A Billionaire's Love Affair Read online

  She was right. I opened my bag and ate the banana first. Once I started eating, I couldn’t stop. We tore through the bagged lunches, devouring the food like we hadn’t eaten in weeks. My belly was relatively full. I leaned back against the seat and looked out the window.

  “I hope we can make an impact,” I said.

  “We always do. It takes all of us to do a little something to make an impact.”

  “We spend so much time holding up signs and knocking on doors. I feel like there has to be something else. I don’t feel like we make enough of an impact.”

  “Imagine if you and me and everyone else decided we don’t make an impact. If all of us stayed home or ignored the needs of the people we are trying to help, then no one would speak up for them.”

  “I just wish we could do more,” I said. “I want to walk into the shelter and give them a ten-thousand-dollar check. I want to watch the little kids eat until they are so full they turn down ice cream.”

  She smiled, nudging my arm. “And that’s why we do what we do. That’s why we live on ramen noodles and potatoes. We scrimp so we can be at every rally possible.”

  “Speaking of, I really do need to see if I can pick up another job. I’m going to be short on rent this month.”

  “I know your pain,” she groaned. “I’m going to grovel and see if I can work a couple of graveyards. There is always someone quitting.”

  “Does the janitorial company have any openings?” I asked. “I could do one or two nights a week too.”

  “I’ll ask. Like I said, they are always quitting.”

  “Thank god Bruno got the promotion. We’d be the ones at the soup kitchen standing in line if it wasn’t for him.”

  “No kidding,” she said and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Evan is one lucky dude. I am firmly of the belief all the good ones are taken or gay.”

  “I agree.” I laughed. “If only I’d seen Bruno first.”

  “I don’t think it would have mattered. Evan had eyes on him from the moment he saw him, and Bruno wasn’t going to change teams for you or anyone.”

  I sighed. “Very true.”

  The bus rounded the corner and pulled to a stop. “Here we go,” she said.

  The familiar excitement of doing something good flourished in my belly. There were already at least a hundred people gathered in the square positioned between some of the massive buildings downtown. It was hard to imagine the buildings filled with affluent people were a block away from a small shelter that was on the verge of having their doors closed.

  It was up to us to make these people understand, to see and know what was happening. Ignorance could be used as an excuse for some of them. That was why we did what we did. We wanted to take away that excuse. We wanted them to be forced to see the problem.

  What they did with that knowledge was on their conscience.

  Chapter 4

  Colt

  I flashed my most charming smile at the pretty reporter sitting across from me in my new office. She was attractive with long legs showcased in a short skirt and a blouse with the buttons straining across her breasts.

  “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” I said, my eyes darting down to the buttons again, making sure she knew I noticed. “I was distracted.”

  She looked at me and smiled. “I asked if you were ready.”

  “Ready for?” I said with a sexy grin that had been practiced countless times.

  “Are you ready to go live?”

  I adjusted my tie. “I am.”

  She raised a hand. The guy behind the camera flipped on a light and I spent the next ten minutes answering her questions with the answers I had rehearsed over and over. I flirted on occasion, making her blush now and then. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be. I sailed through her questions, even the curveballs she tried to throw at me.

  “Thanks so much for your time,” she said and ended the interview.

  The lights were turned off and I felt like I had just been through an interrogation. I was glad it was a beautiful woman doing the interrogating. “Well?” I said and stood up.

  “Well, what?”

  I held my arms to the side while her camera guy unhooked my mic. “How did I do?”

  “You did very well. But I think you knew that.”

  The camera guy packed up his things. “I’ll be in the lobby,” he said and left my office.

  “Now what?” I asked.

  She flashed a come-hither smile. “Now, I take the tape back to my studio and watch it twenty times.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “I like to make sure everything is perfect, and I’ll need to edit a few things.”

  “You’re not just watching to watch me?” I teased.

  She reached into the briefcase she’d brought along and pulled out a business card. She sashayed toward me, pressing the card into my hand. “If you want to talk off the air, give me a call.”

  She smiled and walked out of my office, leaving the door open. The lobby was filled with various journalists and reporters all waiting to get their turn with me. I was about to call in the next one when I saw Grayson and Jack walk in.

  I gestured for them to come into the office. I didn’t miss the looks from the people in the room, especially the women. I supposed my brothers were attractive enough. We used to enjoy the looks when we were young and dumb.

  “Hey, guys.” I greeted them each with a handshake. I closed my office door to allow us some privacy.

  “The place looks good,” Jack said. “Really sleek. Very modern.”

  “Thanks.”

  Grayson scoffed. “Like he had anything to do with the decorating.”

  “I approved it,” I said, feeling a little defensive.

  “It looks good,” Jack said. “Has Mom been here?”

  “She came by when I was out a couple of weeks ago.”

  “This is going to be great for the family name,” Grayson said.

  “Who are all the people in the other offices?” Jack asked.

  “Those are the people I recruited.”

  “From where? I don’t want to sound like a dick, but are they allowed to be in the country?”

