Billionaire’s Quarry: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance (An Alpha Billionaire Romance Boxed Set) (39 page)

Jakob started to laugh as soon as he got home.
Quilla,
obviously bored after being house-bound while she recovered, had built a fort out of the boxes of her stuff he arranged to have picked up. She lay in the middle of it, propped up on pillows, reading, and a half-drunk cup of tea beside her. He peered over the ramparts of the fort and grinned at her.

‘Didn’t the doctor tell you not to lift anything heavy?’ he said in mock-disapproval.

Quilla stuck her tongue out at him. After the horrific night, the terror of not knowing if she was going to be okay, Jakob had been afraid her natural merriment would
be subdued,
but no, she was
astonishingly
resilient
.

Quilla had talked about the attack – she’d had to go over and over it a hundred times with the police, after all – and she seemed remarkably practical about it. ‘Weirdly, I didn’t even realize he’d stabbed me until I saw your face, and the blood,’ she told Jakob, ‘I thought he’d just punched me. My body knew something was very wrong before my brain did
…
then that’s when the pain hit. I don’t remember anything after that until I woke up in the hospital. Did the police find Gregor?’

Jakob had shaken his head, his face grim. ‘No. He’s still out there, somewhere. But I promise you, Quilla, he won’t hurt you again.’

She smiled, touched his face. ‘I know that.’

She’d been released from the hospital a
couple of
days after the stabbing but on the understanding that she was to take it easy. ‘Taking it easy’ had meant being spoilt by Jakob, he’d told her and he had. He’d arranged for all of her possessions to be moved to his penthouse, had made sure his home was turned into their home now, making room in his closet for her clothes, room on his bookshelves for her beloved books. He’d even cleared out a guest room and made it into an artists’ studio for her. There were tears of gratitude and love when she saw it.

Now, though, restricted by her injury to sitting for most of the day until it healed properly, Quilla was being to get stir crazy.

Jakob helped her to her feet and led to the couch, pulling onto his lap and kissing her. ‘How was work?’ Quilla asked between kisses.

‘Same old, same old.’

‘So you’re not extra-busy because Stabby McDouchebag isn’t there?’

Jakob winced and laughed at the same time.
Only Quilla could make light of something so serious.
His arms tightened
around her,
but he kept his tone light. ‘Nope. To be honest, the place runs itself now. If
I'm
honest…you’re
not
the only one who is bored. I’m thinking about stepping back, letting the executives run it and concentrating on smaller projects
…affordable
housing, places for the homeless. Stuff I – and Dad – always wanted to do.’

Quilla stroked the hair back behind his ears. ‘If I didn’t already love you more than it was possible to love someone, Jakob
Mallory…’

She kissed him, her lips moving firmly against his, her fingers knotting in his hair. Jakob closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her skin against his, tasting her, his tongue moving against hers gently. Then as the heat began to build, he pushed her away, gently. ‘Quilla…you have to take it easy. Seriously, we have to wait at least six weeks, the doctor said.’

‘God.’ She was annoyed now. ‘I feel fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore; my
stitches
are coming out in a few days.’

Jakob is
grinning at her sulky face. ‘Nympho. I’d rather wait a few weeks then have you healthy for the rest of your life than risk anything…tearing.’

They both winced and Quilla shrugged. ‘Fine…but after six weeks, you’d better be ready for some seriously dirty sex.’

He grinned, leaning over to kiss her. ‘Damn right I will be.

Joel pushed his way into the community center slowly. The place was quiet this afternoon – there was a school across the
street,
and he could hear the kids playing in the sun. Joel went to the reception and pressed the bell. A
kind-faced
woman in her sixties smiled at him as she came around the corner.

‘Hi there…you need something?’

Joel half-smiled, cleared his throat, nervous. ‘Yeah, um, I was wondering if you had any Fall evening classes with any places left?’

