The Billionaire's Accidental Bride (3 page)

"Are you going to see her again?"

"She's flown back to Bakersfield."

"So? That's what private jets are for."

The billionaire's son laughed again. "I think it's best to put it behind me and lie low for a while. I was terrified the next day that I would find it all over the papers. If word ever gets back to my father, then I certainly want to make sure it's at a time when I'm in his good books."

"That's a shame," Lewis said. "You've not seemed that interested in a woman in a long time."

"She was pretty incredible, wasn't she?"

The conversation ended and the two wealthy heirs went their separate ways. As the chauffeur drove him home, all Jack could think about was how amazing Annaya had been. A smile came to his face every time that he imagined her in that navy dress, shooting flirty glances his way across a poker table.

Lewis was right. It had been a long time since a woman had truly captured his attention. After all, his fortune meant that woman came easily. Unfortunately, they tended to be a certain type of woman – shallow, conceited, predictable. Annaya had been something different – free-spirited, seductive, spontaneous. Jack thought about the message he'd left for her on her answering machine and wondered if he should have said more.

No, he decided at last. It was best to let one fun night remain one fun night. In his experience, the trouble with women always began the morning after.

Chapter3

Annaya stared at the little blue line and her legs began to tremble. She thought back to her one night with Jack and her memories were too hazy to remember if there had been a condom amongst all the neon lights and champagne. Yet, six weeks after her one-night-stand with the billionaire, she'd found that her body was telling her that something had changed and there was only one thing that it could be. Now, a pregnancy test confirmed her worst fears and she slowly sat down on the edge of the bath to gather her thoughts as her head began to spin.

She was pregnant by the son of a billionaire casino tycoon and he lived in the playboy capital of the world. When she tried to think of any way that everything was going to turn out alright, she just kept coming back to the fact that someone like Jack would never be there for someone like her. Of course, Natalie was the first to know. Annaya invited her friend over for a cup of tea and it was only when the bride-to-be was sitting down that Annaya felt that she could break the news.

"Hey Nat," she began, trying to sound casual. Her friend's eyes immediately narrowed with suspicion, knowing Annaya too well to believe that any sentence that began with “Hey Nat’’ would be innocent.

"Yes?"

"You remember that one-night stand I had in Vegas?"

"With the billionaire and the elopement? Yes. I vaguely recall."

"Well, it turns out that everything didn't go away as neatly as I'd hoped."

"The marriage didn't get annulled?"

"No. Something else."

"Oh my God, Annaya. You're pregnant, aren't you? Bloody typical! Drama just follows you everywhere you go. Tell me everything."

"I was late and I kept waiting, thinking that it would come and then I started thinking about that night with Jack and thought I better check. Three pregnancy tests down and I don't think there's any doubt left."

"Geez. So, what are you going to do? Have you told him yet?"

"No. Do you think I should?" Annaya bit down on her lip anxiously and began to fiddle with a strand of her curly hair.

"Why would you even question it, Annaya? Of course you need to tell him. Why wouldn't you?"

"Because of who he is. What if he thinks I'm just making it up to get something out of him? Or worse still, what if I go to him for help and he just shrugs me off? There's no way he's going to give up Vegas to come here, so what's even the point of bothering him?"

"Are you serious? Annaya, you're carrying his child. That's not something you keep to yourself. Maybe he'll be there, maybe he won't, but either way, he's got to know."

"You're right," Annaya sighed, burying her head in her hands. "I just don't want him to think I planned it this way."

"Let him think what he likes. You're no gold-digger. He'll have met enough to know. Trust me."

"What should I do? Just call him?"

"Call him."

"I will."

"Go on then."

"Tonight."

Natalie gave her friend a stern look and sighed. "Fine. Tonight. But don't chicken out, Annaya. You need to tell him what's going on. And then tell me what he says."

Annaya felt better after talking to Natalie, who felt sorry for her best friend since childhood. It always seemed that Annaya was the one in the spotlight, jumping from one crisis to the next, while Natalie was the calm and steady rock who kept Annaya anchored in real life. God knew she needed Natalie now.

Annaya was good at hiding it, but she was in a state of shock. Never in a million years would she ever have expected to have found herself pregnant to a stranger at the age of twenty-nine. Of course, she'd always been a bit wild, but she'd expected all that to fade away when she met the right man and settled down. Now, all her plans were in disarray. Who'd take on a single mom in her thirties? Jack Casali?

*****

Jack was surprised to see Annaya's name flashing on his smartphone when the cell began to ring. He assumed she was calling to chase him up about the annulment and so he quickly answered. It surprised him how exciting he found even the sound of her voice and he answered with a confident, "Annaya. Good evening. What can I do for you?"

