Protecting Her: A Billionaire Secret Baby Romance

by Kira Blakely

  “But if your reason is because you want everyone to know you’re stepping down as chairman of C&A, then why do you have to involve me? I’m sure Ariana would be the better choice in this matter,” I said.

  “Ariana is the obvious choice, that’s true. But I’m afraid she’s entirely confident that she’ll get the position no matter what, and therefore I don’t see her working as hard as she should. Introducing you would force her out of her comfort zone.”

  “So, you’re introducing me because you want Ariana to have an opponent for her dream job. Is that right?” I shook my head, mad at myself for not expecting this.

  My father sighed heavily before putting both of his hands on top of my shoulders, making me look up at him. “There are plenty more reasons why I’m doing this, and some of them I know you’d never believe, given how I never gave you and your mother the time of day, but I promise to explain everything when the time is right. Just trust me for now.”

  “All right, I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?” I grumbled.

  “Which reminds me, starting tomorrow, you’ll be starting your training. Good luck,” he said, giving me a brief smile before entering his office again, shutting the door in my face before I had a chance to ask him what he meant.

  Training? What training?

  Chapter Five

  Sean

  “So, whatever happened to that chick you almost ran over, Sean?” Evan asked as he spotted me. I grunted a little as I lifted the barbell over my head. Honestly, I didn’t need a spotter to bench press 250 for only two reps. But ever the worrywart, Evan insisted he spot me so nothing dangerous would happen. Like, I don’t know, I lost my grip and the bar fell on my neck and suffocated me or something.

  “I don’t know. Why ask me?” I said, slowly putting my arms down.

  “Dude, you almost ran her over,” he stressed.

  “Yeah, and?” I asked, not following where he was going with this.

  “Are you serious? It’s your responsibility to check if she’s all right,” Evan pointed out.

  “Well, I’m pretty sure she and that dog are doing just fine. Besides, how am I supposed to check on them?” I asked.

  “Didn’t you get her phone number or something?”

  “No!” I said, a little too quickly. If that chick and I had met somewhere else, under entirely different circumstances, I would’ve totally asked her for her digits. But unfortunately, I was so preoccupied by my smarting foot and need for escape that it completely slipped my mind.

  I finished my set and placed the weights back before sitting up. I grabbed my towel from the side and proceeded to wipe the sweat on my brow with it. I could feel Evan staring at me, but I ignored him, pretending that I didn’t notice it.

  “Not cool, bro,” Evan finally said, and I grimaced as I turned to look at him.

  He didn’t need to tell me I’d messed up on that one. I should’ve given that girl my number, or at least told her my name so she could look me up and tell me if she needed something because of that almost accident. Which reminded me…

  “You dumb jock…”

  Her voice had echoed in my brain a couple of times that day. I’m sure I didn’t give her any outward indication that I was a football player, which meant…

  “She knows me,” I muttered, my eyes wide, surprising myself at how I hadn’t realized it sooner.

  “What?” Evan asked, raising one eyebrow.

  “She knows me,” I repeated, smirking as I swept my hair up with my fingers and feeling a surge of confidence rising inside me. “She called me ‘a dumb jock’ that day, and I never told her who I was. I guess I’m more famous than I thought, huh?”

  Evan blinked a couple of times as he stared at me before bursting into laughter. I frowned at him as I waited for him to finish laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked, annoyed.

  “It’s funny because of course there’s a huge possibility that she knows you, and yet you seem so utterly surprised about it!” he pointed out. “I mean, come on, Sean. After being part of the Giants for a couple of years now, plus all those endorsements you’re doing? Your face is practically mainstream on television. It’s not exactly a stretch to think she knows who you are.”

  The massive ego boost that I’d felt earlier burst.

  “And you know the best part? You’re actually happy she thinks you’re dumb!” Evan chortled.

  I scowled and looked away, ignoring Evan as he continued to laugh at me. I never thought I was the type to get easily bruised by words, but he didn’t have to laugh so hard about it. I didn’t think I’d be so happy a girl knew who I was right off the bat, and that thought was unsettling. She was affecting me more than I thought, and it wasn’t good, not when there was a remote possibility of me ever seeing her again. I should nip this in the bud before it got worse.

  Desperate for a change of subject, and you know, to get Evan to shut his trap, I asked him about the one thing I’d been meaning to talk about.

  “How’s the orphanage going?” I asked him, and just like that, Evan’s face lost all its humor.

  He sighed. “It’s not doing so well. The building’s old, and it’ll cost more to repair it than to tear it down or renovate it. But we can’t do that unless we find a place to relocate the children. Other than that, there are a whole mess of problems.”

  Ever since his mother, Aunt Judith, got sick with breast cancer, all their money went to paying for chemotherapy and hospital bills. The money to keep the maintenance of the orphanage was used up as a result, and the place started to decay. The roof started leaking, pipes rusted and burst, floor panels started to creak and break off. I told him I would pay for everything since I knew he was still working on paying for his student loans, but he was having none of it. The idiot said his pride as a man was at stake and told me that he was going to take care of it himself.

