then it dawns on me that I never told my brother that Kennedy was pregnant. So how the hell would he have known? My mind begins racing. Carter opens the door for me. I stop, turning to him.

“The family account. Does Ryan draw from that?” I ask.

I can’t recall offhand if I set up something separate for him when he went away to college. Dad had been smart for once and didn’t set a trust up for him thinking he’d blow through it too quickly. It was left in my hands to handle.

Carter’s whole body goes rock solid. Realization hits us both at the same time.

“I’ll fucking kill him,” I bellow before I’m on a dead run back toward my car. For once my mother and I could agree on something. She’s a lot of things but a liar isn't one of them. The same can’t be said for my brother though.

17

KENNEDY

“Kennedy?” The tap on the bathroom door has my eyes fluttering open. “I’m supposed to make sure you eat.” I see the door handle try to turn, but I’d locked it. I decided to take a bath after Dane left. There is no way I could eat right now with the amount of nerves I am feeling. Not until I get word from him about what is happening regarding Faith.

“I’ll be out in a moment,” I say sitting up and pulling the drain on the tub before I get out. I reach for a towel to dry off and then wrap it around me.

I’m not going to lie, I also took a bath because I was avoiding Ryan. Last night I had a memory that included him. I don’t know if meeting him had sparked it. He’d come on to me one day when I was working and he'd been back home from college for a few days. I’d turned him down.

He threw it in my face that he knew I was sleeping with his brother. Thought I should be open for business for any of the men around the home. Then he’d dared me to tell his brother, saying he wouldn’t care, for one, or believe me.

That hadn’t been the reason I hadn't told Dane, though. I figured what was done was done. I turned him down and he acted like a spoiled brat who threw a temper tantrum. There was no reason to throw gas on the fire because I knew Ryan had been wrong. Dane is a very jealous man. He would not only have believed me, he would have lost his mind.

I unlock the bathroom door, peeking out to see the bedroom is empty. I go in search of something to wear. I pause, not seeing any of my clothes in the closet. All of my things are gone. They were here moments ago.

I make my way toward the living area but pause when I hear a female voice.

“Did you get everything?” she asks.

“Yeah, I fucking got everything. How many times are you going to ask?” Ryan’s laidback tone is gone.

“With you a few because you can never follow through with shit.”

“Me? I gave you the fucking money,” he tosses back. Her voice sounds so familiar, but I can’t place it. I lean over, stealing a peek out of the cracked door to see her. I freeze as it comes back to me. It’s the same woman from the picture Fawn showed me. Dane’s secretary.

“You’re also the one who thinks that Dane is going to go for her taking off again.” Fear starts to rise up inside of me. My head begins to throb. “He’ll never stop if she’s alive.” I take a step back from the door.

“We’re going to make it real fucking clear this time what will happen to her if she comes back.” Tears start to leak down my face. I remember. Everything from that day comes flooding back to me at once.