Discovered: The Billionaire and the Virgin

by CA Quigg

  “James begged me. He said Callum needs to see you.”

  I’m sick to my stomach. I don’t want to listen to anything he has to say. The car door opens, and I look up to see James. He tilts his head in my direction.

  “I’ve never seen him like this before over anyone. Not even Rachel,” he says.

  “If he wants to talk, he can do it somewhere other than the club. I don’t want to step foot in that place ever again. And,” I continue, “if he’s so desperate to talk, where is he?”

  “He’s waiting for you upstairs.”

  I don’t want to go to him. I don’t want him to explain. And I don’t want to stop hating him. But at the same time, I do. I want to fall into his arms and feel his skin against mine. I want to feel his kisses and feel the sting of his palm on my ass. I want all those things and more but I can’t. I won’t.

  Ella places a hand on my arm. “It’s killing me seeing you hurt like this. Talk to him and if you don’t like what he has to say, walk away.”

  “Please take me home,” I say. “It’s too soon, and I’m too raw from everything that’s happened. I lost my scholarship, my job. My dad lost his home.”

  “If that’s what you really want,” she says, her voice small.

  “It is.” I look up at James, and say, “You’re a great lecturer. I really enjoyed your classes, but I guess this is goodbye.”

  He gives me a solemn look and a slight nod but says nothing.

  Ella drives out of the garage, and we both sit in silence until we reach the rain soaked street. “Is everything good between you and James now?”

  “I think we can work it out.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I’m happy for you.” And I am happy for her. Just because my life is falling apart doesn’t mean hers has to fall apart too. Ella slams on the breaks, shunting both of us forward. “Jesus fucking holy Christ.”

  In the middle of the road, illuminated by the car’s headlights, stands Callum.

  “Drive past him,” I say. “If you have to drive through him.”

  “Talk to him. Listen to him. If you don’t, you’re going to spend the rest of your life wondering what if you’d gotten out of the car on that rainy night in April.”

  My mouth waters and I swallow hard. She’s right. I’d spend the rest of my life wondering what if. Taking a deep breath, I get out of the car and stand by the open door. I don’t want to get too close to him because I am afraid I’ll forgive him.

  “I’m sorry,” he calls, “I’m sorry for believing you would betray me.”

  “Why the change of heart?” I ask struggling to keep the emotion out of my voice. “Why, all of a sudden, are you sorry?”

  “It wasn’t you. It was Joann.”

  My eyebrows pull together. “Joann? The sub you were supposed to do the demonstration with? I don’t understand. Why?”

  Rain soaks through his white t-shirt, and it sticks to his chest outlining every one of his sculpted muscles. I try to ignore my body’s Pavlovian reaction to him, but it’s impossible. In conditioned response, my pussy muscles clench and nipples harden.

  “Jealousy. She saw me as hers, and you were a threat she needed to eliminate.”

  “Again, I still don’t understand. Did you make her your sub before we met?”

  “There was no one before you.”

  “Then why?” Rain drips off my eyelashes and nose, and I don’t care that I’m soaked to the bone.

  “Joann is used to getting what she wants, and she wanted me. Like a fool, I fell for her manipulations and hurt the person I love. I love you, Aubree, and if you’ll have me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

  My heart will never heal from what I’m about to say. “What you did…” My voice cracks, and it takes a few minutes before I can continue. “The way you treated me. The way you humiliated me. I’ve lost my scholarship. I’ve lost my job. My father lost his apartment because of you and your mistrust. I can’t live my life with someone like you. Someone who will never fully trust me.” As I say the words, my entire world crumbles. Saying okay would be so easy but also incredibly naïve. He couldn’t treat me the way he had and then say, sorry, my bad. “You lost me when you told me you didn’t trust me. You’ll do anything for your club and its precious members even if it means ruining innocent people’s lives. I can’t be with someone like that.”

  His face falls in surrender. “You don’t have to worry about college or your dad’s apartment. Everything will be straightened out by morning.”

  I’m proud but not proud enough I won’t accept that from him. After all, I had those things in my life before he came along and he had no right to take them away.

  “Thank you,” I say and get back in the car and have Ella take me home.

  ****

  It’s two weeks since I last saw Callum, not that I’m counting every minute—I’m counting every second.

  I go to class, but I get by on autopilot. When people ask me questions, I reply. When I hear a joke, I laugh. But everything seems like a hollow shell.

  I got a new job working at a new diner a few blocks from Ella’s. The tips are better than the other diner, and the people are friendlier.

  As soon as I can afford it, I’ll move out of Ella’s, but that won’t be for a while. Besides, living at her place is almost like living alone since she spends most of her time with James.

  ****

  When my shift ends I go my dad’s. He’s cut down on drinking, but has gone on a few binges. He managed to get a job stacking shelves in a supermarket. It’s the first job he’s had in years, and every time I stop by his place, I see his pride and confidence returning.

  I walk into his apartment. It smells like fresh paint, and the floors are now hardwoods and not stained carpet. And new, modern furniture has replaced the busted up old stuff. Dread fills me. Where did he get the money for this?

