Submitting to the Billionaire(50)

"Oh yeah?" I ask, opening the door to the room. My stepmom is sitting on  the couch, a book in her hand, and a blanket thrown over her knees. If  one didn't know better, one would never guess how very ill she is.

"Hello, my pumpkin!" she cries happily and holds her hands out to me.

I go over to give her a hug. As her arms close around me, I inhale her  familiar scent with a bittersweet joy. I can't even begin to imagine  life without her.

I sit down on the couch next to her. "So, what's this big news?"

She meets my gaze with a smile on her face, and I know without having to  ask what she is going to tell me. He must have called almost as soon as  I'd left. I assumed he was going to take at least a few days to  consider the proposition before he decided either way. Turns out he's a  lot more enthusiastic than I thought. Is that about me? Or about his  mom? Even before she can get the words out I can already feel my scalp  prickling with tension. I brace myself to react to her news in the way  that would be considered normal.

"You did it, Reese." She clasps her hands together. "Drake called me,  and he said yes, he wants to meet, Reese! He wants to meet his nom. I'm  so happy my hands are shaking."

"That wonderful, Morgan." I lean forward excitedly. "When?"         

     



 

"Tomorrow!" She spreads her palms and I can see that they are shaking.  "I can't believe I'll be meeting him after all these years." She gives a  high laugh of excitement. This has been a decades-long dream. Two big  teardrops roll down her face and she swipes them away roughly. She never  did like to be caught crying. "And I can't believe that my two kids  have been in the same room together already. It's just mad. Completely  mad."

She has no idea what her two "kids" have been up to. "I'm so happy for you, Morgan."

She beams happily. "You must have made quite the impression on him."

"I guess so," I say, averting my eyes for a moment. She pauses and  examines me carefully. Shit, she can always tell when I'm hiding  something.

"Is everything okay, Reese?" she asks gently.

I nod at once. I don't want the pure joy and happiness of her finding  the son she's been longing for all these years, to be sullied by the  truth of what really happened between him and me. What matters is that  he's coming to visit her, and he's gone above and beyond his end of the  bargain. A part of me wonders if he's expecting to finish what we  started. I push the thought from my head at once and take her hand.

"Everything is just fine," I assure her. "I'm just glad that it worked out for you and him."

"You did get along with him, didn't you?" she asks anxiously.

I flush. "Of course, I did. He's a nice guy."

Her eyes widen like a child's. "Tell me more," she demands eagerly. "What should I expect?"

I can't exactly mention that he's going to be the star of all my wet  dreams from now on, or how close I came to losing my virginity to him. I  take a deep breath and try to think of the most diplomatic way to  phrase it.

"I'd say he's a very confident guy," I nod. "I think you'll really like him."

Her eyes shine brightly. "Yeah? You think so?"

"Absolutely." And that wasn't a lie either. Not many people would fail  to be impressed by Drake's stunning good looks or his magnetic charm and  personality.

"And he didn't seem bitter about me?"

I frown. "Actually, I got the feeling he didn't know about you at all."

Her eyes widen with shock. "His father didn't tell him?"

I shake my head. "I thought he was going to fall over backward when I told him."

"Oh." She gnaws at her lower lip worriedly.

"Why did you never contact him before?" I ask. I've been so determined  to fulfill her fantasy for her I've never taken the time to ask any  questions before I left.

"I didn't think he would want to see me. He was part of a fine, wealthy  family. I thought he might be ashamed of me. I was just a maid, Reese. I  didn't want to embarrass him. Even now, I won't make this information  public. I just want to see him before I …  go."

I feel so sorry for her I could sob, but I put on a brave face and say  brightly, "Well, it's worked out for the best. You can tell him  everything when he comes to see you."

All the excitement of the day is beginning to wear her out and her lower lip trembles slightly.

"Don't tire yourself out now. Go on, lie back and rest a little."

