Her Broken Hero Billionaire
Stephanie Fowers
Contents
HER BROKEN HERO BILLIONAIRE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
About the Author
Also by Stephanie Fowers
HER BROKEN HERO BILLIONAIRE
If she wasn’t on the run, she’d leave...
But she’s stuck with him like Persephone with Hades.
Welcome to Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove. Off the grid, exclusive and remote, it’s the best place for a man to lick his wounds and heal.
Jett Eastwood’s climbing accident changes the course of his life forever.
Hannah Noah must escape an abusive ex who will do anything to get her back, even frame her for murder.
When she finds refuge with the brooding Jett, she promises to train his broken body so he can climb again. But can he return the favor and heal her broken heart?
Chapter One
“Jett, as pretty as you are … you’re nothing to the view. Move to the side. Your big shoulders are getting in the way of everything.”
Grumbling under his breath, Jett Eastwood ignored his friend as Harry scrambled free from the rocks and followed him up the steep ascent, gathering the protective gear as he went up the mountain and clipped them to his harness.
The cold granite was a familiar friend against Jett’s fingers as he searched for his next handhold on the East Buttress in Yosemite. Loose chalk dusted his skin and spread across the gray rock. He’d outfitted his other hand in a type of half glove—his own invention—named a Spiider Sleeve that ran the length of his arm and buckled behind his bare back for extra support.
Jett’s new top-of-the-line climbing gear was made up of a special fiber engineered to imitate the hairs of a spider—a blend of physics and biology that worked similarly to microscopic suction cups and hooks that shared his weight evenly, reacting to each subtle movement in his hands to catch and release.
His invention easily held the weight of his body, which was in no way insubstantial. Jett was part Hawaiian, Scottish, Cherokee, Viking … basically any bloodline that would make him a hulking warrior in another century. He was 6’4” and bulked with muscle, and yet the Spiider Sleeve secured him to the wall like he weighed less than a feather; it was faster and more efficient than any protective gear out there. Jett was about to change the climbing world as they knew it.
Of course, I’ve got to figure out how to use it first.
He’d taken the Spiider Sleeve on its maiden voyage that morning and so far, he’d cut his time going up the East Buttress by half. At this rate, they’d beat the speed record from 1991—well, if the ants weren’t so relentless. Stinging welts rippled over the exposed flesh of his chest, and he grimaced, brushing off what felt like an army from his shoulder. “More ants!” Jett called down to Harry.
“They’re trying to slow you down!” his friend shouted up at him. He was struggling to keep up. Jett had offered him a Spiider Sleeve, but the man preferred to let Jett take care of the technical stuff. “The mountain’s stopping you from cheating!”
Jett shook his head. “Birds tell the airplanes they’re cheaters too … and I’m gonna give nature something to really complain about. Someday I’ll invent us wings, Harry. You can’t tell me that it wouldn’t be nice to enjoy a real bird’s-eye view for once.”
Harry laughed. “What do you call this?” The pines rose up like pinpricks more than 14,000 feet below them in a lush forest of green. His friend’s blond hair was a mess around his face. His lanky body strained on his hold, every muscle standing out. “I’d rather push my body’s limits to see what I can do!”
Jett pressed his palm encased in the Spiider Sleeve against the hard granite wall to wait for his friend. “And technology’s going to give us new horizons to conquer.” They were definitely doing all the work to get up this mountain; the Spiider Sleeve only expedited the process of laying down protective gear.
As soon as Harry caught up, Jett climbed the broken face of the wall, jamming his fingers into the crevices. His free arm had a tattoo of shark teeth wrapped around his forearm. The ink design was a nod to his Hawaiian heritage. Growing up on the islands and exploring the white crags and sands had been the ideal childhood that drove his passion for adventure.
Oxygen filled his lungs and pumped energy through every muscle as he struggled past the sandy ledge. Jett lived for breaking the rules—of society, physiology, and biology. He never told himself “no,” which made him feel superhuman in times like these. He cleared the top of the sheer cliff, his body shaking from the scramble as he stared below him at the majestic view. The air felt clearer up here, the colors brighter.
His friend burst over the ledge after him and made a full turn to take in their rocky granite world. Harry’s hands fell to his sides at the breathtaking wonder. They’d beaten this mountain again … with a twist. “What’s our time?” Harry asked.
As much as Jett told himself it wasn’t about winning, he knew what it took to bring attention to his multibillion-dollar business, JettCorp. He led the engineering industry with the latest in technology, most of it used for the military. That was also something he was changing today. He checked his watch. One hour, fifteen minutes. His already racing heart soared. He swung around to Harry. “We broke the record.”
Harry let out a holler. His voice echoed through the valleys of rocks and cliffs below them. “Ye—aaah!”
A slow grin tickled Jett’s lips. Let the “professionals” accuse them of cheating for having better equipment; those guys would be first in line to invest in JettCorp stock.
Jett reached behind him and pulled his dark hair back. It was so long he could tie it back, which meant he should’ve cut it by now, except his personal assistant threatened to quit on the spot if he touched it. The tough-as-nails Veronica claimed his bad-boy image was what sold his products, though Jett doubted any of his adoring female fans would truly mourn his hair if he cut it.
