Defying the Billionaire's Command

Her parents would rather cut off an arm than be estranged from her and they still hadn’t recovered from her sister’s death.

Carly being away this past year was the longest she had ever gone without seeing them and she missed them as much as they missed her. She couldn’t imagine not ever seeing them again.

A lump formed in her throat at the thought that none of them would ever see her sister again. It wasn’t her fault and yet...

Don’t go there, she advised herself. Focus on your patient.

‘You know, Dare probably would have thought it even if he knew you were a doctor,’ Benson said. ‘Beckett thought it as well at first.’

Men, Carly thought. Perhaps she’d give up on them altogether! She didn’t know which grandson she disliked more. Dare, probably.

‘Perhaps you should just tell them both of your condition,’ she suggested. ‘Then they’ll know why I’m really here.’

‘I told Beckett tonight,’ he said, moving to the bed. ‘But I want to at least spend the weekend with Rachel and Dare before they find out how serious my situation is.’

Carly pulled the covers up over his legs and smoothed them out. ‘I don’t think Dare will care,’ she said cautiously.

‘The boy had it hard growing up. I’m only just realising how hard.’

Carly kept quiet. She didn’t know the Baron well enough to be in the inner circle of his confidences but she could see that he needed to talk. She handed him his pre-op meds and a glass of water. He swallowed them in one and sighed. ‘I really don’t blame Dare for hating me.’

‘But you’d rather he didn’t.’

He smiled up at her. ‘No, I’d rather he didn’t.’

Carly returned his smile. She was a doctor. Doctors were trained to have good listening ears, although her mother had once claimed that she had always been a good listener as long as her temper wasn’t piqued.

She put her stethoscope and sphygmomanometer back in her workbag, snapping the latch closed. ‘Just so you know,’ she said lightly, ‘I’m not playing up to Dare’s suspicions about me. I won’t be a pawn in this power struggle between you.’

Benson had the grace to look sheepish. ‘I know, my dear, and I’m sorry to have put you in such a position tonight. He’s angry with me and you got caught in his crosshairs. Both my grandsons could use a good talking-to. Would you mind passing me my phone on your way...?’ He touched his forehead and Carly saw a flash of pain cross his weathered features.

‘Benson?’ She went to him, bending down to see if his pupils were dilated. ‘Do you have a headache?’

‘No, no... I just have a little business issue to sort out.’

Carly glowered at him. ‘You’re supposed to be resting.’

‘I can rest when I’m dead,’ he retorted. ‘Especially when someone is meddling with the company my father created.’

‘Meddling?’ Carly frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’ve lost three pieces of key business lately because there are whispers in the market that someone is going to make a bid for my company.’

Carly frowned. ‘Are the two issues linked?’

‘I believe so, yes.’

‘That sounds a bit underhanded,’ she said, ‘and not something you should be concerning yourself with right now.’

‘I have to if I want BG to survive.’

‘Who do you think is responsible?’

‘I have my suspicions, but I’m hamstrung in finding out.’

‘Dare,’ Carly murmured half to herself. ‘You think it’s him?’

‘I was hoping not but after tonight...’ He stared past her and Carly felt a well of anger rise up at Dare James all over again.

‘But I doubt it’s him,’ Benson continued. ‘Not that I’ll rule out the possibility until I’ve spoken with him in private. Who knows? Maybe he wants to buy BG and sell it off piece by piece. I can’t half blame him if he does.’

‘Can he afford to do that?’ As far as Carly knew BG Textiles was one of the oldest and most successful companies in England.

‘He can afford it ten times over.’ Benson made a noise in his throat. ‘He’s more successful than I ever was.’