One Night with the Billionaire (A BWWM Romance)

by Tiana Cole

  “Thank you for helping get this project off the ground, Mr. Henderson. I’m Tonya and I teach basic living skills at this and the shelter across town.”

  David looked down at the woman with familiar honey brown eyes and blinked. “Um, thank you, Tonya. Please, call me David.”

  “Oh, I know who you are. You’re the reason my daughter left town.” She aimed a light brown finger in his direction. “Now, I truly appreciate your help with this shelter, but I do not appreciate the way you’ve treated Ebony.”

  David watched, stunned, as the woman glared at him, turned on her heels and stomped out of the shelter. Women accosted him all the time, but usually it wasn’t to thank him for charitable donations or to scold him. Then the strangest thing happened. He smiled. Ebony was just like her mom. Ebony.

  “So I see you’ve met Tonya. She’s great, a real firecracker.”

  He frowned. “You know her?”

  She nodded. “Of course I do. She’s Ebony’s mother and spends a lot of time at her house.”

  She couldn’t have hurt him more if she’d tried. Her words, so carelessly spoken, had speared him. While he’d been a sulking ass, Sarah had been spending time with Ebony. And a child who might be his. “You’ve been to her house? When?”

  “Only once.” She shrugged. “Usually I meet Tonya in the park, but a few days ago, Ebony invited me to have lunch with her and the baby.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Finally warming up to you, I see?” His sister winced at his harshly spoken words but he kept going. “So how much did she ask the poor sweet aunt to give?”

  Sarah glared at him. “Being a bitter ass is one of your least attractive qualities. As a matter of fact, she didn’t ask me for anything other than my email address. She said she was going out of town and would email me photos of the baby.” She patted his chest. “You know, I’m glad you’re uninvolved with them. They’re both so nice and sweet, and you’d ruin them.” She brushed by him, smacking his shoulder with hers as she went.

  How was he the bad guy? Again? He hadn’t accepted a half a million dollars for one night of sex. He wasn’t the one who’d had a baby without telling a guy after three dates, and he wasn’t the one who had tried to pass one guy’s baby off as another’s! Ebony was the one who had done all that yet she was the victim. He just couldn’t win.

  Sarah came marching back. “The mayor would like a word with you.” Her tone was clipped and her gaze was icy. She turned and walked away before he could respond.

  Great. He was getting used to being the bad guy. After another half hour of handshakes, Vaseline smiles and none too subtle requests for business tips, David made his way to the car waiting at the curb. He slid in and frowned. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  Bonnie smiled seductively and batted her lashes. “I came to see you, darling.”

  He gave a curt nod and pulled his phone out. “Ricardo, David Henderson. I’m good, thanks. Look, I’ve got a courier coming to you in the next hour. He’ll only give the package to you, my friend. You’re welcome.” He disconnected the call and glared at Bonnie. “What is it you want, Bonnie?”

  “I want you to come to your senses and realize how good we could be together.” She smiled and moved to sit next to him. His icy glare stopped her cold.

  “I’m glad you decided to disregard my earlier threats.” Red hot rage built inside him, simmering and ready to bubble over. He couldn’t continue to take his anger and confusion out on his employees. Henderson Corp. paid well and provided generous benefits, which meant they had their choice of quality candidates. He couldn’t take it out on Sarah because she was his sister, and Ebony was in the wind. Bonnie however, was right here.

  She slid across the seat this time, not stopping until her body was pressed up against the side of his. “I knew once we were together you’d change your mind.”

  He looked at her again, feeling nothing but disgust and anger. Bonnie and her machinations had started this particular turmoil. The more he thought about it, she was the best target for his fury. “Oh, you misunderstand me, Bonnie. I’m glad that I won’t have to feel bad when Ricardo receives that package that is already on its way to the Star News Daily offices.”

  Her eyes widened in horror but she quickly covered with a coquettish blink. “You can call him off.”