He held up his satellite phone to his face and put it on a live feed from Instagram, watching the views tick up on the side in the tens of thousands. Today’s climb had been highly anticipated.
“Hey, guys,” he greeted their growing viewers. “We put our GPS trackers on, and you can check out our climb and times on our website. We climbed the East Buttress in one hour and fifteen minutes and … thirty-two seconds. And we did it with the Spiider Sleeve.” He stepped back to get a full shot of the invention, moving his fingers and making a fist. “It’s JettCorp’s new prototype that will revolutionize climbing as we know it. No more time wasted on setting protective gear. This is your protection. Your times will more closely line up with those doing free solo—without the unnecessary risk.”
Shameless promotion was the dirty side of business, but it was necessary. Everyone would be clamoring for a Spiider Sleeve if they wanted speed and safety. Jett could get out of municipal sales and into the public sector in a week. “We set a new reco
rd today,” he said. “And you’ll see more of those coming from us … soon.”
He clicked off his phone and turned to Harry, who was grappling for his phone. “I’m calling Ellie,” Harry said.
Ah yes, Harry’s wife would want to know he was alive. Back in college, Ellie had befriended Jett in a biology class he felt lost in, and she’d somehow slogged through the insecurities of his childhood to encourage him to follow his dreams. He’d been crazy about her before he’d introduced her to his best friend, Harry. Jett always assumed Ellie felt the same way for him until she’d chosen the better man.
Time had healed all his wounded pride, and now Jett was nothing but happy for his friend. He slapped Harry on the back just as his call got through to his wife.
“Hey, Ellie!” Harry was all smiles. “We’ve reached the summit. Yeah, yeah, it’s beautiful.”
Harry quickly switched the call to his camera phone and showed Ellie the sight for herself. She oohed and ah-ed, though she couldn’t hide her tense voice. “I’m glad you’re safe, Harry.”
This was the usual tradition, and Harry laughed through it all and assured her that everything was fine. After all, he understood that Ellie adored him enough to actually care what happened to him.
She abruptly changed the subject when her three-year-old wandered into the room. “There you are, Lacy. Say ‘hi’ to Daddy. He’s on the phone.”
“Daddy?” Jett listened to Lacy’s high-pitched voice take over the microphone, then saw her soft face take over the screen next as she took the phone in her tiny grip. “Hi! Hi! Hi!”
“Hi, princess!” Harry said. “Daddy climbed a mountain today.”
Lacy didn’t seem too impressed.
Harry tilted the phone. “Jett’s here too.”
The three-year-old turned shy and hugged her mother’s leg so that all Jett saw of her was her pink Sophia the First pajamas before she peered out again with big doe eyes. Jett made a face at her that made her giggle, which was quickly smothered when she pushed her face into Ellie’s round stomach. Ellie’s and Harry’s baby was due in a month.
Ellie took over the phone. The sun caught the blond highlights of her hair as it settled softly around her shoulders. Motherhood had given her a sweet glow. “Lacy’s sweeping the kitchen with her doll broom and singing about being Cinderella.”
Harry’s brow lifted and he chuckled before his five-year-old son stole the phone from his mom. “Hey, Dad! Bring me back something!” Charlie pointed a stubby finger into nowhere. “That rock! Behind you!”
It was almost impossible to find what rock he was pointing to—everything was gray and granite—but Harry made an attempt to identify it with a chorus of “nos” coming from the children, before he finally gave up and nodded. “How about I bring you a surprise rock?”
Ellie nodded, looking eager to stop the shouting. “That sounds like a fantastic idea!”
Man, these kids made Jett hungry for a family. Hanging out with Harry’s little family always made Jett wonder if he’d taken the wrong route in life—like he’d pushed everything normal away because he’d had too much success. It felt impossible to get close to any woman without wondering if she liked him for his money. All he had now were a few angry ex-girlfriends … and Veronica. Though chillingly efficient, his personal assistant wasn’t exactly the kind of cheery company he wanted.
Ellie was the opposite, loving and soft, though she clearly worried for her husband. Her tender gaze lifted to include Jett. “You think you can get my husband home by supper?”
Jett nodded with a laugh as Harry wrapped up his call and settled down onto a flat rock to eat his lunch. Jett peeled open his pack to take out an energy bar—one he’d designed himself. He took a hungry bite, talking around his food. “Don’t forget to bring home a rock for Charlie.”
Rolling his eyes with good humor, Harry scooped up a smooth pebble from the ground and handed it to Jett. It was twin to every other rock on this mountain, except for the veins that ran down its face. “How’s this?” Harry asked. “We’ll tell Charlie we stole the mountain’s heart when it wasn’t paying attention. Why don’t you do the honor and carry it?”
Jett snorted. “You’ll have my bag weighed down with rocks by the time we get off this place.” Despite his complaints, Jett tucked the pebble inside his pack, chuckling. He’d do anything to make that little boy’s eyes light up. “Man, you’ve got a great family. I’d do anything to go home to one like yours at the end of the day.”
