Emerald: Rare Gems Series - Billionaire Wolf Shapeshifter Romance (2 page)

“It’s on your computer. I uploaded it yesterday. Look under ‘Get rich all by yourself.’ That should help you a great deal.” Jul opened the file and looked up at Colby.

“You should be my partner.” Colby shook his head and shivered. “Too much for you? Well, I got news for you…I can’t run this without you.”

“You’re right, you couldn’t, but that doesn’t mean that I want to be a partner with you. You’re a very good businessman, smart, articulate, and you have an amazing sixth sense about wine and food, but you work too hard, and I’d have to try and keep up with you. And I won’t do that.” Jul understood and nodded. “Besides, who would set up your meetings and keep you sane?”

“No one like you can.”

Colby thanked him and left him. Jul knew that if there were any more interviews today, Colby would cancel them. He was deep in the file, making notes and writing out questions, when his mom walked in the room. If she knocked, which she seldom did, he didn’t hear her.

“I’ve been out talking with that young man of yours. I think he’s right, you should just run this alone.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled at her. “You’re doing a bang-up job now. And what’s to say you won’t be better at it?”

“Dan was Dad’s partner. They ran this company before me here in the states and back in France where the winery is. I don’t know what to do on my own.” Which was a lie. He’d just read notes indicating that he knew just what he was doing. “What if I fucked up and lost it all?”

“You have more money than you can spend in five lifetimes. A house on every continent in the world. Credit cards for those things you don’t have cash for, which would thrill me to no end if you’d spend some of it on yourself.” He grinned at her. “I got the deed this morning. Why on earth would you buy such a thing for me?”

“Because I love you. And you said you wanted it. It’s a lovely house. I stayed there last summer when I was in France for business.” She nodded and smiled at him. “When do you leave?”

“Later tonight. But not directly to the house. There’s a friend of mine I’m going to go and see. I just found her on that social network I’ve been playing on. Her son and daughter-in-law were killed some time back and she raised their children. Six lovely girls. Imagine that.”

“I’m not getting married so you can have grandchildren.” She huffed at him. “Besides, you can go and play with hers and you won’t have to worry about dirty diapers.”

“I’d love to change a dirty diaper of one of my grandchildren. And to set the record straight, she has great grandchildren. You remember her, Annabelle Erickson.” Vaguely. He nodded, frowning. “You remember her son, then. He played ball at the high school when you were just in grade school. Your father loved taking you to those games.”

“I remember that. I never met the guy before.” She nodded as if she knew that. “Why are you going there now? I thought you would have left this morning to get the place in order. Is she ill or something?”

“No. She’s just someone from my past, the past I had with your father, and I want to see her. She’s excited about me coming for a bit, and I am too.” Jul nodded and wondered what was really going on. His mom was a wonderful person, but she rarely did anything without having an ace up her sleeve. “You should come with me.”

“I can’t. I’m going to…I’ve decided not to take on a partner and to run this place on my own, as you and Colby have suggested.” Her smile lit up the room. “I’m not sure I can do it. I might have to get a partner later on.”

“You’ll do better than your father did. I know it. He had a good head on his shoulders too, but you shine with it. If this business hasn’t doubled its income by six months, then you’re not trying as hard as you should.” She went to the door. “It’s only three now. I should be there by ten tonight. I’ve left the information to where I’m going with Colby. Should you need me or want to come and see me, I’ll be there for about a week. I want to catch up. I’m headed straight to the airport now and should be there in about an hour.”

“Have a good time, Mom. I’ll see you when you get back.” She stared at him for several seconds before turning and leaving him. Jul wanted to call her back and ask her why it was so important for him to go with her, but he didn’t. Instead, he opened up his file again and started reading.

It was nearly midnight when he left his office. He’d made the decision to keep the business his own about nine-thirty, and began making some calls overseas to see if the grapes and other things that he needed to make their product was on line to get a production here in the United States going soon. He wanted it close to home as well as in France. But here, he wanted to start something new.

It was the plan he’d proposed to Dan some years ago…to produce not only the best wine and champagnes in the world, but anything else that would be eaten with them. They had a line of crackers and cheeses now that sold as well as, and in some places better than, any of their single wines. He was very proud of that. But he wanted to bring that part of the business here to the States. It was something that he and Dan had been talking about before he’d gotten ill.

