Devotion - Billionaire Contemporary Romance Novel (34 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

FOUR MONTHS LATER

“Awesome!!!!” Aidan’s voice echoed throughout the warehouse, bouncing off the sleek concrete floors as he darted his bike through pools of sunlight streaming in through the two-story arching windows.

Guiding Ellison in his motorized wheelchair, Isabel and Phillip trailed far behind him.

“Don’t go too far,” Isabel called after him, a routine warning that now seemed inconsequential in the vast interior space void of cars, crosswalks, and street lights.  There was only the sensation of the boundless unknown, spanning the length of three skating rinks, which Aidan pedaled through like a speeding bullet in a vacuum.

“Has Fifi Litzker committed to all of it?” Isabel turned back and asked Phillip.

She stopped and surveyed the repetition of steel rafters bracing the ceiling, allowing the open space to be clear of any load-bearing walls or side beams. She cast her gaze onto Phillip.  He was studying Ellison, wearing his new thick-lensed glasses and circling his wheel chair through a puddle of sunlight with only the touch of his thumb against the navigation joystick.

“She’s committed to leasing both the second and third levels,” he confirmed.  “This floor will be the day & evening spas, and at the far end, they will build out their trendy restaurant and bar.  Above, on the third level, they will remodel the space to include their luxury hotel suites—each one with private terraces overlooking the riverfront.”

He moved to the cathedral windows and peered out onto the South Branch of the Chicago River and the city’s financial district, just beyond it. “Jett’s still working to secure a deal with several European retailers to lease out space on the fourth floor, but even without that, Madam van der Meer’s collection will help draw the tourists.”

“It all sounds wonderful, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that some small part of me fears how much work it’s all going to be…”

Her attention drifted off to Aidan and Ellison as she reflected on the blissful, carefree day that they had spent together as a family.

“Well, we’re partners now.  We’ll get through it together.”

“Partners?” She turned to him.

“Yes.” He peered down at the sapphire ring she wore on her wedding finger. “I’ve arranged for Gary to reallocate shares to you in the holding company that formally owns The Old Main.  Twenty percent of my own equity stake.  Consider it a tardy five-year bonus.”

Isabel felt her legs and lips quiver.  Twenty percent of a four-hundred-million-dollar real estate development was more than Isabel could calculate in her head.  “Phillip…I don’t know what to say.”

He pushed towards her with his steady blue eyes.  “Don’t say anything.  I shall say it for you—thank you,” he whispered, caressing her cheek and kissing her with reverence, reminding her that she meant more to him than anything that money could buy or share.

“Eww…yucky!”

Glaring at Phillip kissing his mother, Aidan skidded his bike to a stop and covered his eyes. “Gross! Mommy, what’s he doing that for?”  His childish disgust boomeranged off the concrete floors, which made Ellison stop his own circling and look up at them. 

Phillip pulled away with a smirk, allowing Isabel to field the interrogation on her own. 

“Phillip just likes to share more than he should,” she replied.

Aidan narrowed his glare onto Phillip, making sure he knew that he shouldn’t share
that
much.

“Perhaps someone should put me in jail,” Phillip announced and held up his hands like he was under arrest.

“Yeah!”  Aidan squealed and sped around Phillip, mimicking the sound of a police siren.  Ellison smiled, attempting to cruise behind Aidan.  He accidentally nudged his wheelchair into Aidan’s rear bike tire.  The boys traded teasing thumps before knocking into each other with a jarring bang like bumper cars.

“No, Adian—don’t,” she reprimanded him. “You’ll hurt Ellison.”

The boys ignored her and circled away, shooting down the sleek floor together like drag racers.

Exasperated, she glanced back at Phillip. “Boys.”

Phillip shrugged and enveloped her hand.

“You don’t seem concerned.”

“No,” he confirmed, tracking Ellison rolling through the unobstructed space, as if he was just like Aidan. “It’s true, they’re just being boys.  And watching them act like that is making me the happiest I’ve been in years.”

He lifted up her hand and kissed it with affection.

She eyed him. “You say that now, but just wait until one of them ends up in the emergency room.”

He shrugged again.

She pressed her point. “Which means
you’d
be without your business partner—possibly for days—while she’s tied up with the responsibility of taking care of reckless, injured children.”

“We’ll do it together.” He drew her against his body and peered into her challenging eyes, then feathered his whisper against her ear. “Let’s have more.”

END OF DEVOTION

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Playlist

These are a few of the songs that I listened to while writing
DEVOTION
.

You can directly access these songs and videos on youtube via
my playlist
:

Together by The xx

Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey

Two Weeks by FKA twigs

Nude by Radiohead

Smother by Daughter

I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bon Iver performing Bonnie Raitt’s classic ballad

Haunted by Beyoncé