Read Billionaire On Fire: The Complete Series (A Bad Boy Alpha Billionaire Romance) Online
Authors: Claire Adams
I leaned down and kissed her once again before
I stepped back and straighten her scrubs. She laughed lightly and then grabbed
the basket of supplies she'd gathered and headed for the elevator. I took it
from her even as she frowned.
"It's not a sexist
thing, I'm just trying to look like I was helping rather than...uh..." I
explained.
Alex threw her head back and
laughed loudly, and I grinned feeling like I'd finally rejoined the world.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
The
rest of the week flew by as I waited for the
investigation into the cheating charge to begin. I knew that I had not cheated,
but I could no longer speak for Liz. When she didn't show up for class on
Friday morning, I began to worry that something was terribly wrong, but before
I could call her, Professor Jackson pulled me aside and told me that I was to
go to the nursing department and talk with the program director.
I walked over to the
department and found that Dr. Gatskill and two other administrators were
waiting in the conference room for me to arrive. I walked in and realized that
whatever had happened, was a much bigger deal than I thought it was.
"Ms. Pierce, thank you
for coming," Dr. Gatskill said. She was a formidable woman who, when
standing, was close to six feet tall. She wore suits that were custom tailored
to fit her wide frame and a string of pearls that were triple looped around her
neck. The only thing she varied was the color of the silk blouses she wore
buttoned up under her suits. Today she was wearing a coral colored blouse that
gave off the appearance of spring, but I didn't feel it in the air.
"Please have a seat."
I sat down in the chair
across from the three and waited. The conference room felt large and
intimidating with its glass windows and large, rolling chairs. I felt dwarfed
by the grandness of it all, and I swallowed hard to keep my breakfast from
making an appearance.
"Ms. Pierce, it has been
brought to our attention that you and Ms. Baker have been accused of cheating
on the practice nursing exam," Dr. Gatskill began. "Our aim here is
not to accuse or exonerate you, but to find out what happened and evaluate the
evidence against the claim. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," I
nodded as I swallowed again. The entire process made my stomach turn, and being
certain of whether Liz had cheated or not made me feel even more queasy.
For the next hour, the
committee asked me questions about the class, the exam and my knowledge of the
material we'd been tested on. I felt confident that I had prepared well, so the
questions posed no problem for me and I answered with ease, but when they
started asking questions about Liz, I found myself hesitating. I ended up
telling them very little about Liz or her state of mind, mostly because I didn't
know it.
"Thank you, Ms.
Pierce," Dr. Gatskill said when they'd finished asking questions. "We
will evaluate the evidence and let you know our decision within two weeks.
Please be aware that all scholarship money and financial aid will be held until
such time as we make our decision."
"Wait, what?" I said
not sure that I'd heard her right.
"We cannot, in good
conscience, disburse funds when we aren't not certain that you will be allowed
to stay in the program," Dr. Gatskill explained.
"But I need to pay my
tuition and rent!" I said. "I can't be late with either one or I'll
lose my place in the class and be evicted from my apartment."
"I'm sorry, Ms.
Pierce," Dr. Gatskill said. "It's truly unfortunate, but we have to
follow university procedure on this and part of that procedure is temporarily
placing a hold on money to be disbursed."
"This isn't fair,"
I said as I looked at her helplessly. "If you find I'm innocent, then I'll
have lost my place in the class anyway and I won't get to graduate."
"We'll do our best to
work quickly, Ms. Pierce," one of the other administrators assured me.
"I'm sure you can ask your family for help during this time."
I shook my head as I gathered
my things and walked out of the room. My entire world was crumbling down around
me and I had nowhere to turn for help.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
I
woke up the next morning with Alex on my mind.
Over coffee, I planned the dinner I would cook for her and called to have
groceries delivered on Friday morning when I got home. As usual, Tesla sat
patiently waiting for me to get ready and drive her over to visit her buddies
at the station.
"I'm going to bring a woman
over on Friday night," I told her as I opened the passenger side door and
motioned for her to hop in. "I want you to be a really good girl,
okay?"
"Woof," she huffed
as she impatiently looked over at the driver's side and pawed my seat.
"All right, all right,
we're getting there," I said shaking my head.
At the station, Tesla hopped
out and ran into the lounge where she jumped on the sofa and licked Danny until
he was laughing and crying uncle.
"Down," I said
pointing to the floor. She shot me a dirty looks she slinked off the sofa and
sat at Danny's feet with her head in his knees as she stared up at him. I shook
my head, "I think my dog is in love with you, Newsome."
"Wouldn't be the first
one!" Mike yelled from the kitchen.
