The Secret: A billionaire romance

by Harper Lauren

  “Ready for sleep?” I teased. “We never even ate dinner!”

  “We can eat breakfast,” Laci said. She closed her eyes and rested her head against my chest. “I’m all tired out, Jordan. I’m sorry – if you’re not ready for bed, you don’t have to try to sleep.”

  “Will you think I’m a pussy if I tell you I’m exhausted, too?”

  Laci giggled quietly. I pulled the covers over our bodies and slowly, we drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  When I woke up in the morning, Laci was gone. I yawned and rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed before I heard the sound of the shower going full blast. Climbing out of bed, I pulled my boxers on and grabbed my robe from the back of my door. When I got closer to the bathroom, I grinned – I could hear Laci singing in the bathroom, even over the sound of the steaming shower.

  Shit, I realized as I looked in the mirror. I never told her!

  I hated myself for forgetting to tell Laci the truth. Especially now that our relationship had crossed into a new dimension. I’d known for days – weeks, even – that I’d fallen in love with Laci, but for some reason, telling her had seemed impossible. There was a block around my heart, and I knew it was because of the secrets that lay between us.

  When Laci emerged from the shower, she was fresh and pink and wrapped in a towel. Her damp hair clung to her cheeks and she smiled shyly when she saw me.

  “Hey,” Laci said softly. “Sorry – did I wake you up?”

  “Not at all,” I said. “Good shower.”

  Laci locked eyes with me and let the towel drop to the floor. She cocked her head and gave me a salacious grin as she crossed the room and began to dress.

  “That’s so unfair,” I growled. “Showing me a peek just like that, you’re going to drive me crazy.”

  “That’s the idea,” Laci said. She winked at me.

  “Are you busy tonight?”

  Laci frowned, then shook her head. “No, at least, I don’t think so,” she said slowly. “Although I should really check and make sure Jenna doesn’t have any plans for us.”

  “We should go to dinner,” I said impulsively. “Since last night…”

  Laci flushed hotly. “I think I preferred last night,” she said. “But dinner sounds nice.”

  I grinned. “Good,” I told her. “Can I pick you up?”

  Laci nodded. “I’ll call you as soon as I talk to Jenna.” She twisted her wet hair into a knot at the back of her head and shivered. “It looks like it’s going to rain,” she added, looking out the window. “The sun hasn’t even come out yet.”

  “I should go into the office for a few hours,” I said. “Want me to drop you off at home?”

  Laci nodded again. “That would be nice,” she said gratefully. “Thanks.”

  Laci dried her hair with a towel as I dressed in a casual suit. By the time we were ready to go, it was almost noon. Part of me was tempted to blow off work, especially knowing that Laci was done with school for her summer vacation. But when I’d checked my email that morning, I’d seen a bunch of emails from Megan and Pat, and I knew I couldn’t push aside my duties at Trading West…at least, not today.

  When we pulled up in front of Laci’s apartment building, she leaned in for a deep kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck and sighed softly as I slid my tongue into her mouth. We made out like teenagers, groping and grabbing at each other until I felt breathless and hard, as if I could take her right there and then. To my chagrin, Laci pulled away and tidied her hair before glancing nervously out the window.

  “Jenna could see,” she said anxiously, still flushing with obvious desire.

  I shrugged. “She’s an adult,” I said. “She’s going to see people kissing.”

  Laci wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, but her older sister shouldn’t be one of them,” she said. In that moment, I knew exactly how she must sound in the classroom while instructing her kids.

  “I don’t wanna let you go,” I told her, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. Suddenly, I felt the urgent need to tell Laci everything, right here and now. “Hey, Laci?”

  “Yeah?” Laci frowned. She wasn’t looking at me, rather she was digging around in her purse. She seemed distracted. “What is it?”

  “Can I talk to you?”

  Laci must have sensed the immediacy in my voice, as she quickly lifted her head and faced me. “What is it, Jordan? Is everything okay?”

  I sighed.

  Suddenly, a loud rap on the window made Laci squeak and jump. Jenna was standing there, bending over and staring into the car.

  “Laci!” Jenna yelped. She laughed. “Come on – you’re going to get a ticket!”

  Laci turned to me with an apologetic look on her face. “Maybe this isn’t the best time,” she said. She leaned over and kissed my cheek with warm, soft lips. “Can we talk later? After dinner?”

  “Sure,” I said hollowly. As I watched Laci climb out of the car and walk inside the apartment building with her sister, I felt a wave of depression crest and break over my head. I felt like the biggest coward in the world – what was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just suck it up and be honest?

  The rest of the day plodded along. When I went into Trading West, the office was a beehive of activity and as usual, I had no interest in joining in. I told Megan to hold all of my calls and I locked myself in my office with a bunch of third-quarter paperwork. Most of our trading programs had achieved solid gains in the second quarter, but I wanted more. I wanted Trading West to be the biggest firm in the country.

  Deep down, I wondered if it was because that would somehow make me into a man worth Laci’s time.

