Page 38 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

“I heard the Ashford royalty is in town.”

Seriously, that was the reason he’d come?

“Okay…” I didn’t know what else to say. “I didn’t know America had royalty,” I remarked sarcastically. “And why in the heck are you tracking their movements?”

I hadn’t told anyone what happened with Byron. As far as I knew, nobody recognized Byron when we were in the bar that night. I certainly had no clue who or what he was.

“I heard from a buddy that the Ashfords are celebrating something. Merging of the families or some shit like that.”

Irrational jealousy knifed through me. Air halted painfully in my body as everything constricted. I shut my eyes, squeezing out the images that kept haunting me. His mouth on mine. His words in my ear. The way he felt inside me.

I shivered. I guess I was indeed his last fuck before he settled down. His kind and my kind didn’t mix. Wasn’t that what his father said? I didn’t know whether to laugh about it, or cry. In this day and age, you’d think none of it would matter. Rich or poor; old or young; French or American… I thought we were way past those sorts of judgments.

Turned out, not. At least not for people like Senator Ashford.

“A fact check,” Billie sneered. “We don’t give a shit. We have bigger problems to deal with.”

My sister was right. The Ashfords didn’t concern us. We lost the hospital, something that had been in our family for generations.

“I heard about the hospital,” Marco muttered. “I didn’t want to hurt you by bringing it up.”

“How bad are the rumors?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “Not that bad. Desiré is being her usual tactless self.” Billie growled next to me, clenching her fists. I gave her a barely noticeable shake of my head. “You want to come down?” Marco’s voice penetrated my wordless communication with my sister. I forgot he was still down there. Glancing at my sister, I was fairly certain I knew what the answer was. She shook her head. Neither one of us was in the mood.

Billie’s dream had been squashed. My dreams were on their way to being extinguished. Neither one of us was in the mood for anyone’s company.

“Not tonight, Marco,” I told him with an apologetic smile.

Before he could protest or say anything else, I sat back down in my chair. Billie rolled her eyes. “Why are you always so goddamn nice?”

I shrugged, my eyes locked on the moon. “It’s good to practice my bedside manner for my future days as a doctor.” Assuming being a surgeon was still in my future.

“Listen, soeur.” Billie’s voice suddenly got serious and I turned to look at her. “What if I got my hands on some money?” I raised my eyebrows. Neither one of us had any savings to talk about. “If I could… get a loan. That would help, right?”

“I don’t think a loan will help Dad and his hospital,” I muttered. “Apparently they’ve already started moving patients. The building is no longer ours.”

“But it will help you,” she reasoned. “I don’t want you quitting med school.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand. “I don’t want to quit either, but I’m not sure there’s much choice. I don’t want you to give up on your dream of working in Paris either. But here we are.”

She waved her hand. “When you’re a rich surgeon, you can front me some money.”

I chuckled. “Gosh, Billie. I never knew your imagination was so wild.”

She didn’t laugh, her expression serious. It should have been enough to warn me. My thoughts bounced all over the place, unable to piece clues together.

“I’ll make it happen,” she vowed.

I shook my head. “How?”

Billie opened her mouth to answer when a single gunshot shattered the silence.

Chapter14

Odette

“My condolences.” Another voice. Another face. “He was a wonderful man.”