Turbulent Intentions (Billionaire Aviators 1)

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The wedding reception was well underway in one of the downtown Seattle Crown Plaza’s large ballrooms. The hotel staff was busy catering and tending to the needs of the guests as the jubilant wedding party celebrated with laughter and good spirits.

Meanwhile, a whole different sort of excitement was taking place in a neighboring janitor’s closet where Ace had taken his latest prize.

The woman moaned, her legs spread and resting on the shelves holding various cleaning supplies. Ace, almost in boredom, thrust himself to completion inside her. Barely even a hint of sweat showed on him, he’d been so uninvolved with the woman. He gave the unnamed girl one last kiss before pulling out, tossing the condom, and gathering his pants.

Staggering a bit when he stepped from the closet, he stopped to get his bearings. His head was spinning from the amount of alcohol he’d consumed.

Stumbling around the corner from the hallway to the entrance of the adjacent ballroom, Ace entered the party with a crash and a calamity of broken dishes and spilled champagne. The music ground to a halt as the partygoers turned in his direction.

“Ace?” Nick was the first one to recognize the brother he hadn’t spoken to in seven years.

“What are you doing here?” Maverick asked as he came to stand beside Nick.

“I invited him,” Cooper said. “I didn’t think he’d show. I wish he wouldn’t have now,” he added, as the three looked at their brother still sprawled on the floor.

“Hey, the black sheep has returned home for the matrimonial bliss of his eldest brother. I thought that entitled me to some celebrating,” Ace said, not caring if his brothers were looking down on him—literally and figuratively. What was new?

“Maybe you shouldn’t have returned if you still haven’t grown up,” Nick coldly told him.

“Come on, help me up,” Ace said.

With a sigh Nick reached down, and then Ace didn’t look so drunk anymore. He planted a right hook against Nick’s jaw, sending Nick sprawling to the floor, knocked out.

“Ace!” Cooper shouted, outraged by the unwarranted hit.

Stepping forward, Cooper grabbed Ace by the collar of his shirt and threw him through the doors and out into the lobby.

“What the hell is going on? You disappear for years only to show up at my wedding—my freaking wedding, Ace,” Cooper thundered. “I invited you because I’ve missed you. But if you’re going to act like a fool then I can’t do this,” he finished.

“Sorry, bro. Just wanted to say congrats! Way to go on your sexy bride. Didn’t mean to knock out your butler, but come on, the guy’s a real bummer, man, a killjoy.” The room still spinning, Ace staggered and slurred, turning toward the hotel door to make an exit.

“Butler? That butler is your brother, Ace. You knocked out Nick, you idiot!”

“I don’t have any brothers. Piss off.” Ace walked out of the hotel and flipped Cooper the bird as he hailed a taxi.

“Let him go, brother. He’ll come around someday,” Maverick said, suddenly by Cooper’s side, his hand on his shoulder. “For now you have to forget about him. There’s still a party in there. Plus, if I were you, I might be a little concerned. Uncle Sherm has been dancing with Stormy for quite a while now.”

“What about Nick?”

“Nick’s fine. He’s sitting upright and eating solid food already,” Maverick said with a laugh. “All kidding aside, really, Nick’s fine, maybe a little embarrassed, but he’s fine.”

Reassuringly, Maverick put his arm around Cooper’s shoulder, ushering him back inside. He ached for his brother, but Ace would eventually come around. He had to—he was family.

EPILOGUE

Stormy rubbed her rounded belly as she attempted to plant some spring flowers. This was her favorite time of year, but the larger she got, the harder it was for her to garden. She was going to have to do something about that.

When she heard the back door open, she sat back and turned, smiling. Cooper was home early. But it wasn’t Cooper moving toward her, it was Uncle Sherman.

“Are you checking up on me again, Sherman?”

“Not at all,” he lied.

“It’s okay. I haven’t been alone for more than thirty minutes at a time since I hit my thirtieth week of pregnancy. Cooper has all these worries of me falling down or going into early labor. He’s cut back on so much time at work, pretty soon there’s going to be a hostile takeover,” she said.

“Okay, you might have busted me. And yes, Cooper has called nonstop this morning wondering if I’ve arrived yet, but I have missed you,” he said as he stopped next to her.

“It’s only been three days since I saw you last,” she told him.

“That’s three days too long,” he said with a laugh.

“Well, since you’re here, you can help me stand. It’s either that or I roll around like a baby seal until I find just the right position to push myself up.”

She was only partially kidding.

Sherman reached for both her hands and gave a tug, helping her to her feet.

“I don’t think there’s much more room in there for my great nephew,” he said as he gently patted her stomach.

