A Billion to One (Power Surge: The Billionaire Club 2)

“I know. Me, too.”

Heather walked in along with two men, and one of them Zane recognized immediately. Chiara’s best friend, and first lover. Fuck.

Zane looked at Cash and Cash accepted Heather’s hug and questions with concern over Chiara.

“She’s in with the doctors now. They’re doing some X-rays and checking to make sure there aren’t any broken ribs,” Zane informed her. She was Chiara’s best female friend. Zane wished she had more of them rather than the other two guys.

“We came as soon as we found out. Can we see her yet?” Emanuel asked. The man next to him looked almost exactly like Emanuel but he had dark brown hair and green eyes. They stood out like his brother’s blue ones did.

“We haven’t even seen her yet,” Cash snapped at Emanuel.

Emanuel licked his bottom lip and took a deep breath then exhaled. “Listen, we know that she is your woman, your girlfriend now, but she’s my best friend. I care about Chiara, and love her. This is my brother Keith. He cares for her, too.” Emanuel introduced the brother and all Zane could think about was whether Chiara had slept with him, too, in some lame contractual agreement to make sure that losing her virginity was successful and satisfying.

Cash reached his hand out first to shake Keith’s. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you and see Emanuel here, but considering the details of your relationship, I’d be lying.”

“Understood. Did the doctors give you any indication of her injuries besides possible bruised ribs?” Keith asked.

“They think she may have a concussion and some cuts and scrapes along her arms and shoulder. She slammed into that cement column hard, never mind how she jumped from the car and hit the hard surface. She could be in worse shape,” Cash told them. Emanuel ran his fingers through his hair and seriously looked upset and angry. Zane hated to admit it, but the guy was likable and he cared about Chiara.

“Who was this fucking guy? The cops don’t have anything yet and won’t tell us a thing,” Emanuel stated.

“We have our security team working on it. All we know is that Chiara asked us to come meet her. She mentioned something about her father ordering her to stop seeing us,” Zane stated, and Heather gasped, as Emanuel and Keith looked ready to murder Chiara’s dad.

“Why would he say that?” Keith asked.

“I don’t know. Chiara didn’t get to explain. But she left a message with our secretary about handling Marvin McShay.”

“Oh no, Zane. I walked in afterward. She told me about these files. Her father said she was to break things off with you two, that he was going to sell the company to Marvin, and that she was to marry Marvin,” Heather told them.

A series of “whats” went through the room. She swallowed hard.

“Heather, explain what you saw and what Chiara told you,” Emanuel told Heather as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I walked in, and she was all enthusiastic and pumped because Marvin tried something, and made his demands then touched her, so she hit him. It was a clean, hard smack across his face. Her handprint is still there on his cheek.”

“That motherfucking weasel is dead,” Zane said.

“I hate that fucking guy. He’s been trying to land Chiara for two years. I should have knocked his lights out after the Christmas party when he—”

“When he what, Emanuel?” Zane asked, as Emanuel decided it was better not to finish telling the story.

“When he pulled her into the coat closet and tried to molest her.” Keith finished the story.

“He’s dead. I swear I’ll wring his neck,” Cash said.

“Wait, Chiara handled that, too. She has stuff on him,” Heather stated then looked around her. Zane and the others moved closer.

“What are you talking about?” Cash asked.

Zane was in shock as Heather explained about how Chiara was monitoring the money and methods in which Marvin was stealing from her father’s company. She also had files and photos of him having sex with different employees he then had fired. She had so much stuff and it was all on files in her safe at work, plus in an e-mail ready to go out to the board and employees.”

“God, our woman is fucking incredible,” Zane said, feeling proud.

“We want to help. Tell us what you need so we can help Chiara be safe,” Emanuel said to him and Cash. Cash looked at Zane and Zane smiled.

“It looks like we’re her only family and friends right now she can trust. First thing we need to do is find out why Robert wants to sell to Marvin, and not to us. Heather, you said that Chiara believes her father was threatened by Marvin and maybe even others. Do you know what Marvin was holding over Robert’s head?” Cash asked.

“I don’t have a clue. We didn’t get that far, and to be honest, I’m not certain that Chiara even knew.”