Page 55 of Dr. Stone (Billionaires’ Club #9)
FORTY-FIVE
Andie
The drive up to my parents’ place was supercharged, both Brandon and I riding the high from our visit with Jace.
The bond those two formed felt natural, with Jace effortlessly stepping into the role of a solid presence in Brandon’s life, but after today, with Jace practically giving Brandon his first flying lesson, my son couldn’t stop saying his name.
Every few minutes, Brandon would giggle from the back seat and shout, “Fye! Fye!”
And I’d echo back, “Yes. You did fly a plane—with Dr. Jace!” matching his excitement, still in awe that a simple office visit had turned into such an unforgettable moment for my little boy.
I pulled into Mom and Dad’s driveway, knowing I didn’t have much time before I had to head back so Jace and I could sail his boat out to Catalina.
Stepping out of the new Porsche—something I planned to thank Jace for later properly—I unbuckled Brandon’s seatbelt and lifted my son out of the car, his little body practically buzzing with excitement.
“You ready to go see Papa and Gamma?” I asked, repeating the names he’d given them as he learned to talk.
“Papa! Gams!” He smiled, punching an excited fist in the air, “Yes! I fye, Mama!”
“I know you did, baby,” I said, my heart thudding with excitement while I kissed his perfect head and walked up to the charming entrance of my parents’ home.
To my surprise, my mom opened it before I got there, and from the look on her face, I guessed the church must’ve canceled their Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza or something.
“Is everything okay?” I asked as she pulled Brandon from my arms after he reached out to her.
“Hey, sweetheart.” A smile finally reached her lips, but her eyes were severe. “I need to speak with you, honey. Just follow me.”
I frowned, not knowing what to think. My mom was not one for hysterics or dramatics, so I had no idea what to make of any of this, and it was starting to scare me.
“What’s going on, Mom? Is something wrong with Dad?”
“Your father is fine,” she said, turning toward me. For a split second, she looked like the devil himself had taken up residence as an unwelcome guest in their home.
“Jonathan was here in Santa Barbara, and he showed up unannounced at your daddy’s office this morning, sniffing around, I presume,” she said.
Speaking of the goddamn devil.
“Why the hell was that man anywhere near here?” I said, my voice matching her darkened expression.
“He told your father he wanted to check on us after seeing you last week at his dealership. I guess some gentleman was there to purchase you a car?”
“Yeah, a guy I recently started seeing,” I said with a small laugh.
“It’s kind of a long story why I suddenly have a hundred-thousand-dollar car and why you and Dad hadn’t heard about him until now.
But I was hoping to plan a fun dinner next weekend to introduce you two since, well, it’s starting to feel like this might really go somewhere. ”
This wasn’t how I planned to break the news of my new relationship to my parents. But then again, I never imagined I’d be forced to—especially not because my ex, who had practically vanished from existence, decided to rise from the dead and start lurking around my life again.
“Don’t you worry about that, sweetheart. I just want you to be on alert,” she said, trying not to sound menacing and scare Brandon. “I don’t like how he’s suddenly interested in your Dad and me, and if he didn’t already know about Brandon, he does now.”
“What?” I nearly shouted, feeling like I’d been kicked in the stomach. “How? Why would you guys tell him?”
“He saw the pictures in your dad’s office when he walked in,” she said.
“So, you just be on guard. I don’t want to be dramatic, but I don’t want you getting blindsided by that man, either.
He was horrible to you and extremely controlling during your relationship.
And now, with even a hint of jealousy over this new guy in your life, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. ”
“Just when my life is going in a direction better than I thought possible, a damn nightmare has to show up,” I said. “Sorry about the curse word,” I apologized, knowing how much she despised swearing.
“Don’t apologize. I almost said the A-word about him when your father called me about the surprise visit.”
“Oh, dear,” I smiled and hugged her. “If that man dares to force you to say ass, I’m going to have to kick his,” I chuckled.
“Let’s get Brandon settled. I have to get back down to Marina Del Rey to meet the man I’ve been meaning to tell you guys about.
