SWNOVELS The Billionaire’s Big Bold Wish: Chapter 3
‘I’m so mad at you right now,’ Milan says, scowling daggers at me from across the limo. She’s got her arms crossed over her chest, pouting. As if that will keep me from seeing what she tries so hard to hide.
I’m not crazy enough to tell her how adorable she looks, pretending she hates that I’m taking her home with me. I’m also not crazy enough to think she’ll admit that she has feelings for me. I’m a little surprised she actually confessed that she calls me daddy. Pushing her was probably wrong, but I needed to hear her say it as badly as she needed to say it.
I already know she’s going to make me fight like hell to claim her. And that’s all right. I’ll fight as long and hard as she needs me to fight. But when she’s done, she needs to know that she’ll be safe with me, that I see her for exactly who she is and that I love her exactly as she is. She needs to know that she can trust me with anything, that I’ll never betray her.
I tried to stay away. I tried to do the right thing and not saddle her to a motherfucker like me. Maybe if she hadn’t confirmed that she wants me to be her daddy, I could have found the strength to…. Okay, that’s not true. Even if she never uttered that word, I would have made her mine. The first time she looked at another man or smiled at one, I would have lost my goddamn mind and claimed her. It’s not right, but there is no going back for either of us now.
‘I’ll let you go home as soon as I find Ainsley,’ I murmur, though I think we both know I’m lying. She is going home. With me. Where she belongs. John Cooper’s house isn’t her home. It’s the place she stayed while waiting for me to get my head out of my ass and do what I should have done a year ago.
‘You’re not going to find her, Justice.’
I quirk a brow.
‘She left her cellphone and car behind so you couldn’t track her,’ Milan says. ‘She won’t use her credit cards or access her bank account. She doesn’t want you to be able to find her. This isn’t some little adventure to her. She plans to disappear.’
She’s not lying.
‘Son of a…’ I yank my phone out of my pocket, already dialing.
‘Sir?’ Travis says, answering immediately.
He’s in the SUV behind us with the rest of Ainsley’s security team. I haven’t fired them. Yet. It’s looking more likely by the minute though. The ruthless motherfucker inside wants to bury them in a deep hole in the middle of nowhere for losing Ainsley. I’m trying real damn hard not to be that man though. For Ainsley and for the infuriating little blonde currently glowering at me.
‘Have the police meet us at the house to file a missing person’s report,’ I growl. ‘And activate the GPS tracker on Milan’s car.’
Milan doesn’t even react to this bit of news. She knew? Somehow, I’m not surprised. Milan isn’t just beautiful. She’s smart as hell. She graduated at the top of her class, despite getting booted out of boarding school for fighting.
At first, I thought she did it to piss off her father. But as far as I can tell, she reserves that attitude for me. When her father actually bothers to come around to check on her, she’s…cordial with him. No attitude. None of that mouth. She treats him with polite distance, as if they’re two strangers inhabiting the same space for however long he manages to stay. It’s rarely more than a day or two.
‘I already tried that,’ Travis says. ‘It’s been turned off.’
‘It’s been turned off?’
Milan bats her lashes at me.
‘For how long?’
‘It last transmitted two days ago,’ Travis says.
‘Have the police meet me,’ I growl into the phone and then disconnect.
‘Oops. I guess I forgot to mention that I removed the GPS tracker you put on my car,’ Milan says. Her smile is so full of sugar it’s deadly.
I don’t know if I want to spank her, kiss her, or fuck her.
‘You knew.’
‘It wasn’t exactly a big conclusion to take a flying leap at,’ she says with a sniff. ‘You don’t let her go anywhere without being completely ridiculous.’
‘I didn’t put it on your car for her, Milan.’
‘She knew you were going to send her away,’ she says, ignoring me. Her chin comes up, her eyes narrowing on me. But not before I see the flash of genuine hurt in them. ‘She heard you talking on the phone to someone about it.’
‘So that’s what this is about?’ I shake my head, laughing in disbelief. ‘Fucking hell. I was sending her to college. Not to the wilds of Alaska.’
‘What school?’
‘Somewhere–’
‘Safe?’ she says, interrupting me before I can say it. ‘That’s what this is about, Justice. She’s nineteen years old, but you still run every facet of her life. You’re so damn afraid something will happen to her that you’ve completely missed the fact that it already has happened.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘You pulled her out of that closet just to put her in a box, and she’s been suffocating in it for years!’ Milan says, throwing her hands up in the air. ‘She’s been miserable for a long time, but she never said anything because she didn’t want to hurt your feelings. Have you never wondered why she goes nowhere? Has no friends other than me?’
‘She has friends.’
‘Name one.’
