Billionaire's Secret (Carver Family)

by Lyz Kelley

  He swallowed back the hitch in his breathing. “She’s gone because behind closed doors she was being physically and mentally abused, and she had no idea there were options. And when she pulled the trigger that day, she took with her my unborn nephew, leaving a note saying she wanted to protect him from harm.” He sniffed back the pain. “I took over the running of Empower House because I want to give abused women a safe environment to get back on their feet. A place to heal. No one should feel like they have to end their life to escape the abuse.”

  The room fell silent for one, two, three seconds before the barrage of questions started again.

  Don cupped a hand around Weston’s arm and pulled him toward a door at the back of the room, while Natalie stepped up to the podium.

  “Thank you all for coming today. As we said, this investigation is ongoing, and we will certainly provide updates when more information is available.”

  More questions were shouted, but only muffled noises crowded Weston’s eardrums as the door to the smaller conference room closed behind him. He walked to the back of the enclosed room and paced.

  What had he been thinking? His phone buzzed in his pocket, and his Dad’s face appeared on the screen. He rejected the call. He didn’t need to be lectured about keeping family matters private. The rule had been drilled into him from his first memory. But he just couldn’t manage the guilt anymore.

  He was responsible for his sister, just as her husband was.

  He should have been there for her.

  Helped her.

  Kept her safe.

  He pressed a hand against the wall and looked down to hide his face. Shame, in the form of tears, trickled from his eyes.

  “Weston?” The scent of peach blossoms drifted his way and soothed his open wound.

  He turned and wrapped himself around her. Arms crisscrossed behind her back. “You’re here.”

  “Of course I’m here. I’m sorry for asking about Kirsten in front of all those people. I appreciate how private you are, but I’ve been feeling strongly that knowing why you kept your running of Empower House a secret would stop them from questioning your motives. I wanted to help. I wanted to be here for you. I guessed you wouldn’t allow your family to be here, and I didn’t want you to be alone. I’m sorry for the way I acted before.”

  She was rambling on again, but he didn’t care. “You’re sorry?” He leaned back. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t want to get you or my family involved.”

  “Too late. I’m already involved. I needed to be here today. For you. For us.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. “I didn’t want you to get hurt. That’s why I haven’t been returning your calls and refused to see you.”

  “Valerie helped me take a step back, and once I did, I had a feeling that might be the case.” She rubbed his tears into his cheeks with her thumbs. “You helped me realize over the past several weeks that I’ve been wasting my time. I’ve been playing it safe. Thinking too small.”

  He tilted her head back to gaze into her eyes. “You don’t realize how beautiful you are, or how much talent you have. That’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”

  She gasped. “You do love me. Linda said you did, but…”

  “You didn’t believe her.” He nudged her bangs to the side. “I love you, Courtney Kramer. Don’t worry, I recognize you don’t feel the same way about me. All I want is for you to give us time.”

  “I want to love you, Weston. I do. You don’t deserve someone who’s not all in. It’s just I don’t truly know you. Yet! Don’t get me wrong. I trust you. That’s for sure. But some days I get the impression you’re two totally different people. During the day you’re the mighty CEO who runs a billion-dollar company, and at night you’re this guy who sponsors women’s shelters. I keep thinking I might find a hero’s cape in your closet.”

  “Nope. No capes. Only superstructure endoskeleton for this guy.”

  She laughed and gripped his chin. “We make one helluva team. We might be all wounded and messy, but our hearts are in the right place.” Her hand slid down over his heart. “It might take me a while to warm up to people, but once I do—watch out! I’m all in.”

  He wanted her to be all in, yet the reservation still lived in her muscles as tension. “What have you decided about me?”

  “That there are safe people in this world, and you’re one of the people I can trust. You’re a wonderful man, Weston Carver, and I would like to have you in my life.”

  “Is that right?” He lifted his hand and let the knuckles drift down the soft skin of her cheek. “What do you say we get out of here?”

