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THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 167
I told you that what I’d felt when I saw the photographs was indescribable.This instant was like that, but times ten.And in the completely opposite direction.Joy.My heart breaking – in a good way.I wanted to cry – in a very good way.I felt as though happiness was swelling inside me so fast I might burst.And terror. I was terrified – of how fast it was happening, of what it meant.But mostly I was astonished that he’d said it, that he’d actually said it.Overwhelmed.Dizzy.Desire. I wanted him, I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to make love to him – Caution. He was drunk, he had to be drunk, that’s why he was saying it, would he be saying it if he hadn’t had half a bottle of scotch in the last two hours?I stared at him, my mouth open, trying to swim through the raging torrent of emotions threatening to drown me.His smile faded slightly, and his face grew worried. “Lily…?”I burst into a gigantic smile as tears filled my eyes.“I love you, too,” I whispered.As soon as I said it
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 168
After we made love, Connor lay on his back and I nestled against his side, my head on his chest.“So you knew you loved me when you couldn’t pay me off,” I said.He chuckled. “I guess so.”“That’s sooo romantic,” I said sarcastically as I poked him in the side.He laughed, then tickled me in retribution until I shrieked. After I had quieted down, he said, “At least I realized it.”“True,” I admitted.“When did you know?”“Earlier than that.”“When?”I blushed, glad that he couldn’t see it. “…on top of the ferris wheel.”He stroked my hair. “That was an amazing day, wasn’t it?”I nodded with my eyes closed and smiled. “The best.”“Actually, I was probably in love with you then, too, I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.”My eyes flew open. I lifted my head up to look at him. “What do you mean?”He shrugged. “Just what I said: I probably knew earlier, I just didn’t want to call it that.”“Why not?”He looked intensely uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”I kept staring at him until he ga
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 169
I awoke to the sound of the shower. Somewhere in the muddled fog of my brain, I thought about getting up and going in to join him… but the bed was so soft… and he would be coming out soon……so that he could go on Good Morning America and talk about the sex scandal.A shot of adrenaline ripped through me. I jolted up on my elbows, my heart pounding.Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…After the magic of last night, I had forgotten all my pain and problems for a while.HA haaaa, as the bully on The Simpsons would say. Back to the real world.I lay back down and tried to breathe.Everyone was going to know soon. Everywhere across America, people were waking up and seeing those photos of me and Connor on the front page of newspapers, or on the internet, or on the television…I was going to have to call my parents today.SHIT.I spent another fifteen minutes in a semi-panic attack until the bathroom door opened and Connor stepped out.He had turned off the light before he came out, so I could only
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 170
By the time I’d collected myself and cleaned up the coffee, Connor was on TV.A strange mixture of fear and tenderness coursed through me when I saw him.He looked amazing. I could see the strain around his eyes, but only because I knew him. Otherwise he was picture-perfect, from his $5,000 suit, to his confident smile, to his stunning good looks. On another day, in another context, he could be running for the Senate, or maybe even the Presidency – an incredibly handsome man, powerful and assured, young and full of vigor, about to change the world. It was like JFK’s spirit had been reborn in a shell that was ten times better-looking, and without the Massachusetts accent.He was in some sort of studio with wood paneling and potted trees in the background. He looked like he was relaxing and enjoying himself – definitely not undergoing a nationwide sex scandal.The screen cut back to the female host, and her voice filtered into my consciousness. “…billionaire investor and philanthropist
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 171
Connor said his goodbyes to the GMA host, then they cut to commercial.I remembered something about Fox, and flipped through the New York channels until I found the cable news station. I didn’t have to wait long before the whole rigmarole started again.There were the pictures, the ‘shocking scandal’ quotes, Connor’s introduction as a billionaire. There was a slightly different tone this time – the hosts were more combative, and seemed to view him with self-righteous smugness and more than a little mistrust. Especially when he brought up the solar company.“Wait, wait – are you saying there’s something wrong with the coal and oil industries?”“They were appropriate for their time,” Connor said, “which ended as soon as the researchers I’m funding found an easy, inexpensive way to harness solar power and distribute electricity. No pollution, and energy independence from the Middle East. Surely you’d like our country not to have to depend on the whims of OPEC and countries that don’t hav
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 172