I try to think of one…and can’t. How did I never realize before that she doesn’t have friends? Hell. How did I miss that she was miserable for so long? Have I really been that blind?
‘I didn’t know,’ I mutter, raking a hand through my hair.
Milan doesn’t gloat. Her expression softens, something like sympathy floating through her eyes. ‘Everyone else was afraid to get close to her,’ she says.
Guilt claws through me. ‘Because of my reputation.’
‘Mostly because of the three men with guns who followed her every moment of the day,’ Milan says, though she isn’t judging me. She’s just stating the facts. ‘But yeah, I guess your reputation was part of it for some of them. You put a lot of people out of business over the years, including the parents of girls we went to school with. They froze her out because of it.’
‘I didn’t know,’ I mutter again. It’s not a defense.
‘She didn’t want you to know,’ Milan says with a shrug. ‘She loves you. She didn’t want to hurt your feelings or make you feel worse than you already did. Her entire life, you’ve seen her as the traumatized little girl you promised to protect. But that little girl grew up.’ Milan frowns. ‘You were just too busy to notice it.’
‘I noticed.’
‘Did you?’
I think we’re talking about more than just Ainsley here. We’re talking about her too.
‘You think I was too busy to notice you grew up, Milan?’
‘I didn’t say that.’ Her gaze slides away from me. She didn’t say it, but she can’t deny it either.
‘Good, because you’re wrong. I noticed.’
She snorts like she doesn’t believe me.
‘I’m not John Cooper, baby girl,’ I murmur, speaking quietly. ‘I noticed when you grew up. I’ve thought about nothing else for most of the last year. Every fucking time I was anywhere near you, I wanted to pull you into my arms and kiss you, pull you onto my lap and hold you.’
‘But you didn’t,’ she says, her voice so soft I barely hear it. ‘You ran.’
‘I knew what people would say if I claimed you,’ I say.
She flinches like I struck her. ‘I guess your reputation can handle being called a gangster, but a man in love is where you draw the line, right?’ she says. The sarcasm in her voice doesn’t hide the hurt. She turns her face away from me, staring out the window as trees pass in blurs.
Shit.
‘That’s not–’
‘You say you aren’t like my dad, but you’re two peas in a pod when it comes to me,’ she says, curling up in the seat across from me in a little ball. She looks so fucking small and sad. ‘Loving me is somehow wrong to both of you.’
‘Milan, baby…’
‘Go to hell, Justice.’
She shuts her eyes, shutting me out.
‘Loving you could never be wrong,’ I murmur anyway, refusing to let her think for a second longer that I’m ashamed of her or that I’m anything like her father. That’s not what I meant. I don’t care what people say about me. I never have and I never will. I care what they say about her though. A whole hell of a lot. ‘But you deserve better than me, Milan.’
‘Then I guess it’s a good thing I don’t want you, isn’t it?’ she mutters, rolling over to face away from me.
Even though we both know she’s lying, her words sting. And it’s entirely my fault. I’m the one who let her think I didn’t care. Why should she believe me now when I’ve spent the last year trying to avoid being in the same room with her? I thought I was saving her from me. I thought I was doing the right thing with Ainsley too.
I was wrong on both counts. I hurt them both. Badly, by the sounds of it. I should have claimed Milan the minute she turned eighteen and damn the consequences. She needed me to fight for her. Ainsley needed me to let her live her life. Instead, I fucked up with both of them.
Is it too late to fix it?
No. Hell no. I refuse to believe it is. Somehow, I’m going to fix it. I have to fix it.
I already lost my brother. I’ll be damned if I lose Milan and my niece too.
‘You’re telling me there is no forty-eight-hour waiting period in one breath, and then telling me there’s nothing you can do in the next,’ I growl at Detective Lucas Strand, glaring at him from across my desk. He’s young, but to his credit, he doesn’t flinch.
He didn’t react when Travis brought him in either. Most people are easy to read. They get close and I can tell they’ve heard the whispers and rumors or have some sort of opinion about who I am. Strand reminds me of Jax Archer, a new business acquaintance…one of a handful of men I actually like. Jax is ex-Navy. A SEAL.
Strand has that same glint in his eyes. It’s a hardness I recognize because I see it every time I look in the mirror. He’s seen things others haven’t. He’s done things that stuck with him. If that didn’t make me certain he’s former military, his crewcut hair and broad shoulders, not to mention the way he carries himself, is a dead giveaway.
‘I’m not saying that,’ he says, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. ‘I’m saying she’s nineteen years old and, by all accounts, left of her own volition. In most cases like this, they calm down and come running back in a day or two.’