  “Where are we going?”

  He leaned in and nuzzled her neck before whispering. “To see my superhero collection.”

  Chapter 30

  Courtney waited while Weston pressed his hand to a fingerprint pad. “You weren’t kidding when you said you love technology.” Childlike bliss zoomed through her like hummingbirds around her vegetable garden. “Can you land an aircraft on the roof?”

  His eyes lit up like a kid getting a double scoop of bubblegum ice cream. “No. But that is a mighty fine idea, Ms. Kramer.”

  He walked down a long corridor to a second door and up a flight of stairs.

  “Oh, my.” She took in the gnarled wood floor and exposed bricks. “Now this is you.” She brushed her fingertips over the reddish-orange blocks.

  “Oh, and look at that!” She stood in front of the four-foot square painting. “That’s Whippydoddle’s work, isn’t it?” She studied the black lines drawn against the white canvas, shaping the large-eyed, anime-inspired creations. “His work is certainly distinct. I’d recognize it anywhere.”

  “He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Weston stood with his hands in his pockets. “I read somewhere that the artist explores the tension between innocence and fear, love and anxiety. The painting reminds me of my twin. She had such a bold personality, yet a delicate heart.”

  “I’m sorry I’ll never get to know Kirsten.” Courtney brushed a hand over his taut muscles. “I bet she’d be proud of you. Empower House has helped so many women already, and we’re set up now to help thousands more every year.”

  “Possibly. If the prior director hadn’t been embezzling money and reselling the food, I could have helped more homeless.”

  “You fixed that by hiring me.” She would never, ever steal, no matter how dire her circumstances. “Do you think Kirsten would approve of the changes I’m making?”

  The question made her appear insecure and weak, but she wanted to connect with the woman who started the organization. The shelter had been her dream, and Courtney wanted to continue the legacy.

  “If she were alive, you two would be best friends. You both just dive into things without fear, without even thinking about the outcome. I admire that trait. I sometimes overthink and talk myself out of possibilities.”

  She pulled his hand to her chest, and held it over her heart.

  “In high school, Kirsten organized a project to collect shampoo, conditioner, and stuff to put in bags for the local shelter. I bet you would have done something similar.”

  Laughter bubbled in her throat. “You’re right. Kirsten and I would be best buddies. I organized a food collection for the local animal shelter. We collected over a thousand pounds of food.”

  “Now that’s what I’m talking about. When I was growing up, I was blind to others’ needs. I would walk right past the homeless, never even noticed them. They were invisible. Now, everywhere I look there’s so much need. My contribution never seems to be enough.”

  “I’ll tell you what I tell the shelter ladies. You are enough.”

  Courtney reached for him when he turned away. He looked back at her face.

  “Weston, you are enough.”

  He struggled to accept her reassurance. She watched him try and fail.

  “I can be a relentless negotiator and secure million-dollar contracts, but when I’m around you, I’m exp
osed. You see me for who I am.”

  “Vulnerability is what happens when we open ourselves to others. I do see you, especially here.” She pointed at the stacked floating shelves of miniatures. “Your collection is amazing. How many years have you been collecting figurines?”

  “Too many. I keep thinking I should sell them.”

  “Why? Your face lights up when you look at them. Everyone collects something. I say keep them.”

  “Right there is the reason I love being with you.”

  Her tension evaporated, leaving her knees weak. “These past few weeks, I’ve experienced how freeing life is when I’m around a person I respect and trust. You’ve opened my eyes to so many new things.”

  “Come. I want to show you more.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the stairs.

  The staircase resembled a castle’s, spiraling upward in a tight circle, but with a modern flair. Each step floated on a wooden beam, secured by a metal brace.

  “Where are we going?”

  He glanced back and tugged on her hand. “To the top floor. It’s a surprise.”

  “Do I get to see your superhero closet filled with all your electronic toys?” She giggled loud enough for the sound to echo through the rooms.

  “Not quite.”