"Fuck off, Kelly!"
Danny yelled as he patted Tesla and said, "They have no idea what they're
talking about. Don't listen to them, good girl."
"Hear anything about
Vangel's promotion?" I asked Mike.
"Yeah, I heard he's out
blackmailing everyone he can in order to lock up the nomination process,"
Mike said as he stirred the eggs he was cooking. "That bastard is up to no
good. Did he come after you?"
"Me? What would he have
on me?" I asked with as much shock as I could muster.
"No clue, but he was
laying it on thick earlier," Mike shrugged. "Just wondering who he's
targeting."
"No idea," I said
as I walked back to the locker room to store my bag. I'd just opened my locker
when Victor spoke.
"Made a decision,
Connor?" he asked as he peered around my locker door with his creepy grin.
"Yeah, I have," I
said. "No thanks."
"What?" Victor's
shock at my refusal to give him what he wanted was palpable. "You do
realize that I'm going to spill the beans on your little security business,
don't you?"
"Yep, I'm fully aware of
that," I said without further comment.
"I'm going to ruin you
and you're going to stand idly by and let me?" he laughed maniacally.
"No, Victor, I'm
not," I said fixing him with a steely glare. "You're not going to do
shit to me you little weasel. I'm going to report you to Chief and let him deal
with your blackmailing bullshit."
"You have no proof of
anything," he said nervously.
"The hell I don't,"
I said moving closer. "I know that you've been spreading your poison all
over this station. You went after Brian and Gavin, and I'm sure if I start
grilling guys, they'll tell me all about your little plan."
"How do you know
that?" he spat. "It's nothing but a rumor! You can't prove
anything."
"If I make Chief aware
of what you've been doing, I'm sure he'll have zero problem investigating the
issue and finding out the truth," I said as I stared at Victor who was now
visibly nervous. "I'm going to recommend that you back the fuck off and
leave me and the other guys alone. If you get promoted, it'll be on your own
merits, not because a single one of us supports you."
"You're an asshole,
Connor," he said narrowing his eyes. "And I don't like guys who are
assholes."
"Good, then that makes
two of us," I said dryly. "Now get out of my sight and stay that way
or I'll have your ass checked out by the Investigative Affairs Bureau so fast
your head will spin."
"You'll be sorry you did
this, Connor," Victor said as he slunk away with his tail between his
legs.
I knew that he wouldn't be
kept at bay for long; he was too slimy not to find a way around my warning, but
I figured my threat would at least buy me enough time to tell Alex about CSC
and tell Leo we were a go for the Metzler contract. After that, Victor would
have no hold on me.
"Sneaky little son of a
bitch," I muttered as I slammed my locker shut and went out to join the
guys for breakfast.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
When
Liz
didn't show up for class on Friday, I started to get really worried about her.
I tried her phone several times, but she didn't answer. I figured that she'd
had the same meeting with Dr. Gatskill as I had and that she was probably home
licking her wounds.
I left her a voicemail when
her phone picked up: "Liz, it's Alex. I'm worried about you. Call me and
let me know you're okay, please? Did they tell you that they're holding back
your funding? I don't know what I'm going to do if they find us guilty. Anyway,
call me or else I'll come looking for you with a big plate of liver and onions!
Love you."
I hoped that my message would
pull her out of her funk and make her laugh, and that by sundown she'd call and
tell me she was fine by making some sassy crack about Dr. Gatskill's wardrobe.
I hoped.
I finished the anatomy lab
lesson in record time, but I'd noticed Violet and her gang of girls staring at
me as I did it. I wanted to say something, but I didn't dare stir up trouble
while I was under investigation. Besides, I didn't think it would do any good
even if I hadn't been in trouble. Violet and her posse were mean girls who took
pleasure in making others miserable. I pitied them more than anything.
As I walked home, I noticed
that spring was in the air. The snow from earlier in the week had melted and
there were tiny green shoots poking out of the dirt near the park. I smiled as
I realized that warmer weather was on its way and that soon we would have the
luxury of walking to class without our heavy coats. I opened my mouth to say
something to Liz and then closed it when I remembered that, for the first time
in a long time, she wasn't walking home from class with me. I checked my phone,
but she hadn't yet left me a reply.
I shifted my focus to my date
with Cam. He was picking me up at six for dinner at his place and I couldn't
figure out what to wear. I wished Liz would call me back so that I could ask
her what one wears to dinner at a man's house when you're meeting his dog. I
smiled thinking about how Liz would probably flippancy reply that the best
outfit is one that is easily removed.
"Call me, Liz," I
whispered as I looked at my phone again. Nothing.
