by Sam Crescent
Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2015 Sam Crescent
ISBN: 978-1-77233-586-6
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND
Sam Crescent
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
She really needed to paint the ceiling. It was looking like it had not seen a paintbrush in over three years, which it probably hadn’t. Addison Woodside stared at the same spot for the next ten minutes while her husband fucked her. There was no way she’d call what they did once a month love, or even liking. She didn’t like Shaun, not one bit. Her parents had demanded that she marry him, and had even gone to the extent of putting a guard on her until she did.
They had been married three years, and they only met up once a month in this ghastly house to have sex in order to have an heir. Not that they could have an heir. Before she even knew she was about to be married, she’d gotten the implant to stop her from conceiving. Her sister had been about to marry Shaun, and Addison had wanted to go out and live her own life. That had not happened, but she had already taken one of the precautions to not get pregnant. Addison had wanted to meet people, date, have sex, and do other stuff than become a wife.
Now, this was her house, but she never stayed in this place as she hated it. The house was so cold, and she had grown up in a cold house, and she wasn’t going to spend the rest of her adult life living in a place that left her empty. She had been married since twenty-one, and would be celebrating her twenty-fourth birthday in a couple of weeks.
In, out, in, out.
Shaun continued to have sex with her, and Addison just lay there. There was no emotion, no passion. His face was pressed against her neck, and she kept on counting the points in the ceiling.
Once a month after her period, she would travel to this house, they’d have sex, and then, she’d go back to her life away from him. She imagined the women he was with when he wasn’t with her didn’t have this trouble. Sex, to her, was just boring. There was nothing to their union. It was a shame, as Shaun was a good looking man. He was the kind of man who was dark and brooding. His black hair always looked like it needed to be cut, but it gave him that sinful look, as did his dark eyes. She never knew what he was thinking.
They never talked, not really.
Addison never asked him about work, or what he did with his life. He didn’t know what she loved, or that she had a whole other life outside of their monthly meetings.
Shaun tensed, and growled, letting her know he was finished. Once he was done, there were no lingering touches or words of love. He pulled out of her, and walked toward the bathroom.
She refused to look toward him. Lying on the bed, she counted to ten before moving. Addison used a different bathroom from Shaun. She stared at her reflection in the mirror as his cum dripped down the inside of her thigh.
Three years they’d been married, and for three years they’d been coming to this house, to have sex. Shaun thought she lived here, she was sure of it. The first six months of her marriage, she had stayed in the house until she realized that he had a routine where he visited her. The moment she realized his routine, she had left, found a place of her own, and had a life outside of his.
Running fingers through her hair, she released a sigh. There was no sign on her body of having sex. She’d seen Darla after her friend had a night of passion. Darla’s body had red marks from stubble, little marks from lovemaking. What did she have? She had some of his cum dripping down her leg, which would be washed away the moment she stepped into the shower.
Shaun only had sex with her to produce a kid. What he didn’t know was that prior to their marriage, she had gone on a form of contraception where a tube was placed into her arm. She was safe for another two months, their three year anniversary. Addison had wanted to tell him straight away, but he made it hard to approach him. He was so closed off, so reserved, and he never tried to make conversation with her.
Addison had been ordered to marry Shaun. She didn’t know him, and what she did know, she didn’t like. He was a workaholic billionaire. He commanded her family’s business as well as his own.
She’d also seen his picture in magazines with models and actresses on his arm. The first time she’d seen it, Addison had been hurt, not because she loved him, but because he’d made her feel like a fool. The moment she started to live her own life, she’d not cared. He had his life, she had hers, and the media had long stopped questioning their lack of appearances.
Stepping into the shower, she thought about what she had to do in the coming week. She had three shows to film, and two more recipes to try. Her agent wanted to work on signings for her book deal.
Everything was moving in her life, and she hoped she could keep up with it all. She may have come from a wealthy family who lived life in the media, but she didn’t like it. Addison had done everything in her life to avoid being in the media, yet her love had put her back in the media line.
Once she finished in the shower, she went into the bedroom, grabbing her clothes. She dressed quickly, making her way downstairs. Setting a pan on the stove, she made herself a hot chocolate. She sat down, and right on time, Shaun entered the kitchen.
“I’m off. I’ve got business to attend to.”
“Okay.” She was flicking through a cooking magazine, and didn’t bother to look up.
“Is there anything you need to talk to me about?” he asked.
Glancing up, she saw he was standing close to her. “No.”
His jaw clenched, he nodded, and made to step away from her. Before she got to go back to her magazine, he’d turned back toward her.
“I’ll see you next month.”
“Yep.”
This was strange of him. Shaun never made sure it was the same time next month, or asked her if she wanted to talk.