  David smiled but he had a feeling it was more menacing than enticing. “I could. But I won’t.” He leaned forward, blond brows furrowed, jaws clenched to make sure she was well and truly intimidated. “You see, Bonnie, I don’t like people meddling in my life, and you have caused quite the shit storm. So I am going to enjoy watching your fall. Now get out of my car and stay the hell away from me.”

  “But, David, you can’t possibly expect—”

  He cut her off with a slice of his arm through the air. “Enough! If I see you again, I will file a restraining order.”

  Her smile turned cold. “I hope you don’t think you’re getting that little black bitch back. From what I hear, she’s already moved in with that gangster.” Bonnie’s sneer was unattractive and David was glad he’d never gotten caught up in her web.

  “Really? Did you hear that while he was putting his drug riddled dick inside your body?” He smiled at her surprise. “You’re up against an enemy you can’t beat, Bonnie. Don’t make this worse for yourself. Stay away from me and stay away from Ebony!”

  She leaned in close, gasping in pain when his hands went to her wrists. “She’s conning you, David, and you can’t see it. She’s that good in bed? Because you’ll lose millions. How much as she asked you for already?”

  He froze. Nothing. She’d asked absolutely nothing of him. Hadn’t called or texted or tried to see him since he walked away from her. “Get out!” His roar echoed inside the Town Car.

  Eyes wide and glassy with emotions, Bonnie nodded quickly and slid from the car, never turning her back on David.

  When the door shut behind her, David leaned back and closed his eyes. “Okay, Riley, let’s head home.” This was a migraine kind of day. And there was only one solution.

  Scotch.

  Lots and lots of scotch.

  ~

  “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning, Dr. Willis, I appreciate it.” Ebony stood and extended her arm to shake the man’s head. She liked Dr. Willis, the chair of the hotel management department, even though he looked more like a college professor than a man who’d sold a multi-million-dollar resort empire so he could settle down with a sweet chocolatier.

  “Ebony it’s been a pleasure. I look forward to sharing ideas this fall.” He gave her an avuncular wink and patted her shoulder. “And this cutie pie makes me wish for my own grandchildren. Those eyes.” He tickled Kim’s foot, smiling at her infectious giggle. “You’re going to break hearts, my dear.”

  “Bite your tongue. Being a single mother is hard enough without thinking that far ahead.” Her smile was contagious when she laughed. “Do you have any neighborhood recommendations for me, as a local?” She didn’t want to end up in a place that wasn’t kid friendly or black friendly or crazy expensive.

  Dr. Willis walked out with Ebony and Kim, telling her all about the different areas he and his wife looked. “Of course money was no object for us, but I think you can find something reasonable in those areas. Why don’t you put your number and email into my phone and I’ll have my wife email you? She’s lived here for a long time and she still pinches pennies.”

  Ebony envied the way he spoke about his wife. That sweet and utterly in love tone and that spark in his eyes. She wanted that. “Then I guess you’re a lucky man, Dr. Willis.”

  He chuckled. “That I am. Julie’s a gem, you’ll love her. See you soon, Ebony. You too, Kim.”

  She smiled, watching him shuffle away while Kim cooed in her stroller. “Come on, baby girl, let’s go have a picnic!” Kim giggled again and clapped her hands.

  The past couple days in Berkeley had been incredible. She’d never really been too far from
her neighborhood and never outside Los Angeles, but the peace and tranquility, the eclectic and academic atmosphere was intoxicating. She’d called after the first full day, gushing to her mother about the beauty of the town.

  “Don’t make it heaven just because you’re going through hell right now, Ebony.” That was her mama, ever practical.

  “I’m not. This place is great, just the kind of place I’d like to raise my daughter. It’s got all the stuff of a city but it feels like a town, you know?” But Ebony knew her mother didn’t know. She liked the neighborhood just fine, even though she wished there were speed bumps on the street, less gang violence and fewer young girls turning her block into Prostitution Avenue. She would change everything and nothing at the same time. Meanwhile, Ebony had waited her whole life to get far away from that place. That life.

