His Beautiful Revenge: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance

by Michelle Love

  “I’m an ass,” I admit.

  “You are not. Don’t think like that.” Eden strokes my hair.

  “I want to have my cake and eat it too. I’m an awful person. I have you, and you are beyond wonderful, yet I want him too,” I say, then turn my head away from him. “Dealing with the knowledge that I can’t have you both, I was content with breaking away from him. Then he goes, finds another, and gives himself to her, and something in me breaks. You deserve better than me, Eden.”

  He kneels in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Look at me, princess.”

  I do as he asks, but see no use in it. I’m not over Kyle and I cannot marry him until I am, if that ever happens.

  “Eden, we have to postpone the wedding until I deal with this.”

  “Alyssa, this is all my fault. I’ve kept you in the dark for too long. I can’t cause you any more pain by not telling you the truth about yourself,” he pauses and searches my eyes. “You and he were never meant to be. You and I were born to be together. I allowed you to live the first part of your life as a normal girl, but you are no ordinary girl.”

  Did he just say he allowed me to live normally? What in the hell?

  “Please explain, Eden. Are you talking metaphorically? Like, we were made for each other, that kind of thing?”

  He shakes his head, leaving me very confused. “We are not what we seem to be, and in a matter of days, we will be more. You and I were chosen before birth to become something bigger and better than mere mortals, Alyssa.”

  “Eden, you’re scaring me. Talk of mortals and such is kind of serial killer talk. Please tell me I’m not in love with a crazy killer,” I say, then laugh nervously.

  “Have you ever heard the legends of the thunderbirds?”

  “The American Indian stories about large birds they’d see before storms?” I ask.

  “Yes, those birds. Only the truth is a bit more complicated than their stories,” Eden says. “You see, the Phoenixes are a couple who shape shift into the giant birds to help save people who get into situations which could cost them their lives. But it isn’t their time to go yet, so The Creator sends the Phoenixes in to intervene. We’ll be giving them the chance to survive if they follow us or we’re able to get them to safety. There are a number of ways we help.”

  “Did you say, ‘we,’ because I can’t shape shift into anything. You may have the wrong girl, Eden. I’m ordinary to the core. Never have shape shifted and it’s pretty doubtful I ever will. Best turn the jet around and take me right back to Cloudcroft,” I say as I pull my hands from his, because as beautiful as he is, he’s certifiable.

  CHAPTER 26

  EDEN

  Alyssa has locked herself in the lavatory. She thinks I’m insane. Now I have the great task of making her believe me.

  I knock yet again on the door. “Alyssa, please, precious, come out.”

  “Leave me alone. I want to go home. Tell Jeffery to turn the jet around. I’m sorry you’re unstable, but I can’t be involved with you any longer.”

  I guess I have to go get her mother. I feel awful for waking Toni up, but someone has to get Alyssa out of there. I pat Toni’s shoulder. Her eyes open.

  “Toni, I’ve told Alyssa the news and she’s not taking it well. She thinks I’m crazy and she’s locked herself in the lavatory.”

  She sits up and straightens her skirt. “I’ll go talk to her. What did you tell her?”

  “You know, that we’re going to shape shift into the Phoenixes and we were born to be together.”

  She rises and goes to the bedroom. I follow along behind her. She taps the door and says, “Sweetie, it’s Mom.”

  Alyssa opens the door a crack, then sees me and closes it. “Tell him to leave and I’ll come out and talk to you, Mom.”

  Toni looks at me and I leave.

  Damn!

  I go back into the cabin and sit in my seat.

  I can’t believe she really thinks I’m crazy!

  I’ve made a mess of this whole situation. How Our Creator picked me for this position is beyond me. It’s obvious I’m no good at it. Alyssa isn’t going to go into this as easily as I imagined.

  I wait for nearly an hour before Toni comes back in. She takes the seat next to mine. “I told her everything,” she tells me. “She’s a bit shocked and not responding very much. Maybe the other couple can help. I think it’s best if we leave her alone until it comes time to land. Meanwhile, I’m going to ask Jeffery if he can call the other couple and get them to join us at your home. If she sees them and what they can do, I hope it’ll become real to her.”