  After I was finished at the office, I went home and took a long shower. I was anxious – I’d made reservations for a fancy steak house, but I had no idea how I was going to broach the subject of my past with Laci. If I was unlucky, she’d bring it up. There was no doubt she’d remember my asking her if we could talk. But if she didn’t? What then? How was I supposed to bring it up – over canapes and wine? Or was I supposed to wait until dessert, when we were tipsy and full?

  Either way, I knew it was going to provide the shock of a lifetime for Laci.

  And I wasn’t sure how I felt about doing that to her. You’re such an idiot, I thought as I adjusted the knot of my silk tie. She’s going to be hurt and blindsided, and it’s all your fucking fault for not being honest with her sooner.

  Laci was waiting outside of her apartment building when I showed up. She bounced over to the car, looking radiant in a sundress and heels that made her long legs look even longer. She grinned when she saw me.

  “Did you have a good day at work?” Laci asked as she climbed into the car. “How did everything go?”

  Oh, it was hellish, I thought. But instead I forced a smile. “I locked myself in my office and had my girl hold all of my calls,” I replied. “So, it wasn’t too bad.”

  “Jordan!” Laci giggled. “You’re so bad.” She tossed her head. “I bet the people you work with think you’re such a buzzkill.”

  I shrugged. “I’m not there to make friends,” I said. “I’m there to run the company.” I looked over at Laci, trying to gauge her interest in my professional life. She was sitting at the edge of her seat, like I was about to tell the world’s most fascinating fairy tale. “We did well in the second quarter of this year – nothing but gains, even in our most high-risk, aggressive trading programs.”

  Laci nodded. “I’m going to look very serious so you think I know what you’re talking about,” she said. “Someday, you’ll have to show me.”

  “It’s easy,” I lied. “But I want to do even better next quarter.”

  “Does that mean longer hours?”

  “Not necessarily.” I reached across the seat and took Laci’s hand. “How was your day?”

  Laci grinned. “I took a nap, then Jenna and I went out to shop for clothes,” she said. “I got her a bunch of things for school.” She rolled her eyes. “She’s already acting like she’s
so independent.”

  “So, it’s only a matter of time before she moves out and you can move in,” I said slyly, raising an eyebrow at Laci.

  Laci flushed. “Maybe,” she said. “I don’t want her going crazy. She’s never lived on her own before. She doesn’t even know how to do her own laundry.”

  The car rolled to a slow stop and I gestured out the window so Laci could see.

  “Does this look good?” I narrowed my eyes. “I know steak is boring, but I was craving some red meat.”

  Laci grinned. “It sounds perfect,” she said.

  I took Laci’s hand and led her inside. I had to admit, one of my favorite things about Laci was that she was always game for anything that I could think of. It didn’t matter if we were having Indian or Japanese or plain old American cuisine – Laci loved everything.

  A hostess showed us to a booth in the back and handed over thick menus bound in red leather. Laci glanced down for a few seconds.

  “So,” she asked, without glancing up. “What did you want to talk about earlier?”

  I sighed. “I think it would be better to do this after dinner,” I replied as I glanced around the restaurant. It was crowded, and I didn’t feel like having some of the wealthiest people in Boston overhear my ridiculously awful story.

  Laci frowned. She bit her lip and set the menu down on the table. “Jordan, is something wrong?”

  “No,” I lied. “Everything is fine, I swear.”

  “Is this about us?”

  “No,” I said. “It’s not, Laci. I wish you’d relax – can you try to do that for me?”

  Laci stared at me. “It’s just a little disconcerting,” she replied. “I mean, Jordan, I love you and I trust you. But most people hear ‘we need to talk’ and they freak out. It makes me nervous.”

  I reached across the table and took her hand in mine, hoping to reassure her.

  “I don’t want you to worry about anything,” I said. “Really.”

  Laci looked up and nodded. I was relieved to see that she looked a little calmer, at least for now. “Hey,” Laci said. “Someone’s coming over here – do you know him?”

  My heart sank as I turned around and saw James striding toward the table. His hands were shoved deeply in his pockets and he had a smug, cocky look on his face. His dark hair was slicked back and he was wearing a dark suit with a dark shirt underneath.

  “Yeah,” I said drily. “That’s my brother.”

  “Oh, really?” Laci’s eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together. “Oh my god, Jordan! I can’t believe I finally get to meet him!”

  “Don’t be too excited,” I said warily. “He doesn’t look like he’s in a good mood.”

  James stopped by the side of our table, looking down at me with an amused smirk on his face. “So, big brother,” James said. “This must be the girl we heard so much about.”

  Laci’s cheeks pinked with pleasure. “I’m Laci Wright,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you – Jordan has told me so much about you.”

  I stifled a wince as James burst out laughing. “I hope not too much,” James replied. He grinned at me. “After all, Jordan is the black sheep of our family – I can’t imagine that he had all that much to say.”

  Laci’s smile faded and she glanced at me, frowning slightly. “Jordan, what is he talking about?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “James, it was great to see you.”

  James laughed. “Whoa, hold on there,” he said. “Who said I was leaving? I’m waiting for Hanna and the baby, but they’re late. Traffic – you know how it is,” he added with a smirk.