‘Okeydokey,’ she sat down at her desk and wiggled the mouse to wake the computer screen. ‘Well, let’s see…what kind of thing were you looking for?’ At Joel’s blank face, she smiled. ‘Okay, let’s just see what we’ve got available first then go from there. Just a minute, dear.’

The phone rang on her
desk,
and she picked it up, balancing it
on
her shoulder and chin. She spoke quietly into it at first then glanced up at Joel. ‘Actually,’ she said to the other person on the phone, ‘I could use some help.  I have a very pleasant young man at reception who wants to know if we have any places left
in
the evening classes. No, that’s just it, I don’t think he knows so maybe you could
talk
…that’s wonderful, see you in a minute.’

She put the phone down and smiled. ‘We have our careers advisor coming to see
you; she
may be able to help you chose the right course for you. Take a seat, hon.’

Joel thanked her and went to sit down. He grabbed a magazine from the pile on the table; saw Skandar’s face on the cover. He
never
stopped feeling proud of what his son had achieved.
Ever.

‘Joel?’ He looked up to see a very attractive, very familiar blonde woman grinning at him.

‘Nan?’ His voice broke in amazement.
Dude
, you sound like Scooby Doo.

Nan obviously had
a asimilar
thought and smothered a grin. ‘Come with me.’ She nodded towards the inner sanctum. ‘I have an office with air con we can talk in.’

He hadn’t noticed the reception was stifling until she said it. He followed down a long hallway and into a small office at the far corner. As they sat, he smiled at her.

‘It’s good to see you again…how’s your sister?’

Nan rolled her eyes. ‘All teenager.  Shouldn’t say that, apart from the odd
aberration
like that night, she’s a
good
kid
. Cares about people, about the world. How about your friend?’

Joel smiled. ‘Well on the way to recovery. My brother tells me she’s bored out of her mind on bed rest.’

Nan laughed. ‘Maybe you should have brought her too. Which brings me to my next question – Joel, Hayley told who your family was, what they’ve done so I guess my question is: What the hell is a billionaire doing asking after night classes?’ She had such a sweet grin that Joel couldn’t help but join in with her laughter.

‘My son needs more intensive coaching than I can give him
and,
to be honest, I’m sick of
traveling
around the world.’

She looked at him
askance,
and he held his hands up. ‘Sorry, that didn’t come out right. What I mean is…I need to do something for myself
now,
and I’d like to be closer to my family.’

‘And you didn’t want to go into the family business?’

‘That’s just it – the family business isn’t just
one
thing – it’s art, it’s property, it’s acting, it’s sport. I’m trying to find where I fit in.’

Nan nodded. ‘I understand…well, what is it you’re passionate about?’

Joel was silent for a moment. ‘I can’t remember anything past caring for my son. Is that sad?’

‘
Definitely not,’
Nan said with feeling, her cheeks reddening. ‘That’s wonderful. I kind of get where you’re coming from – Hayley and I are a self-contained unit. 
Of course,
that doesn’t help you now,’ she admitted with a grin.

Joel smiled. He liked this woman very much, her humor, her intellect, her easy smile, her caramel blonde hair falling onto her shoulders
…
concentrate, Mallory.

‘Is this what you do then, give careers advice?’ He looked around the room at the information posters; the books stacked high, battered old file cabinets with drawers that
didn’t
quite close. There was something comforting about the room – about Nan too, he realized.

‘No,’ she said, ‘I just do this once a week when I have free time. I teach eighth grade at the school across the street.’

He blinked. ‘And on your free period, you volunteer here? Wow.’

Nan smiled shyly. ‘I like to give back. Hey look, why don’t we start by talking about what qualifications you do have and see what comes up in the mix?’

Joel smiled gratefully. ‘Thank you, I
really
appreciate it and…’ he hesitated, not used to this anymore, ‘if it’s not wildly inappropriate, can I take you out for a drink to say thanks? You can say no if…’

‘Yes, I’d like that,’ she said blushing furiously and Joel grinned.

‘Good. Now…my qualifications.’

