Debt Collector_A Billionaire Bad Boy Novel

by Weston Parker

  “I know,” Andrew said, smiling sadly. “My mother was amazing. She was everything my father wasn’t.”

  “He loved her so much,” Dad said, shaking his head. “I still remember the day she died. It was the worst day of his life.”

  “He wasn’t even there.” Andrew snapped angrily. “He wasn’t even around.”

  Dad stared at Andrew with a mixture of compassion and confusion. His expression softened, and suddenly, he seemed like himself again. He wasn’t lost or heartbroken anymore. In that moment, he was just an old man. A father.

  “He hated himself for it,” Dad said softly. “Andrew, I was with your father the day Emily passed. We were in Italy. There was a dig and—”

  “And he chose work over his family,” Andrew said firmly. “I know. I remember.”

  Dad shook his head slowly. “No,” he said. “That’s not what happened.”

  “I wasn’t a child, Rick,” Andrew said. “I remember.”

  “He tried everything to get back home,” Dad said gently. “There was a huge storm that week. No planes could fly in or out of the city. We were stuck. Stranded. There wasn’t anything he could have done.”

  Andrew blinked.

  “It’s true,” Dad said. “He tried, Andrew. And when he couldn’t get back, he did the only thing he could think to do.”

  “What do you mean?” Andrew asked.

  “George set up an account in Italy,” Dad said. “He transferred funds from Hopper’s financial department and set up a foundation in your mother’s name. Or, at least, he tried to. He had all the funds in place, but political bullshit kept it from coming to fruition. He never managed to get the foundation off the ground. Then, he died, and well, you pretty much know the rest of the story.”

  I stared at my father in disbelief. Andrew’s mother died seven years ago. The missing money was put in place for Andrew’s mom. It was George’s way of honoring his late wife. My heart filled with sadness as I turned to Andrew. He was fighting back tears, determined not to cry in front of my father.

  “I never knew that,” Andrew said softly.

  My dad nodded. The three of us sat silently for some time, just letting all the new information sink in. Finally, it was time to leave.

  Things between my father and Andrew were better. They each understood the other better, and I knew, with time, their relationship would improve even more.

  “Sophie,” Andrew said as we left the house. “Will you come with me?”

  “Where?” I asked.

  “The mansion,” he said simply. “Liam’s making dinner, and I’d like you to join us. Please.”

  “Sure,” I said with a nod. “I’ll follow you there.”

  Andrew smiled weakly and climbed inside his car. I didn’t know how dinner would go, but I knew it was the right thing to do. There was still so much for Andrew and me to talk about.

  Chapter 31

  Andrew

  “Miss Sophie,” Liam said when we stepped inside the dining room. “Were we expecting you?”

  Liam looked from Sophie to me and back again. He was confused, but he had enough class to keep any further questions to himself.

  “We weren’t,” I said simply. “But Sophie surprised me today, so I thought I would invite her to dinner.”

  “If it’s not too much trouble,” Sophie said quickly.

  Liam smiled the first genuine I’d seen from him in a long time. “Of course not. It’s a pleasure to have you for dinner. Please, sit down.”

  Sophie smiled and sat in her usual chair. Liam glanced at me quizzically before he disappeared into the kitchen. I just shook my head and pulled out my own chair.

  “Is it weird to be back here?” I asked. Sophie’s eyes hadn’t stilled since she entered the house. She kept looking around her as if she expected something sinister to jump out from behind a bookcase.

  “Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “Honestly, I never thought I would be here again. When I left that night…” She fell silent. Her eyes flickered up to my face and then back down. She stared at her lap, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

  “It’s awkward for us both,” I said. “After everything that’s happened, I would be surprised if it wasn’t.”

  Sophie smiled shyly. Liam reappeared carrying a tray full of platters. He set them out on the table, his eyes shifting around nervously. It seemed that it wasn’t just awkward for Sophie and me.

  “Would you care to join us?” I asked kindly.

  Liam blinked. He frowned with surprise and glanced at Sophie. I knew what he was thinking. I’d been an ass to him for two months. Ever since Sophie left, I was rude and distant. Now, the night she returned, I suddenly remembered how to be polite.

  “I’m sorry, Liam,” I said softly. “For everything.”

  His frown slowly faded. He smiled gently and nodded, moving around the table to sit beside Sophie. She looked between Liam and me, trying to figure out what just happened.

  “I’m glad you’re back, Miss Sophie,” Liam said. He patted her shoulder warmly.

  “I’m not exactly back,” Sophie said. “Just here for dinner.”

  Liam nodded and began dishing out the food. He piled mine high, making sure to give me more than anyone else. I knew he was still worried about my lack of appetite, but for the first time in months, I was hungry. I ate everything on my plate and then went back for seconds.

  “It’s good to see you eat again,” Liam said with a knowing smile.

  “Have you not been eating?” Sophie frowned.

  “Not a lot.” I shrugged. “I’ve just been busy with work.”

  Sophie nodded, but her forehead remained creased with worry. She didn’t talk much during dinner. Her mind was obviously preoccupied, and every time I tried to pull her focus, she drifted away within seconds.

