The Billionaire Bride

by Marquita Valentine

  Yes, she could admit to herself that he liked her. Perhaps even harbored strong affection for her.

  You’re an intelligent woman. You figure out why I dropped everything and flew halfway around the world to spend a week away from work and put up with your stuffy ass friends.

  No. She refused to let herself pin the hopes and dreams she harbored for years on a man who she’d cajoled into marrying her.

  But she wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to.

  An image came to mind, of them as a family, with children and a quaint house in Holland Springs. Or wherever he wanted to live.

  She didn’t care, she realized. The only thing that mattered was that they were together because she loved him.

  *

  The next morning, Kate padded downstairs, fully dress and ready to find Noah. Today, she would share everything with him. Today, she would—

  “Bloody he—” She swallowed the screaming curse as the woman sitting at her kitchen table turned to her.

  “Mother, what are you doing here?” she asked lightly, trying to steady her heart and find a way to make the baroness leave.

  “I’ve news.” The baroness’ cheeks were pale and the shadows under her eyes stood out in stark contrast.

  Kate kneeled on the floor, taking her mother’s hand. “What is it? Are you all right?”

  “It’s your husband…and it’s not very good, my dear.”

  Kate’s heart lurched. Raw pain ripped at her inside, tearing them apart. Oh God. She was too late. “What happened to him?”

  “He met with your father last night.”

  “Noah’s okay?”

  Her mother’s brow furrowed slightly. “Yes, of course.”

  Relief slammed through Kate, sending her to her knees in gratitude. He was okay. She would still get to tell him, even if he didn’t feel the same. She would tell him anyway.

  “But you made it seem—” Kate smashed her lips together. The baroness would never understand her concern. She was a pragmatist at heart.

  “Why did they meet?” Her father had made it clear that he had no wish to see, much less speak, with Noah. Ever. And Noah had insisted he was going to a pub and had even texted her when he’d arrived.

  “The baron said that Noah had requested a meeting with him, and at first your father thought it was to apologize and perhaps ask for his blessing.”

  A meeting? Well, Noah had said they would have to meet one another at some point. As for a blessing, that wasn’t something either of them had every discussed, but then again, neither were a lot of things.

  “And?” Kate asked.

  Her mother glanced away. “Alistair offered him money to leave you, and he took it. You can check his accounts and see for yourself.”

  Kate narrowed her eyes and stood, smoothing down her black skirt. “I don’t believe you.” There was no way her husband would ever ask her father for anything. He knew how she felt, and she knew how proud Noah was.

  The baroness stood as well. “Why don’t you ask him when you see him?”

  “I don’t need to.” She walked to the front door and opened it. “Please leave.”

  As her mother walked by, she paused and said, “I cannot believe that you’d choose him over your flesh and blood.”

  “And I cannot believe you would choose money and power over your flesh and blood’s happiness.”

  “We all do what we must.”

  On that point, she would forever agree with her mother. “Do not come back. You are no longer welcome in my home.”

  “Are you actually in love with the boy?”

  “My feelings are my own.”

  The baroness gazed at her with pity. “You little fool. Love is something even you can’t afford, my dear.”

  “My love doesn’t have a price.” Kate watched her mother as she got in the waiting car, and then sped away. Slowly, she shut the door and then sat down in the nearest chair to wait for her husband to come home.

  Chapter Thirteen

  ‡

  Noah sat in a cab, in the middle of rush-hour traffic, stewing over Alistair’s offer and his threats. Last night, he ended up staying at a hotel clear on the other side of London. He’d missed Kate the entire time, reaching for her and finding nothing but empty air.

  And all he could think was how hurt she would be if she found out what her dad had tried to do. So, the first thing Noah had done this morning was to call the bank and inquire about the transfer. It was still in processing, but would show up at any time, so the transaction couldn’t be reversed yet.

  He could respect the man for trying to protect his daughter, but he lost what little respect he had for Alistair once the bastard had threatened Kate.

  Rubbing the back of his neck, he exhaled. He needed to get back home to Holland Springs, and find a way to convince his wife to come with him.

  With the money Kate had provided now fully deposited into his business account, he could finally make business decisions that weren’t based on robbing Peter to pay Paul.

  His phone buzzed, and he answered it.

  “It’s on the market again,” his realtor said. Noah didn’t have to ask Paul to clarify. “And they reduced the price.”

  “That’s great, but now I’m not sure if that’s the best use of the money. Maybe I aimed a bit high with the property, and all that happened was a sign for me to slow my ass down. Besides, I can’t get an appointment with a single loan officer.” Not that there were that many in the first place. And that was one of the worst things about living in a small town—the amount of power controlled by so few people, who could either make your life heaven or hell. Which had been the reason behind going with someone out of town for the Silver Lake property.

  Except, he was sure that had backfired on him. In their eyes, they most likely thought he’d cheated them out of fees and interest that could have been earned.

