Heat_A Stone Billionaire Series Novel Read online

  That’s why I head over to Evan’s building because I’m too worried about him not to.

  I get the address off Lucius and take a quick cab ride over to the Tribeca address Lucius gives me.

  His building looks brand new with a hint of old world charm.

  I press the buzzer that says Stone and wait.

  After a few minutes, a female voice answers.

  “Hello?” she sounds frazzled.

  “I’m looking for Evan Stone,” I say.

  “Oh, come up,” she says.

  The voice sounds a lot like Leigha.

  I take the elevator up to the top floor and follow the end of the hallway to the apartment that should be Evan’s.

  I knock.

  Leigha answers, her hair haphazardly thrown into a bun in wrinkled clothes.

  “Thank god, I thought I was going to have to get him to bed alone,” she says.

  She swears under her breath and adjusts her glasses.

  “It’s Victoire right?” she says.

  “How’d you know?” I ask.

  I take one tiny step inside Evan’s apartment.

  “There’s only one woman in his life,” Leigha explains.

  “We broke up,” I say.

  I absentmindedly look around his apartment.

  High windows, modern with a touch of that class I’ve come to know as his father’s.

  It’s a smaller version of Noah’s former penthouse, currently under construction as far as I know.

  “He’s drunk?” I ask.

  “Loaded!” I hear Evan scream from the living room.

  When I do find Evan, he’s sprawled across the couch, his tie in his hands.

  “What is she doing here? What are you doing here?” Evan turns to Leigha.

  “Evan, don’t be rude,” she scolds him.

  “It’s not rude, she broke up with me!” Evan says flatly.

  For a moment he’s sober as anything as he studies me.

  Then, he returns to his drunken status.

  “What are you doing here? Leigha can take care of me,” Evan spits.

  Leigha snorts in the background.

  “Evan, don’t do that,” I snap at him.

  “I am here to check on you, I thought you were dead,” I add.

  “Well, I might as well be, everything my father has worked for is about to fall to tiny little shreds. Probably because of my mother,” Evan laughs.

  He’s brutal when he’s drunk sometimes.

  “What is he on about now?” I ask Leigha.

  “It’s a long story,” she sighs.

  “Now, I need him sober enough, to go meet Duke Whittaker tonight, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon,” she sighs.

  “What’s going on?” I ask directly.

  “Tell her!” Evan slurs loudly.

  “The FBI is currently investigating my company, for ties to funding terrorism. NLS was linked to that in the process because of the initial public offering,” Leigha explains all too quickly.

  “What!” I scream at Evan.

  “That’s what I said!” he laughs.

  Then, he gets to his knees.

  “How are we the unluckiest family in the world, to get a bitch like my mother!” he yells.

  “Evan, you don’t know your mother is involved in this yet,” Leigha reminds him.

  “Oh, I know!” Evan declares.

  He promptly slips off the couch and bumps his head on the coffee table.

  “Ow!” he deadpans.

  Leigha and I stare at the mess he is on the floor.

  “Just leave me, leave to die alone and wallow,” Evan mutters.

  “Come on, stupid baby!” Leigha groans.

  Together we pull him up, off the floor and back onto the couch.

  “Why are you here?” Evan demands from me.

  “You can’t be worried about me, you broke up with me,” he says.

  “Yeah, well, you’ve moved on just fine,” I say.

  I’m angry.

  I don’t even know why I’m so angry, but I am; with Evan and Leigha.

  “Ha!” is all Evan gets out.

  “Well, didn’t you sleep with her?” I retort.

  “Once!” Evan replies.

  “I slept with her once, and it didn’t mean anything! It was an accident! Leigha!” he says to her.

  “I don’t have an answer other than it was an accident,” Leigha snorts.

  She smacks Evan over the head.

  “I told you, not to tell her! You dope! I told you it would only cause problems, I don’t need the world knowing that I slept with Evan Stone!” Leigha rages at him.

  “The world?” Evan snorts.

  “Please,” Leigha shakes her head.

  “Please what?” Evan retorts.

  “Evan!” I scream his name.

  This catches his attention.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake! What? You can either be mad at me, for something I did a long time ago. before we were even together, if we ever were together. Or you can get the fuck over it! It didn’t mean anything!” he yells back at me.

  “Then, why did you do it!” I scream back.

  “Because I was miserable over you!” he shouts.

  This silences me.

  “Let’s get you to bed, you miserable bastard,” I tell him.

  Leigha just clicks her tongue at Evan.

  Together we drag Evan into the bedroom and drop him on the platformed bed.

  Leigha steps into the washroom while I glare at the man I love.

  It’s clear enough that I love Evan, at least enough to worry about him this much.

  Evan just glares back at me.

  Leigha sets the water down on the bedside table.

  “Can you handle him from here? I’m a wreck, and I need to meet with the FBI tomorrow, today actually, so I’d like to go home, and change,” she says.

  “Drink another pounder!” Evan sings.

  “That’s not until after,” Leigha’s sarcasm is thick.

  “Oh, sure. After!” Evan laughs.