  “I’ll clear the dishes,” Liam said. “You two relax.”

  “Thank you, Liam.”

  I was glad to have a minute alone with Sophie. As nice as it was to have Liam join us for dinner, Sophie and I needed to talk. There was so much left unsaid between us that I could barely take the tension for another second.

  “Sophie,” I began softly. “I’m so sorry.”

  She sighed and shook her head, slowly lifting her eyes to meet mine. When she stared at me, I almost forgot how to breathe. Even after two months, Sophie could still get under my skin faster than anyone I’d ever met.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” Sophie said. “All you did was tell me the truth. I just didn’t want to hear it.”

  “I don’t blame you for that,” I said quickly. “That’s why I avoided the issue for so long. The last thing I wanted was to come between you and your father.”

  “You didn’t,” Sophie said. “Not at all.”

  “But I thought I would,” I said. “I know how much you love your dad, Sophie. And after you’d already lost your mom, I couldn’t bring myself to tarnish the image you have of your dad.”

  “You didn’t,” Sophie said. “He made a mistake. He knows that. And now, so do I.”

  “Still…” I trailed off, not sure what to say. Despite everything, I felt guilty for everything that happened between us.

  “I was never angry with you,” Sophie said with a sigh. “Even though I thought I was.”

  “You sure seemed to be,” I said.

  “I convinced myself you were lying,” Sophie said. “It was easier to believe that than to believe my father could do something so out of character.”

  “He was hurt,” I said. “I understand it now.”

  Sophie nodded. “I still should have believed you.”

  I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes. The truth was, I didn’t blame Sophie for not trusting me. After everything I’d done to her and her father, it only made sense. She saw me as a villain, someone who was brought into her life with the sole purpose of ruining it. If I’d been in her position, I would have thought the exact same thing.

  “I wouldn’t have believed me, either,” I said.
“I didn’t exactly give you very many reasons to trust me.”

  “You’ve changed since we met,” Sophie said. Her eyes were softer now. “You aren’t the same person I met on my first day here.”

  “I haven’t changed that much,” I said darkly.

  I thought about the way I’d been treating Liam. I remembered how horrible I’d been to my employees and even some of my clients. After Sophie left, I became the worst version of myself. As I looked into her eyes, I regretted it. I hated myself for sinking so low, for becoming the one thing I never wanted to be.

  “It’s been hard,” I said. “When you left, it was really hard to care about anything.”

  “What do you mean?” Sophie asked.

  “I should have gone after you,” I said. “When you stormed out of my room, I just let you go. I didn’t even try to stop you. That was a mistake.”

  “You were upset,” Sophie said. She shrugged. “Besides, if you’d come after me that night, I wouldn’t have listened to you. It only would have driven me further away.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “But I guess we’ll never know.”

  “I’m here now,” Sophie said softly.

  Our eyes met, and a familiar spark ignited inside my chest. Sophie was just inches away from me. For the first time in months, I could reach out and touch her. I couldn’t stop myself. My hand slid across the table and rested on top of hers.

  I was afraid she would pull away, just like she did at the coffee shop. I prepared myself for the rejection I was sure would come, but it never did. Sophie stared down at our hands and sighed. When she lifted her eyes back to mine, they were filled with a desire I would have recognized anywhere.

  “Should we go upstairs?” Sophie asked, her voice low.

  I nodded and stood up. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten so lucky. Not only was Sophie back in my life, but she still wanted me. The way she clung to my hand as we walked upstairs was all the proof I needed. We might not be able to start over, but I hoped we could pick up where we left off.

  We reached my room, and I held open the door for Sophie. She stepped inside and turned around to face me. Her eyes were still full of need, but there was something else. Something deeper. She looked scared, worried about something.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, laying my palm gently against her cheek. “If you’re not ready, I understand. A lot has happened since the last time we were together.”

  “It’s not that.” Sophie sighed. “It’s just that there’s something else I need to tell you.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “So, tell me.”

  Sophie moved around me. She sat on the edge of my bed and stared up at me with wide, fearful eyes. Her hands were trembling as she rested them on her knees. My stomach tied itself in a knot as I waited for her speak. Anything that made her so nervous couldn’t possibly be good.

  “There was another reason I reached out to you today,” Sophie said. “Or, well, another reason I had my best friend reach out to you.”

  “Is that who called?” I asked, remembering the strange woman’s voice from earlier. “Kaddy?”

  Sophie nodded. “I knew you would recognize my voice,” she said. “And I was afraid you wouldn’t show up if you knew it was me.”

  “I would never ignore you,” I said softly.

  Sophie smiled and cleared her throat. She held my gaze, but I could tell it was hard for her. She was having trouble finding the right words.

  “I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago,” Sophie said slowly. She kept her voice steady, even. “My period was late, and I wanted to know why.”

  My heart stopped. I blinked and took a small step backward. Sophie kept talking, forcing herself to keep going until the very end.

  “I was worried I might be pregnant, but I didn’t really believe it,” she said. “I mean, I couldn’t believe it.”

  “Pregnant?” I whispered.

  Sophie nodded. “The doctor confirmed it,” she said. “I’m almost nine weeks along.”