This guy is one dad will approve of. He sails. ”
“Is that so?” Mom said, her expression becoming lighter.
“Yeah, I’ll give you a quick rundown while we get Brandon’s bed and things set up. Where is Dad, anyway? I never see him when I’m here these days.”
“Your father is down getting our boat ready. We’re going to watch the fireworks in the boat parade for Brandon this year. It’s too bad you and this new friend of yours couldn’t join the parade in his boat?”
“He’s got to work, or he said he’d love to sail his boat up to meet you and Dad this weekend.”
“Well, from the expression on your face and those pretty little eyes lighting up like that, I’d say this young man must be quite something. You look absolutely smitten.”
“He’s fantastic,” I said. “And he’s perfect with Brandon in ways I never expected. Honestly, it feels like we were meant to be together because everything just fits. And the best part is that none of it feels forced. It’s all been so natural.”
“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Mom said, her face glowing with adoration as she took in my happiness.
“When your father and I first met, it was the same way. Everything just clicked, even before we really knew each other. The relationship blossomed overnight, and the best part was how easy it all felt.”
“Because it was meant to be,” I said, smiling. Then, more to myself than to her, I added, “And don’t worry about Jonathan. I’ll handle that idiot. I’ve gotten a lot stronger lately by moving forward and living my life again.”
“Just be on guard,” she warned.
I used the rest of the short time we had to catch her up on as much of my whirlwind romance with Jace as I could, and by the time I had to go, my mom and I were both excited about making plans for them to meet my new man.
Two hours later—about thirty minutes before I was supposed to meet Jace at his place—I swung by my place to grab my overnight bag and a few extra snacks for our sail to Catalina.
My excitement was off the charts just thinking about how incredible this night was going to be, sailing beneath that stunning full moon.
Something was intoxicating about a full moon over the sea—something that everyone deserved to experience—and sailing under one?
After tonight, I’d probably be telling everyone they had to do it at least once in their life.
As I made my way around the path to my condo, fumbling for my keys to unlock my door, I froze when I saw a man standing on my front porch.
“What the fuck ? Jonathan?” I practically growled his name when I saw him leaning on the wall next to my front door.
“Hello, Andrea,” he said. “We meet again.”
“Andrea? The only people to ever call me Andrea are my dead grandparents, so save the drama,” I snarled. “Why are you on my porch?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you went through with the pregnancy?”
I stared into his dark, demanding eyes, part of me itching to knee him in the balls and let all my anger loose, while the other, stronger part reminded me I’d be out with Jace tonight, leaving this bastard behind until morning.
“Well, let me think about that,” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Oh, yeah. Perhaps it’s because you walked out on me that night about two seconds after I told you I was pregnant?”
“Why didn’t you tell me I had a son?” His voice was sharp, dragging up every memory of the fights we’d had.
My whole body tensed, emotions spiraling, unsure how to react, not only to seeing him again, but also to the anger I suddenly felt aimed at me. It gave me the old, nasty, familiar feeling of being in trouble with him, and it was a feeling I hated almost more than anything else.
I forced myself to stay steady and break free from the old, weak, apologetic Andie who used to crumble around him. I kept telling myself internally that I had nothing to apologize for.
“Your silence and the look on your face tell me everything.” He smirked, “Is it because you didn’t think I would care about the boy?”
“To be clear, I’m pretty sure any normal man would’ve followed up to find out whether or not the child they fathered was going to be born, but I suppose running away like you were on fire was more important to you,” I started, trying my hardest to keep my voice down when all I wanted to do was scream at this son of a bitch.
“But let’s play your game and presume it was my responsibility to inform you beyond what I told you the night you bailed…
how the hell was I supposed to find you after you vanished?
You know what? Just get off my porch, and don’t ever show your face around me, my parents, or my son again. I mean it. Stay the fuck away.”
“You’ve turned into quite the lioness,” he chuckled, his expression and demeanor predatorial and nauseating. “Would that have anything to do with the playboy you’ve been fucking?”