  At the top of the stairs, she gasped. “That’s the Brooklyn Bridge. This view is incredible.” She followed him through the French doors. “Ohhh, myyyy. It’s a garden.”

  The picture-perfect space wasn’t just a garden. He tended each plant and manicured them to perfection. The space rivaled any professional botanical exhibit. The deep summertime greens of the dogwood contrasted with the building’s red brick. Beneath the potted tree, the Astilbe’s crimson midsummer blooms shot up from a two-foot wide planter box. Potted lavender surrounded a table with four chairs. The woody vines of a wisteria provided shade and intoxicating early spring fragrance over the garden trellis.

  She rushed to the sunnier side of the deck. “Look at your vegetables.” When she stooped to examine a clump of unripe tomatoes the jealousy bug hit. “Your fruit trees must have a thousand blooms.”

  Weston pointed to the three eight-foot poles of leaves. “Those are apples.”

  “Apples? You’re kidding.”

  “I found this variety that doesn’t grow branches, and I decided to get these three to cross-pollinate. I wasn’t sure they would survive, but if the bees are any indicator, they may produce fruit after a year or two.”

  “And strawberries and peppers.” Her glances swept the length of the rooftop and took in the heavenly scent of organic blooms. “I understand now. This is where you disappear to when you want to be alone.”

  “You understand.” His voice softened, and he took her hand. “It’s here where the image the world and my parents expect doesn’t matter. I can live simply here. I can be who I am.”

  She watched the love on his face spread to his entire being. He loved her. Fully. Completely. There wasn’t a thread of doubt.

  Could she learn to love so freely after everyone she’d ever loved before somehow abandoned her? Her mother because of the car accident. Her father after her mother’s death. Her brothers when they questioned and didn’t support her after she’d been raped.

  Yet Weston, even after she pushed him away more than once, came back to her. Protected her. Supported her dreams. She adored this man. No, she loved him, but…

  “Yet you’re alone here.” She didn’t want him to be alone, ever again. She pointed at the single chair looking out at the city skyline. “Doesn’t your life get lonely? All those meetings, traveling, working…and for what? More money. You already have a lot.”

  He shrugged. “If I don’t go to work, how will I support the shelters? How will I heal the world?”

  Suddenly she couldn’t manage to take a complete breath. Guilt. That’s what she sensed. Guilt is what was making her hold back. That’s what he was hiding. Not an underlying evil like the other powerful men she’d met.

  “You don’t need to work this out alone,” she tightened her grip on his hand, wanting to hold on with everything she had. “We make a great team—you and I.”

  His warm lips touched hers and melted her last remaining defense. She pressed against him to savor every inch. His kiss tasted like a forever promise. She swore she heard, she’s mine, and wasn’t sure he spoke the words, but his body sure had. He nudged her back against the sun-warmed bricks.

  He leaned closer, and she lifted to her tiptoes to indulge fully in his kiss.

  She wanted all of him.

  Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pulled him closer.

  All her resistance was gone. She wanted this man in her life. Now and forever.

  “You brought her here.” He jerked back and turned toward the doorway. A badly scarred young woman stood holding a cat with bare patches of pink scattered across its body.

  Underneath her hands, his muscles relaxed. And when she looked up at him, his face was radiant as he said, “What a special day. Angel, I’m so glad you came up.”

  “I’d like to introduce you to Courtney.” He turned and searched Courtney’s eyes for something. Judgment? Resentment? She wasn’t sure. “These are my friends, Angel and Sophie. They live here.”

  The fear of being judged emanated from the young woman, and Courtney’s heart softened and reached out to the pair with empathy, but she wouldn’t let Angel reveal her sorrow. Normalcy. To be treated just like everyone else. That’s what Angel craved. The girl’s tension showed in her shoulders. The young woman was bracing to be rejected.

  Courtney’s scars were invisible, but she could imagine a life where a person was forced to wear their wounds on the outside.