The voice of the woman on the other end, so flirtatious and sexy that fateful night, now serious, and that immediately made Jack take a seat at his office desk.

"Hi Jack. I'm sorry to be calling you out of the blue, but something's come up."

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Is it mine?"

"Of course it's yours! There's been nobody else."

Jack felt his stomach drop and ice run through his veins. He immediately envisioned word of this getting out to his father and his inheritance being ripped away as he was sent away in shame. He knew he had to step up to the mark and help Annaya, but he wanted to do it quietly. He sighed heavily.

"I'll come and see you," he promised. "We'll figure something out. Can you keep the news to yourself until we've had a chance to speak?"

Annaya sighed irritably. She wasn't too impressed that she had Jack's baby growing inside her and his main concern was making sure nobody found out. Still, his offer to come and see her to discuss things was already more than she'd expected from him, so after letting out a long breath, she answered curtly, "Fine."

"Thank you. I'll be there tomorrow. What's your address?"

Annaya reeled off her details and Jack wrote them down. Afterwards, there was a long and painful pause on the line when neither knew what to say. The distance between them made the situation all the more uncomfortable. Jack wasn't always the most emotional or vocal man, but at least if he'd been with her, he'd have been able to take hold of her hand and give it a squeeze of reassurance. As it was, he simple found himself clearing his throat after the silence had continued too long and reiterating that he'd be there the next day.

"Try not to worry about it, OK? I'll sort it out."

*****

"He said he'd sort it out."

"‘Sort it out’? What the hell does that mean?"

"God knows if I know, Nat!"

"It sounds like he's going to send a hit man your way. Jesus."

"It seems to be his way. He said the same thing after finding out about the marriage. ‘I'll sort it out’."

"Typical. Although, I suppose at least he's agreed to come and see you. That's something, isn't it?"

"I think he's just worried I'm going to say something to someone."

"So what? Nobody here knows who he is."

"I suppose it only takes one person to wonder if there's a story in it for it to get out," Annaya sighed. "I don't want it in the press either."

"What are you going to say to him when he comes? Are you going to keep it?"

"I don't know, Nat. I don't think I could get rid of it. That's just not me. Besides, I'm almost thirty. Will I get another chance to have kids?"

Annaya could almost hear Nat's pity emanating down the line when she spoke about her time running out and her friend's voice became gentler in reply. "You've got to make the right decision for you, Annaya. You're a catch. You'll meet the right one."

"We've been saying that for years. Besides, I think I'd be a good mom. Man or no."

"Of course you would. You'd be the best mom. But do you really want to do that on your own?"

"No, not really. But if I have to, I will."

"Whatever you do, you know I'll support you, but just go in with your eyes open, Annaya. It wouldn't be easy on your own."

"I'll see what Jack says when he gets here."

"When does he come?"

"Tomorrow."

"Do you want me to be there with you?"

"No. Thanks, Nat. I'll be OK. Besides, you've got more important things to focus on! You're getting married in a month! Seriously, I'll be fine."

"Well, you know where I am if you need me."

"Thanks, Nat."

Annaya put the phone down and felt her stomach doing little nervous flips. She'd known she was pregnant for a couple of days, but the reality of it hadn't really hit her until she'd called Jack, and now that she'd just spoken to Natalie, the harsh truth of the matter seemed even more real.

Tomorrow, she'd see the sexy Jack Casali again and that sent waves of nervousness coursing through her. What would he say? Would he try and convince her to get rid of it? Would he pay her for her silence? Annaya couldn't help but fear the worst. After all, she'd only known Jack for one night and she hardly remembered any of that time. The man was a stranger with a high profile. What did that mean for Annaya and her baby?

Chapter4

Annaya opened the door and immediately, her breath caught in her throat. Jack was even more handsome than she remembered him. Today he was wearing a smart, grey suit that was tailored to fit every perfect dimension of his sculpted body and his dark hair was combed back. He had just a day's stubble on his cheek, which gave his otherwise chic appearance a slightly rugged look that made Annaya weak at the knees. When she opened the door, he met her eyes and smiled.

"Hello."

"Hi."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Annaya felt slightly embarrassed to let Jack into her tiny little apartment with its cracks in the plaster and old, sagging sofa. She imagined that he never spent time in places as modest as hers and although she'd made sure it was clean and tidy, she was still painfully aware of how small and cramped it must seem in comparison to a mansion and how scruffy all the possessions that she'd owned forever.

She led him into the kitchen and he lingered by the doorway as she set the kettle boiling to make coffee in her old, chipped mugs. They made small talk as she bustled around, both waiting for the moment to be right before they began to address the real reason why Jack was there.

"Nice place. I didn't get to ask you what you do, last time we were together."

