Page 132 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

Finally alone, I raised my head and met his gaze. The anger in his eyes slowly faded and the tightness in my chest eased. My father never fucking raised his voice at me and my sister. And even when we drove him nuts, he never lost his cool. He’d sit us down and talk us through our hormones, citing the scientific reasons behind what drove us to misbehave. By the end of it all, we’d be either confused, or—in Billie’s case—asleep.

“You okay?” I nodded. “Did she hurt you?”

I shook my head. “No, but I probably hurt her pride.”

His soft chuckle filled the space between us.

“How so?” This time, it was my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as Byron’s eyes sparkled. “Seeing how you’re blushing, now I have to know.”

I gave him a sheepish smile. “She accused me of being good on my knees.” The meaning registered and I could see the storm already brewing in his eyes. “I told her I was, but that you were even better.”

His stare was as intense as the sun. Too hard to look at, yet its beauty so blinding you couldn’t look away. Then he closed the distance between us, wrapping his hand around my neck as he brought our faces so close, our noses touched.

“You are fucking damn right I am,” he murmured, brushing his nose against mine. “But you’re the only one I get on my knees for.” I gasped, and he took advantage, slamming his mouth on mine. When he pulled away, his eyes glittered like the diamonds around my neck. “I’m the luckiest man alive when I’m with you, baby. I want it all, but only with you.”

“Byron,” I breathed, my eyes stinging with happy tears that threatened to ruin my makeup. I couldn’t believe the journey that had brought us here. After all these years, I was finally his and he was mine.

I laced our fingers together, smiling at him.

“I want it all with you too.”

I had loved him for so long, it was impossible to stop.

My love for him had become an integral part of me.

Chapter53

Byron

Odette was quiet as we walked into our bedroom. She was clearly upset by Nicki’s behavior. The entire experience was unexpected, even for me. Although she handled it like a pro. It was what I always loved about my wife. Her backbone.

“I’m sorry about Nicki,” I said, watching my wife slip her heels off and placing her shoes next to mine. There was something so fucking calming and right about seeing her stuff next to mine.

She shrugged. “I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this is probably good. It’s behind us.”

“It’s far from over. Tomorrow, Nicki will wake up to a whole different world.”

She shot me a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that nobody—fucking nobody—talks to my wife like that and walks away unscathed.” I tugged on my tie and she turned to me, helping me loosen it up. I was surprised she was so calm. It didn’t seem to bother her at all, while I was here fuming for the both of us. Nicki was lucky she was a woman, or I’d have murdered her. Right there and then.

“She’s just a sad woman who has no purpose in life,” she said, oddly perceptive. “In Dad’s hospital, there were plenty of those coming and going. They expected the whole world to bow to them while they treated everyone else like shit.” Her lips tugged up. “Besides, you’re here with me, not her. So who cares about her?”

Pulling my tie through my collar, she handed it to me and walked barefoot toward our bed, throwing herself backward on it. Her slim body bounced up and down, and she let out a relieved sigh.

“I could go without another function like that for the rest of my life,” she muttered to herself, wiggling her toes.

“Then that’s how it will be.”

I hated that I pulled her into a world she didn’t want to be in. But even more, I hated the way she hid her pain from me. I wanted to be her comfort, her consolation, her confidant. Yet she kept herself at a distance, guarding her heart like the treasure it was, even after telling me she loved me. Well, fuck it—I wanted to own that treasure.

She propped herself on her elbows, watching me through hooded eyes.

“You know, I can’t even blame her,” she murmured absentmindedly.

I raised my eyebrow. “For?”

“Wanting you,” she remarked. “I mean, what sane woman wouldn’t want you.”