by Lauren Wood
“It is good to know that you are still alive Raphael. Thanks for letting me know after all of this time.”
He was frustrated that I hadn’t reacted the way he wanted me to. I don’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t this. He had this look in his eyes that he couldn’t believe I was turning him away. Did he really think that we would somehow be together? Surely he wasn’t that stupid, not after me finding out the truth?
“I love you Gemma. I have always loved you.”
I wasn’t going to hear it anymore. There was no way that he loved me like he said he did if he was capable of doing something like this to me.
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have done this to me Raphael. You would have known that this was going to kill me. I loved you too and losing you was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through.”
“Then if you love me and I love you, why can’t we work this out?”
“Because there is too much between us and I am married now Raphael. You couldn’t have done this a month ago?” Even as I said it, I knew that I wouldn’t change meeting Keenan for anything else in the world. I knew now that what I had with Raphael hadn’t been love. It was exciting and I liked being wanted, but at the end of the day, I wasn’t in love with him like I am with Keenan. I couldn’t think of life without Keenan, ever.
“Do you love him Gemma? Do you love him like you loved me?”
I thought about it for a minute and I really didn’t have to think about it that long. “Yes Raphael, I love him more. With him it is real and I know he wouldn’t take a million dollars to leave me. He loves me too much.”
“That is because he is a billionaire Gemma. A million is nothing to him. Would he really choose you over all of his money?”
I knew that Raphael didn’t know anything, but I didn’t like the answer to his question. I would never say it out loud, but I would have to really think about it. I had thought that what we had was real, but hadn’t Keenan done all of this so that he could have more money, even though he had enough?
I liked to think that it was different because he didn’t know me then. Now he wouldn’t do something like that… I don’t think so anyways.
When I walked away from Raphael, I knew that part of my life was over, but I didn’t like the uncertainty that I had now. What if what he said was true and the man I loved and was married to was no different?. How much would it take for Keenan to do the same thing?
It had me wondering what his price was going to be. My father used to tell me, “Gemma, everyone has a price.” Now I wanted to know what my billionaire husband’s price was.
Chapter 20
Epilogue
One year later
Gemma
“Gemma you can’t be serious. I thought things were going well for the two of you?”
“They are, but I want to know. You have put it in my head long enough and I can’t take it anymore. I have to know what his price is. You know that I know about Raphael and I don’t forgive you for it still, but I want you to do the same to Keenan. I have to know what his answer will be.”
“And what if he gives me a price?”
“Then give it to him. It will mean what I have feared all of this time since I saw Raphael again.”
“He ran out of money that was why he was back. So why do you want to do this now Gemma? It has been a year.”
“I know, but I am pregnant now and I want to make sure that the father of my child is with me for the right reasons. You caused this to be a doubt in my mind, so I want you to fix it and find out if he is like all of the rest.”
Dad didn’t know what to say. I could tell that he was searching for the right way to say this, but there was none. It was a bad situation all the way around and I wanted to know what was real and what wasn’t. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to live with that doubt anymore. I had to know, no matter how hard it was going to be if it turned out that feeling in the pit of my stomach was right.
“I will do this Gemma, but I think you are messing with fire. What happens if this all blows up in your face?”
I didn’t want to think about it because even just a sideways thought made my chest tighten up and a lump in my throat forms. I didn’t want to think that this could happen, but now I had to know. I had thought Raphael loved me as well, but I was so wrong that I didn’t even really trust myself anymore. I had to know one way or another how everything was going to be. Then I could move on.
Dad left Keenan’s house. He had a meeting with him later. The look on his face when I had suggested it told me that he wasn’t really sure or not if Keenan would go for it. I think in a way also, he didn’t want to lose his son-in-law. He had always wanted a son, different than my brother and now he had found someone like him, where nothing was ever enough.
“Call me when you know something.”
“I will Gemma.” That was the last thing that he had said to me and I knew that he wanted to tell me no. But how could he after he had done so much to get rid of Raphael? He really couldn’t and even though now I know it was a favor, I hoped that this time would be different.
I paced most of the time and even though I knew that I should stop worrying about it because nothing was going to change with my worry, there was no part of me that could think of anything else. I couldn’t see our future in my mind anymore, not until I knew the truth.
It was almost an hour before dad called me and it sounded like he was out of breath.
“I did what you asked Gemma.”
“And?” He was killing me, he really was. Did he know how much I wanted to yell at him?
“He refused me in a very rude and vulgar way if you must know. I think he hates me. He stormed out of here like a bat out of hell. I wish you wouldn’t have made me do it Gemma.”