Jul was on his way to his car when he felt something jab him in the back

“Give over your wallet.” Jul turned to see what the person had said to him when he told him to stand still. “Just give me the wallet and nobody gets hurt.”

“You’re not going to believe this, but I don’t have a wallet. No cash either.” He laughed quietly. “As for you thinking no one is going to get hurt, you’re wrong about that. I plan to beat the living shit out of you as soon as I turn around.”

“I have a gun.” Jul laughed again, and the man poked him in the back. “Do you feel that fucker? I have a gun.”

“Nah, a hair brush. I thought at first you might just be using your finger, but that’s too big for that. It’s your hair brush, or your mom’s.” The man hit him in the back with something hard. “Yep, hairbrush.”

The shot rang out, and Jul felt pain in his left side. He didn’t think about that as he turned quickly and popped the gunman/would-be robber in the face with his briefcase. Then when he was going down, Jul kicked him in the head hard enough to shove him back against the pillar that was holding up the floors above.

The man didn’t move, and Jul’s had a sudden wave of dizziness as he noticed the gun still curled in the guy’s fingers. Christ, it was fucking big. Pulling out his cell phone as he kicked the gun away, he called the police, then the front gate. He had no idea how the guy had gotten in, but now that he was here, he was going to be dealt with. After the guard told him he’d let the police in, Jul called his mom.

“I’ve been shot. I didn’t want you to read about it in the papers and worry.” She asked him what he was doing calling her and not going to the hospital. “I’m waiting on the police. They’ll have to deal with him.”

His head spun, and he had to grab onto something or fall. His mom was talking, but he had no idea what she was saying to him. Just as he started to notice that the floor was becoming extremely close to him, he heard the siren getting closer. Jul dropped the phone as his mom was screaming something about murdering him when she got there.

“I’m sorry,” he said just as the lights in his mind shut out.

Chapter 2

Annabelle sat on the big plane and listened to her old friend Celeste Whitney talk about her son. It had been decided as soon as they found out that her son had been hurt that Annabelle would go back with her. Somehow Annabelle was shoved onto Blair’s plane along with Celeste, and they were flying back to where her son was being operated on. When Celeste paused for a moment, Annabelle asked her what had happened.

“I’m not sure. He called to tell me he’d been shot. Just like that. ‘Mom, I’ve been shot and don’t want you to see it in the papers.’ As if that would make it any better for me hearing about it from him.” Annabelle had to hide a smile. Celeste was really upset. “Do you have any idea how terrifying that is?”

“I do. My granddaughters are forever getting banged up about something or another. Their husbands aren’t much better.” Celeste smiled at her, but it was watery. “At least he could talk to you. That has to be something.”

“Yes it was. That very nice policeman said that he was taken to surgery as soon as he got to the hospital. That was over an hour ago. I hope he’s out by now.” Annabelle nodded. “He’s all I have now. I want to make sure he’s safe, but this kind of stuff happens all the time in that city. I really hate it there sometimes.”

“My youngest granddaughter, Emerald, works at a private school, and someone held their student’s captive for hours on end before someone went in and got them.” Annabelle didn’t mention that her other granddaughter had gone in and gotten the kids, or that she’d been hurt doing it. “Things happen in all sort of towns, big or small.”

“I suppose. But my Julius was killed there, and I’m forever wanting Jul to move the business to somewhere less violent. I know that there are madmen everywhere, just as you said, but in a smaller town he’d have less of them to worry about.” Annabelle could relate to that. Their last pack had been horrible, and it was in a larger area. The pack was small, but the alpha was a menace.

As soon as they landed, they were escorted to the hospital by a limo that Blair had arranged for them. Annabelle wasn’t overly fond of the long car, but she did noticed that Celeste seemed to be used to it. As soon as they made it to the hospital and up to the floor her son was on, Annabelle reached out to Sapphire.

We’re here.
Sapphire told her she was glad they’d made it safely.
I still don’t know why
I’m here. This is her family. I have green beans to pick and put up. Not to mention there are cherries that won’t pit themselves.

Allen picked the green beans this morning and got some of the pack to come in and fix the cherries. We’re going to simply put them into the freezer until you return.
Annabelle was glad for that. Not that they needed the food her garden put out, but it was very relaxing for her to do. And she loved Allen, Blair’s father, helping her do it. Sapphire spoke before she could ask her about the tomatoes
. You’re there because you’ve not had any time to yourself since we moved here. And you’ve been looking forward to her visit for weeks now. She needed a friend, and you were there for her. Did you see the way she clung to you when you told her you’d go back with her?