  “Nine weeks?” I stared blankly into Sophie’s eyes.

  “Two months,” Sophie said.

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It wasn’t possible. Sophie couldn’t be pregnant. I mean, we were safe, weren’t we?

  As Sophie stared at me, I realized it didn’t matter how it happened or when. All that mattered was that Sophie was pregnant with my child. Right that second, Sophie Newman held my baby inside of her. I was in shock, but the longer it sunk in, the happier I became.

  A small smile spread its way across my face. Sophie stared at me. She searched my face for some sign of how I felt. When I didn’t say anything, she couldn’t take the silence any longer.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said. “When my dad told me the truth, I wanted to come back immediately. I was on my way over when I realized that you might not want to see me. I figured you would still be angry with me, so I stayed away. Then, when I found out about the baby, I panicked and I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Kaddy. I wasn’t ready for it to happen, but suddenly, it was happening. I was in shock, but I know I should have told you. I should have called you.”

  “I love you.”

  Sophie fell silent immediately. Her rant ended, and she stared at me in disbelief. I just smiled and moved toward her, reaching out my hands for her. She took them and let me pull her to her feet. She still looked scared as my eyes fell to her stomach.

  “I love you,” I said again. “And I love this baby.”

  I placed my hand over Sophie’s stomach and sighed. This was really happening.

  “I thought you would freak out,” she said.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” I said with a laugh. “I’m scared to death. I’m terrified, but I’m also excited.”

  “You are?” Sophie asked.

  “This is amazing, Sophie,” I said. “We’re going to have a baby! We should be celebrating!”

  Sophie lunged forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her lips found mine, and she kissed me deeper than ever. Her tongue slid inside my mouth as she poured every emotion into me. I moaned and pulled her closer to me, my arms circling around her waist.

  We kissed until neither of us could breathe. My body reacted immediately.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Sophie asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “Come here.”

  I kissed her again, walking her backward toward the bed.

  Chapter 32

  Sophie

  Andrew’s words echoed in my ears as we kissed. His lips danced over mine, and his tongue slid playfully inside my mouth. I moaned and pressed myself harder against him. I wrapped my arms around his body and held on tightly. After two months apart, I didn’t want anything to separate us.

  “I love you,” Andrew said. “I love you so fucking much.”

  The past few weeks had been hell on my body and my mind. I was sick, throwing up almost every morning. My body was weak from the pregnancy, and my head spun as I realized how much my life was about to change. The second the doctor confirmed my suspicions, I could think of nothing else.

  I should have told Andrew immediately, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to show up at his house and completely change his life. It broke my heart to go through those first couple of weeks alone. I missed Andrew more than ever. Both my heart and my mind called out to him. I prayed every night that he would magically show up at my door and take me in his arms. I knew that he, more than anyone, would make everything okay again.

  Still, when I finally told him, I was terrified of his reaction. What if he was angry? What if he kicked me out of his house? These fears and more overwhelmed me as I tried to find the right words. I didn’t know how to explain myself, so I just blurted it out.

  I said the words, and then, it was too late to take them back.

  Those first few seconds of silence were torturous. I stared at Andrew’s face and waited for him to speak. I prayed his words would be kind, gentle
. More than anything, I just hoped he wouldn’t be too angry that I’d kept such a huge secret from him.

  He wasn’t.

  “I love you.”

  Those were his words.

  “I love you.”

  The second I heard them, my entire world changed. I clung to his voice, memorizing everything about that moment. His voice. His eyes. His expression. The softness of his touch when he reached out for my stomach.

  Andrew loved me. It was more than I could hope for. And he loved our baby. It was evident in every line of his face as he stared at my stomach. His eyes filled with emotion as the truth sank in. And when he kissed me, it was like all my dreams were finally coming true.

  We couldn’t stop kissing.

  Andrew walked us backward toward his bed, and our lips never once parted ways. The kiss was soft at first, sweet and gentle. The longer we held each other, the deeper the kiss became. I poured every emotion I had into Andrew. I remembered all the nights I’d cried alone in my room, terrified of raising a baby by myself. I thought about the first time I heard our baby’s heartbeat and how badly I wanted Andrew to hear it, too.

  Most of all, I realized how much I loved this man. As we kissed, my heart burst wide open, and I felt fresh tears spring to my eyes. Andrew’s arms were wrapped protectively around my waist, his hands pressed against the small of my back. I stretched up to run my fingers through the small hairs at the back of his neck.

  Andrew shivered at my touch, taking another step toward the bed.

  The back of my legs hit the bedframe, but Andrew didn’t stop there. He laid me down on the bed, moving so slowly that I was sure he was afraid to hurt me. Every touch he laid on my skin was careful and precise. He’d never been so caring with my body.

  “I love you,” he said again. He kissed my neck, letting his tongue tease my skin. “I love you.”

  “I love you so much,” I breathed. “I always have.”

  Andrew moaned at my words and kissed my neck again. He was holding himself back, and this time, I loved him for it.

  My body was sore and exhausted from pregnancy. Morning sickness had plagued me for weeks. I was tired and weak, but being with Andrew sent waves of energy shooting through my body. I felt more alive than I had in two months.