  Toni gets up and goes to the cockpit. My stomach hurts at what I’ve done. My mate has had the worst day ever. That boy messed her head up with his awful news, which was completely unnecessary.

  She was nervous about meeting my parents, then I go and tell her she’s going to shift into a giant bird.

  Of course she thinks I’m crazy. Who wouldn’t?

  Toni returns after a little while and gives me the thumbs up, so I guess we’re going to meet the current Phoenix couple. I never thought this day would come. It’s not usual, from what I’ve been told.

  Jeffery’s voice comes over the speaker, letting us know to put on our seat belts. I buckle mine and look over my shoulder for Alyssa. The bedroom door opens and she steps out, but she takes the seat in the very back, alone. She wants nothing to do with me.

  Toni reaches from the seat behind me and pats my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Eden. Don’t worry.”

  I hang my head, which is heavy with the knowledge I’ve messed up. It’s obvious I have, since the other couple has agreed to come prove to Alyssa what we are. I blew it.

  The jet lands and Jeffery tells us we can leave. Alyssa unbuckles herself and grabs her mother’s hand. “Wait for me, Mom,” I hear her say.

  She’s being careful to keep her parents between us. I wait and let them all get off the plane before me. My heart the heaviest it’s ever been, I wonder if it will cease to beat in a moment.

  The limo is waiting for us. Alyssa and her family are already seated in it as I climb in. Alyssa is snuggly sitting between her parents and refuses to even look my way. We travel the distance to my home in complete silence, until the mansion looms ahead.

  Scotty gives a whistle as we pull up to the large, ornate gates. “Would you look at that? Wow, Ally, you’re too lucky.”

  I watch Alyssa, but her eyes never leave her lap. Her hands bunch the fabric of her dress. I see an unfamiliar car as we approach the front of the house. It must be the other couple’s.

  I slide out first and wait for her family to get out. I tap at Alyssa’s shoulder as she quickly grabs her mother’s hand. “Alyssa, please do me the honor of allowing me to escort you inside,” I say with a pleading tone.

  Alyssa doesn’t look at me, but Toni takes her chin, lifting it to make her look at her. “Alyssa, you should let him. This will all make sense very shortly, and I know you’ll feel terrible about depriving Eden from introducing everyone to you.”

  “But I don’t want to. I don’t trust him, or any of you, to tell the truth. I feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter,” my mate says.

  I notice my ring is gone from her finger. I take her hand and her eyes fly to mine. “Where’s the ring, Alyssa?”

  She opens her other hand and shows me she has it. “Please put it on, princess. Like your mother said, you will understand all we’ve told you very shortly.”

  “I don’t want to,” she says.

  David steps close to her. His voice gruff, he says, “You were not brought up this way. No matter how unbelievable this is, it is the truth. Now put this little pouty crap away and put the ring on. Let Eden take you in and introduce you. Smile and be polite, or so help me, Alyssa Shaylee Devlin.”

  Alyssa looks at her father with wide eyes and I can no longer allow him to speak to her that way. I step between them and take Alyssa by the waist, pulling her close to my side. I take the ring from her an
d place it on her finger, then turn my attention to her father.

  “David, I beg of you to remember who she belongs to and how protective I am of her. Please don’t rile my anger. I fear I would not be able to control it.”

  David backs away as Alyssa looks at me in surprise. “Eden, don’t talk to my father like that.”

  “Princess, I apologize. Let’s just go inside where this will all be explained and you’ll have proof of what we’ve told you to be the truth,” I say as I move her with me up the stairs to the front entrance.

  The door opens as we approach. The head butler, Niles, greets us with a stoic expression. He’s not big on smiles, or emotions of any kind. “Good evening, Master Fontaine,” he says.

  I smile at him and gesture to Alyssa who allows me to hold her by the waist, yet still remains distant. “This is my Alyssa, Niles.”