  I told him that Aunt Judith was like the mother I never knew and that I had to help, if only to show them how much I appreciated them taking me in. They were the only family I’d ever known, so it was natural I felt the need to help. This convinced Evan to let me help, but only a little, as he said that it was still his main responsibility.

  “Shall I hire a real estate agent to look for a temporary place for the kids? I don’t want to risk them getting hurt when the place is so rundown,” I suggested.

  Evan shook his head and he heaved another sigh. “I’ve actually started getting offers to sell the place. One wanted to tear it down and put an apartment complex on it. Another wanted to use it for a parking lot. The money’s pretty good and I was thinking–”

  “No,” I said, not letting him finish.

  “Why not? The orphanage isn’t doing so well, and the money I could get from selling the place could go a long way,” Evan said.

  “That orphanage was my home – me and all the kids who wound up there. It’s where I met you and your mom. It’s your second home, too. And you’re willing to sell it off to the highest bidder who’s going to turn that home into a fucking parking lot? We’ve already got thousands of parking lots here in New York!” I cried out.

  “Okay, okay. I’m not going to sell it. Money’s going to be tight, but I’m not selling Our Place,” Evan said, raising his hands up in surrender.

  “I already told you that if you need money, ask me! I’m practically a walking bank account! Hell, I’ll put a five percent interest rate if it makes you happy, I don’t fucking care,” I said, trying to convince him of my point.

  He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment before nodding. “Okay, I’ll think about it. Thanks, man,” he said, giving me a soft smile.

  I shuddered violently. “It’s cool, man. Now enough of this emotional drama, sitcom bullshit before I grow a fucking vagina. And quit smiling at me like that. I don’t do guys.” I scowled.

  Evan scoffed at me. “And here I thought you could keep a serious conversation for once,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Come on, man. Yo
u know being serious gives me hives,” I joked. We chuckled and headed for the showers.

  Chapter Six

  Charlie

  Waking up in the manor was an entirely new experience for me.

  For one thing, I’ve never had my alarm go off and my eyes open to three maids hovering over my bed, one of them carrying my breakfast. My dog, who still remained nameless, barged into my room and jumped over the bed to wash my face with its slobbery kisses, so I excused myself first to the bathroom. By the time I got back out, the maids were still there, the dog had disappeared, and my bed was all made up. They had served a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and a pot of coffee on the small table by the window, and my stomach automatically started to growl. I didn’t know why the maids were still standing there, and I didn’t know what else to do, so I smiled.

  “Um, thanks for bringing me breakfast,” I said lamely.

  “We have your schedule for today. We’d also like to ask if you need assistance in dressing,” one of the maids said.

  I looked at her in confusion. “Schedule? I have a schedule?” I asked dumbly. And why would I need help dressing? How old did they think I was – five?

  “Yes,” the second maid said, opening a very large and intimidating-looking book. “You have manners and etiquette training at from eight to ten, then posture and dance lessons from ten to noon. You’ll have lunch afterward, of course.”

  “Of course,” I repeated, my mind reeling as I thought about how hectic my day was going to be.

  “You’ll continue your training after lunch until two, and lastly, you’ll be learning about fashion and the Jameson brand from two until five.” The maid closed the book with a flourish and then snapped her head up to look at me expectantly, like she hadn’t just told me the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

  “Wow,” was the only thing my brain could command my mouth to say. I felt seriously overwhelmed by what she said, and I didn’t understand why I had to learn all of that. The fashion thing? Sure, because I had very limited knowledge about fashion besides a T-shirt and jeans. But manners and etiquette? I was sure that there were celebrities out there who behaved worse than I do. Why do I have to be different?

  “Are these lessons really necessary?” I asked, looking at all three of them for confirmation. They all nodded at me vigorously, and I sighed. I walked over to the table and plopped myself down to the seat, picking up a scone and taking a large bite out of it, making the maids gasp loudly. I gave them my ‘What-the-fuck-is-your-problem?’ face, and they quickly bowed their heads. “Well, they can’t be that bad, right? And it’s only for today, so I say bring it!” I told them, trying to psych myself up.

  The three of them looked at each other and my stomach flopped.

  I didn’t have a good feeling about this.

  ***

  I didn’t think I was going to last a day at this rate.

  I barely had any time left to take a shower and fix myself up after breakfast, and I ended up putting my shoes on while I was making my way to the study, which I must say, was not an easy feat. I had to stop a couple of times to ask one of the maids where to go because I got lost, and by the time I got there, I was fifteen minutes late. The pinched look on my instructor’s face said that she completely disapproved.

  I was too busy trying to catch my breath to give a shit what she thought. Pardon my French.

  “Obviously, we’re going to have to work on your timing,” she said snidely, and I glared at her through the curtains of my hair.

  What a bitch.

  She didn’t cut corners, either. She immediately went behind me and pulled on my shoulders, making me yelp in pain.

  “I do not work with hunchbacks,” she tutted. She walked around me once more, looking at me from head to toe. She stopped in front of me and immediately placed her hand on her forehead and massaged it with her fingers, her eyes closing as she sighed. “It seems I have my work cut out for me,” she said.