Temporary insanity.
Sapphire laughed
. Her son is out of surgery. She’s visiting with him now. Poor boy, she wants him to move to a smaller town so he won’t get hurt again. I had no idea that her husband was killed there too. I’d have moved you children to a safer place too if I’d had the means.

You took care of us. And we’ll be forever grateful for you and what you gave up to keep us all together.
Annabelle told her that they were her grandchildren and she’d never leave them to others to raise.
That is the reason we all love you with every breath we take.

Ten minutes went by before Celeste came out of the room. Annabelle thought they were leaving, but her friend insisted that she come see her boy. Annabelle hated to intrude but went anyway. The young man looked a good deal like his father.

“You’re Mrs. Erickson.” Annabelle nodded. “My mother is silly for coming back here. I told her that I was fine. She didn’t have to cut her visit short.”

“Nonsense. I would have done the same thing for any of my family as well. And when you have one, you too will go no matter what they tell you.” He flushed and Annabelle had to smile. “You look just like your father did at this age. And my goodness, he loved your mother. I remember the first time I saw them together, I thought to myself ‘there is a match made for the times.’ You should have seen them together.”

“They didn’t get any different as I got older, either. My dad would bring her roses just because he could. And once, when I was about fourteen, he took her on a trip to see fireflies in the Smokey Mountains because they’d seen it on the news.” Annabelle nodded at him. “I do hope you’re not leaving soon. Mom was really looking forward to seeing you. She’ll try to say she needs to care for me, but I’m fine. Seriously.”

“You should come with her then.” He was shaking his head. “No, listen to me. You want her to have a good time, and the only way she’s going to do that is if she knows you’re all right. What better way than if you’re just down the hall from her?”

“I can’t do that. I’m trying to get my business running after my partner left me. There just isn’t any time. Not right now.” Annabelle nodded and stood up. “You understand that a man has to work.”

“I do. More than you can know. But my husband said that nearly every day of our lives together.
Tomorrow
was his favorite time. I loved him dearly, but he….” She looked around the room to gather her wits for a moment. “He had a son that missed him terribly because he needed to work every day. Then one day, he was gone from our lives and there were no more tomorrows to promise on. Then when my own son and his lovely wife had to take a long business trip, I watched their six daughters for them so that they could enjoy some time together while they worked. Neither of them returned. There are no tomorrows for them either. What will you do, young man, when there are no more tomorrows for you and your mother?”

Annabelle left him then and walked down the hall to reach out to her granddaughter, Sapphire, again to tell her that she was coming home tonight. But she reached for Emerald instead. She could feel her sadness almost from the moment she touched her.

I’ve lost my apartment. I knew that they were going to go to condos, but we were told we’d have first options in buying in. What they didn’t tell us was that we’d have to pay fifty thousand dollars to do so. I never looked around for something else.
Annabelle started to tell her that she could move back in now, but Emerald started talking.
I’m not moving home again. I just can’t. All those happy couples there all the time. And before you ask, yes, I’m jealous. I’ll never have that.

You can have it.
But Emerald said no.
Why not? Why can’t you have what your sisters have? You’re a beautiful young woman and have a great deal to offer someone.

Grandmother, I’m a school teacher with no money, and no prospects of ever having any. I don’t want a husband that will want me to take care of him. The rest of them have been so lucky in that their husbands are rich and love them so much. But what do you think the chances are that I’m going to find the same kind of man? None. Zip. And I’m not sure I want a mate that is so rich that he forgets what a homegrown tomato tastes like.

Annabelle smiled at her comment. Just before she’d left, a man that seemed to irritate Emerald more than most did had come by the house. He’d scoffed at the idea of growing your own vegetables and had even made fun of Emerald when she’d told him that she had a garden in her back yard too.

“Why? Don’t they have them at the store where you shop?” She’d told him that they did, but these smelled and tasted so much better. “Sure they do. And full of bugs and spiders no doubt, too. Don’t feed me any of that crap when we move in together. I’ll not let you cook for me if you do.”

Annabelle could still see the look on Emerald’s face when he said that. She’d been shocked at first, then furious. When she walked to the door and opened it, the man laughed.