"Yeah. I guess we didn't get much chance to chat, did we? Well, I'm an office assistant. Exciting, huh?"

"An office assistant? That surprises me."

"What did you think I'd do?"

"Something crazier than that."

"Something more Vegas?"

Jack smiled at that and leaned against the counter casually, letting his eyes run over all the trinkets in her kitchen and the photo of her and Natalie on the wall. He pointed to the picture of the petite bride-to-be.

"She was with you that night, right?"

Annaya looked over her shoulder to see what he was looking at. She smiled. "That's Natalie, my best friend. We were in Vegas for her hen night. She gets married in a month."

"And you? Are you single?"

The hostess let out a little laugh and gave him a slightly questioning look. "What do you think of me? ‘Are you single?,’ ‘Is it mine?’."

Jack let out a little chuckle. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's just I don't know you all that well."

"I guess it wasn't the best first impression," Annaya admitted.

She handed Jack his coffee and led him to the sitting room. They both sat down on the sofa and leaned back to talk. Annaya was finding it hard to catch his eye. Every time she did, she thought back to their night together and the half-formed memories of their naked bodies intertwined, or else, she thought of the giant elephant in the room that neither of them was ready to face. More than that, she found his sex appeal disarming and it made it difficult for her to focus on the things they really needed to discuss.

"And how about you? Are you single?"

"Yes."

"Recently single?"

"Long-term single," Jack told her. "I mean, I've met women. I've taken them out. Spent nights with them. But a relationship? No. I'm something of a lone wolf. How about you? Was there a guy?"

"There have been guys. Nothing has stuck, though."

"So, should we talk about what I'm here to talk about?"

Annaya shot him a slightly annoyed look. She'd have preferred that he'd have let the small talk last just slightly longer so that she'd feel less like a stranger to him when they began to discuss the big questions that were looming over them.

She didn't like the way that he was approaching this like a business deal, but she supposed she couldn't complain. They'd both known that their night together had been a one-night stand, so she reasoned that it wasn't fair of her to expect false formalities now. Down to business it was.

"Alright. Tell me what you're thinking."

"It's not my choice."

"I want to keep it."

Jack took in a short, sharp intake of breath at that and Annaya could see him mulling over her words. He leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on his knees, thinking hard about something. Annaya put her coffee down on the table in front of them and turned to face him. Finally, she caught those dark eyes and that spark that was undeniably between them ignited once more, so that it took her a moment longer to get her words out than she'd expected.

"I'm not after your money or my five minutes of fame," she assured him. "I'm not expecting you to drop everything and play house with me here or for you to put me up in Vegas to be near you. Really, Jack, I'm expecting nothing. I just wanted you to know."

"If you decide to have this baby, then you'll have my support," Jack promised her. "I'll pay for anything you need. I'll make sure you and the baby are taken care of."

Annaya held up her hands to object and shook her head. "I want nothing," she reiterated. "Child support and things for the baby, fine. The rest I'll sort out myself. I'm not looking for a free ride."

"Alright," Jack nodded. "I guess that's that, then. You just need to call me for anything you need. There's just one more thing."

"What do you need?"

"It's awkward to ask but I really need you to keep this quiet. No press."

"I told you: I'm not after making a name for myself. You don't have to worry about me selling a story. I won't even tell anyone who got me pregnant."

Jack looked down at his lap as though he were ashamed at what he was asking, but then he looked up at Annaya with a grateful smile and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sorry that this has been such a nightmare."

"We should've been more careful, but never mind. What's done is done. I just wanted to get on the same page."

"Sure. Well, whatever happens, I'll make sure you've got everything you need."

"Thanks."

An awkward pause filled the room as what had needed to be discussed had been discussed.  There was nothing more to be said to fill the silence between a man and a woman who were barely more than strangers.

"Are you flying home tonight?" Annaya asked at last, just for something to say to break the tension.

"Tomorrow."

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"A hotel, I guess."

"Really? I have a spare room, you know. You could stay here if you like. It looks like our paths are going to be crossing again, so it's probably worth getting to know each other."

Annaya could sense Jack's hesitation as he weighed up his options and then finally, he nodded. "Alright. Thanks. My case is in my rental car. I'll go grab it."

Jack left the apartment to go to his rental car downstairs and grab his things. While he was gone, Annaya raced into her bedroom to check that everything was in order. She knew that it was scandalous of her to think that anything would happen between them again tonight, especially with everything that was going on between them, but if things did end up in the bedroom, she at least wanted the bed to be made. By the time Jack returned, she was sitting innocently on the sofa, as though she'd never got up.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. "I can order in."

"Sure."