  “Call me. I’ll need it if this doesn’t work out,” he says.

  Leigha just rolls her eyes.

  “I can handle him,” I say through gritted teeth.

  Evan just wants to get under my skin, and it’s about to work on me.

  I don’t let men get under my skin, yet as I watch him wink at Leigha, who only shakes her head and smacks him, I know it’s for my benefit.

  He knows how to push my buttons, and that’s precisely what he’s doing.

  “Leigha, I’ve got it,” I tell her crisply.

  “Good,” she nods.

  When I walk Leigha to the door, she is quiet as she gathers her purse and the contents.

  “Evan spilled everything all over the floor, he swung it around like Tarzan. Jesus Christ, what am I going to do with that man?” Leigha swears.

  “He’s a child,” I reply.

  Leigha nods.

  “He’s got some growing up to do, I won’t fault you there,” Leigha takes a deep breath.

  “But, you can’t jerk him around like this Victoire. You’re in, or you’re out. You need to let him go if you’re not going to give him what he wants, because he needs you. He loves you in his life, and he’s his best self when you are. So, if you’re not going to give him what he wants, let him go,” her words are clear.

  “I know,” I reply.

  It is all I can respond with.

  I need to not jerk him around.

  But we’re about to be parents together.

  Something I still haven’t decided on; I don’t know if I want this baby or not.

  22

  Evan

  January 1, 2018

  Vic softly snores beside me as I shift in the tangled sheets of my bed.

  When I glance at the clock, it’s near three, and I need to meet Duke Whittaker at four.

  I slip into the shower, wash myself off and manage to brush my teeth.

&
nbsp; When I walk back into the bedroom, in a towel, Vic is awake.

  “Why are you here?” I ask her.

  “I thought you didn’t want to make this work, so unless this is about your father, I don’t see the point in you being here,” I snap at her.

  I can’t help it.

  Vic deflates, and I want to cross the room and wrap my arms around her.

  But, I refrain from anything of the sort, because I know how much she’ll fight against me.

  I am no coward, but I know when a woman doesn’t want me.

  Even if Vic does want me, she’s given me no indication.

  “There’s no time for this,” she tells me quietly.

  “You’re right,” I tell her.

  “I have to meet Duke Whittaker,” my words sound final.

  Regardless of what I say, Vic finds a suit in my closet anyway and pulls out a shirt and tie for me.

  Even if she wants to let me go, I know there is a part of her that just won’t abandon me.

  Vic especially won’t abandon me when she knows I want to handle all of this on my own.

  “Have you considered calling your father?” she asks.

  I watch as her hands smooth my tie down my chest.

  Her eyes are on mine, but I avoid her gaze.

  “No,” I tell her.

  “You should,” she says, but it’s not an argument.

  It’s a simple fact, I should call my father, but with Ava in labor, it’s too late for that now.

  I don’t want to worry him, even though he should be worried.

  This is all my fault.

  All of it, everything is all because I got us the initial public offering with Alexander Technical Institute, even though I knew it was risky.

  “It’s not your fault, Evan,” Vic reads my mind.

  “You had no way-” she starts.

  “All of it,” my voice is harsh.

  “I didn’t mean to snap at you,” I add instantly.

  “It’s okay,” Vic tells me.

  She pats my tie, like I’m a good boy, who deserves a treat.

  Okay, I earned that, I was cold towards her.

  “What are we doing?” I ask.

  “I mean, really, Vic. If you’re just hanging around because you think I need an assistant or I’m about to fuck this up royally, you can just stop,” I tell her seriously.

  “You will not fuck this up, Evan. It may not seem like it, but I have faith in you. You are your own worst critic, so you stop,” Vic tells me honestly.

  Vic is right, I can be my own worst enemy.

  My dad was never as hard on me, as I am on myself.

  Her words only make me want her even more.

  “I need you to come with me,” I tell her.

  “Okay,” she agrees.

  To my utter shock, Vic agrees!

  The Plaza is in total disarray at the sudden appearance of Duke Whittaker, and it takes a few minutes for someone to come to us at the desk.

  Duke Whittaker’s personal assistant takes us up to the top floor, where we are told to wait in the sitting room.

  “We should see if he can do anything about Ventretti,” I tell Vic.

  “Leave my father out of this and focus on yours,” she tells me.

  “But what if he can do something?” I say.

  “What is he going to do? Go to the Queen?” Vic snaps at me.

  “Sorry,” I say.

  I throw my hands up.

  Vic is probably right that there is nothing the Duke can do about her father.

  Only time will tell what lays in store for Michael Bishop.

  I can’t do anything if I am exiled to England, and that’s probably what is exactly about to happen.

  There’s no other way that I can think of, that will keep the lot of us out of the FBI’s hair.

  At least until this settles down, if it ever does.

  Suddenly, I’m mournful over my impending loss of New York.

  I love this city.

  I grew up here.

  This has always been my domain, and now I’m probably about to end up in crappy old London.

  It’s not that I dislike London; I just love New York.

  New York has been the lady in my life for so long, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

  “Duke Whittaker is ready for you,” the assistant announces.