  “About that… a rumor is going around that your wife holds the purse strings and refuses to let you spend any money because of the last bad business deal you made,” Paul said flatly.

  “You’re joking,” Noah said, unsure if he’d actually heard Paul correctly.

  First last night, then Kate’s dad, and now today—would he ever get a break from people assuming his motives? He didn’t want that shit to bother him, but it did. Not like a knife wound would, but more like tiny paper cuts that assholes kept pouring lemon juice over with their remarks and questions. Worse, they were the ones who stuck out in his mind, not the majority who’d been friendly. He did not want to have to deal with that shit once he came home.

  “Afraid not. I’ve done my best to dissuade people, but you know how gossip is.”

  Yeah, he knew it. “I appreciate that.”

  “Who’d you piss off?”

  The only person that came to mind was Harrison Collins. “Harrison said he wouldn’t give me a loan unless Kate signed and moved her money there. Like Holland Springs Savings and Loan could handle her accounts.”

  “She really has that much?” Paul asked quietly. “Don’t answer me. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Half the time, he didn’t believe it, and he’d read the prenup, which had detailed everything she owned right down to the penny. Or pound. Whatever. He didn’t give a damn.

  The taxi pulled up to a house down the street from Kate’s. “Anyway, I’ll be back home in a couple of days, but right now, I have to meet my bride.”

  “Have fun.”

  Noah grunted. “I’ll do my best.” Then he ended the call, got out to pay the driver, and walked the rest of the way.

  He hoped she’d be home, but he wasn’t holding his breath. However, he could shower and change, get some food in him, and come up with a plan to—

  The light blue door to Kate’s mews house opened suddenly and she stepped outside, her pale face filled with concern.

  “I was worried,” she said, going to him and kissing his cheek.

  “Are you okay?”
It wasn’t like her to be so publically affectionate. Privately, she would melt his brain with all the things she could do to him, and he’d learned to accept that about her. Hell, he thought it was hot.

  Totally met his prim and proper librarian fantasy, except she did it one better.

  “I had a rough night,” he admitted.

  “Want to talk about it?” She slipped her arm around him and led him into the house. “We can talk over breakfast. I haven’t had time to eat.”

  “I’d rather have a shower.” Then he stopped in his tracks in the middle of the living room and turned to her. “You always eat breakfast at seven. Are you sick?”

  “No.” Her gaze dropped away. “My mother visited me.”

  Noah’s entire body went hot, then cold. “What did she have to say?” If that woman had threatened Kate or lied to her, or—

  “That my father offered you money.”

  “He did more than that.”

  “My mother said you took it.”

  He laughed bitterly and shook his head. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “So she wasn’t lying?” Kate’s steps faltered. She jerked her head up, her pale green eyes wide. “I thought…you wouldn’t…how could you? Wasn’t my money enough for you?”

  “Enough for me?” Noah clenched his jaw. “Now you sound like everyone else who thinks I can be bought.”

  “I did buy you,” she said coldly. “And you allowed it to happen.”

  “What the ever-loving hell, Duchess?” He ran a hand through his hair, and she let go of him. “Before you get all high in the instep, you should know something.”

  “What’s that—you need more capital to buy the Silver Lake property?”

  “No.”

  “Thought it was a great lark to talk about our marital problems in a pub, then?”

  “I didn’t say shit about us.” Actually, he had said a little before Alistair had forced him into his car. “Okay, so I said one thing, but that was it. I was vague, but beyond that… I guess nothing I said to you got through that head of yours.”

  “Perhaps you only said what you did in order to—”

  “I wouldn’t finish that thought, Duchess. I didn’t come here to fight with you. I came here to talk. We need to make some decisions because I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

  Kate’s lips thinned, then her anger slowly faded away until she became the fragile, vulnerable woman she rarely allowed anyone but him to see, and her mouth quivered. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he didn’t trust himself or her right now.

  Everything was screwed up.

  “I took your side against my mother. I told her to leave my house and that she wasn’t ever welcome to come again. I did all that under the assumption that you were innocent of everything.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “And now you’ve just admitted that I did it all for nothing.” She bit her bottom lip, visibly fighting her emotions. “Now I have nothing—not you, not my family… nothing.”

  He tried to take her in his arms, but she shoved him away. “Don’t do this. God, I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for taking the money, or sorry you didn’t ask for more in the first place?”

  “Neither because I didn’t take the money, and I don’t regret making a deal with you for one second.”

  “Get out,” she said on a choked breath. “Get out.”

  “I’m not done talking.”

  “But I am, and if you won’t leave, then I will.” He grabbed her arm, and she whirled on him. “Get your filthy hands off me.”

  Noah knew he couldn’t make her see reason, and he was starting to see red. Right or wrong, she was pissing him the hell off, and their situation was quickly becoming a repeat of the night before.

  He let go of her, saying, “I’ll be here when you get back. There’s nothing you can say to make me leave you.”

  “Stop it.”

