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Book II - 34
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Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 35
AUDREYThe painting displayed in the living room was already glorious, but obviously, Gabriel kept the finest ones in one place in this room. He took my hand and drew me to the wall at the left, and presented me with the enormous painting of an angel.And it wasn’t any regular painting of an angel with wings. Its body was male with the face of a female, and it was nude but with no genitals. But that wasn’t what made the artwork brilliant. The angel’s wings had two shades of black and white and spread up above. “Redenzione dell’angelo caduto. The Fallen Angel’s Redemption. Bello, no?” he murmured.“Sì, signore, bellissimo. Chi ha creato questo?” I said, unable to take my eyes off the painting. “A painter and friend I talked about earlier. Tu parla Italiano, si?”I shifted my gaze to his gorgeous face. “My mother was Italian. She taught me. You? You speak it very well, Mr. Stark like it’s your mother tongue.”His eyebrows knitted together, but his eyes gleamed in apparent delight. “Be
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 36
AUDREYGabriel settled on the lounge stool across from me. “I can’t really tell if we were close or if we’ve ever been, but he was compassionate, unflawed… but I hurt him. What I did was unforgivable.”I looked up into Gabriel’s gaze, and his expression turned dark. “What happened to this boy?” His voice was hoarse.“He died, and it’s my fault, Gabriel. I caused someone’s undeserved misery and death when he was so pure and so kind. It haunts me every single day…” I buried my face in my palms and began to sob as my chest started to feel heavy.“What did you do to this boy?” he went on.I stared back at his face, my lips trembling. “I didn’t trust him. I stole his freedom and sent him to the abyss. For this man that I knew was innocent had spent his last breath in agony. It is something I couldn’t redeem myself with.”Gabriel straightened his shoulder, and his eyes dimmed. He scratched his temple. “What exactly did you do? Did you cause this boy’s death? How? Who was he to you?”I clen
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 37
AUDREY“Liam.” Samuel patted his friend’s shoulder. “From this moment, I have to entrust her to you. You know the situation, right? I cannot ask anyone because there’s no one else in this town I can trust. She’s very young, and anyone can take advantage of her.”“I’m honored, Sam.” Liam nodded. “I’ll make sure your sister is safe.”“Here.” Samuel handed Liam a thick-looking envelope. “Those are plane tickets and cash. Since she’s still a minor, someone has to be with her when she boards the plane. You can tell them she’s your sister if anyone asks, and with that money, you can find her a place she can stay. I will follow you to New York in a week. Please, take care of her, Liam.”“I understand.” Even though I couldn’t tell how well they got along or how Samuel could entrust me to Liam, I had never had a single conversation before. I trusted my brother more than my father and that he wouldn’t send me to any harm. I watched the two guys exchange another brief conversation until we fina
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 38
AUDREY“Samuel is really something, huh?” Liam said when we arrived at Clifton Hotel at the Maricopa.“Why? Oh, you can come in,” I invited.“Really?” He grinned. “Yeah, sure.” I blushed. “I’ve never invited a boy to my room before… um, but… we’re not in the mansion, so—”“Thanks.” Liam stepped into my suite and paced straight to the windows where he could get a view of the Sky Harbor International Airport. “I’ve never been in this kind of place. My room is as big as yours and is three times our house in Glendale.” He glanced at me with a smile. “It’s only probably the size of this suite’s bathroom,” he joked.“I have tea,” I said. “Would you like a cup?”He nodded. “Sure.”“What would you like? Earl Grey or English Breakfast?” I asked as I grabbed the jar from my suitcase.He shrugged. “What’s the difference? Isn’t it… tea?”“Um, Earl Grey is lighter and slightly citrusy. It’s my favorite. And um, English breakfast is stronger—” I chuckled “—but it can be blended with a latte.”“Ear
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 39
AUDREYA deep growl escaped Liam’s chest, and he clenched his fists. “How can a father do that to her only daughter? I always knew your father was cold-blooded, Audrey. After the rumors about the Millers, he’s not even done doing vicious, evil deeds.”I scowled. “What do you mean about the Millers?”“Didn’t you know?”“I heard, of course, but there’s no basis, Liam.”“Listen,” he leaned closer to me and spoke in a whisper. “Only a few workers in the vineyard know, and Dad has been keeping silent. You know what happened to Austin Miller, right?”I nodded, and I shut my eyes remembering what had happened to him. “Yes, he was found dead a year ago in the lake with bruises and stabs in his body.”“They saw him being dragged away by at least five men into the woods, but no one had said a thing. People are afraid.”“And you think my father is behind this?”“Why not, Audrey? Your father sent Ben Miller, Austin’s older brother, to prison while he’s innocent—setting up the poor guy for the ill
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 40
AUDREYTime was unbelievably fast, I didn’t notice it was already noon, and I had fallen asleep in Liam’s arms on the couch. I carefully sat up so I wouldn’t wake him and so I could stare at his beautiful face even more.Liam Cross had the face of an archangel, so beautiful and so serene. He must’ve been sent from the heavens to watch over me; it’s then I apprehended that hope was not dead. I ached to touch his face, trace the line of his chiseled jawline and his incredibly long eyelashes for a guy, but it’d be too embarrassing if he noticed. Then I realized we hadn’t had anything in our stomachs but tea since morning. “Liam?” I whispered in his ear. “Liam…”He didn’t hear me, so I decided to just get up first and take a shower. He’d probably wake up by then. I stepped out of the couch and was about to stand up when I felt his arms curl around my waist, and he brought me back next to him. I landed over his hard rock body.Still having half-closed eyes, Liam gazed into mine. “Where a
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 41
AUDREY“Let me guess, you want to take an English major when you go to college.”“Why do you say so?”“Well, aren’t you poetic?”“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He winked at me. “But no. I’m not taking English.”“But speaking of it, which university are you going to?”“Harvard.” His answer came at lightning speed.“Oh, wow. That’s like everyone’s dream. I might not even get accepted.” I laughed. “Congratulations.”“But that’s if Dad’s friend doesn’t change his mind.” He gulped his wine. “I have to work my butt off this summer to make myself worthy. His son, that’s probably your age, needs some tutoring.”“Well, having an offer like that is already generous enough. I heard the tuition fees at Harvard are expensive. Which program are you going to enroll in?”He nodded. “Business administration. Not very impressive, right?”I grinned. “I would’ve guessed Fine Arts.”“That’s another option.” He shrugged. “Well, who knows? I might try to get a double major.”“You’re smart. I get it now.
Bad Boy Billionaires Book II - 42
AUDREYNOW“That’s how Liam brought me back. He had to… and we did. But as soon as we arrived back home, there was nothing more left of his house, and his parents were gone. People didn’t know the cause, but I know.” I nodded. The tears couldn’t stop rushing to my cheeks. “I knew because it’s my fault.”“Why do you think it’s your fault, Audrey?” Gabriel’s expression was enigmatic. I couldn’t tell if it was rage, sadness, or pain. Probably it was because he didn’t expect me to be part of something so horrendous.“My father. My father happened.” I swallowed my throat dry. “He was really an evil man. I didn’t know if it was him, nor could I prove that he was to blame, but who else could do that, right? It’s not enough that he had Austin Miller murdered. He probably had killed other people. I stopped looking at my father as the hero I thought he was. Every bit of pain and misery I went through was because of him because he hated me. I don’t know why he hates me.”Gabriel shot up an eyebr
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