  “Dad,” I call. “Dad, are you here?”

  “In my room,” he calls back. “I’m packing.”

  “Packing for what,” I ask making my way to his bedroom.

  “Rehab.”

  A wisp of wind could have knocked me down. “Rehab? Where are you getting the money for rehab and where did you get the money for all of this, I ask gesturing around his pristine bedroom filled all new stuff.

  He keeps his eyes on his suitcase when he says, “Callum.”

  Bombs explode in my brain. “Callum? You’re taking money from Callum? Are you blackmailing him?”

  He stops packing and raises his hands. “Hear me out before you lose it. We had a long talk. He said he’s sorry he didn’t help when he found out about my addictions all those years ago. That he knew my attempts at blackmail were the acts of a desperate man. He regrets kicking me out without offering an alternative.”

  “And you believed him?” I ask aghast at my dad’s change of attitude towards the man he hates most in the world.

  “It doesn’t matter whether I believe him or not. This is my chance to get clean. I’m conflicted over what he’s done to me, to you, but I also have to accept my part in it. For years, I’ve been holding onto bitterness and anger. Allowing it to eat me up from the inside out. It destroyed my marriage, and it almost destroyed our relationship. No more. I’ve been given a second chance. I’m swallowing my pride and taking everything that’s being offered. I want you to be happy for me. This is a new start for us, and I’m going to do everything I can to make it succeed.”

  “Wow. Wow, dad, that’s great. I’m happy for you. Really happy for you.” No way would either of us ever have the money to pay for the help he needs. If this is Callum’s way of making amends for the shitty way he treated my dad, then who am I to say no.

  “When do you leave?” I pick up a folded t-shirt sitting on the mattress and place it in his suitcase.

  “In an hour. A car is picking me up and taking me to the airport. I’ll be gone for at least three months.”

  “That’s a long time. I guess Callum is respon
sible for the new floors and furniture, too?”

  “I got an advance on my salary.”

  “The supermarket?”

  “Callum is giving me a job on completion of my rehab stint.”

  “God, dad. I’m having a hard time with this. You trust him?” I ask not able to hide the bitterness of my voice. “After what he did to us you trust him?”

  “I know this is hard to understand. I’m going to take his word on good faith because I need this. I need to get clean. I need to respect myself again, and he’s given me the chance.”

  The passion in my father’s voice and the need etched on his face shames me. I should rejoice for him and support him one-hundred percent, but Callum isn’t the kind of person who does stuff like this for nothing. There has to be something in it for him.

  “I’ll stay here while you’re gone, and I’ll visit you if I can.” I hug him hard and say, “I’m proud of you, dad. I’m proud of you for letting go of your bitterness and being able to move on.”

  I pray one day I’ll be as strong as he is.

  Chapter Twenty

  Callum

  I pick up the pen and skim the documents I had my lawyer draw up.

  “You’re sure about this?” Nadine, who sits opposite my desk, asks

  “Never been surer,” I say as I sign the club over to her. “This place doesn’t bring me the same happiness or satisfaction it once did. It’s a burden I no longer want to carry. You’ve run the place for years and know it better than I do. It’s yours.”

  She lowers her eyes. “I’m humbled and thankful and will take care of it for you. It’s yours whenever you want it back.”

  “I won’t.” I slide the papers over to her. “If you’re happy with everything, I’ll have these couriered over to my lawyer.”

  She places a hand on the contract and regards me coolly “Callum, I don’t want to intrude, but you look like shit. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re lying.”

  She’s right. I am lying. I haven’t had a full nights sleep since before I stood the rain and told Aubree I was sorry. The few hours of shut eye I manage to get each night are thanks to my friend bourbon.

  “You’re giving me the club because you think she’ll come back to you, aren’t you?”

  “Am I that obvious?”

  “You love her that much?” she asks.

  “She said the club and protecting everyone in it means more to me than anything else. She’s right. Because of this place and keeping its secrets, I ruined her father’s career along with any chance of picking himself up and almost ruined her life.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Her father had a helping hand in destroying his career. As for Aubree, she didn’t deserve what you did, that’s true, but you did what you thought was best at the time.”

  “I didn’t do what was for the best. I did what was easy. I did what was wrong. I should have trusted her.” I clench my fist and direct my anger inwards. “I should have… I don’t know what I should have done or what I should do now.”

  “You should go to her and make her listen. If you love her, fight for her, force her to see you for the man you are. You’re going to have to cut yourself open and let it all out. You’re a Dom, one of the most caring ones I’ve met, but as well as allowing her to see your strength allow her to see your vulnerability. Show her your pain.”

  “I thought I did.”

  Nadine snorts. “What? By having a friend bring her to your kingdom , and giving her a half-assed apology. You have to be the one to go to her. Show her how much she means to you and how much you’re hurting. Trust me on this.”

  “She doesn’t want to see me.”

  “And you’re going to let that stop you?”

  I blow out a thunderous breath. “You’re right.”