  “Do you want to sit with us?” Laci offered kindly. For the first time since meeting her, I cursed her good heart. “I don’t mind, and I’m sure Jordan doesn’t mind, either.”

  James chuckled. “Sure,” he said. He winked at Laci. “But only if I can sit next to you.”

  “No chance,” I said. My voice was practically a low growl. I scooted over and patted the bench. “And if this is too small, well, then I guess you’ll just have to wait at the bar.”

  Laci was giving me an odd look. I forced a big smile at her as I moved over. James huffed a sigh before sitting down in the booth and putting his hands on the table.

  “So, this place is pretty trendy,” James said. He picked up a menu and glanced down at the prices, then whistled. “Whoa there, Jord,” he said. “You’re really aiming for the big guns.”

  “Laci has good taste,” I said drily.

  James smiled. “She can’t have too much of that,” he cracked. “After all, she’s with you.”

  If the situation had been any different – if I’d been a normal guy, a regular dude who had made an honest living for his entire life, I would have laughed. I might have even joined in, gently teasing Laci about what she was doing with someone like me.

  But no. This wasn’t normal. James knew exactly what he was doing. It was clear from what he said and his actions that he knew I had yet to disclose my past to Laci.

  And goddamnit, his timing couldn’t have possibly been any worse.

  “I like Jordan,” Laci said defensively. I was pleased to see she wasn’t offended. “I’ve never met someone as funny, or kind.”

  James stared at her for a moment before laughing. “You’re kidding,” he said. “Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

  The smug smile on Laci’s face disappeared and I squashed my powerful urge to punch my younger brother right in the jaw.

  “No,” Laci snapped. She turned to me and narrowed her eyes. “But I’m starting to understand why Jordan never wanted to tell me about his family before.” Her nostrils flared defensively as she spoke. “Because if they’re all jerks like you, I wouldn’t even want to hear about them.”

  “Whoa, there,” James said. He snorted, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t be so quick to throw around accusations,” he said slowly. “But I think I see my wife over there.” James got to his feet, brushing his hands off on his thighs. “Laci, it was delightful to meet you,” he said. “I just hope my loser of a brother treats you right.”

  When James had walked away, Laci and I sat there in stunned silence.

  “What was that about?” Laci asked softly.

  I sighed and reached for the bottle of wine, refilling her glass to the brim. “That was what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Laci

  Jordan and I had a delicious meal that was so filled with tension that I could hardly enjoy my steak. All I could think about was the way his brother had acted. Why was Jordan the black sheep of the family? And why was James so hell-bent on embarrassing him in front of me? It occurred to me that maybe this was just a brother thing – the kind of thing that brothers did when they were grown up. I wouldn’t know, after all, I’ve never had a brother. But even though I’d felt naïve and awkward speaking to James, I had a feeling that whatever was going on between him and Jordan was more than just “brother stuff.”

  When dinner was over, Jordan walked me out to the car. He had his driver turn on the air conditioning, then asked him to leave us alone for a while so we could talk in the back seat.

  “I thought privacy would be better,” Jordan said. His jaw was clenched and there were lines in his forehead that hadn’t been there twenty minutes ago. He looked at least ten years older than he really was.

  I nodded. I was feeling nervous and sick to my stomach. As Jordan opened the door and motioned for me to climb inside, I wished that I hadn’t eaten my giant piece of prime rib. Jordan followed me inside the limo and poured two glasses of whiskey from the small compartment by the floor. He handed one to me and after a moment, I accepted.

  “Thanks,” I said shyly.

  Jordan nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “Well, I figured this called for a little drink.”

  I frowned. I’d had two big glasses of wine with dinner and while I wasn’t tipsy or feeling drunk, I wasn’t sure that alcohol was the solution to the problems Jordan and I faced.


  “Jordan, please tell me what’s going on,” I said softly. “And please don’t lie – please be honest.”

  Jordan sighed. He ran a hand over his close-cropped head, rubbing his dark stubble.

  “James was right,” he began slowly. “I’ve always been the black sheep of the West family.”

  I pursed my lips together. “I’m sure that’s not true,” I said. I reached out and put my hand on Jordan’s arm. “You’re a good man, Jordan. And I know your family knows that.”

  Jordan laughed, but the sound was hollow and fake and unpleasant to my ears. “I may be a good man now, Laci, but I wasn’t always.”

  As much as I don’t want to admit it, his words were chilling and a shudder ripples through my body. I took a sip of whiskey, ignoring the alcoholic bite and swallowing as quickly as I can.

  “Yeah,” Jordan said drily. “You’re going to want a lot more of that.”

  “What…” I trailed off nervously. “What did you do? What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Jordan said. “Bad blood, or something shitty like that. From the time I was a kid, I was a little asshole. I did everything I could to piss off my father and James. I stole cars, I skipped school, I threw parties in my neighbor’s houses when I knew they’d be on vacation and didn’t give a shit if I wrecked the house or cost them thousands of dollars in insurance money. My father kept bailing me out, time after time, but I knew he hated me for acting like that.”