‘This isn’t most cases,’ I snap at him, trying hard not to lose my patience. ‘Ainsley isn’t a teenager having a temper tantrum.’ She’s never had a tantrum a day in her life. If Milan thinks she plans to disappear, it’s because she plans to disappear.
‘I’m not saying she is,’ Strand says. ‘But she’s not in distress and doesn’t have any mental issues. I’ll absolutely write up the report now and get her entered into the system in case anyone comes across her. But we can’t force her to return home if that’s not what she wants to do. She’s legally an adult.’
I glare at him, no more pleased the second time around than I was the first time he said the same bullshit. He’s a police officer, a detective. His job is to protect and serve. He’s doing a piss poor job of both right now, quite frankly. And I can’t even be mad at him because it’s not his fault the law is what it is.
‘If anyone comes across her, they’ll check her welfare, make sure she’s doing okay. They’ll try to convince her to come home,’ he says. ‘But unless she’s a danger to herself or others, we can’t force her to go anywhere against her will.’
‘Fine,’ I growl, rubbing my temples like that’ll ease the pounding headache taking up residence behind my right eye. ‘Do the report.’
Travis shifts positions, which seems to remind Strand he’s here. Strand glances over his shoulder at Travis. If he has questions about his presence, he doesn’t ask them. He calls for his dispatch on the radio and requests a report number before jotting it down on a card and handing it over to me.
‘Do you need to file a theft report for the vehicle?’ he asks.
‘No.’ I pause. ‘Would a report need to be filed in order to initiate a GPS trace through the onboard navigation system?’
‘In most instances, yes.’
I had a feeling he was going to say that. Which means tracking her through Milan’s car is out of the question since Milan removed the tracker I put on her car. Hell will freeze over before she willingly files a report. Especially since she’s not currently speaking to me. As soon as we got home, she bolted out of the limo like a rabbit. I’m guessing she’s hiding out in the guest suite she uses when she stays here. Or else she’s up there, tying the sheets together to use as a rope. Either way spells bad news for me.
She won’t come out willingly, and I want her in my bed where she belongs. Both because it’s where she belongs and because I know she’ll take off as soon as the coast is clear if she isn’t where I can keep an eye on her.
‘If you haven’t heard from your niece in a day or two, we can send her info to the media, ask them to put it out,’ Detective Strand says. ‘It may help us track her down.’
For the first time since he arrived, I hesitate. One of the reasons I’ve always guarded Ainsley so carefully is because she’s a target. Julian and Marissa left her everything. I’ve added to it over the years, meaning she’s worth millions. I’m not sure she knows just how big her trust fund is—she’s never asked about it. But anyone who figures out she’s my niece would know enough to know she’s worth a hell of a lot.
She worked with me for a few days a year ago when my secretary quit but she knows nothing about my business dealings. As Milan reminded me though, I’ve made a hell of a lot of enemies over the years. Most aren’t stupid enough to test me by going after my niece, but I didn’t get this far in life being careless. There’s always someone out there willing to cross that line and hope the deck falls in their favor.
‘I’ll let you know,’ I mutter to Strand, not ready to commit to telling the entire world Ainsley’s missing just yet. I need to do some digging first, grease the right palms. Hopefully by the time anyone knows she’s gone, she’ll be back where she belongs. If not, I need to move carefully before telling the entire world. I will absolutely destroy Cheyenne brick by brick if anything happens to her.
‘My number is on the card alongside your report number,’ Strand says. ‘If anything comes up or you have any questions, feel free to give me a call.’
‘Thanks,’ I mutter and then jerk my head in a nod, silently telling Travis to show him out.
Travis steps forward from the shadows.
‘Good luck, Mr. Foster,’ Strand says and then heads out with Travis tailing him.
I’m not particularly worried about Strand trying to pull any bullshit while he’s here, but I don’t want him wandering around by himself either. I buried my crimes long ago. Better men than he have tried to shake them loose and failed. But better safe than sorry. The last thing I need is some eager cop trying to plant a bug or poke through my shit. Or God forbid, coming across Milan and finding out she’s not here of her own free will. She’s mad enough right now for me to worry she really would tell him that.
Once Strand and Travis are out of sight, I slide his card inside my desk drawer and then lock it. I have a pile of shit waiting for my attention, but Ainsley and Milan are my priority right now. Until both situations are resolved, everything else will have to wait.
I send a quick text to my assistant, letting her know not to expect me for the next week or so. Tessa has only been with me for a little over a year, but I trust her to keep everything running smoothly. She knows her shit, and I pay her enough to ensure her loyalty.
She texts back almost immediately to let me know everything will be fine.
I slip my phone into my pocket and take a deep breath before going in search of my girl.