The hostess pulled out a pile of take-away menus from the drawer under her TV and they ordered some Chinese food. She poured Jack a glass of wine to help lift the tension in the air and she turned on the television. It was a strange situation. Simultaneously, she felt awkward around the father of her child to-be and incredibly turned on. Even as he sat on the opposite side of the sofa from her, Annaya kept finding her eyes wandering away from the screen to his dark eyes and strong shoulders.

She remembered how lonely she'd felt the night she'd returned from Vegas and crawled into an empty bed and once again the urge to lie with someone else struck her again. Now more than ever, the future felt scary and nothing made her feel safer when everything was falling apart, than to be wrapped up in the arms of a man.

As if reading her mind, Jack turned to her suddenly and asked, "Are you worried about it?"

"The pregnancy? Sure, but I know I'll be alright. How do you feel about it?"

"I'm still struggling to get my head around it, to be honest. I was bowled over when you called. I hadn't been expecting it."

"I'm sorry to have dropped it on you like that."

"No. You were right to call. The last thing I'd want is some journalist turning up asking why a billionaire isn't taking care of the destitute mother of his child..."

Annaya let out a laugh at Jack's warped priorities and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not destitute. God, your reputation matters to you a lot, doesn't it?"

"Not mine, my father's," Jack corrected her. "I'm meant to be a representation of him and I don't do a great job at it."

"You get in trouble a lot, then?"

"I've been told more than once that I have more money than sense. It's probably true."

"So, what do you do? I mean, do you work for your father or have your own job?"

"I'm learning the business," Jack told her. "I'm finding I'm very good with the politics and not so good with the paperwork. All the shaking hands and galas – no problem, but ask me to keep track of the finances and I'm useless. My father would like me to inherit the business when he passes, but I've been told I'm treading on thin ice."

"So, why don't you calm down a bit, if you're pushing your luck?"

A wicked little grin appeared on Jack's face and he met her eye devilishly. "I just like having fun a little too much." He noticed Annaya raising her eyebrows in judgment and he laughed. "Don't give me that look. I'm pretty sure you're the one who suggested getting married."

Annaya laughed. She could tell he was teasing. "I'm sure that was your idea."

"Hmm. I guess we'll have to put it down to a shared moment of madness."

"It was mad, wasn't it?"

The two found themselves laughing and Annaya finally felt some of the tension lift. Yes, the situation was not what either of them had expected. Yes, there were some tricky hurdles ahead, but thank God they could laugh at the madness that had brought them here and try to find some common ground in their shared tendency to take a good time too far.

"It was you who began it," Jack accused her, with a teasing glance. He took a sip of the wine she'd poured him, while Annaya admired the beautiful curve of his neck when he threw his head back to drink.

"Me?"

"You and the way you were leaning across that poker table."

"You were the one who said you wanted to take me out that night."

"You were the one who'd already booked a hotel room."

Annaya gave a wicked grin to match the one that Jack had produced only moments earlier. "I hate being a third wheel to couples."

"Tell me about it. My father has been begging me to get married for years. He thinks the love of a good woman will help me settle down."

"I don't think ours was the kind of marriage he had in mind."

Jack gave her a sideways glance and another mischievous grin. "I could do worse. Oh, that reminds me..." The billionaire opened his case and pulled out some paperwork, which he handed to her. "It came just before I set off this morning. The annulment went through."

"You know, this is how I always imagined my family life would begin," Annaya joked, accepting the papers and laying them down on the side, but there was just a hint of sadness in her voice. No, she hadn't expected the birth of her first child to begin with the annulment of a seedy elopement with his absent father. It was hard for Annaya to accept that nothing had gone according to plan.

Jack reached out and laid a hand on her knee. "I'm going to take care of you," he repeated sincerely. "I really don't want you to worry."

Annaya turned away from him with a sigh and looked down at her lap. "I always thought that I'd be married and settled down with a man before I had kids. I've always looked forward to having someone to come home to, you know? I just hate sleeping alone."

The pregnant woman was surprised when she turned to look back up and the billionaire caught her with a kiss. She gasped and jumped back. "Jack!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Jack pulled back quickly and apologized. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Annaya knew what had come over him. It was the same thing that had come over her. It was the presence of a wild attraction between them and the knowledge that the damage had already been done, so they might as well enjoy each other. Common sense told her that she should politely ask him to leave and sensibly start planning her child's college fund. The woman inside her told her that she didn't know when she'd next be able to share a night with a man, especially one as sexy as Jack.

It wouldn't be too long until her belly grew and then she'd become a single mom and she knew that her opportunities to indulge that wild, sexy side of herself would become few and far between. Why not give in just one last time? Besides, she didn't even remember the first time they'd had sex and she
desperately
wanted to know what it felt like to make love to Jack.