Book Three: Billionaire Baby Secret, #3 Read online

  Billionaire Baby Secret: Book Three

  Billionaire Baby Secret, Volume 3

  Nikki Steele

  Published by NightVision Publishing, 2017.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  BILLIONAIRE BABY SECRET: BOOK THREE

  First edition. December 14, 2017.

  Copyright © 2017 Nikki Steele.

  ISBN: 978-1386704911

  Written by Nikki Steele.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Please Read

  This Book has an Accompanying Playlist

  Book 3: A Song for Three

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  2 FREE Books!

  Also By Nikki Steele

  Please Read

  This is book three in a four-part series. If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, please read the ‘previously on’ section on the following page. Each book is a self-contained episode, but the story is connected.

  It is a short, Erotic Romance. It contains strong, explicit, smoking hot sex scenes.

  ***

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  www.nightvisionbooks.com/nikki-steele

  This Book has an Accompanying Playlist

  Music is a large part of the romance and storyline of this series. You are not required to listen to anything to enjoy the book, but if you would like an interactive experience, listen to the music discussed in certain chapters as you read!

  Keep your eyes out for the [music] link at the start of appropriate chapters if you have a multimedia accessible device, or feel free to queue the songs up now.

  Chapter 4:

  Tomorrow – Annie Soundtrack

  Chapter 6:

  All you need is love – The Beatles

  Book 3: A Song for Three

  Previously:

  Rachel lives with her boyfriend, Dan—a man who has squashed her confidence so far down that she’s convinced she’s not worthy of anyone else.

  That all changes on the night of her birthday, when Dan breaks up with her, and she meets Chase—a handsome suited stranger with a sexy English accent. Chase convinces her to sing in the local karaoke competition, something she’s always wanted to do but has been too scared to try. Afterward, euphoric with the rush of performing in public, they make love.

  It is with Chase that Rachel, for the first time, feels like a real woman. He respects her, and appreciates her, and loves her curves. They connect on a spiritual and physical level, and Rachel returns home the next morning happier than she’s been in many, many years.

  But Dan hasn’t left. In fact, he can’t even remember breaking up with her. And though the smile falls from her face, Rachel takes him back. Old habits are hard to break, especially when Rachel’s self-esteem is so low that she worries, if he leaves, whether she’ll ever find someone else.

  Two miserable weeks later, Dan goes away for the weekend with his young, blonde secretary and the girls take Rachel out for drinks. Chase is there; it turns out that he owns a theatre, and late at night, after all the people have gone, she finds herself onstage singing one of her favorite songs of all time. The moment sweeps Rachel and Chase away, and the two make love under the spotlights.

  She is at work the following Monday, elated and excited about the chance to end things with Dan that afternoon, when she begins to feel unwell. The thought occurs to her that she’s been sick a lot recently, usually in the morning. As realization of what this means hits her, she rushes out to get a test. It confirms her fears.

  Rachel is pregnant, and the timing means the baby is Dan’s.

  Chapter 1

  I was pregnant.

  My entire life had changed in a minute. Less than a minute—in the time it took for two pink lines to appear on a stick.

  I left the ladies’ room on the fourth level of my workplace in a daze. How could I work right now? My mind was in a dozen difference places, none of which were my desk.

  How could I be pregnant? I mean, I knew the answer to that, logically. Dan had come home drunk one weekend six weeks ago, and one thing had led to another. I’d been happy at the time, thinking maybe his renewed interest was also the start of a renewed relationship. Happy, really, just to have him show me any attention at all.

  No, I knew how I could be pregnant. That wasn’t the question really echoing through my mind. How could I be pregnant... to Dan? I didn’t want to be pregnant to him. I didn’t love him. I’d decided, finally, to leave him. And now... this? What was I going to do?

  All I wanted to do was go home, curl up in a corner with my hands around my stomach, and cry. But I couldn’t go home. I had to save all my holidays for when the baby was born.

  Jeez. How was I already having these thoughts? A baby. It didn’t seem possible.

  I went through the motions at work; focusing on paperwork to keep the internal screaming at bay. I could shut off the part of my brain that was too stunned to function and be a robot for a while. It was what I needed most at that moment.

  Janice dropped by at lunch to pepper me with questions about Chase. I’d almost forgotten that they had met on Friday. I didn’t want her to know about the baby. Not yet. Not until I’d had time to process this myself. Telling her would lead to questions I didn’t know the answer to. Questions like ‘how are you feeling?’ and ‘what are you going to do now?’ I had a life inside of me. And it was going to change my life.

  A baby. A baby? What would I do with a baby? I had no experience with babies, and Dan sure as heck didn’t either. Maybe a baby would change him? I considered the possibility, briefly, but was afraid I already knew the answer. I had to ask him half a dozen times to take out the trash! At least we still had nine months to work that problem out. Eight months actually—no, seven and a half.

  I swallowed, a new thought shoving itself to the center of my thoughts. I’d been about to leave Dan, but I couldn’t now, could I? Dan was the father of my unborn child. I couldn’t tell him I was pregnant, then just minutes later tell him I was leaving.