“Yes, I’m hoping he decides to make an early arrival. I don’t think I can last another two weeks. I can barely walk,” she said as she slowly made her way to the house. “Let me get us both a drink and you can visit with me in the shade. The sun is warming up pretty dang quickly.” ER FORTY-FOUR

The wedding reception was well underway in one of the downtown Seattle Crown Plaza’s large ballrooms. The hotel staff was busy catering and tending to the needs of the guests as the jubilant wedding party celebrated with laughter and good spirits.

Meanwhile, a whole different sort of excitement was taking place in a neighboring janitor’s closet where Ace had taken his latest prize.

The woman moaned, her legs spread and resting on the shelves holding various cleaning supplies. Ace, almost in boredom, thrust himself to completion inside her. Barely even a hint of sweat showed on him, he’d been so uninvolved with the woman. He gave the unnamed girl one last kiss before pulling out, tossing the condom, and gathering his pants.

Staggering a bit when he stepped from the closet, he stopped to get his bearings. His head was spinning from the amount of alcohol he’d consumed.

Stumbling around the corner from the hallway to the entrance of the adjacent ballroom, Ace entered the party with a crash and a calamity of broken dishes and spilled champagne. The music ground to a halt as the partygoers turned in his direction.

“Ace?” Nick was the first one to recognize the brother he hadn’t spoken to in seven years.

“What are you doing here?” Maverick asked as he came to stand beside Nick.

“I invited him,” Cooper said. “I didn’t think he’d show. I wish he wouldn’t have now,” he added, as the three looked at their brother still sprawled on the floor.

“Hey, the black sheep has returned home for the matrimonial bliss of his eldest brother. I thought that entitled me to some celebrating,” Ace said, not caring if his brothers were looking down on him—literally and figuratively. What was new?

“Maybe you shouldn’t have returned if you still haven’t grown up,” Nick coldly told him.

“Come on, help me up,” Ace said.

With a sigh Nick reached down, and then Ace didn’t look so drunk anymore. He planted a right hook against Nick’s jaw, sending Nick sprawling to the floor, knocked out.

“Ace!” Cooper shouted, outraged by the unwarranted hit.

Stepping forward, Cooper grabbed Ace by the collar of his shirt and threw him through the doors and out into the lobby.

“What the hell is going on? You disappear for years only to show up at my wedding—my freaking wedding, Ace,” Cooper thundered. “I invited you because I’ve missed you. But if you’re going to act like a fool then I can’t do this,” he finished.

“Sorry, bro. Just wanted to say congrats! Way to go on your sexy bride. Didn’t mean to knock out your butler, but come on, the guy’s a real bummer, man, a killjoy.” The room still spinning, Ace staggered and slurred, turning toward the hotel door to make an exit.

“Butler? That butler is your brother, Ace. You knocked out Nick, you idiot!”

“I don’t have any brothers. Piss off.” Ace walked out of the hotel and flipped Cooper the bird as he hailed a taxi.

“Let him go, brother. He’ll come around someday,” Maverick said, suddenly by Cooper’s side, his hand on his shoulder. “For now you have to forget about him. There’s still a party in there. Plus, if I were you, I might be a little concerned. Uncle Sherm has been dancing with Stormy for quite a while now.”

“What about Nick?”

“Nick’s fine. He’s sitting upright and eating solid food already,” Maverick said with a laugh. “All kidding aside, really, Nick’s fine, maybe a little embarrassed, but he’s fine.”

Reassuringly, Maverick put his arm around Cooper’s shoulder, ushering him back inside. He ached for his brother, but Ace would eventually come around. He had to—he was family.

EPILOGUE

Stormy rubbed her rounded belly as she attempted to plant some spring flowers. This was her favorite time of year, but the larger she got, the harder it was for her to garden. She was going to have to do something about that.

When she heard the back door open, she sat back and turned, smiling. Cooper was home early. But it wasn’t Cooper moving toward her, it was Uncle Sherman.

“Are you checking up on me again, Sherman?”

“Not at all,” he lied.

“It’s okay. I haven’t been alone for more than thirty minutes at a time since I hit my thirtieth week of pregnancy. Cooper has all these worries of me falling down or going into early labor. He’s cut back on so much time at work, pretty soon there’s going to be a hostile takeover,” she said.

“Okay, you might have busted me. And yes, Cooper has called nonstop this morning wondering if I’ve arrived yet, but I have missed you,” he said as he stopped next to her.

“It’s only been three days since I saw you last,” she told him.

“That’s three days too long,” he said with a laugh.

“Well, since you’re here, you can help me stand. It’s either that or I roll around like a baby seal until I find just the right position to push myself up.”

She was only partially kidding.

Sherman reached for both her hands and gave a tug, helping her to her feet.

“I don’t think there’s much more room in there for my great nephew,” he said as he gently patted her stomach.

“Yes, I’m hoping he decides to make an early arrival. I don’t think I can last another two weeks. I can barely walk,” she said as she slowly made her way to the house. “Let me get us both a drink and you can visit with me in the shade. The sun is warming up pretty dang quickly.”