It didn't take me long to get
ready, but it did take me quite awhile to settle on an outfit. I finally
decided that the best one would be jeans and a soft, fuzzy blue sweater that
tended to shift and drop off one shoulder, and a matching tank top underneath.
I carefully picked out underwear and looked at myself from every angle in the
mirror before pulling my clothes on. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous since
Cam didn't seem to be overly concerned with my clothing, and then it dawned on
me that I was dressing for his dog and I fell over laughing, wishing Liz were
here to see this silliness.
At six, when Cam had just
knocked on my door, my phone started ringing. I couldn't get to it in time, and
I worried that I'd missed Liz's call. I needn't have worried; no sooner than
I'd picked up the phone did it start ringing again. It was Liz.
"Liz, where have you been?"
I demanded as I answered the call.
"Alex?" she said in
a weak voice. "Alex? Help me..."
"Liz, what's going on?
Where are you?" I shouted into the phone. "Where are you?"
"Bathroom, Alex. Help
me..." she trailed off and I heard the phone hit the floor.
"LIZ!" I screamed.
"Pick up the phone! Tell me where you are!"
On the other end, all I could
hear was the sound of Liz wheezing and calling my name over and over.
"What's going on?"
Cam asked with a concerned look.
"It's Liz, we need to
find her," I said as I grabbed my coat and keys and ushered Cam out the
door. "You drive."
I instructed Cam on how to
get to Liz's apartment complex and he let me off at the door before he went to
find a parking spot.
"She's in 3D," I
called before I slammed to truck's door and ran for the building. The doorman
let me in and I told him to let Cam in when he came back. I looked at him and
said, "We may need an ambulance, too."
Scared to take the time to
wait for the elevator, I raced up three flights of stairs and pounded on Liz's
door. When she didn't answer, I opened the door with the key she'd given me for
emergencies.
"Liz! Liz! Are you
here?" I called as I raced through the apartment. The place was a mess
with dirty dishes on every surface and clothing strewn across the floor. I
hadn't been there since New Year's Eve, and I had no idea Liz was
struggling.
"Liz! Where are
you?" I yelled as I pushed open the bathroom door and found her lying on
the floor. She was bleeding from a cut on her forehead and was mumbling
incoherently.
"Alex, where are
you?" Cam called as I grabbed a towel and blotted the blood on Liz's head.
"In here! Call an
ambulance!" I shouted as I cradled Liz in my lap and spoke softly to her,
"C'mon Liz, stay with me. You're going to be okay. I promise."
"It hurts, Alex,"
she cried as I held the towel to her head.
"I know, sweetie,"
I said as I stroked her hair and gently rocked her.
"They'll be here
shortly," Cam said as he appeared in the doorway. "Is she high?"
"Shhh," I said
shaking my head. "I don't know."
The paramedics arrived a few
minutes later to assess the situation. Cam talked with them as they scooped Liz
up and prepared to take her to General. I hugged her before they wheeled her to
the elevator and told her I'd be at the hospital when she woke up.
"Not good," Liz
mumbled as she shook her head. "I'm not good."
"You're fine, Liz,"
I said as tears welled up. I squeezed her hand and then the paramedics motioned
that they had to go. After they left, I pulled together a bag of clothes and
things for Liz in case they decided to admit her to the hospital, and as I did
it, I searched her drawers looking for evidence of drugs.
"Do you think she's
using drugs?" Cam asked as we drove to the hospital.
"It seems like it,
doesn't it?" I said as a nagging doubt entered the picture. "But
there wasn't any drug paraphernalia at the apartment and I've never seen her do
more than get drunk."
"Maybe she's
drinking?" he suggested as we pulled into a parking spot.
"You don't have to go
with me," I said as I opened the door.
"Nonsense, of course
I'll go with you," he smiled. "And when everything checks out, we'll
go back to my place and eat the dinner I fixed. I'm sure we'll be hungry by
then."
The receptionist at the front
desk recognized me and waved me through. Liz was in an exam room lying
motionless on the bed when I sat down and took her hand.
"They took blood and
they're running tests," Leslie said as she came through the curtain to
start an IV. "Did she take anything that you know of?"
"No, I've never seen her
take drugs or anything," I said shaking my head. "She's been acting
strange for a while, though. I wondered if she was using something, but she
denied it, so I let it go."
"We'll figure it
out," Leslie said with a reassuring smile. "She'll be okay. Can you
call her parents?"
"I can try, but they're
missionaries who live in Chile," I said. "I'm her emergency contact
here in the states."
