One Night With the Billionaire: Book Three (6 page)

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Later that night, Jason sits alone in his office in the loft of his apartment. Kaia’s asleep downstairs in his bed, and Elise took the guest room for the night. After witnessing the wild look in his eyes after the car backfired this evening, she insisted on staying here with him instead of at her hotel.
 

Truthfully, Jason doesn’t mind. Even though there wasn’t any real danger tonight, he’d much rather have the two of them here, under his roof, where he knows they’re safe.
 

He’s about halfway through his second glass of scotch, when he hears a soft knock on the door. Jason looks up and sees Elise standing there, in the same cotton bathrobe she’s worn since he was younger.
 

“You don’t have to worry about me,” he explains, hoisting his glass in the air. “I’m fine.”
 

“You’re not fine.” Elise walks into the office, and sits down in the chair opposite Jason. “I think tonight proves that.”
 

“I’ve talked to someone about it,” he says, hoping to forego the therapy talk. Again. “I’m as fine as I’m ever going to be.”
 

“I love you, you know. I’d do anything for you. And all I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy, despite everything that happened when you were younger.”
 

“I think I’ve done a damned fine job of that,” Jason says, putting his glass down on the desk.
 

“You have. A
fine
job. But seeing you tonight, the way you reacted, Jason…”
 

“Please don’t start.” He’s not in the mood to go another round with Elise about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Especially not tonight.
 

“I have to start, Jason. I
have
to. Because you’re haunted by this idea that who you are has put a target on your back.”
 

“It put a target on Mom and Dad,” he says bitterly.
 

Elise reaches out and places one of her hands on his, her eyes full of unshed tears and sadness. “No,” she says quietly. “It didn’t.”
 

Jason isn’t sure if the liquor is making Elise’s words difficult to process, or if she just isn’t making sense.
 

“What do you mean?” he asks.
 

“All these years, you’ve been thinking that what happened to your parents had everything to do with their last name and the balance in their bank accounts, and you’ve been living in fear that the same thing is going to happen to you. It isn’t, Jason. It’s not going to happen to you.”
 

“Elise,” Jason says, with worry in his voice. “What are you saying?”
 

She takes a deep, steadying breath, and Jason knows from years of experience that the woman he considers his second mother is steeling herself for what comes next.
 

“I’m telling you that your parents aren’t who you thought they were.” A tear slips down her cheek. “And I want to tell you what actually happened that night.”
 

One Night With the Billionaire continues with
book four
.

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About the Author

Cassie Cross

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Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie's fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she's not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80's sitcoms.

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