  Niles makes an attempt to smile and it turns out a bit creepy. He bows low and says, “A pleasure to meet you, Mistress Devlin.”

  “The pleasure is mine, sir,” Alyssa says, and I find I could not be more pleased with how gracious she is, even though she thinks us all insane.

  “Your parents and their guests are in the main salon. Please follow me and I will announce you,” Niles says.

  Toni, David, and Scotty have caught up with us, and we follow Niles out of the foyer and down a short hallway into the main room. A monster sized chandelier hangs high above the marble floor. Double sets of spiraling staircases lead up to the east and west wing suites where all thirty-six bedrooms have private lavatories.

  Toni and David have been here many times, so they’re not struck by the beauty of the house, but Scotty is wide-eyed and captivated.

  “Dang it, you’re lucky, Ally,” he says as he looks over the grand room.

  To my disappointment, Alyssa looks straight ahead. I squeeze her a little, and speak quietly in her ear, “Do you like it, princess?”

  Her voice is flat and emotionless as she answers, “Of course. Who wouldn’t?”

  Nothing is going as I thought it would.

  We arrive at our destination to find my parents sitting on a scarlet-colored, chenille cover sofa and a silver haired couple sitting across from them on a matching one. They all rise as we enter the room.

  Niles begins the introductions, “Master and Mademoiselle Fontaine, and Master and Misses Covington, I am pleased to introduce you to Master Eden Fontaine and Mistress Alyssa Devlin.”

  I take my mate and lead her first to my mother, who wears a giant smile. “Alyssa, this is my mother, Sierra,” I say.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Fontaine,” Alyssa says.

  My mother holds her arms out for a hug and I let my hold on my mate go, praying Alyssa will accept my mother’s gesture. Thankfully, she moves forward and hugs her.

  “We’ve waited so long for you, daughter. Please call me Sierra until the wedding, then call me mother. Nothing would please me more.”

  Alyssa is released and I’m pleased to see a slight smile on her gorgeous face. “Thank you, Sierra. You seem very sweet. I love your French accent. It’s even richer than Eden’s. It’s very charming.”

  My father is itching to get his introduction. He doesn’t wait for me, but jumps right in as he reaches out to Alyssa and says, “I’m papa to you from now on, sweet princess Alyssa.”

  He takes her into his arms and hugs her, rocking her back and forth while murmuring something to her I can’t hear. When he releases her, she’s really smiling.

  “My, you are something else. I bet you keep your wife on her toes, such a charming man you are, and your French accent makes you all the more interesting,” Alyssa bats her eyelashes at my father.

  How adorable she is and my parents already love her. My father turns our attention to the other couple. “Please let me introduce you to the Covingtons. They’re from London. This is Grace,” he says.

  I reach out and take the silver-haired, still quite beautiful woman’s hand, placing a kiss on it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  She giggles a little. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you, Eden,” she tells me with a British accent.

  I release her hand and Alyssa reaches out to shake the woman’s hand. Grace looks at my mate and smiles. “Could I please have a hug, Alyssa?”

  Alyssa nods, allowing the old woman to hug her. The woman whispers something to my mate and Alyssa giggles. Grace joins her, giggling too.

  As odd as it may sound, they have very similar laughs. Grace lets Alyssa out of the hug, but keeps one arm around her shoulders.

  She turns her to face her husband. “This is Rodney, my mate,” Grace says.

  I extend my hand to him and he takes it in a firm handshake, much too strong for a man of his advanced age. “It’s so good to meet you,” I say.

  He claps me on the back and grins. He too has a British accent as he says, “Good to meet you too, son.”

  Our attention turns to Alyssa as she says, “Is it true?” to him.

  The room which has been filled with hushed whispers as Toni, David, and Scotty have been greeted by my parents, falls silent.

  Rodney nods his head at Alyssa and answers her question, “It is, Alyssa. We are about to show you your future.”

  Grace takes Alyssa’s hand in hers, then tells her, “Place your hand in my mates as you hold mine. All your doubts will be gone in an instant and the truth will reside within you.”