Leslie nodded before heading
back to the nurse's station to make notes on Liz's chart. I looked up at Cam
who put his hand on my shoulder and kept it there.
"Liz, can you hear
me?" I said leaning forward as I took her hand. "Liz? If you can hear
me, squeeze my hand."
"Alex," she said as
she weakly squeezed my fingers. "Help me."
"I'm here, Liz," I
said smoothing her hair as I held her hand. "We'll figure this out, and
you'll be okay."
Liz smiled as she drifted
back to sleep.
#
Leslie
came
back into the exam area a little while later and said they were moving Liz up
to a bed in the psychiatric unit.
"She's not crazy!"
I protested. "She's sick!"
"Look, I know it seems
tough, but she's presenting with all the signs of someone with a drug
addiction," Leslie said patting my arm. "We'll get the results from
her blood work and move her up there until she comes around. Then we'll get her
started in the recovery program."
"It's not right," I
said shaking my head. "She's not doing drugs!"
"Alex, I know it's hard
to accept that someone you love might have a substance abuse problem, but you
need to let go and let her get help," Leslie said quietly. "We'll take
excellent care of her and you'll be able to come see her as soon as we get her
back among the coherent."
I realized I had little
choice in the matter, so I signed Liz into the ward and told them to tell her
I'd be back in the morning. Cam wrapped an arm around me as we walked out of
the ER, and I leaned into him as I tried not to break into tears.
"She's not an
addict," I said once we were in the truck again. "I know she's
not."
"Then let them figure it
all out and get her the help she needs," Cam said diplomatically.
"Are you hungry? I've got dinner ready at home, if you are."
I nodded as I fought back the
tears as Cam simply reached over and took my hand. We drove in silence back to
his place.
The house was a beautiful,
little two- story on the West Side of town. Cam explained that it was nestled
in a neighborhood that had seen better days, but was now slowly rebuilding
itself. He told me about how he'd spent hours working on the outer trim and
making sure all of the elements from the roofing to the paint job were
absolutely perfect.
"You've been lonely,
haven't you?" I said quietly as he described the summer he spent sanding
all of the gutters so he could paint them the perfect shade of cream to match
the house. He didn't say anything, but I saw his jaw tighten.
At the house, he pulled into
the garage and I could hear barking on the other side of the door. He smiled as
he opened the door and a blur of yellow fur came tumbling out wagging her tail
and woofing a welcome.
"Alex, this is Tesla.
Tesla, this is Alex," Cam said introducing us to one another.
"Hello, Tesla, it's nice
to meet you," I said squatting down so we were eye level and offering my
hand to her. She looked up at Cam who nodded and then walked cautiously around
me sniffing and bumping me with her nose. I waited patiently without moving
until she'd made her assessment and laughed loudly as she leaned in and licked
my face.
"I think she approves of
you," Cam laughed as he ruffled her fur and said to her, "C'mon, you
want to go out, girl?"
Tesla ran for the back door
and waited with her tail wagging. Cam turned on the backlight and let her out
into the yard. I caught of glimpse of the perfectly manicured lawn and garden
and wondered how long it had taken him to create that.
"Yeah, I've been
lonely," he said without explaining further. "Dinner?"
We sat down to a delicious
dinner of pot roast with winter vegetables and a fresh salad. The table was a
dark walnut that had been shined to the point that I could have used it as a
mirror. It was surrounded by six, beautiful leather chairs in a shade of rust
that came close to matching Cam's wild, wavy curls. I pointed this out and he
laughed at the coincidence.
"Did you make
this?" I asked stroking the table as I imagined his strong hands working
the wood.
"No, I found it in a
second-hand shop and had it polished," he said as he poured wine into the
glass in front of me. He toasted and then sat quietly for a moment before he
said, "Quinn never saw the finished house."
"Thank you for sharing
your accomplishment with me," I smiled as I tucked my fantasies away in a
far corner of my brain. Cam wasn't ready to go there with me, so I said,
"And thank you for helping me and Liz."
"It's the least I can
do," he said as he dug into the meal.
As I watched him eat, it
struck me that there was something on his mind, but I knew that he wasn't going
to talk about it until he was ready, so I steered the conversation in a
comfortable direction, giving him space to figure it out. A couple of times I
saw him take a deep breath as if he were going to say something, but then he
would back off and offer me seconds or more wine. I knew the weight of whatever
he was carrying was getting heavier by the minute, but I couldn't make him do
anything he wasn't ready to do.
"Alex, I have to share
something with you," he said as we curled up on the living room couch
drinking coffee and eating a decadent chocolate dessert that he'd picked up
from a French bakery near the station.