  Angel held out her hand, which had only stubs where fingers should have been. A test. Courtney understood what Angel was doing, and wouldn’t fail this challenge. She clasped what remained of Angel’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Angel.” She rubbed Sophie’s ear. “You too, Sophie.” She pointed to the garden. “Are you the one who takes care of things around here?” She held her breath, hoping Angel would relax her guard.

  “Not really.” Angel replied with what Courtney assumed was an eye roll.

  Courtney’s heart did an extra pump for victory.

  “Wes never lets me do much,” Angel moved around her to pull a dead leaf off the apple stalk. “He sends in cleaners, and he tends the gardens. All I have to do is not make a mess.”

  “Seems you do a good job. I wouldn’t even have known you live here. In fact, I didn’t until you showed up at the door.”

  Angel hugged Sophie closer to her chest. “Seems like I’m going to need to find someplace else to live now you’ll be here.”

  “Angel, I—”

  She applied pressure to Weston’s arm, then released her grip. He studied her expression, but didn’t say a word.

  “Why would me being here mean you need to find somewhere else to live, Angel? I don’t understand.”

  “You two might want to initiate the kitchen or living room, and I don’t need to see that shit.” She shrugged, feigning indifference, but there was a lot more going on in Angel’s head and heart than she wanted to admit. “I heard there’s an opening at the shelter down the street.”

  “Why would you need to go to the shelter? This is a great location, and it’s your home. If I promise no sex on the kitchen counter, will you stay?” Courtney closed the gap between her and Angel. “In fact, I think I’d like to get to know you better, and I can’t do that if you’re not around.”

  She picked a bunch of mint off the nearest plant and rubbed the leaves between her fingers to let the freshness float between them. “Right now I live with twenty to thirty other people all the time. If Weston asked me to live here by myself full time, or in his other apartment, it might be too quiet. Plus, if you stay I would have a friend around when Weston’s working. Besides,” she scratched Sophie under the chin. “I think Sophie might be good for Brutus.”

  “Who’s Brutu
s?”

  “He’s my dog. I had to put Bitsy, my cat, down last year, and he misses his friend.”

  “I don’t know. It sounds like this place is going to get crowded.” Angel glanced up into the summer sky, “I don’t want to be a bother. I don’t want to cause trouble between you two.”

  There it was. Somewhere in Angel’s life, someone told her she wasn’t wanted. Blamed her when things went wrong. Her mother? Her Father? Didn’t matter. Angel’s scars ran way beyond skin deep. She sighed with empathy.

  “Do you have siblings, Angel?”

  Angel again shrank inward, lifting Sophie under her chin. “No. Why?”

  “I’ve got three brothers. All of them are dorks. But I always wanted a sister to go out to lunch, movies, or share things with. I bet we could be friends—good friends.”

  “I don’t do lunch out,” her voice wavered, and she stroked Sophie over and over again. “No. I don’t do lunch out. People will stare.”

  “Okay, no lunches out.” For now. Over time, she might tease out Angel’s negative reactions to people’s curiosity. “Not everyone will stare, Angel. Friends will accept you for who you are. I learned a long time ago that family can sometimes disappoint you, but you get to choose your friends, and after a while friends can replace family.”

  “Weston’s my only friend.” Angel gestured toward the beautiful soul behind Courtney. “He’s my family.”

  Courtney’s heart split, cracking open, allowing love to surge in where hurt had been. Weston had taken in this fragile woman and given her a home. She loved this kind and wounded man beside her completely. No question. She trusted him, loved him, believed in him. How could she not?

  “I’d like to be your friend too. Do you suppose we can work together to find you more friends?”

  Angel held Sophie out to her, and she recognized the gesture for what it was. She accepted the small cat and folded the sweet animal into her arms. “Hey, Miss Sophie.” She found a patch of hair to rub under the cat’s chin. “What do you say? Are you up for meeting Brutus? He sounds scary—he even looks kinda scary—but I assure you he’s just a big baby.”