“Get out.” He laughed harder. “I’m dead serious. I want you out of here. And, as I have said to you over and over, never call me again. What makes you think that I’d let you move into my apartment, much less cook for you? I have a full time job that I love, and I don’t have time to cater to some two hundred-thousand year old Neanderthal who thinks the little woman should be barefoot and pregnant to simply wait on him. And—this is the real kicker—I did not invite you here at all, much less to insult us.”

When the young man laughed again, Emerald growled. He stood up, but Annabelle didn’t think the man was taking Emerald seriously. He tried to put his arms around her but she shoved him back. Annabelle had wanted to intervene on the man’s part, as she could see Emerald’s wolf running along her skin, but Emerald shook her head.

“Now, let’s not fight. Come on. You know I’d never expect you to cook for me. And the garden? If it makes you happy, I’m okay with it too. Just don’t serve me up any.” He reached for her again, and then Annabelle could see that he was getting mad. “This is not the time or the place to have this conversation. Let’s just have a nice time here, and we’ll talk—”

“I am not going to tell you again to get out of here. And you’re not to call me or contact me in any way. I know for a fact that you were told several times by the police to back the fuck off.” He took a step toward Emerald, and she flinched from him. In that moment Annabelle knew that he’d hit her before. “Get out.”

Annabelle had no idea what the young man—his name was Nolan, she just remembered—would have done to either of them had Allen not stepped through the open door. He looked at Emerald, then at the young man, before standing in front of her granddaughter.

“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome, young man, and now would be a good time to get out. As you’ve been asked to do several times now.” Nolan looked like he might have said more, but Blair and Josh both came into the kitchen from the dining room. “You heard me. It’s time you left. And it might be best if you never returned.”

He looked pissed when he looked at her. Annabelle nearly took a step back, but he looked at Emerald then. If looks could cause harm, she’d have been seriously injured. She had wondered then and now how badly the man had hurt her granddaughter.

“You’re making the biggest mistake of your life, Emerald. You know it and I know it. Call off the family and I’ll forget this whole thing.” She lifted her chin and he laughed. “We’ll see how this ends for us. I told you that we’re going to be together, and now we have unfinished business, you and I. Just remember that you’ve been warned.”

After he left the house, peeling out of the driveway and spraying rocks everywhere, Emerald had looked at all of them. Annabelle’s heart broke for her granddaughter and still hurt for her. She left them then, just went to her car and left. As far as Annabelle knew, she’d not been back since.

Celeste coming down the hall made her stand up. Annabelle reached for Emerald again, but she told her she was too upset to talk now. Celeste was smiling hugely when she pulled her into her arms for a hug.

“He’s going to come with us. I’ll have to set him up in a hotel, but he’s coming with us. I’m so…do you think your family will mind that he’s there too?” Before she could tell her they’d love it, Celeste was talking again. “I just couldn’t believe it. He said that he missed spending time with me, and thought that since I was going to France in a couple of weeks he’d spend some time with me if I didn’t mind. If I didn’t mind? My goodness, I wanted to scream at him how much I didn’t mind. What do you think of that?”

“I think the family would welcome him in the house. And there is no reason for him to be put in a hotel. One of my granddaughters is a doctor and another one is a nurse. He’ll get the best of care.” Celeste nodded and was so happy that Annabelle couldn’t help but be happy for her too. “He’ll love it there so much, he might want to move in with them.”

“Oh, that would be lovely, just lovely.” As they made arrangements with his doctor to have him released, Annabelle let Sapphire and Blair know what was going on. They were, of course, thrilled and would welcome them both with open arms. The only concern they had was if he knew about them.

“Not that I’m aware of. So far as I know, Celeste doesn’t either.” Sapphire laughed when she told them that she thought it was time to tell her old friend. “What could happen other than she’d have a massive heart attack and have to be converted?”

~~~

Emerald moved up her stairs, thinking about how much longer she was going to live there. There was so much she’d accumulated over the year and a half she’d lived here, and she was going to hate packing it up…especially as sore as she was. Going up the last step, she looked around the corner to make sure that Nolan wasn’t lurking in the corners again. The last time had been bad enough.

Entering her apartment, she closed the door behind her and leaned heavily against it. She needed to shift, but more than that, she wanted to shift and run. But there was no place for her to do that here in the city, and less now that her entire family was watching her.

She supposed she could have gone home today and healed herself, but she’d been leery of going home now with Allen there watching her. He’d been keeping an especially close eye on her since that day at the house, going so far as to come to the school because of “just being in the neighborhood” and wanting to talk to her. He never had anything more to say to her than the garden was doing well.