Owned by the Billionaire(17)

     



 

"No! Rachel, I swear, it wasn't like that." I sank to the floor as my  knees weakened. Rapid footsteps approached and then warm hands brushed  back my hair and rubbed my back. I swatted at them weakly, burying my  face against my knees. I had been so used. "You're right, Rachel, I  couldn't just sell the stock, not without her finding out. So I did the  next best thing."

He caught my chin, forcing me to look up at him. I shuddered, trying to  twist away, but his grip was too tight. Reluctantly, I met his eyes,  glimmering through the haze of unshed tears that clouded my vision. He  stared back soberly, his dark eyes pleading. "I set up a trust fund. For  my child. All the stocks belong to him, or her, I suppose. I  purposefully didn't appoint a trustee for the fund, so nobody can vote  the stocks. Not until the child takes possession at twenty-five."

He released me and sat back with a pained sigh. For the first time since  I'd met him, he looked his age, and I ached to sooth him. I hastily  quashed that dangerous urge, struggling to focus on his words.

"Child? What child?!" Baffled, I shook my head. He hadn't had any kids  with his ex-wife, and had been notoriously reclusive since their  divorce. He looked away for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest,  before taking a deep breath and turning back to me.

"Well, the one you might already be carrying." He reached out and this  time I let him touch my face without a struggle, my mind reeling. "Or  perhaps the one you can give me?"