  “Excuse me?” I said, hating this woman more and more with every word that came out of her big, fat mouth.

  “No, you are not excused. Only the most dignified and regal-looking women in this industry are given a free pass for being fashionably late. And, my dear, I must say, you are just late, and not at all fashionable,” she said with a huff.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but I was informed you were going to teach me about manners and etiquette, not fashion,” I retorted.

  “You’re quite right, and judging by your response, you are lacking both. There is much to be done, my dear. Follow me,” she ordered.

  The first thing she did was to teach me all about the different forks and spoons, when they were supposed to be used, and what each one was for. I didn’t understand all the fuss about cutlery when a spoon and fork were basically innovative in themselves. I mean, you use one, you can use it for all, right? But no… not for these snotty people.

  “They all look the same, just in different sizes!” I said, looking at the silverware like they were going to jump up any second and hijack my body or something.

  “They are all different! They all have a specific place and use, so pay attention! This one is the salad spoon… this one is the coffee spoon… the one next to it is the tea spoon—”

  “What? Coffee and tea have different spoons?!” I asked. I’ve heard of a tea spoon, but a separate one for coffee? Really?

  “But of course,” she answered simply, turning her nose up at me.

  “This is ridiculous!” I exclaimed.

  “Only for the uncultured, which we will be able to rectify before your introduction, I assure you,” she said.

  “But the party is in two weeks,” I said. “How are you going to get me ready for it in two weeks? I’ll never be able to remember all of these forks in time, much less remember when to use them!”

  “Oh, haven’t you heard? We’ll only be doing the brand launch party in two weeks. The one where you’ll be introduced has been rescheduled to the end of this month,” she said.

  I continued to stare at her with my mouth open in disbelief, and she turned her nose up at me again.

  “I will be the first to admit that I am an exceptional trainer, but even I can’t perform miracles,” she said before clapping her hands together and carrying on with her explanation.

  After forcing all that information about silverware that I never thought I needed to know, she then told me the differences between a three-course meal, a five-course meal, and god forbid that it existed, a seven-course meal, and when I should use all those forks and spoons on the table.

  I thought the nightmare would end there, but she immediately slammed my back to the chair and tied me up, so my back was leaning on the panel and I couldn’t move.

  “Look, I don’t know what they told you, lady. But I only have twenty dollars in my coin purse, and not much else,” I said, half-joking.

  “Oh, please. I did not tie you up to harm you,” she said.

  “Then why the hell did you tie me up with a scarf?” I asked.

  “It’s merely a training tool. Eventually, you will be able to sit, eat, and drink properly without it. Manners matter.” As soon as she finished speaking, the doors opened and servers came in carrying trays of food. The smell made my mouth water, and as soon as the guy put the food down, I made my move. The stupid scarves kept me away from it though, and I struggled to reach for everything.

  I asked if could push my chair forward, but my instructor ignored me and ate her own plate of food in that dainty, prim, and proper way she wanted me to. I was about to tell her where she could shove that fork of hers when the doors opened again and Ariana walked in. She smiled widely as she greeted my instructor with a slight hug and those fake cheek air kisses I hate girls doing.

  “Mildred, it’s been a while. How is the training?” she asked, giving me a haughty look as she said ‘training,’ and I glared at her.

  My instructor rolled her eyes and shook her head like she was disappointed. “It’s not
going well at all, I’m afraid. I thought she’d make a lot of progress by now, but it’s going too slow. I would think she’d be easy to train, since you’re her sister, but unfortunately, it isn’t so. I wish she were more like you, though. You were very easy to teach.”

  Ariana flipped her hair back and laughed. “Well, of course! What more could you expect from the daughter of a maid?”

  I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists to stop myself from taking the bait. If I reacted to her jab this early in the game, then I’d prove that she was right and I didn’t belong here at all. I had to control myself.

  “Maybe she needs a demonstration?” Ariana asked, and without waiting for an answer, she snapped her fingers toward one of the servers waiting by the wall and he quickly set up her place on the table. She took the napkin and placed it gently on her lap, gave me a quick smile, and began eating.

  She ate like royalty – grace and elegance with every lift of her fork, just like I expected someone born into this world of luxury. It was painful for me to admit, but she was leagues away from me in that department. I already knew that I had a lot of catching up to do to be at the level she was or to even be at the level they expected me to be before the party, but it was different when I had to see with my own eyes just how large the gap was.

  They talked to each other as Ariana continued to eat, the conversation more like another demonstration than anything else, and I’d had enough. I cleared my throat, making both of them look at me.

  “May I take a break? I really need to go to the bathroom,” I fibbed.

  Ariana scoffed and the instructor pursed her lips but stood up from her seat to untie me. I rolled my shoulders to get rid of the stiffness and walked out of the room, not bothering to look at them as I passed by. I didn’t need to see that condescending smirk on my half-sister’s face to make me feel even worse about myself. I turned, then leaned against the wall so they wouldn’t see me, and I waited for them to speak, to say anything about me now that they thought I wasn’t there to hear them. I only needed to wait a couple of minutes before one of them spoke.