  I had to give him the chance to be a father to his baby. As much as I feared he would be a terrible one, as much as I feared our relationship was over, I owed him the chance to change; for us to try and work things out, for the baby’s sake. I blinked back tears furiously. Even if I loved someone else.

  Time to grow up, Rachel. There were bigger issues on the table now than things like love and happiness.

  How would I break the news to Chase? He was in Tokyo at the moment. I’d been due to text him this morning, so he would have my cell and could call me when he got back to town.

  He wasn’t going to need my number now though, was he? I already knew he didn’t want children, so continuing a relationship with him was out, even if I didn’t stay with Dan. You’re real prime goods now, aren’t you Rachel?

  But he did deserve the courtesy of a call. After the way he’d treated me, telling him in person was the least I could do.

  * * *

  I waited until the end of the work day, then dialed Chase from a payphone on the corner outside the office. Even if my cell had had international minutes, I wouldn’t have used them. It was a good thing now that Chase didn’t have my details—it meant I could make this quick and painless.

  Please don’t let him hate me...please don’t let him hate me...please don’t let him hate me...

  “Rachel?” Hi
s voice was foggy, full of sleep. What time was it in Tokyo?

  “I woke you, didn’t I? I’m sorry, but I had to call.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I can’t think of any better way to wake.” Oh, man. This wasn’t a good way to start his day. I wished I’d never called.

  I wiped away a tear. “I... I have something important to talk to you about.” There was a quaver to my voice.

  “What is it?” His voice was sharper, now.

  “I’m so sorry...” I whispered. How could I tell him I was pregnant? He didn’t even know I had a boyfriend.

  I heard him sit up in bed, all his attention focused on our conversation. “Sorry for what? Rachel, talk to me. Are you in trouble?”

  “Chase...” I realized suddenly I didn’t want him to know I was pregnant. I didn’t want him to think of me as used goods. He’d put me on a pedestal; the one man in this world that thought I could do no wrong.

  I tried again. “Chase...”

  But for one fateful moment six weeks ago, my life might have been different. I was stepping away from the stage, but if I didn’t tell him why, maybe the afterimage could still glow bright.

  I cleared my throat. “It’s over,” I whispered. “I can’t do this, I’m sorry.”

  Silence on the other end of the phone. Then, “What are you talking about? Rachel?”

  I drew a shuddering breath. “Us. It’s over. There can be no you and me, not anymore.”

  “What’s happened Rachel? Let’s talk. Was it me? I’ll change, I swear—whatever it is-”

  “Chase-”

  “Did I crowd you? I’m such an idiot. It’s just when we’re together you make me so happy I need to tell you. I can give you space, we can take it slow, if that’s what you need-”

  “Chase!”

  “What?” He was quiet on the other end of the line. “What did I do wrong?”

  “It wasn’t you, I swear.”

  “Then what, Rachel? I thought... I thought we had something good going on here.”

  “We do. I mean, did. But... something has changed. I’ve changed. We can’t be together anymore.”

  “Rachel. I’m coming back to New York.”

  “No. Don’t.”

  I heard his laptop boot up. His fingers begin to tap away at the keyboard urgently. “You can’t stop me, I’m changing my flights right now. What’s your address? You never told me.”

  “You’re right,” I whispered. “I didn’t tell you, did I?”

  “Rachel! Please, talk to-”

  I hung up. That concern in his voice... I couldn’t take it anymore—like I still mattered, after everything I’d done.

  Chapter 2

  My makeup was ruined by the time I got home.

  Luckily, Dan hadn’t returned yet. It was funny—weeks ago, I hadn’t expected him to be in the apartment after that night with Chase, yet there he was. Now, when he’d said I would see him, the apartment was empty.

  It was a small blessing, really. I was still emotional after that phone call. I could still hear that vulnerability in Chase’s voice, too. I hated the thought of hurting him when he’d been so good to me. But it would have hurt him more if I’d told him everything. At least now I was the bitch who’d dumped him for no reason, not the bitch who’d used him to cheat on her boyfriend, then got pregnant to the ex.

  I checked my phone to see whether Dan had called. No missed calls, no messages. And there was no suitcase in the bedroom either, so he hadn’t come home and gone out after his weekend away, either. I’d been delusional enough to think he might want us to spend the evening together after being gone all weekend, but if Janice was to be believed, he was probably off having last minute kisses with that little secretary of his.

  That was going to have to change, I thought as I washed my face in the mirror. This baby would have a hard enough life without an unfaithful father thrown into the mix, too. Should I confront him about that tonight, or leave it for a separate occasion? Perhaps it was enough right now to tell Dan he was going to be a father—to celebrate the happy occasion.

  Who was I kidding? I had no desire to celebrate anything with Dan. If it weren’t for the baby, I’d be waiting for him to come home so I could throw him out.