“Do you need to talk to me about anything?” she asked.
He tensed up, and hesitated. “No.”
“Okay.”
Glancing back down at her magazine, she wasn’t surprised to hear his retreating footsteps. She moved toward the window, and watched as he made his way toward his car. What was going on with him?
She waited until she was sure he was gone, finished her chocolate, and locked up the house. Until next month, she was free.
****
Shaun slammed his phone down, and stormed across his office to stare outside the window. It had been a week since he’d last been to see his wife, and something was bothering him. He didn’t know what. Running fingers through his hair, he was caught by the gold band decorating his finger. His wedding band was for decoration. Addison wore a diamond wedding ring, and he wondered if she ever had moments like this? Moments of thinking about their marriage, or lack of one.
They had sex once a month when he went to their shared house. He didn’t live there, couldn’t live there. Addie never actually spoke to him about anything. Their marriage had been their parents’ idea, and at first, they had wanted him to marry her sister, Evangeline. That wasn’t going to happen. Evangeline was a wild child, and screwed any man who looked her way. He wanted his woman to be untouched. No, he wasn’t a saint, but he had standards, and his wife was going
to be the right one to mother his kids, not some slut. Addison, or Addie as he thought of her, wasn’t a slut. She was a beautiful, curvy woman, who would make a fantastic mother.
Three years and nothing.
He’d gone and got tested in case something was wrong with him. The doctor assured him, he was fine, and that getting pregnant took time. He didn’t want to admit to the doctor that he only slept with his wife once a month. Shaun didn’t want to broach the subject with Addie, and he wasn’t in a big rush to get pregnant, but he’d wanted to be sure. Their parents wanted them to have a kid together. They believed a child would stop them ending their marriage. Shaun had no intention of ever ending his marriage. He didn’t believe in divorce, and in time, maybe he and Addie could come to some kind of resolution.
Pulling out of his thoughts, he made his way out toward the main room. When he couldn’t find Bruce, his amazing PA, he went in search of him. Walking into the empty staff room, he was about to turn away when the person on the television caught his attention. Pausing, he blinked, and when that didn’t make her go away, he reached out for the remote, turning up the sound of his wife.
What the hell had Addie been doing? He didn’t know why she was on television. Her blonde hair had been curled so it spiraled around her, and her blue eyes were smiling at the interviewer. She wore only a little makeup, but then she’d never needed a lot.
“You have the blog, the video channel, and now the book,” the interviewer said.
What the fuck?
“I know. It has been really surreal.”
“This book is selling, and pre-order sales are through the roof. What inspired you to write this book, titled, In Addie’s Kitchen?”
“Sir?” Bruce said, entering the staff room.
“Tell me, Bruce, do I need to call the doctor or is my wife being interviewed right now?” Shaun asked without taking his eyes away from the television screen.
“I’ve always loved to cook. For as long as I can remember I was experimenting in the kitchen. One night, I just started cooking, and writing everything down. Then my friend told me I should film myself cooking, and before I knew what was happening, I had everything set up, and I was posting a new video once a week. My friend helped me to film everything. Then it went to twice a week.”
“What makes you so successful is the fact your recipes work, right?”
“Yes. They work. I make the dishes a minimum of five times to make sure they are perfect. The dishes I’m sharing now are the experiments of a couple of months ago. I always make sure I have a lot of recipes ready,” Addie said.
This was like an alternate universe.
“We all know you’re the wife of successful billionaire, Shaun Woodside. What does he think of your success?”
Shaun watched as Addie tensed.
“He’s, erm, very supportive as any husband would be with their wife.” Addie ran her fingers through her hair, looking off the camera. “He’s a busy man, and we don’t interfere with each other’s businesses.”
The questions moved on, and Shaun stormed out of the staff room. Bruce followed him, closing the door to his office.
“You’re not aware of your wife’s success?”
“What success?” Shaun asked. He didn’t know that Addie could cook. Thinking about it, he didn’t know anything about his damn wife.
“Addie has been making headlines since last year. This cookbook that is releasing in two weeks’ time will be her first, and she already has another two books to create,” Bruce said.
Pacing up and down his office, Shaun tried to grasp what he’d just been told. “Wait? You know about her?”
“With all due respect, sir, I’ve been dealing with calls from her publicist, and the media. They want a response from you.”
Shaun paused. “What? Why wasn’t I notified of this?”
“I tried to tell you, but you said anything to do with the media or your wife, I was to handle. I told them you were very busy, like I do every single time.” Bruce went to say something then stopped.
“What is it?”
“Haven’t you seen any of her videos?”
“No. I didn’t even know she could fucking cook!” He was losing his temper, and was so damn angry. His wife had a whole other life, and he’d not known about it.