I felt bad, a little bit, but I knew that it had to be done. Whether it was crazy or not, I had to know and now that I did, I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. Now dad was upset about Keenan’s reaction, but I wouldn’t have been any happier with any other scenario, not that I could think of anyways.
“Thanks dad. I will try to smooth it over.”
He wasn’t sure I could. “You don’t understand Gemma. I thought he was going to lose it.”
“How much did you offer him?”
“Enough.” Ronald didn’t say anymore and I had a feeling that his enough was more than I could imagine. It meant that there was nothing more to say or think. Keenan really did love me and I felt bad for going through all of this to find that out. I should have known, even if it was hard to imagine after being so wrong before.
About the time I got off of the phone with dad, I could hear Keenan coming through the front door. It was hard to miss it because he slammed it on the way in so hard that I thought he was going to break something.
“What’s the matter baby?”
Keenan looked at me and I could see he was still steaming from the conversation with my father. I was starting to think that telling him that I had him do it was not the best thing to do. I had to, but I certainly wanted to feel this out first and if nothing else, I had some surprise news that I would throw in if I had to.
“I don’t want to talk about it Gemma. I am so upset right now.”
“Do you want a glass of wine?”
“Whiskey and you have a deal.”
I grinned at him and told him that I would get him some. It didn’t take him but a sip to act like he was feeling a little better, but then he realized that I wasn’t drinking with him.
“Oh, I guess I am just not really feeling like it right now. You go on though. It looks like you have had a long day. Was it work?” I hated lying to him, or what felt like lying to him, but I wasn’t ready to tell him what part I had played in his bad day.
“No it was your father. Gemma, I know he is your dad, but I can’t work with him anymore. I don’t want to even be around him anymore and I think that we should rethink our holiday plans.”
He really was mad and soon he was going to have us moved away. Was he that mad at the mere suggestion of it or was it something else.
“You are going to have to tell me what happened before we change plans Keenan.’
“But I am your husband, who would you choose?”
He was looking at me earnestly and I was floored at the fear that was in his eyes. What in the world did he have to be afraid of?
“What are you talking about?”
“I need to know that if something happens between me and Ronald that you will choose us.”
“Of course I would Keenan. You are my husband and I love you.”
“I love you too, but I just want you to know that not everything is as it appears. Your father…”
I stopped him with a hand up and told him that I knew.
“You know?”
His eyes squinted at me and I felt the guilt wash over me again. “Yeah, I kind of had him do it.”
“What do you mean?”
I felt like he was never going to talk to me again if I didn’t get it all out. I wanted him to see that I had to and that meant that I had to tell him about Raphael.
“Because I found out that Raphael isn’t dead at all. He was paid off by my father to disappear and he did.”
“So, wait, what?”
It was hard to hear. I knew that it had hit me hard.
“Yeah.”
“So when did you find this out? You never told me about it?”
I bit my lower lip and looked down. I didn’t want him to know that I had kept that from him for so long.
“For a while. And then I started to think about it and…”
“And you had your father do the same thing?”
I shook my head and I still couldn’t meet his gaze. I knew that he was mad at me and I knew that he had every reason to be mad. I had done something that was stupid. I would be the first to admit to it. I had messed up, but I didn’t want him to be mad. I wanted him to understand that I had to or I was always going to wonder.
“I just had to know Keenan. I mean, you did marry me to make more money.”
He started to say something, but stopped. “That was before we were us.”
My heart melted a little and I told him that I knew that, but I just had to know. It was for my own peace of mind.
“I wish you wouldn’t have done that Gemma. That was low. I thought you knew me better than that.”
“I just had to know.”
“Why?”
“Because we are having a child and I don’t want you to be with me for any other reason than that you love me. I had to know before I decided anything.”
“Wait, you’re pregnant?”
I stopped and smiled at the look on his face. He was awestruck and I was even more smitten. He smiled so big and picked me up suddenly and twirled me around.
“I should have known when you turned down a drink.”
“That is why I had to know. Please don’t be mad at dad. It was my fault and I am sorry for doing it.”
“I can’t even think about that right now. All I can think about is the fact that we are going to have a baby.”
“Are you happy?”
I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear him say it. He really did have a way with words.
“I am happier than I ever thought possible Gemma and it is all because of you. And if you have to do these kinds of things until you realize it, that’s okay. I will always love you Gemma, forever.”
He bent down to kiss me and all of the worries washed over me and were gone. It was going to be okay, as long as I had him with me. Now we were going to start a family together and I knew that it was going to be just what I always imagined and more.
THE END
BE MY PRINCESS: A BILLIONAIRE AND VIRGIN ROMANCE
BLURB
I needed an assistant like that; hot tempting and willing to please.