Something else unexpected happened, too: the villains entered the fray.I saw Miranda by chance as I was flipping through the channels.“…these accusations against me and his parents are slanderous, they are defamatory, and we WILL be suing him in court. Frankly, everything he’s saying is bizarre. Augustus Templeton and I would never stand in the way of progress in America. We support green energy initiatives, we support solar. This is just Connor ginning up a bunch of outrage to promote his own greedy, illegal schemes to defraud the people of Nevada and steal federal land. Which, by the way, Nevada state officials and Congressional members are helping him do solely because he’s lining their pockets with cash. The man has no shame, and anyone helping him is a criminal. I think you can see why I left him eight months ago – not just because Connor Templeton is a liar, but because of his sleazy sexual proclivities.”“You fucking BITCH,” I screamed at the TV.She was good, I have to give
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Connor, Sebastian, and Johnny didn’t get back until almost 7 o’clock. Johnny was wary, jumping at shadows. “Damn, you would not believe how many people came rushing up, getting in Connor’s face and snapping pictures,” he said wearily. “It was a nightmare. Nobody bothered you up here, though, right?”Sebastian was jubilant, like a conquering king – or maybe the power behind the throne after a successful campaign.“Who is a genius?” he beamed, his arms outspread, inviting the adulation of an invisible crowd. “Who snatched victory from the jaws, not just of defeat, but utter disaster? Whose media strategy crushed that backstabbing skank and that evil old son-of-a-bitch? Moi, that’s who. Thank you. Thank you.”Then he frowned at me in my robe. “Good God, aren’t you ever going to get dressed?”Connor was smiling when he walked through the door, which relieved some of my tension.He came over and immediately hugged me, pulling me close, his arms wrapped tight around me. My fear ebbed away,
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 174
After a few moments he pulled away and smiled sadly at me. His hands were still cradling my head, and he wiped away the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. “Come on,” he whispered, “let’s sit down for a minute.”He led me over to the couch and we both sank down onto the cushions. I leaned against him, my head against his chest, and he encircled me with his arms.“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I just…”“It’s okay,” I whispered.“No, it’s not. I meant it when I said it, I just… I got a little freaked out this morning when I woke up. With everything that happened yesterday, and how much I hate my family, and you’re so good, you’re such a wonderful person… Jesus, Lily, seeing what they were going to do to you, and you were so brave, telling me to go ahead even though you knew what was going to happen… I’d never felt like that towards anyone, ever. And I meant every word.”But it was as obvious as a neon sign that he wasn’t saying it now.I was silent for a few seconds.“I didn’t ask yo
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THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The only part that was slightly sad was that Connor’s mother and brother didn’t attend. His mother was still under heavy psychiatric care. She wouldn’t have even known what was going on, according to Connor. As much as I disliked Lenora Templeton, that news saddened me. I only wanted her out of my life. I didn’t want her to end up like this.His brother had checked himself into rehab. Though he sent his congratulations, Vincent told Connor that he didn’t think he could attend, knowing what Miranda had done and how she had met her end. He felt he was still in too precarious a situation emotionally to leave the safety of the rehab center.I know that Connor still bore a lot of anger and hurt towards his mother and brother, but he would have liked to have had them there – as long as they behaved themselves.Things were improving, though. His mother was gradually getting better, and Connor had worked out a deal to take over as interim CEO of the Templeton Group while his brother was in r
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
But as far as wedding days go, it wasn’t the only one.Come on, I’d gotten married in sopping wet clothes, on a deserted island in the Caribbean, with only four people total in attendance.Did you really think I wasn’t going to have a billionaire-style shindig, with all my family and friends?Connor and I decided on it spontaneously, as soon as we got back home. But rather than hold it in New York City, with all its bad memories from the last couple of weeks, we held it two weeks later in Lake Cuomo, Italy. Have you ever seen pictures of Lake Cuomo? It’s like an Italian Renaissance fairytale. George Clooney bought a residence there, with good reason – it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. And that’s where we had our wedding.There was only one shadow hanging over the entire day.After we were escorted back to St. Vincent by the policemen, Connor immediately hired a team of divers to go down to inspect the yacht’s wreckage. There was one body in particular he wanted found.B
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
It turns out Johnny was right: we didn’t see a single shark the entire way.That doesn’t mean it was a piece of cake. What with Johnny and Connor’s wounds, and my needing to rely on their help when I was tired, it took us almost an hour. By the time we got to the island, we were exhausted. But Sebastian was there to greet us. As we approached where the waves started to break, he saw us and started yelling and waving ecstatically from the beach.“A little help!” Johnny shouted at him. Sebastian immediately raced out into the waves and dragged me to shore. “Thank God, thank God,” he kept sobbing as he helped me lie down on the sand. Then he went back out and helped Johnny and Connor limp their way onto the beach.We all collapsed next to each other. Connor and I held hands as we stared up into the blue sky, too weary to speak.“I thought I’d never see you again,” Sebastian said, wiping tears from his face.I was touched; it was the most vulnerable I’d ever seen him.“No such luck,” Co