Like a little child, she obeys me. She rests her head back on the couch  and looks up at me with shining eyes. God, how I love this woman. I  squeeze her hand and get to my feet before I start bawling  uncontrollably.

"I need to go unpack the car and bring everything in. I want to give Dad  a hand with making dinner," I say. My voice is hoarse with emotion. I  try to slip my hand out of hers, but she tightens her hold.

"Thank you, Reese. Thank you for what you did. I don't know what I have  done to deserve you and your father, but I give thanks to the good Lord  every day for the two of you."

Even though I didn't want to cry, my eyes fill with tears. I swallow  hard. This is what I mean about Morgan. After all the countless,  selfless acts she has done for me throughout my life, she behaves as if  this one thing I did for her is more important than everything she has  ever done for me.

"It is I who should be thanking God, for putting you in my life," I say sadly.

"We are both lucky, then," she whispers.

I kiss her and leave the room. As I carry my luggage up the stairs, I  wonder what Drake's visit will bring. I have no idea what to expect  next.

My intentions were honest when I first walked into that locker room, but  now, as I dump my bags on my bedroom floor, they are all muddled with  lust, passion, and the desire to see him again. I have a feeling that he  isn't done with me yet. I know I'm not done with him. I want him.         

     



 

I fall back onto my bed with a sigh. Sure, I know that he was using me  to get what he wanted, but I'm hooked on him and craving for more. The  only thing I want to do now is lock my bedroom door, slip my fingers  into my panties, and spend a good hour alone with my memories of Drake  Kelly and his massive cock.





Chapter Five





Drake





I called the number that Reese left, hoping that I'd find some way to  get hold of her again, but instead, I found myself talking to the lady  claiming to be my real birth mother. My hackles were still up, but she  was so incredibly happy to hear from me that I ended up listening to her  with a kind of detached amazement.

Was it truly possible for someone to pretend that level of sweet innocence and pure joy?

I guess, if you're pulling this kind of scheme, you should go all in and  pick the sweetest, kindest, most adorable little lady you can find.

Obviously, I agreed to meet her. The way I figured it, I'll walk through  her door, get to the bottom of the scam, then go find Reese and finish  what we started. Any screwing that happens along the way, of course,  will be purely incidental.

The closest airport to my hometown is a small city about an hour north  of it. It is a wet, thickly fogged day, and it sets the tone for the way  I feel.

It's been forever since I was back here. Usually, my parents insist on  coming up to me for the holidays. It works well because it gives them a  nice break in the city, saves me the journey down, and means I don't  miss any of my training.

I stride through the almost empty airport quickly, cherishing my  anonymity. It's rare to get a moment alone in the big city. No matter  where I go, I always find myself cornered by fans, rival fans, or people  who half-recognize me as that guy off the TV. Now, what is it you do  again?

I spot a baggage handler giving me a second glance, but it's probably  because I went to high school with his cousin or something. This town is  so tiny it's claustrophobic. Everyone knows everyone. No more than two  degrees of separation between anyone or anything. And no fucking  secrets. You can't fart without everyone talking about it over coffee.

"Drake?"

I look up at him, and he grins widely. "It's Simon. Simon Bateman. Elaine's brother?"

Nothing clicks and I stare at him blankly. "Sorry, man."

He doesn't look embarrassed. "You used to date Suzie, Elaine's best friend."

I frown. Fuck there have been so many Suzies and Elaines. They all blur into each other. I shrug apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago," he dismisses.

"Yeah, it was," I nod. "A very long time."

"It was a good game. We should go get a beer sometime," he says.

I grab my bag and heft it over my shoulder. "Thanks. I'm not around for long, but yeah, we should."

"Well, enjoy your stay, anyway," he says, and I can't figure out whether he's being sarcastic or not.

As I start walking towards the doors I pull out my phone and tap in the  address of Reese's stepmother. It's all the way on the other side of  town, on the practically-a-trailer-park side, as my mom once sniffed. I  wonder if Reese lives with her parents. I step out of the airport and a  taxi is waiting for me.