It doesn’t take me long to find her. To my surprise, she isn’t locked up in the guest room, trying to avoid me. She’s in the kitchen, cooking. An Ivan Neville song plays from her phone. She sings as she pours noodles into a pot of boiling water, swaying her hips.
I lean against the doorjamb, watching her as something soft shoots through me. Warmth. Affection. Love. I’m not sure exactly which it is. All I know is that she fits here exactly as if she belongs. I just have to find a way to convince her to see it too.
‘I see you staring at my ass,’ she says without even turning around.
‘Can you blame me? It’s a great ass,’ I murmur, moving toward her.
She tenses as I slide an arm around her waist.
‘We have a cook.’
‘I gave Nema the night off,’ she says. ‘Her grandbaby is sick.’
I love that she’s ordering my staff around like it’s her right. As far as I’m concerned, it is her right. This is her home as much as it’s mine. At least, it will be soon enough.
‘Can we declare a truce?’ I murmur against her ear before pressing my lips against her temple. ‘At least for tonight?’
‘I didn’t realize we were at war,’ she mutters.
‘No?’
‘Will you let me go home if I agree?’
I smile at her persistence and nuzzle my face into her neck. She smells so damn good. ‘When are you going to figure out that you’re already home? This is where you belong.’
The spoon clangs against the side of the pot.
‘Don’t,’ she says, her breath trembling.
‘Don’t what?’ I nip her ear and then nuzzle her neck again.
‘Don’t say things you don’t mean.’
‘I meant exactly what I said.’
‘Justice.’
‘Milan.’
‘You drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?’ she mutters. She relaxes in my arms though, letting me cuddle her. And God, I never knew cuddling someone could be such a turn on. But having her in my arms, being able to touch her…there’s not a single thing about either that I don’t love.
‘Seems only fair since you’ve been driving me crazy since I met you, princess. I’ve known for the last year that you were mine. Had I known I was hurting you, I would have done something about it long ago,’ I murmur, needing her to hear it even if she doesn’t believe it.
‘Justice,’ she whispers again.
‘No, Milan,’ I growl when she tries to pull away. ‘You need to hear this. I’m not ashamed of you. I accepted a long time ago that you were the one for me. I stayed away for your sake. You’re so goddamn beautiful. You’re young and intelligent and passionate. I’ve done a lot of shit I can’t take back. I thought you deserved better. I still think you deserve better.’
‘It’s my choice to make, not yours.’
‘I know.’
‘I’m still mad at you.’
‘I know.’ I smile, placing another kiss on the side of her neck. ‘And I’ll let you be mad at me, but I won’t let you think I’m ashamed of you.’
‘Are you…’ She hesitates.
‘Am I what?’
‘Are you ashamed of…’
‘Of you calling me daddy?’ I finish when she trails off again, practically squirming where she stands. She’s so damn feisty. Sometimes, I forget that she’s pure innocence too.
‘Yes,’ she whispers.
‘No. Maybe I should be ashamed of the shit I want to do to you. If I were a better man, maybe I would be,’ I admit, reaching around her to stir the noodles before they stick to the pot. ‘But I’m not. And I don’t want you feeling that way either. It’s our little secret, baby girl. No one has to know the filthy things you let daddy do to you behind closed doors.’
‘Justice,’ she whimpers.
‘I can’t wait to hear you call me your daddy again, Milan. I’m going to work like a fucking dog to earn it,’ I growl, pressing up against her so she feels for herself how badly I want it. My erection digs into her lower back, making her whimper. ‘When you trust me enough to call me your daddy again, I’ll give us both what we need.’
‘W-what do we need?’ she asks.
I bury my face in her throat and groan loudly, my dick throbbing at her question. She’s so innocent, so sweet. No, I’m not ashamed of the things I want to do to her. I’ve already accepted that I’m going straight to hell for them. But I’m not there yet. In fact, I’ve never been further from hell than I am at this exact moment. ‘To fuck, Milan,’ I growl against her skin. ‘Daddy needs to fill that little cunt with his seed.’
‘Justice,’ she moans, her entire body trembling against mine.
Knowing she’s turned on, that she’s hurting for me…. It takes everything I have to place a kiss to her throat and then move away from her. But until she trusts me, until she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s mine, I won’t make love to her. I need her to know she can trust me to always put her and her wellbeing first.
She cries out, damn near breaking my resolve and my heart, when I back away. Her wide eyes meet mine over her shoulder, her cheeks flushed, her expression dazed. She’s the prettiest little angel I’ve ever set eyes on. And I already know, once she realizes how much power she has over me…she’s going to bring me to my fucking knees.
I can’t wait.