Harry turned thoughtful. “You’ll find the right woman—”
Jett allowed another laugh to rumble through his throat. “Not if Veronica has her way.” She was good at her job—too good. Veronica protected Jett’s interests like a lioness and outed any gold digger who looked his way. The problem was that she managed to find dirt on every woman he met.
“What about Veronica?” Harry asked.
“What about h—?” Jett groaned. “Oh no, no, not Veronica.” That redhead wasn’t shy with her flashing eyes and lingering touches. If Jett gave her an “in,” she’d take it. That wasn’t happening. Not that she wasn’t gorgeous and clever, but … “She’s a little intense.” At Harry’s curious look, Jett tried to explain. “Let’s just say that Ellie would never be friends with her.”
The confusion immediately cleared from Harry’s face. “Then she’s definitely not right for you. Well, maybe that’s the answer. Ellie could have a friend she can set you up with.”
Jett was sorry he’d brought any of this up. The last thing he wanted was to see Ellie’s eyes water with concern if she suspected that Jett wasn’t completely happy with the way his life was turning out—he’d spent too long convincing everyone otherwise to go back now. Jett stood, brushing crumbs from his hiking pants. “Do me a favor and don’t give Ellie any excuses to be a matchmaker. She’ll throw her whole book club at me.”
“I’m not letting this go, Jett.”
That was what he was afraid of. Jett hurried away, following the cairns to the East Ledges descent trail, where he pulled out his rappelling rope. The sun bore down on his reddened shoulders as he fixed the rope onto the anchor.
“You ever gonna wear a shirt, man?” Harry slapped Jett’s back ruthlessly.
He winced. “Yeah, as soon as they invent one that’s comfortable.”
“Then get on it.”
The two laughed and joked as they simul-rappelled their way down the mountain, descending swiftly on either side of their rope until they reached the eighth pitch in about ten minutes. A waterfall spat from the side, making the wall damp. The rocks were crumbly, and Jett stepped carefully.
“I hope you’re coming for dinner tonight,” Harry said.
“Depends on what you’re making.”
“Barbecue.”
The conversation seemed so normal before the boulder fell. It cut Harry’s line. Like slow motion, his friend’s blue eyes veered to meet Jett’s before he fell away with a scream. Jett’s rope went slack with the loss of Harry’s weight, and he fell next. Shock filled him. Everything felt like it was happening to someone else.
His Spiider Sleeve was still on. Jett had no way of knowing if it would catch him mid-fall, but he had to try. He slapped his palm into the wall. His whole body jerked as his weight struggled against the mechanics of the Spiider Sleeve and then held. Jett strangled over his heavy breath, moments before he felt a jolt at the harness at his waist. Harry was on the other end of the connecting rope that tied them together. His friend swung below him, his eyes closed, before he blinked up at Jett. A gasp left Jett’s throat that echoed over the rocks. Thank you, God, we’re alive!
Harry gaped up at the Spiider Sleeve. “Is that the only thing holding us up here?”
Jett couldn’t answer. His eyes were on the Spiider Sleeve. He saw the problem before it started. The mist from the waterfall had made the surface too slick—the webbing of the fabric was dislodging. If Jett tried to adjust his hold, they’d plummet to their deaths. The ledge was at least 100
feet below them. Why hadn’t Jett brought two prototypes, instead of the one?
Sweat broke out over his forehead while he tried to find another way out, praying profusely for help. “Harry.” He kept his voice even. “See if you can find a hold in the flakes, anything to secure …”
The Spiider Sleeve slipped.
Harry screamed below him as they dropped. The world blurred. The rock wall knocked against Jett over and over as he rushed through the air. Jett heard the tree crash into him before he felt the sharp branches slice through his back and leg.
Everything went black.
Chapter Two
Hannah had finally stopped turning every three seconds to see if anyone was behind her. The bruises had faded—they’d been under her clothing where no one could see them. The lengths she’d gone to hide what Ryan Sykes had done chilled her, but she’d gotten away. That was all that mattered.
She tied up her long brown hair into a floppy bun and pushed open the doors to Eureka Springs Healthcare, where she worked as a physical therapist. She’d moved to this small town to escape Ryan. It had been six months of total freedom with no fear … until last week’s brief encounter with someone from home. It had been a fluke. Still, it was nothing to worry about. Word wouldn’t reach Ryan where she was. Right?
Gulping, she walked into the waiting room, her scrubs catching at her heels. Every last inch of wall was decorated with art from the Ozark Family Festival. Her aunt, Lily Dahling, sat at the front desk, taking a call. She waved to Hannah, talking around the phone against her ear. Aunt Lily was thrilled that she’d finally convinced Hannah to take a position at her beloved workplace. Before that, Hannah had been more than happy with her fulfilling career at the award-winning Montpelier Rehab Institute … and with a certain coworker. Hannah hadn’t told her aunt how bad things had gotten. She’d just shown up on her doorstep with her bags.
Her Broken Hero Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 8) Page 1