  She opens the door, and we both walk in.

  For some reason, I expect him to be wearing some sort of royal getup but instead he stands before the both of us in a crisp black suit, perfectly tailored to him.

  I also expected a fat, balding man, but he is reasonably trim and spry looking for his age, even with the grey hair.

  Duke Geoffrey Whittaker has the same eyes as Tinsley and somehow reminds me of her.

  “Your Grace,” I say.

  “Evan Stone, as I live and breathe,” he walks forward to shake my hand.

  “And this young lady is?” he asks.

  “Victoire Bishop, Your Grace,” Vic takes my lead.

  “Nice to meet you, Ms. Bishop. I wish this were under better circumstances, but Noah Stone always did have a way of getting the best of people,” Geoffrey Whittaker laughs.

  I laugh uncomfortably and take the seat that the Duke motions to.

  Victoire sits beside me and crosses her legs at the ankle.

  “I’ve spoken with her Majesty,” Geoffrey says.

  “Since your father was in line to be a Duke himself, I’ve managed to convince her and the powers that be that it would be prudent to give your father the political immunity that would’ve extended to him otherwise. We don’t want an international incident, and neither does the FBI,” Geoffrey explains.

  “I entirely appreciate that, far more than you can imagine, Your Grace,” I tell him, thankfully.

  “No need to thank me, it’s your father’s heritage that has saved him,” he says.

  The Duke waves a hand at me in dismissal.

  “However, you know that should I need a favor in future, you are indebted to me for this,” he continues.

  “Of course,” I reply automatically.

  “Good,” The Duke nods in agreement.

  “I assume you will join me for Dinner? I don’t frequent New York,” he asks.

  Just like that, the subject of my father is dismissed.

  “I’ll make you both a reservation,” Vic insists.

  “Perfect,” the Duke smiles gently at us both.

  “Seven o’clock,” he says.

  “I’ll pick you up myself,” I agree.

  Then, just like that, we are dismissed from his presence.

  There’s silence in the elevator on the way down until Vic opens her mouth again.

  “I don’t trust him, Evan, what could he possibly want from you, in the future?” she asks.

  “Vic, there’s no choice. We must trust him, or we all end up in prison, for god knows how long. You know how that runs. These are serious crimes. Leigha only got out by the skin of her teeth, and they still want to question her,” I explain.

  “There’s something off about it,” Vic insists.

  “You saw it, didn’t you?” she asks.

  I shake my head slowly.

  “Nothing seemed off about him, he’s royalty, they’re all like that,” I say.

  “And your father? He was supposed to be a Duke? But he’s not?” Vic questions.

  “His Uncle Jude took over the Dukedom. My father was otherwise entangled with his family, and my mother. You know how long he was searching for Ava,” I tell her crisply.

  I don’t want to be a child, but I want to ask her what the fuck she cares anyway.

  Doesn’t matter, I tell myself, not even slightly.

  Of course, it matters, however.

  The war in my head wages on as we stand on the sidewalk together as Vic attempts to hail a cab.

  “Let me drive you home,” I tell her.

  “No,” Vic shakes her head.

  “Please,” I insist
.

  I open the door to the limo.

  Vic tries to hail a cab a couple more times, then she gives in.

  We ride in silence towards her building, and for a moment I forget that everything has changed.

  “Evan, I miss you,” she blurts out.

  Everything has changed.

  I try hard to mask the shock on my face.

  “Don’t give me that look,” she says.

  “You know you miss me as much as I miss you, admit it,” she pleads with me.

  “Victoire,” I sigh.

  There’s anguish in my voice.

  “As much as I want to be with you, now isn’t the time for this. Everything is about to fall apart; do you really want to be with a man who’s worth nothing?” I ask.

  “In my eyes, you’re worth everything, Evan,” she says.

  “Oh, great! Another of your control games, huh?” I ask.

  Suddenly, there are tears in her eyes.

  “Don’t cry,” I beg her.

  I pull Victoire into my arms, against my better judgment.

  She sobs against my shoulder as I hold her.

  I let her cry until the limo stops at her doorstep.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  Vic nods.

  “I’ll be fine, it’s just been a strange day,” she tells me.

  23

  Victoire

  January 1, 2018

  Evan walks me upstairs, despite my protests.

  I just don’t have the strength to fight him anymore.

  I am not a weak woman, however.

  I’ve always prided myself on not being a victim of love, and turning into a useless, sniveling mess over a man.

  Yet, somehow, I find myself pregnant, alone, and all I want to do is somehow make this work with Evan.

  If he knew that I had anything to do with Ava being kept from her family?

  Evan would never forgive me, despite the baby.

  “You really didn’t have to come up,” I tell him.

  I unlock the door and toss my purse on the side table.

  “Yeah well, in the current state of things, I half expected my mother to be up here waiting for you,” Evan jokes.

  “That wouldn’t surprise me, actually,” I say with an eye roll.

  Evan laughs, and it’s good to hear him laugh.

  The stress lines on his forehead are quite distinct, and tension is written all over his handsome face.