  Now she was, whether or not her mama appreciated it. And if anyone had asked her, she’d tell them she felt great. Aside from the heartbreak on her daughter’s behalf. She knew firsthand how difficult it could be growing up without a father. The questions that it forced you to ask. The realization that you weren’t enough. Weren’t worth enough for their love. “It’s okay, sugar, I’ll love you enough for two parents, maybe four.”

  They spent the day exploring. Parks and homes were at the top of the list because, hello, single mom and small baby. She’d met a couple mothers during their picnic and got a few more leads on child friendly neighborhoods, even though she’d been warned they were family blocks. Ebony supposed the women were tying to help by letting her know she might be unwelcome as a pretty young single woman. It didn’t matter. Ebony wasn’t looking for love. Or sex. Or men.

  She would find someplace with a small yard for Kim and maybe some flower pots too, and she would finish school. Get her degree, start a career that would allow her to take care of her daughter and send her to college. Her life would be just as she’d always imagined it. Maybe she wouldn’t have the love of a good man—if there were any of them still out there—but she would have the ability to take care of her family. Where she came from, that was a lot.

  Try as she might, she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering to David. From wondering if he, at any point during the past few weeks or months, missed her. If he’d ever second-guessed his decision that she was a liar. A slut. A whore. Since he hadn’t called or attempted to track her down as Sarah had, she assumed he hadn’t. And every morning she woke up and reminded herself that he didn’t matter. He was no longer a part of their lives and didn’t get to take up real estate in her mind. “No more,” she said the next morning as she’d gotten herself and Kim ready for a baby dance class. Now that she had a couple months between sessions, she was free to enjoy activities like this with her baby. Tomorrow they had mommy and baby tumbling and yoga. She smiled. Who would have ever thought little Ebony with the knobby knees and flat chest would attend a yoga class with her baby girl? No one from her old neighborhood, that was for sure.

  They’d done plenty of activities in and around the area. She’d even gotten a photo of Kim and her on the outskirts of a campus protest against drone strikes. She’d texted the photo to her mama and Sarah, thinking they’d get a kick out of it. Sarah had replied she would buy some baby tie-dye to honor their transformation to the hippie lifestyle. Her mama had simply replied, “I’m glad you’re happy.”

  Ebony stopped and looked down at her daughter’s rose pink pout, green and gold marble eyes and those wild cinnamon curls, and she smiled. She wasn’t happy yet, but she was a work in progress. “We’re gonna be alright, sweet girl.”

  Eventually.

  Chapter Eleven

  “You need to leave.”

  David looked up at his sister’s voice, scowl permanently fixed on his face and shoulders hunched over his desk. “I need to leave my office?”

  Arms crossed, familiar cat eyes peering over a pair of completely useless glasses. “Not just the office. The entire building.” She walked in, each stride full of purpose and determination. “You need to get away for awhile. You’re in a terrible mood all the time and you’re scaring the employees.”

  He scoffed. “I pay them to work, whether I’m in a good mood or not.” He knew he’d been gruffer than necessary with his workers but he couldn’t shake his dark mood. He couldn’t say what he was feeling and he was nowhere near prepared to even start contemplating why he felt that way. All he knew was he couldn’t shake it.

  Two nights ago he’d cracked open his little black book, sleek, red and digital, and set up a date with an old favorite. She was married and had no designs on him or his fortune. They’d gone to a hotel as they always did, ordered champagne and chocolate syrup, and got down to business. Well, they would have gotten down to business if his dick had been in a cooperating mood. Instead, they’d spent a few minutes kissing and…nothing. Veronica had tried to suck him off. Still nothing. It was clear his body wasn’t in the mood and the night was still young so Veronica kissed him good night and went in search of greener, harder pastures.

  He’d woken up today in an even darker mood.

  “I’m aware that you’re the boss, big brother. However, we don’t really want to lose great people because you can’t get your shit together, do we? I mean, I didn’t go to business school, but maybe that’s some kind of MBA strategy us little people don’t know about.”