  “I always am.” She stands and leaves the contracts on the desk. “Since this is now my club, you’re forbidden to be here until you fix this mess with Aubree. Now get out.”

  My lips quirk into a smile. Mistress Nadine is always fun to have around. “Got it.”

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  ****

  No matter how many phone calls I make or bunches of flowers, boxes of lingerie and bottles of perfume I send, Aubree ignores me. I’m a desperate man and am about to do something desperate to get her attention.

  I sit in James’ office as the auditorium fills with students.

  “You sure about this?” James asks.

  “Never been surer.”

  “Everyone will video this lecture. Everything you say and do will be online within a minute of this class ending probably before.”

  “I don’t care. She’s snubbed every other effort I’ve made. Why not go back to where it all began?”

  He slaps a hand on my shoulder. “When you hear me introduce you, come out.”

  “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

  James leaves the office and goes into the auditorium. If me being here doesn’t get her attention and get her to talk to me, nothing will, but I won’t give up. Until the last breath leaves my body, I won’t give up.

  When I hear James say my name, I leave his office. Nerves try to get to better of me, but I won’t allow them. I won’t back down from what I’m about to say even if that means my every word will go on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and every other platform out there. I don’t care who hears the words I’m about to say.

  Applause greets me, and I search her out. She’s in the same seat as before. Thunder crosses her face. It seems we’ve come full circle because she hates me again.

  “Thank you for your warm welcome,” I say. “I decided to come back because the last time when I answered one of your questions, I wasn’t truthful.” I direct my attention to her.

  “Ms. Miller asked me a question regarding how we at Talbot Technologies treat ex-employees and if someone needed help would we offer them help or fire them.” I clear my throat and continue. “In the past, I let an employee down so badly he went down a dark path of addiction. When he worked for me, he had a gambling addiction, and when I fired him, he added alcohol to that. He wasn’t treated with the dignity or the respect I pride myself on, and for that, I deeply apologize. He was a troubled man who needed help, but I was so incensed by his actions, I fired him and subsequently made it difficult for him to gain employment.” Murmurs ripple around the room. “Not what you were expecting, right?” I gave a hollow laugh. “I can’t change what happened, but I can try and make amends by helping him now.”

  Aubree stands, and all eyes turn on her. “After all these years, what do you think helping him now will achieve?”

  “His forgiveness and the forgiveness of his daughter.”

  She snorts and crosses her arms. “Why should his daughter forgive you?”

  “Because I love her and want her to marry me.” I fall down on one knee and take the box I retrieved from the trash out of my pocket.

  “Marry me, Aubree and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. What I did to you and your father is unforgiveable. What I did to you is unforgivable, but I hope, in time, you will forgive me.”

  The silence in the room deafens me. It’s as if everyone is holding their breath waiting for Aubree’s reply.

  She makes her way out of her row and runs down the stairs, but instead of running toward me, she runs out of the room. I run after her and call out, “Stop running from me. Look at me and face what you’re afraid of.”

  She slows to a stop and turns to face me. “Leave me alone, Callum. Just leave me alone.”

  “Not until you hear me out.”

  “Fine. But as soon as you’re done talking I want you out of my life.”

  “I meant what I said in there. I love you and want to marry you. The way I treated you was wrong, and even if you forgive me, I’ll never forgive myself. Think about it. Think about us and the future we could have.”

  “You think I haven’t thought about it. That a minute doesn’t pass by when you
’re not in my thoughts? But then I remember the day you tied me up and left me hanging there. Then you accused me of betraying you and colluding with my dad on the ways we could blackmail you. The club means more to you than I did or ever will.”

  “I fucked up okay? I was afraid of getting hurt. You’re not Rachel…”

  “I’m not. I would never have hurt you. Never.”

  “I know. Give me a chance. Come over to my house tonight. Just to talk.” When she doesn’t protest, I continue. “I’ll send Simon over to pick you up tonight. If you don’t get into the car, that’s my answer. And by the way, I signed my share of the club over the Nadine. I’m no longer involved.”

  “I have to go.”

  I watch her walk away and hope with all my heart she’s not walking away for good.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Aubree

  I didn’t think I would get into the car yet here I am five minutes away from Callum’s house.

  When he got down on his knee in the auditorium, I thought I would faint. The shock made me run. I needed to get away from him. Needed to get some air.

  The words he said came from his heart, and I believed him when he said he was sorry for what he put me through, for what he put my father through, but is sorry enough? Will it ever be enough?

  He’d lost some weight, and circles shadowed eyes, but even tired and wearing jeans and a wrinkled button-down shirt, Callum still had the ability to dampen my panties.

  I shift in the seat, the lingerie I’m wearing beneath my maxi dress scratches my skin. Why I put it on, I don’t know. No, that’s not true. I do know why I put it on, but I don’t want to fully admit the reason.

  Am I going to his house to tell him no or am I going to his house to tell him yes? All day I’ve weighed up each answer. No means walking away from him forever and wondering what kind of life we could have had. Yes means getting my heart’s desire but would it also mean spending the rest of my life wondering if he trusts me.