  I frowned at him. “Yes, asshole. They are here on work Visas and a few of them are actually American citizens. I poached them from other foundations around the world.”

  “Damn, way to start off with enemies,” Grayson said with a small smile. “That’s exactly what I would have done.”

  “Do they have connections?” Jack asked.

  I grinned. “You know they do.”

  They both laughed. “Looks like the little brother picked up some moves.”

  “Whatever. I asked Mom for more money to help get this thing off the ground. I need more computers and furniture and I really need more help.”

  “You asked Mom?” Grayson asked. “Why not me? Or Jack?”

  “Because I asked Mom to donate from her personal finances. I already got money from the company. I don’t want our family business to completely support the foundation.”

  “We’ll all cough up some money,” Jack said. “How much do you need?”

  “Five million each?” There were some choking sounds. I laughed. “I’m just kidding. We’re okay for now, but if things dry up, you better believe I will be hitting you both up for some cash.”

  “Ask fucking Mason,” Grayson growled. “He isn’t doing shit with all that money he inherited.”

  “I don’t know if he’s up for it,” I said. “Again, if it gets desperate, I will ask, but I’m not there yet.”

  Jack walked around my office, looking at the various knickknacks the decorator had added to make me look smart or something. “What exactly are you going to do with all this money you’ve collected?”

  “Well, that’s where it gets a little tricky.”

  “You aren’t embezzling already, are you?” Grayson teased.

  I rolled my eyes. “Fuck you. I meant I needed help to figure
out what charities are worthy of us associating our name with them. I don’t want to get caught up in one of those scams and then our good name gets smeared. That whole guilt by association thing is very real. The stink of a dirty organization can rub off on us. I am not going to fuck things up before I even get out of the gate.”

  “So, what is your plan?” Jack asked. “You planning to go undercover? How are you going to know who is good or bad?”

  “I’m not. I need someone to do that, which is why I need a little more money for overhead costs. I don’t want to take from the funds we’ve solicited for actual charities.”

  “A charity manager,” Grayson said. “Is that even a thing?”

  “It is now. I need someone who will work directly with the organizations. I need someone who knows the good ones and the bad ones.”

  “Basically, you don’t want to be responsible for fucking shit up,” Grayson said.

  “Yes, and I don’t want to give to the wrong people.”

  “Where are you going to find someone that you can trust?”

  “I’m looking,” I said. “I’ve got some interviews lined up. There are plenty of people eager for the job. The trick will be finding the right one.”

  “You’ll do fine,” Grayson said. It was uncharacteristic of him to be encouraging. “You’re doing a good thing here. I’m glad to see you are taking this seriously. I think Jack and I can go to the board and earmark more money to be given to the foundation.”

  “You don’t need to do that.”

  “We need to,” Jack said with a nod. “Not only will it help the company’s image, but it will do wonders for our taxes.”

  Grayson winked. “Damn straight.”

  “Gee, guys, way to be charitable.”

  “We just agreed to kick you some money,” Jack said. “Be happy.”

  “I am. Thank you. We need every dollar. I’ve got big plans. I really want to make a difference. I don’t want to be one of those foundations that throws lavish parties but doesn’t actually do shit. I want to see a change.”

  They exchanged a look. “All right, who are you and what have you done with our brother?” Jack teased.

  “Very funny. I’m serious. I talked with a lot of different people from a lot of different organizations. They provide lip service, but I didn’t see real action. They showed me tons of pictures and proposals, but nothing really changed. A few boasted a school here and there and some had actually gotten a few clean water wells put in, but there was nothing on a big scale.”

  “Colt, your intentions are good, but you have to know that shit is tough to do. It takes time.”

  “No, it takes money, and it takes doing. I plan on doing both, but before I put my name on anything, I want it to be legit. I want real people on the ground.”

  Grayson scowled. “Is that some bullshit your PR guy told you to say?”

  “Yes and no. I said it. He finessed it. It’s what I have to tell the reporters out there, which I should probably get back to.”

  “We’ll leave you to it,” Jack said. “Will you be going to dinner Sunday?”

  “I was there last night, wasn’t I? Oh, wait, you wouldn’t know because you weren’t there.”

  His face softened, a warm smile on his lips. “Natasha made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  “And you?” I asked Grayson.

  He shrugged. “Mom knew I wasn’t going to make it. The baby was sick.”

  “Bullshit.”

  He laughed. “Well, the baby was sick two weeks ago. You just never know when there could be a relapse.”

  “Your asses better be at the table on Sunday,” I warned. “I’ll be bringing a date.”

  Jack scoffed. “Bullshit.”

  “Hey, the reporter that just walked out of here wants me and I have to say I am very interested to see what she was hiding under that very tight blouse.”

  Grayson groaned. “One of these days you are going to put that thing where it doesn’t belong, and it is going to fall off.”

  “As if you’re one to talk,” I shot back.

  “I’ve never been like you.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “All right, we’ll go,” Jack intervened. “We’ll see you Sunday. Call if you need anything. We are ready to help.”