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The happiest moment of my life was when Connor proposed to me.The second was when he burst through that door.And the third was seeing the look of surprise on Miranda’s face when she realized what I had done to her.While Connor kept her talking, I picked the lock and undid the handcuffs from my right wrist. (Bobby pins to the rescue!) Then I grabbed Miranda’s arm and slapped the cuffs on her.Anytime I’m ever depressed about anything from now on for the rest of my life, I’m just going to remember the look of surprise on that murderous bitch’s face, and everything will be better. Instant anti-depressant.Miranda yanked her arm up with a clank! of the chain, but she was locked to the metal armrest of the chair – which was bolted to the floor.She screamed in fury, and pulled the gun’s trigger.BLAM!But I’d purposefully bumped her aim away from Connor – so all that happened was one of the creepy glass spider cases shattered into tiny shards.The gunshot hurt my ears, but I’d been expe
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I couldn’t take the shot. I wasn’t Johnny; my aim was good, but not stellar, and the floor was already at a 20 degree tilt. Miranda had her gun at point blank range to Lily’s head. If she pulled the trigger before I got her – I slowly held my .45 away from my body and let it fall to the floor.All the ugliness I knew was inside Miranda revealed itself on her face. It was the evil leer of a serial killer, the grin of a Great White Shark.“I win,” she gloated.My heart sank.It was over. I had failed.I looked at Lily, both sorrow and love welling up at once. She was seated in some sort of chair bolted to the floor, and was handcuffed to the metal armrest.Lily’s eyes were frantic, but her lips were moving. She was mouthing something…Keep her talking.I couldn’t tell for the life of me what she had in store, but I complied. I looked up at Miranda. “You win. You can do with me whatever you want, but please – let Lily go.”“Don’t waste your breath,” Miranda snarled. “Walk towards me w
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The door suddenly burst open, and there stood Connor with a gun in his hand, just like the star of an action movie.My heart soared with love – and fear. Because Miranda was standing behind my chair, just like the villain in an action movie.I was between them – Miranda’s human shield.I felt the barrel of Miranda’s pistol jam against the back of my head.“Drop it,” she commanded, “or I kill her.”Connor looked at me helplessly.“Don’t worry about me – shoot her!” I begged him.But he wouldn’t take the chance. He held the gun slowly away from him and let it fall to the floor. CLUNK.I felt Miranda’s pistol stop pressing against my scalp, then saw it appear next to me as it pointed at Connor.“I win,” she said, and I could hear the sneering triumph in her voice.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I rushed over to Leo’s body, staggering in the tilting hallway as I ran.He was lying face-up on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out beneath him on the floor.He saw me coming. Tried weakly to lift his AR-15 – I put two more rounds in him with my .45.BLAM BLAM.He lay still after that.Adrenaline coursed through me like a drug, sharpening my senses while making everything unreal.I felt sick. I had just killed a man. I had just taken a life. He was a traitor, yes, and someone who was planning to hand me over to be killed – but still, I felt queasy.Lily.She was all that mattered. I pulled myself together.“Nice shooting,” Eve said in my ear. “Oh ye of little faith.”“What?” At first I thought she meant something about me doubting my abilities to shoot someone, which didn’t make any sense.“You thought I was a turncoat? AGAIN?”“Oh,” I said sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”“Hmph. We’ll talk later. Go down the hallway the way you were originally heading – there’s a half-dozen g
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
BOOM.There was a massive explosion somewhere on the ship. Every glass pane in the spider terrariums rattled, and a couple cracked.“What the hell?” Miranda said, and stumbled to her feet as the yacht began to tilt to one side.After my initial shock from the blast, I watched Miranda’s face. She was reacting with more fear – in fact, with more emotion – than I’d ever seen her display before.She looked back at me, her eyes wide with surprise.After all the indignities the bitch had put me through, I couldn’t resist. “Guess my fiancé’s here,” I said, and gave her a little smile.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I was halfway down the deck when Eve spoke in my ear. “Connor, there’s a problem.”“What?” I whispered.“Juan and Leo are on the other side of the yacht, but I’m not getting any video feeds of them.”There was a dull WHUP in the distance, then another one a few seconds later.Not like gunshots, exactly. But they did sound like a heavy book being dropped on a wood floor.I ducked into an alcove with a door in it, and hunkered down into a squatting position. “Juan? Leo?”“We separated, and Juan ran into a guard,” Leo’s voice said. “Juan’s dead, but I got the other guy before he could sound the alarm.”SHIT. Already things were going to hell, and we’d barely engaged the enemy yet.But… something didn’t make sense…I frowned. “I heard two silenced shots. How come I didn’t hear any regular gunfire?”“They’ve got suppressors, too. The first one was the guy shooting Juan, the second was me shooting the guard.”I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something seemed off. I just chalked it up to
