Chapter 1 - Aiden Reiner

Aiden Malcome Reiner, 28, was one of the west coast's most sought-after millionaire bachelors. His great grandfather, who was born in Eastern Europe, moved to the United States a year before World War I. He took advantage of the huge land of opportunity and made a fortune dealing in weaponry and ammunition, all legally, of course. When he died, he left his fortune to Malcolm Richard Reiner, his only son. His son inherited his father's commercial ability, and grew the company by investing in real estate, land, and oil refineries.

At the youthful age of 26, Malcolm's son, Thomas Malcolm Reiner, took over the reins of his kingdom, having proven to be just as accomplished in financial transactions as his father and grandfather. He married Aiden's mother, who hailed from an affluent family like him. Her family's fortune was nearly equal to theirs; it was a wonderful match. For months, society magazines enthused over their nuptials. Aiden was born a year later. Despite the fact that Thomas was a loving father and a wonderful husband. He was a man with a raging libido who was stuck in an arranged marriage.

The rumours about his philandering practises were not entirely unfounded. His extramarital affairs were well-known. His wife was either indifferent or unconcerned. Whatever the case may have been, they never showed any signs of marital conflict in public. Aiden's mother died in a vehicle accident when he was six years old. Leaving Thomas free to return to his former life as a swinging bachelor.

Within a few months of his wife's death, Thomas Reiner announced to the world he was remarrying, this time to a twenty-two-year-old model who was already pregnant with his child. The old man, Malcolm Reiner, refused to bless this marriage. He also had a suspicion that the baby did not belong to Thomas but there was nothing he could do about it. Soon Aiden Reiner had a stepmother and a half-brother.

 10 years later, when 16-year-old Aiden came home from his school, he was informed by his grandfather that his father had a heart attack and had been rushed off to the hospital. That night, Thomas Malcolm Reiner passed away in his sleep. Leaving behind a young wife and two sons. Aiden was still too young to run the family business at sixteen, and Malcolm had no intention of allowing his opportunist daughter-in-law to touch it, knowing full well that she was nothing more than a conniving cold-hearted gold digger.

Aiden was whisked away to Europe's most prestigious school to finish his studies and avoid his conniving stepmother. His half-brother William was growing up as the perfect spoilt brat while Aiden was away studying and learning the subtle ways of the world.  When Malcolm Reiner wasn't around to see it, William would throw crazy parties at one of their many estates, where booze and cocaine were freely available. His mother had to bail him out multiple times for drunken driving, drug possession, and attacking a hooker. His mother would even pay for the media to stop talking about him.

Malcome Reiner wasn't ignorant of his younger grandson's unusual behaviour, but he decided to ignore it as long as it remained hidden from public light.  He was bidding his time for Aiden to return and take over the family business. He was getting old and wouldn't be able to hold on for long.

Much to his grandfather's delight, Aiden returned before he hit the bucket. In no time, Aiden had taken over the family business. He was shrewd yet fair in his dealings. Older business rivals and friends had nothing but respect for young Aiden.

Standing lean and trim at 6'3" with broad shoulders, snow skier's arms and legs, with a narrow waist. He was every inch of any woman's dream man. The rippling texture of his luscious, silky black hair, which he meticulously kept, was an indication of his robust health.

His strong cheekbones were accentuated by his aquiline nose. He strode with purpose and authority. His mesmerising, wayfarer-blue eyes have always been praised as his outstanding feature. When they were a-light with joy, they could shine as bright as the evening stars. They could resemble two liquid-blue pools of flashing fire at other times.

His thunderous, rumbling voice filled the room with his exuberant personality. When the situation called for it, he was also quick to crack a joke or react with a witty quip. His rugged handsome face was given a beautiful yet menacing air by his square jaw and a dimple-like split on his chin, not to mention that golden tan he had gained while on a well-deserved vacation in the Bahamas or skiing in the French Alps. Just glancing at him made women shiver with longing. However, he was so preoccupied with his work that he didn't have much time for romance. He wasn't immune to feminine charm, like any other full-blooded male, and he had his share of fun. He did, however, know when to draw the line.

His grandfather had been pestering him lately to get married so he might have some much-needed great-grandchildren. Malcolm, the old man, was worried that his other grandson would breed bastards before Aiden. He was determined that he wouldn't let his hard-won business fall into the hands of his gold-digging daughter-in-law. So far, Aiden had deftly brushed aside his grandfather’s request. He was not interested in relationships or marriage. Until an accidental encounter with a girl altered everything.

Aiden -

I arrived at the landing field in my silver Porsche and parked it in the Executive garage. I was seated on board my flight in a matter of seconds. I was returning to San Francisco. This was a fantastic trip for me. It was simple to sign the contract. But, as expected, not everything went according to plan; there were always minor snags and nuances to iron out. At the very least, I'd have time to eat something before meeting with the board of directors back home, and I'd learned that dealing with business concerns was usually easier with a full stomach. Because the flight would be long, I decided to make the most of it by sleeping. I reclined on the back support in a comfortable position, closed my eyes, and tried not to think about anything.

I wasn't sure, but I believed I heard footsteps and felt someone approaching me. As a result, I opened my eyes to see a stunning woman clothed in a tight blue uniform with white cuffs. Her black hair was done in a perfect bun, and she spoke in a low voice. Her face was exquisite and artfully coated with cosmetics. I got the idea she was attempting to make her voice even more husky.

"Hello, my name is Aliya, and I'll be serving you on the flight today. Would you like something to drink?" She flashed her extra-long lashes.

I said, "Yes, a whisky would be wonderful."

She guffawed and leant in closer, her deep dark eyes squinting a little as she laughed.

"Could I instead tempt you with some champagne?"

She gave me an overly seductive smile. Her nameplate gleamed in the sunlight, and her words, mixed with those dancing hips, was a very tempting offer, but I was not in the mood to play.

"Just a scotch, please, and don't wake me up; I need to get some sleep. Thank you very much." I smirked at her dejected look. I love women, and I love to play, but she was too easy. There is no bigger turn off than an easy woman.

"Sure sir," she said, a little stiffly, and then she walked away.