Bruce walked toward the laptop, and Shaun collapsed into his chair.
Before him, Bruce loaded up a webpage, and clicked play.
“Hi, everyone, Addie here again, and today I’m going to be cooking the most amazing chocolate truffles. Now, please don’t turn off, or panic. These are easy, delicious, and so damn good. They’re much better than shop bought ones. I tried these on Shaun, and he loved them. Believe me, they’re worth knowing.”
For the next fifteen minutes he listened to his wife talk to her viewers, and showed a warmth he’d never had directed at him. Her eyes sparkled, and there was just an energy and passion around her that he’d never seen before.
“Did you know?”
Bruce’s face went red.
“Just tell me, Bruce.”
His PA was like a friend to him, and Shaun trusted him with everything.
“My wife watches her every week, and tries all of her recipes. They are delicious. Honestly, Shaun, they’re amazing.”
Running a finger along his bottom lip, he scrolled through several of the recipes, and clicked on each one. Some of the food he recognized, as he’d eaten it before they’d gone upstairs, and had sex. What he didn’t recognize was the kitchen.
What the hell was happening?
Bruce left the office to answer the phone calls. Shaun was so pissed off right now, and he just couldn’t think straight. Clicking on another video, he watched as she cooked a turkey, made the perfect mashed potatoes, and even some gifts. She was spellbinding as far as he was concerned.
Scrolling down the page, he clicked on the link to her website, and started going through all of her recent updates. There were pictures of the book, and the places she was going to visit. He also noticed whenever he was mentioned, she always changed the subject. The interview that he’d just seen was actually filmed a couple of weeks ago, and it was only now going live.
He needed to talk to her. Getting to his feet, he told Bruce where he was going, and made his way out of his office.
It wasn’t like him to leave halfway through the working day, but he just couldn’t sit around anymore while watching his wife cook on the internet. This should have been something he knew about.
The truth was, he’d always put Bruce in charge of handling his wife’s affairs. He’d not wanted to get married, and when he was at work, he refused to have any part in her problems. When they first married, he really believed she was going to be different toward him. Addie had been cold. She’d not spoken to him, and talking to her had been a chore. He’d not taken the time to get to know her. Their parents had told them they were getting married, and he’d done what was needed to do.
He controlled two companies worth billions of dollars, and he’d been too damn busy to take the time with his wife.
You still take other women out to dinner.
Shaun wondered if Addie had seen the gossip on his supposed affairs. He’d not had any affair, not at all. The women he’d been seen with, he’d only taken out to dinner. Some of the models were part of the advertisement of his companies. Part of his company dealt with the media. He had his hands in a lot of different pies, and he loved it.
Climbing in his expensive, top of the range car, he drove toward the house that was just too damn cold for him. He grabbed his key, and turned it in the lock.
“Addie?” He shouted her name, and was shocked by how quiet the house was.
Entering the sitting room, he saw the chairs were covered with crisp, white sheets.
“What the hell is going on?” He made his way toward the kitchen, and again, bare. Opening the fridge, he saw it was empty and turned off.
Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed the house
keeper, and when she answered, he fired off lots of questions.
“Sir, I’m paid to come and remove the sheets from the furniture, turn down the bed, and fill the fridge with food.”
“Nothing else?”
“Nothing else. Addison doesn’t live there, sir.”
Snapping the phone closed, he paced. Where the fuck did his wife live?
He called Bruce. His PA was the only person he trusted with this information.
Chapter Two
“Damn, girl, this here is a piece of heaven. I mean, you’ve taken chocolate, and you took it from sin, and just wow.”
Addison laughed as Dean kept describing exactly how much he loved the triple chocolate cake she’d just made. She left the cake on the counter, and finished cleaning up the bowls where she’d made her heavenly frosting. Everything was going well according to her agent, Paula. The book was selling well, and the interviews were going great. Paula believed there could be a cookery series in a couple of months as there was talk of people approaching her.
The only downfall to her cookery show was Shaun.
Paula had explained that any show she did, it would be based in her kitchen, where she was surrounded with her friends and family. They would expect Shaun. Her agent knew about her relationship with Shaun, as Addison had no choice but to explain the situation. She’d never lied to anyone, and used her name to get what she wanted. It took a year for her viewers to discover who she was, and it had been a gradual process until it had gone out in the papers. Billionaire’s wife, a video cook.
She’d expected Shaun to get in touch, but he’d done nothing. With the way he acted around her, she doubted he even had a clue what she was doing with her life.
Dean kept moaning and groaning as he took another slice of the cake. Leaning against the sink, she chuckled. Dean was her neighbor from across the hall. The building housed two large apartments, and Dean was a big time model.