  My hackles went up for no reason. “I don’t need any help. I’ve got this.”

  Grayson smirked. “Of course, you do, little brother.”

  Jack held up his hands. “I know you’ve got this. I was only offering help. No one is raining on your parade or trying to get in your sandbox. This is all you.”

  They left the office. I walked them out, saying our goodbyes before I turned back to the room full of reporters. “Who’s next?” I asked, clapping my hands together.

  A male reporter raised his hand. It wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, but it was part of the job. I had a role to play and I was going to do it. I hated that I felt like I had to impress them. They made success look easy. I wanted to be able to walk into a family dinner and announce I had done something great.

  It was probably some deep, repressed childhood issue that resulted from being a middle child. Me and Mason. We were the middles. Grayson and Jack were the oldest, and Channing and James were the babies. No one really expected me to do anything. After Mason, it was like they kind of figured they used up all their good genes on the first two and the rest of us were destined to be bums.

  I pushed aside the negative thoughts and smiled at the middle-aged reporter now sitting across from me. “Thank you for coming,” I said. “I hope I can answer all your questions.”

  “Let’s start with some of the heavy hitters,” he said, and I knew I was in for a rough ride. The reporters thus far had been lobbing softballs.

  I didn’t let him see me sweat. I pasted on the famous Bancroft smile. “Let’s do it.”

  Chapter 5

  Maisie

  “Feed the kids!” I shouted. My voice cracked. I raised my sign as high as my tiny frame would allow. “Feed the kids!”

  The rally had been going for two full hours. We’d been yelling and making plenty of noise, but we kept it peaceful. Our goal was to raise awareness, not get hauled off to jail. I was freezing my ass off. My feet were starting to get cold. Once it started, there was no stopping it. My winter wear was not suited to be outside in freezing temperatures for long periods of time. Add in the drizzle that fell earlier and I felt myself turning into a popsicle.

  “Damn,” Donna said close to my face. “It’s freezing out here!”

  “This is why I hate winter rallies.”

  “If we only protested in the spring and summer, nothing would get accomplished. We are rallying now because this is when people forget. Everyone gets caught up in their own stuff and the winter keeps them home. That’s why we freeze our balls off.”

  “I don’t have balls.”

  “Because they already froze and fell off.”

  I laughed as she rubbed her hands up and down my arms. “Dance around. Your lips are turning blue.”

  “I’m going over to the food cart and see if I can get some coffee or tea or plain hot water.”

  “Okay, I see Grace. I’ll meet you in an hour at the corner.”

  “See you soon.”

  I rushed over to the cart to find they were out of everything except bottled water. Cold bottled water. On a July day, that would have been great, but today, not so much. I needed to get some heat flowing through my system. I was going to call an audible.

  I turned up the collar on my jacket and pulled it tight around my jaw. I wrapped my scarf around my face and headed down the block. I knew there was a café. I would spend the five bucks to get a basic cup of coffee.

  I tucked my head down and rushed away from the chanting crowd. I was cold as hell. I considered ditching my sign that said, “If you could afford after Christmas shopping, you can afford to donate five dollars to a starving child.” My gloves were no longer keeping my fingers warm. If I di
tched the sign, I could put my hand in my pocket.

  I was so focused on my own dilemma I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I rounded the corner and slammed into a hard chest, headfirst. I felt like a ping-pong ball. I bounced off the chest and dropped right on my ass.

  “Ouch,” I muttered.

  “Woah,” I heard a man say.

  I groaned when I realized the sign that had landed me on my ass was now soaking in a puddle. “Dammit,” I muttered and slapped my hand against the sidewalk.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said. “Let me help you up.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You dropped your sign,” he said and picked it up.

  “Just leave it. It’s ruined.”

  He extended a hand. I took it because I needed help. My dignity was gone. I wanted to be pissed at the man, but I knew it was my fault. I was the one obsessing over a stupid sign that cost me nothing. I looked up to see the face of the man I had steamrolled into.

  “I can salvage it,” he said and used the end of his scarf to try and wipe it off.

  He handed it to me, our eyes meeting. “Oh no,” I groaned.

  He raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

  I stared into his hazel eyes that seemed to fluctuate between blue and green. His hair was styled to look a little messy, but I knew it was probably a five-hundred-dollar cut. It was thick and dark and looked very shiny. “Colt Bancroft.”

  “Do we know each other?” he asked.

  I rolled my eyes. “As if.” I couldn’t stop the shiver that racked my body.

  “You’re freezing,” he said and immediately shrugged off his own coat. He wrapped it around my shoulders before I could say anything. “Let’s get you inside. We’ll get you some coffee. Something warm.”

  He steered me toward the coffee shop I’d been going to. I felt like an idiot. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t tell him to leave me alone. I just went with it. He sat me down at a table and rushed up to the counter.

  I stared at his back. He was wearing a suit that fit him like a glove. Tailored. That was what those suits were called. It was a tailored suit made just for him. An expensive, tailored suit.