  I made myself a little dinner, hoping Dan wouldn’t keep me waiting for long—I was exhausted. Could I start blaming being tired on pregnancy yet? I had no idea—the whole concept was so new to me. But I was tired at 8 pm in the evening, and that wasn’t normal. It was either the baby, or the events of the day, or the dread at the conversation I was about to have. Probably a little bit of all three, I decided. I hadn’t actually told anyone that I was pregnant yet. I hadn’t said the words out loud. Telling Dan would make it real, and that was maybe the scariest bit of all.

  Three hours after dinner, I’d texted Dan multiple times and still hadn’t received a response. If he’d had an accident, I never would have known. And yet I was sure he was fine—if he were the sort of person who was always responsible and thoughtful, I would have worried a lot more. I chalked this up to typical Dan activity, yawned, and chose another show to watch.

  Around midnight, when I was fast asleep on the couch to the dulcet tones of late night TV talk shows, a key rattled in the door. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and looked up expectantly as it opened.

  “Oh, hey,” Dan said, glancing at me as he pulled himself and his suitcase through unsteadily. The smell of alcohol wafting after him didn’t surprise me—I’d already accepted the fact that he was drinking somewhere. In fact, I was relieved. If he’d been drinking with his friends, it meant he hadn’t been hooking up with her.

  “Hey. I thought you were going to be home earlier in the day?” I tried to keep my tone of voice light, non-confrontational. We were more roommates, it occurred to me suddenly, not a couple. Oh how that was going to change.

  “Yeah, well, I wasn’t. Big deal.” He left the suitcase by the door, going to the kitchen. Not even a kiss hello—roommates indeed.

  “How was the trip? Did you have good weather?”

  “Huh? Oh, yeah. The weather was good.” He was a million miles away.

  “Did you get any golf in?”

  I heard something thump hard onto the kitchen counter. “Why are you asking so many questions? God, it’s late at night. I’m not in the mood to talk.”

  Through the doorway I saw he was making a sandwich. Whatever happened, it hadn’t ruined his appetite. “You’re right, it is late. I should know, I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “See? I knew it. I knew you would nag me.”

  I sighed, running a hand across my face before getting up to cross to the kitchen. This wasn’t how I’d wanted the evening to go. “I’m not trying to. I’m really not. Just don’t throw the time of day up in my face when I’m the one who has been waiting on you.”

  “If something bad was going down, I would have called you. Jeez.”

  I took the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger, reminding myself to stay calm. Was it just the hormones? Was I the one acting silly? I shook my head, deciding I wasn’t. At least I’d be well practiced at dealing with toddlers, when the time came.

  Toddlers. God, I was going to have a baby.

  He was standing at the counter, eating. “Why don’t you come into the lounge room to eat? I haven’t seen you in almost four days, and... um, we need to talk.”

  He grumbled something over a mouthful of food, but followed. He looked a mess—his polo shirt had a stain on it, probably some type of booze. His khakis were wrinkled, and there were deep circles beneath his eyes. Had he gotten a wink of sleep while he’d been away? I decided I didn’t want to know. “Are you going in to work tomorrow?” I asked instead.

  It was an innocent question—he’d come in at midnight—but he stiffened as if shot, turning to glare at me. “What are you asking me that for?”

  My eyes widened. “I... don’t know. Since you got in so late and everything, I guessed there was a problem with your flight...” W
ait, why was I defending myself?

  “There was nothing wrong with my flight. God, can you hear yourself? Why would I come straight home?”

  I shrank back. “Because that was what you said you were going to do. Because we need to talk.”

  “Seems like you’re doing enough of that for both of us. Maybe I knew the second I got home I would get a bunch of nagging, did you ever think of that?”

  “I see,” I said, jaw clenching. I sat up a little straighter. “Now it’s my fault. What a surprise.”

  I had a friend when I was younger, growing up. I never understood why we always had to go to my house if we wanted to play dolls, until the day we dropped her home and I heard her dad fighting with her mom.

  I hadn’t known parents could say such mean things to each other. My own parents would have arguments, but not the sort that would carry through a closed door and down a driveway. I’d looked at Suzy, wondering what to make of it all. She’d looked like she wanted to die of embarrassment. Mom had turned the car around, and let Suzy stay the night at our place. Suzy always wanted to stay at our place. It was only on that day that I’d figured out why.

  Was I about to raise a child in a household that fought so frequently that by the age of 10, she’d be wanting to stay at her friend’s place, too? I sighed, forcing my jaw to unclench. “I’m not trying to pick a fight. I’m only asking so I know if I should be quiet while I’m getting ready tomorrow.”

  Dan’s chin lifted. “I’m not going in tomorrow, or ever again.” Defiant, like he was daring me to say something.

  I frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I got fired,” he said simply. Then he took another bite of his sandwich, like it was no big deal.

  I’d taken my fair share of psychology courses in college; I wasn’t a stupid person. I realized, on an intellectual level, that all Dan was doing was acting out. He wanted me to believe he didn’t care one way or another about losing his job. Then, when I freaked out as he assumed I would, he could defend himself against my tyranny. That’s when his anger and frustration would come out.