  I take a step back as Rodney reaches out to my mate. Alyssa takes his hand and her eyes close as Grace and Rodney look into each other’s eyes.

  A few seconds later, Alyssa opens her eyes. They’re wide and twinkling. She pulls her hands away from the couple as she looks back and forth between them.

  “Oh my! Oh my!” Alyssa says as she brings her hands to her mouth and shakes her head. “It’s unbelievable, yet I know it to be true. Thank you!”

  She hugs Grace, then Rodney, “Thank you both so much,” she says, then turns to me.

  Her eyes look even more blue somehow, without an ounce of sadness or doubt to them. She moves slowly to me, then takes both of my hands in hers.

  “I am yours and you are mine,” she says with a determined tone. “We are something not of this world and we will be together for eternity. I could not be happier with who Our Creator has chosen for me.”

  Finally, we’re on the same page and my heart races with excitement. “So now you know how I feel,” I say.

  She nods and hugs me as she whispers to me, “I’m so sorry I ever doubted you. It will never happen again, Eden. I love you.”

  As my body feels as if it’s on fire, I have to wonder if it’s possible to love someone so much it physically hurts. And just how long will this pain last?

  CHAPTER 27

  ALYSSA

  Grace and Rodney hold my brother’s hands in theirs and show him the truth. I couldn’t have him left in the dark. He might be a pain in the rear, but he’s my pain in the rear and I love him.

  The look of complete cluelessness he had when everyone in the room knew something he didn’t left me sad for him. I had to ask the current Phoenix couple to enlighten him.

  Mom gave me her version of the news when we were on the plane. Can’t say I really believed her.

  Here’s how that little conversation not every girl gets to have with her mother went:

  “I would like for you to lie back, Alyssa. I think it’s best if I tell you all this, like I used to tell you bedtime stories. Remember how I did that when you were a little girl?” Mom asks me.

  “Yes,” I say weakly, sniffling. I lay back on my pillows. Mom covers me up, tucking me in.

  “Once upon a time, there was an ancient secret society which tended to a couple of extraordinary creatures. These creatures were sent to them from God. The creatures helped to warn humans of disasters before they happened, as to give those who heeded their warnings a chance to survive.

  Almost every culture has stories about these creatures, from the ancient
Egyptians to the American Indians.

  These creatures are human, but they can also take on the form of large birds. There are only two of these birds at a time. Once one pair is done with their jobs and too old to go on anymore, a new pair is formed.

  Now, not just anyone can be these creatures. They’re chosen before they’re even born. The two who are chosen are mates for life, from birth until death. There is no other way.

  Your father and I are members of the society which takes care of these God-given creatures. When I was pregnant with you, we were summoned to a gathering. All the pregnant couples in this group came together. The high priest, Galchobar, was there for what reason we did not know.

  He walked through the mass of people, touching each woman’s stomach. After he had done so with all the pregnant women he went up to the altar, first calling out the man’s name, Lyle Fontaine, then the woman’s name, Sierra Fontaine.

  They walked up to the altar with him. He beckoned us to say the chant of unity. Then he stopped us and spoke another man’s name. This time he said David Devlin, then he said Antonia Devlin, and we walked to the altar. The same process was repeated.

  It was our unborn children who were chosen to be the next pair. Your names were given to us at that time. Yours, of course, was Alyssa, which means ‘princess’ in Greek. The Fontaine’s were given the name Eden, which means full of fire.

  After conferring with the Fontaines, we made an agreement you would be raised in a very normal environment, as long as we kept you chaste.

  It was your father’s and my intent to give you at least a few years of normal before you had to begin an extraordinary life. Not a bad life, by any means. It will be fantastic, Alyssa,” my mother tells me in a soft and comforting voice.

  I open my eyes, not really believing the story she just told to me. “Mom, are you on acid?” I ask her.

  “What? Oh, heavens no, silly girl,” she admonishes me.

  I sit up very slowly, then turn and look her in the eye. “Mom, are you telling me that me and the gorgeous stranger are some kind of flying people? That we are destined to be together or some shit like that?” I ask.