He had no idea what prompted him to ask Nan Applebee out, it was just that second, a lock of hair had fallen over her face, the ends brushing her rosy cheeks and she had looked so entirely adorable that he couldn’t help himself.

They’d arranged to go out the following Friday. She refused his offer to pick her up – sensible girl – and arranged to meet at one of her favorite bars in the city.

Joel smiled to himself now as he dressed to meet her. Of all his family, he had always been the one to enjoy simple things –
not
simple
; he
amended,
just more natural
– plain, hardy clothes rather than tailored and expensive suits, a good burger, beer straight from the fridge. He’d always felt the disenfranchised brother, the one who didn’t bring home the supermodels – he immediately felt bad at that thought. He loved Asia and Quilla, and neither of them behaved like some of the
women
his twin brother Kit dated. He still thought Kit was a fool for letting Asia go.

Nan Applebee was just the kind of woman he liked; smart, funny, kind. The fact he couldn’t stop thinking about her soft skin, the clean, fresh laundry scent of her
.

Ease on down, tiger; you don’t want to scare her
. But Joel grinned to himself. He was looking forward to tonight.

‘Once again, your driver is
waiting,
’ Hayley Applebee flopped down into the chair in her sister’s bedroom, watching her dress.

Nan flashed a panicked look at her as she stood in her underwear, chewing her lips. Hayley was wearing skinny jeans, a t-shirt and a wooly hat pulled over her long blonde hair and looked like a page straight out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. She grimaced at her.

‘Which one?’

Hayley glanced over with a bored look. ‘The lilac one.’

Nan picked up the dress and slid it over her head. It was a casual summer dress, spaghetti
straps,
and a loose fitting. The color suited her skin
tone,
but Nan still wasn’t convinced. ‘It’s awfully short,’ she muttered, turning to look in the mirror and catching Hayley rolling her eyes.

‘As long it covers your biscuits, who cares? You’re twenty-nine for the love of God; I
swear sometimes
you act like you’re fifty-nine.’ Hayley stifled a yawn and went back to texting on her phone for a second. ‘I’ve just put it on Facebook that you’re going out with Skandar Mallory’s dad.’

Nan whirled around. ‘No,
God
, Hayley, delete it. I don’t want him to think…
Jesus
,
is it gone
?’ She looked so wild-eyed that Hayley looked at her in alarm.

‘I was
joking
….
jeez
,’ she let out a long breath, ‘do you honestly think I don’t know the way the world works?’

Nan sucked in a breath. ‘Tell me, oh wise one, how
does
it work? Little jerk.’

Hayley grinned. ‘If you don’t hurry up, he’ll be long gone
anyway
. You look great, can we go?’

In the car, Nan tried to stop her palms from sweating. Hayley glanced over at her.

‘Stop panicking. Have you
got
everything you need? Money, phone…condoms?’

‘Hayley, stop.’ Nan felt embarrassment spread through her.

Hayley shook her head. ‘I’m serious. A girl’s gotta look after herself and you never know.’ She glanced at Nan’s dress and hid a smile. ‘After all, if things get too hot, that dress at least gives him easy access.’

‘Turn the car around,’ Nan
ordered,
and Hayley laughed out loud.

‘Chill, sis. Enjoy the moment, go with the
flooowwwww
…’ She elongated the word and made it sound much filthier than it needed to. She
really
wasn’t helping Nan’s nerves. As Hayley pulled the car up to the sidewalk outside the bar, Nan got
out
and then stuck her head back to glare at her still grinning sister.

‘By the way
….
you were adopted – they found you under a bridge. Wearing Crocs,’ she
added,
and Hayley laughed again.

‘
Go meet
the hottie,’ she
ordered,
and as Nan shut the door, she wound down the window and called out. ‘Remember, a girl’s got every right to get hers.’

Nan scowled after the car as Hayley drove off. Her emotions in a whirl, her stomach roiling with nerves, she took a deep breath and pushed open the door of the bar.