  “Stop what?”

  “Trying to trick me.”

  “I’m not. I’m being honest with you.”

  “You won’t stay if there’s no money.”

  He took a step toward her. “Then take it back.”

  “But your company needs it… your employees.”

  “We’ve had lean times before; I’ll make it work.”

  Tears began to stream down Kate’s face. “Just tell me why you took the money, Noah? If you needed more, then I would have given it to you, no questions asked. I know how important your company is to you, and I respect that.”

  “I didn’t take his money.”

  “My mother called me a fool. She said that I can’t afford love.”

  He was getting to her, finally, but he fucking hated how much she was hurting. “I swear to you that I did not take his money, Duchess, and you are not a fool.”

  Kate shook her head as more and more tears gathered in her throat and pricked at her eyes. So many fell on her face that she felt as though she was drowning. “But you said you did.”

  “No, sweetheart, I said he gave me no choice.” He took her hand in his own, his touch so tender that she wanted to cry more. “He took it upon himself to transfer the money to my bank account. I called the bank as soon as I could and tried to get it reversed. They can’t right now because it’s still processing.”

  “Why would you do all that?”

  “I told you, Kate. I’m not here for the money, and if you could admit the truth of why I’m here, then everything would make sense.”

  Her entire body shook. “I can’t.”

  “You won’t because you’re afraid, and that’s okay.”

  She wasn’t just afraid. She was terrified. “It is?”

  “I love you, Kate. That’s why I flew here, that’s why I stayed… only I didn’t know it at the time. Not really.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  ‡

  Kate stared at him through wet lashes. “You love me?” she asked, dumbfounded. “But you… I—we married for convenience.” Her heart physically ached. “You can’t possibly love me.” Though she loved him. She loved him more than she thought was possible.

  “I can, and I do.”

  His vow made her knees shaky as well as her will. “I want to believe you but I’m terrified that I’m wrong, that I’m making a mistake… that no one can love me for me.”

  “I have those same fears. I’m just as scared as you are,” he said quietly.

  “I don’t understand. How could you be, you’re entirely loveable. People are drawn to you. They adore you.” She adored him.

  “Not everyone, and I’m scared as hell that you’ll figure out I was never good enough for you in the first place.”

  “Not good enough?” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Noah, any woman, no matter her status in life, would be so incredibly lucky to have you.”

  “I don’t want any other woman but you.”

  Her heart swelled. “I don’t want any other man.”

  “Damn right you don’t.” He claimed her mouth in a hot kiss that had her sighing. “I love you. I physically ached for you when we were apart. I reached for you this the morning, and when you weren’t there, it was like a hole appeared in my chest. A hole only you can fill. You don’t have to say you love me right now. Hell, I have no idea if you do love me, but I’m willing take the chance that you could learn to love me. That you could—”

  “Shut up.” She kissed him, then leaned back to stare into his shocked gaze. “I do love you.”

  His eyes widened, then he grinned. “Marry me again, Duchess. Except this time, let’s do it right. In Vegas.”

  She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “You began so romantically, and then…”

  “I was only kidding. We don’t need another wedding. We just need each other for the rest of our lives.”

  “And that’s how long you will have me,” she said.

  *

  Kate and Noah waited in her father’s library, their hands clasped together. After months of her parents’ meddling in their lives, Kate f
inally had the information she needed to make sure The baron and baroness never bothered her and Noah again.

  “You want me to do the talking, or at least get things started?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I can do it.”

  “Hell, yes,” he said softly and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “You know how powerful women get me going.”

  Smashing her lips together to keep from laughing, she focused on the library doors. Of course her parents were keeping them waiting. It was the oldest trick in the book, and one she’d been subjected to while growing up. Usually, she would cave, and whatever small rebellion had been growing in her would be squelched.

  But not this time.

  This time, she had reinforcements, and he was sitting right beside her. She was so very proud of him. Not only had he finally purchased his dream property, but he had turned his company around without the help of anyone. In nearly every aspect of their lives, they were rounding a corner so to speak.

  “After this, will you feel like going to Texas?” he asked. “We can stay a few more days and catch all the sights I didn’t get around to the first time.”

  “You are not getting out of this. I want to meet your family—every single one of them,” she said. “I think we’ll have a brilliant time.”

  He grunted, and then asked, “What exactly do you have up your sleeve? I’m trying to be patient, but you’ve been keeping me in suspense for weeks now.”

  “Remember that night on the balcony?”

  The bridge of Noah’s nose flushed. “You want to do that right now?” He glanced around the room. “I don’t see any dark corners to ravish you in, but we can make do.”

  Her heart sped up at the thought. “Not that. The couple who implied that I might not be the baron’s daughter.”

  His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  She grinned, and for the first time in years, she didn’t feel guilty or ashamed of the implied circumstances surrounding her birth. “Let’s just say that I’m closer in line to the throne than what I was led to believe.”

  “How close?”