“None of your business. Leave.” My voice was sharp and laced with adrenaline as this menacing bastard smiled like he owned my entire life again.
“I’ll leave, sweetheart,” he said darkly, “but first, I want you to know I’ve been digging into some things ever since I saw you with that boy toy.”
I closed my eyes, knowing where this was going.
Of course, he’d slither back into my life like the snake he was, hell-bent on wrecking whatever happiness I dared to find without him.
He wasn’t just jealous. He was a cruel asshole who fed on breaking my spirit.
Seeing me with Jace, who’d made him feel inferior, and now finding out I kept a son from him?
This fucker wasn’t just going to be a mere problem.
He was going to make a lifestyle out of wrecking my new, happy life.
“Allow me to tell you this once,” he said, handing me an envelope. “Inside that envelope are all the scandals that would cost your lover boy his medical license. You know, scandals like fucking his interns, nurses, an occasional patient’s daughter or two…”
He paused, watching me no doubt go pale from the nausea twisting in my gut, not just from hearing that Jace’s past might risk his license to practice, but from knowing my goddamn ex was the one who dug up the dirt and now held the evidence that could destroy everything Jace had built.
I watched the smile of achievement cross his features.
“End the relationship. I don’t want my kid around that sick fuck, and I don’t want him to see his mother whoring herself out like a cheap trick.”
My anger flashed so brightly inside me that it nearly made me go blind with rage, but I knew an unhinged reaction was what he wanted from me, and I would never give him the satisfaction. “You don’t get to call the shots on me anymore, asshole. Get off my porch.”
“I might never have wanted it, but that kid is mine , and I’ll fight for custody just to make you miserable. A court won’t hesitate to call you negligent, parading my son around a man like Jace Stone. And let’s not pretend your reputation is spotless either.”
“Good luck proving that in court since you’re considered an abandoning parent. Your case is weak at best.”
I was trembling inside, but trying not to break apart.
“The case won’t be weak,” he sneered, “not when the court—and those elite circles you’ve been pretending to fit in with—see what kind of reckless mother you are.
Jetting off to Mexico, Costa Rica, Catalina, clinging to Titus Hawk’s money, then coming home to screw the playboy doctor.
Because once the tabloids get wind of it, or more importantly, once that hospital board sees the scandal he’s tied up in, they’ll toss his golden-boy ass out faster than he can lose his license.
One headline is all it takes to ruin a man like him, and I’ve got plenty of them to write. ”
I was frozen. I had no way of predicting that any of this would happen.
“What the hell do you want?” I growled, desperate for him to leave so I could think.
“Stay away from that predator,” he said, voice low and venomous.
“And if you even think about running to him or any of his preppy little friends for help, I’ll use my contacts and leak every piece of it.
While I destroy that man for thinking he could ever be a father to my son, I’ll be dragging your whore-ass through the courts.
” Tears pooled in my eyes while he cocked his head to the side and smiled triumphantly, “You don’t want that, do you?
Even your rich daddy and mommy’s lawyers couldn’t save the stress and trauma that would cause our precious son.
” He stepped to leave. “Do the right thing, gorgeous ,” he whispered, mocking the pet name Jace called me as he bent to kiss my cheek while I stood there paralyzed with fear.
“I already have PIs watching you. You can understand, yes? I need my son— our son—to be safe.”
You’re a monster,” I croaked, my voice breaking even as I tried to steady it.
Jonathan’s lips curved, slow and cold, like he’d been waiting for me to say it. He stepped closer, eyes glinting with sick satisfaction.
“Funny,” he murmured, tilting his head as though I were something fragile in his hands. “You’ve never looked more beautiful than when you finally remember your place. Don’t make me teach you the lesson again.”
With what little strength I had left after he walked away, I barely managed to open my front door, step inside, and lock it behind me. I stumbled down the hallway and almost didn’t make it to the bathroom before everything in my stomach came up in violent waves.
I couldn’t think. I couldn’t process. I couldn’t do anything but collapse onto the cold tile floor—a place I hadn’t been since the last time that man walked out of my life and left me shattered in this very house.