Her innocence was intoxicating and I had to have more.
I was going to be her first and her last.
I lived by rules and rule number one was don’t let women get to me. Stacy got to me.
My life was a dream.
I had more money than I could ever spend.
A hot model every night to suck me off.
My business kept my heart pumping.
I had everything that a man could ever want.
Then I saw a college buddy that I hadn’t seen in several months.
He was married and smiling like an idiot at his new wife.
I was never going to be like that.
No woman was ever going to change me.
Not me.
Enter Stacy Growler and everything changed.
She wasn’t like most women I met.
She told me no.
Stacy was clear that she wasn’t interested.
It should have stopped me.
But it just made me want her more.
I want her to be the princess of my life.
Her innocence a drug and I was now an addict.
I wasn’t going to rest until I had Stacy underneath me.
Until she was screaming out my name in that sultry little voice of hers.
***
Chapter 1
Chris
“I am glad you could make it tonight Chris. I know you have been in Europe for a while.”
“I never miss the Gala. It is the only charity event that I actually like coming to anymore and I didn’t even want to come to this one.”
Keenan agreed and I could tell that he was talking about all of the beautiful girls that were around. It was the first time I had seen him with his new wife though and I could tell from being around them that he was smitten with her and not looking too far. He hadn’t given much looks to anyone else and I found that a little different. The man used to be a worse womanizer than I was. What had changed everything so much?
“My wife wanted to come, though I tried to get out of it. She says that I should do more to help. It’s my duty or something like that.”
I started to laugh until I realized that he was being serious.
“Isn’t that Ronald’s daughter?”
Keenan said that it was. “Yes. We got married and everything changed.”
“I can see that. I also hear that you aren’t working as much anymore.”
“No, I would rather stay home. Made enough money for this lifetime I suppose.” He didn’t look so sure of that last statement and it made me wonder.
I had a feeling that was another bit of wisdom from the new wife. I certainly hadn’t heard him talking about such things before. Keenan was the man that never had enough. How had he changed so much in the last couple of months?
“I don’t think that is something you will ever hear me say. I was actually going to see if you had any advice of KTT. I know that you aren’t really dealing with stocks anymore, but since your father in law is God of all of that, I thought you might have some information that I don’t have.”
“You know, I really don’t know. I didn’t realize how far I was out of the loop until you asked me about it. I will ask Ronald or look it up myself. Damn, Chris. I have been in a fog lately.”
I saw that he was looking at his wife again. I could tell that something had happened to my old friend from college. He was not the same guy that I had seen a couple of months ago at a convention. This time he was scattered brained and it reinforced the fact that love had no business in my life. If that is what the results of love was. I didn’t want to have anything to do with it.
“Tell you what Keenan, why don’t you come down to the members meeting this weekend? I haven’t seen you there in a couple of years. They are having it in Jamaica. There will be hot women and beautiful weather. Get away for a bit so that you can get back in the game because you are getting rusty my friend.”
Keenan looked like he was going to say no, but his wife had walked in on the last part and insisted that he goes. “See, there you go dear. I know tha
t you need to get some work done. Sounds like fun and you were just saying how you wanted to get back into it.”
I was thankful that she hadn’t heard the first part about the women, but it put the man on the spot and he wasn’t going to be able to say no. Not with her standing there. I had a feeling that Keenan couldn’t say no to his wife at all.
“Fine, I think I will Chris. It will be good to speak to some people that I haven’t seen in a while.”
I smiled at Keenan and told him that he made the right choice. It would be good to see my old friend again. I don’t know what was going on with him, but his wife seemed to run the show. We exchanged times and I promised that we were going to catch up this weekend.
Watching Keenan and his wife, I was even surer that I didn’t want to go that route. There was pressure to do so, always pressure to start a family like that would somehow facilitate anything in my life. Like it would fill a void that was there. I didn’t need a family to be fulfilled. I had everything I needed and conquering the world was enough for me.
Keenan smiled and touched his wife’s arm. There was a gentleness that I don’t think I even possessed. He loved her. I could tell from the silly little grin on his face. He loved her a lot and while others may have thought it was cute and romantic, I just didn’t want it to be me. I hoped I never smiled like such an idiot in my life. What fun would that be? One woman for the rest of my life? It sounded boring if I really thought about it.
Going to the bar, I tried to wash down all of the feelings that I was having and tried not to get too worked up over it. I felt like something was missing and there were times when I thought maybe it was a partner to share my life and wealth with, but now I was sure that it was something else I was lacking.
“You haven’t said too much tonight Chris and now you look so serious. What is on your mind?”