  “Sarcastic little snot.” Her tone grated on his nerves but he couldn’t stop the smirk curving his mouth upward.

  “Maybe, but I’m right. Look, go get drunk or screw one of your dumb socialites. Or gee, I don’t know, apologize to Ebony and get to know your daughter! Go do something far away from here and don’t come back until your smile looks like the one that drives the lady crazy. No more of this hungry mountain man crap. Alright?”

  Amused now, David leaned back in his chair and crossed his feet at the ankles atop his desk. “You know you work for me, right?”

  “You know I’m doing this for you, right?” she shot back, green eyes sparked through with golden thunder. Then she smiled. “Go now. I’ll come by later with dinner. And booze.”

  His smile was genuine this time. “You’re the best, sis.”

  “I am, aren’t I? Where’s my handsome billionaire with a big, thick, long co—”

  “I don’t want to hear this.” He covered his ears and frowned at her. “And I was just starting to like you,” he groaned, and stood. “Fine, I’m out of here, only because you’re right. I do need some time away. Coordinate anything you need with Gabe for the next two days.”

  “We’ll talk more tonight, David.” She kissed his cheek and grabbed his jacket. “Just make sure you’re home by eight. Your doorman always gives me a hard time.”

  He laughed and kissed her head. He tipped Howard a couple hundred each time he pretended Sarah wasn’t on the list of approved visitors who didn’t require prescreening. “I’ll be there.”

  Then he did something he rarely did. He strode out of his office in the middle of the day with no client meetings or conference calls to worry about. He was free. The day was young, the sky was blue and dotted with big white puffy clouds. A cool breeze kissed his face, seeped through the spaces between buttons and cooled his body. David had no idea where he was going and decided to simply walk. His security detail was always present even if he couldn’t find them. They could always see him. So he walked and walked until he wound up in the park. Wilson Park.

  He stopped in front of a table. The table. The table where Bonnie and her little gangster had ambushed, more like hijacked, his conversation with Ebony. The conversation where she was going to put another man’s child on you, he reminded himself, but with far less heat than he’d over the past months. If his sister was to be believed, and he was starting to believe her, that gangster was a nuisance. Not a boyfriend. And if not a boyfriend, not likely a father, at least not the father to Ebony’s child. “Shit. Goddammit!” He kicked at a pebble on the ground with far more force than was necessary as realization struck.r />
  He turned, his pace increasing as he made his way back to the office. At some point he’d started running, pumping his arms in an effort to retrace his steps as quickly as possible.

  “Excuse me, sir?”

  He scowled at the security guard who instantly recognized him. “I forgot something,” he said harshly to the man.

  “Sorry, sir, didn’t recognize you. Have a good day.” He stepped back with almost a bow, making David feel even more like an ass.

  But David paid the man no mind as he strode to the elevator and pressed the button to his sister’s floor. He ignored every receptionist and assistant he came across, strolling into her office without regard to her schedule.

  “Oh sure, Davey, come on in. I’m not busy working or anything.” She rolled her eyes. “Fastest two days ever.”

  “You have her address. I want it.” Chest heaving and lungs burning for air, he only glared.

  “Who?”

  If the situation wasn’t so dire, he’d smile. “Don’t be cute, Sarah.”

  “It cannot be helped. I am who I am.” A slow grin spread across her face. “I’m sorry, but I promised I wouldn’t give you anything. Not that you deserve it anyhow.”

  Was she serious? “After weeks of berating me?”

  “Months. We’re well into the second month of your supreme idiocy, dear brother.”

  He glared but continued. “After weeks of berating me and goading me into asking questions about her child, now that I’d like to get to the bottom of this, you won’t help me?” Women were insane. That was the only explanation for Sarah’s craziness.

  She shrugged as though she didn’t hold his fate in her tiny, well-manicured hands. “First of all, it would do you plenty of good to actually have to work for something other than your billions. When things come too easy for a man, he forgets how to work for what’s important.”

  His scowl deepened but he had to acknowledge that she was right. Damn her. “So you’re not going to help me?”