Billionaire’s Secret Baby

7:28 PM Elliot Brand: A driver will arrive at nine to assist you with anything you would like to bring to the new apartment.

8:02 PM Elliot Brand: Ms. Johnson, I would like to confirm that you will be available at nine in the morning tomorrow.

8:47 PM Elliot Brand: Is something amiss? Have you decided not to take the job? Might I remind you, Ms. Johnson, that you signed paperwork this afternoon and are already a Brand Employee?

9:13 PM Elliot Brand: If I cannot reach you, I will come and speak to you face to face.

Elliot was fuming by the time he pulled into the rundown neighborhood that could only be described as the slums. Sirens wailed in the night air, far louder than any crickets had hoped to achieve.

The home looked to be held together with chicken wire and clapboard. Crumbling brick littered the front porch along with hundreds of cigarette butts.

Elliot knocked firmly on the door. There was a rustle behind the curtains and then the lights went off.

Did she think she could hide from him? He knocked louder, “We both know that you’re in there, Ms. Johnson.”

The door cracked open and the unmistakable sound of the gun being cocked ripped through his ears.

“Amanda?” Elliot’s hands tightened into fists. How dare she pull a gun on him?

The door opened a little further and he saw a woman in her fifties with a light between her yellowed teeth wearing a dirty housecoat.

“What you want with Mandy? You the fucker that put that baby there?”

Elliot could only stare.

The woman raised the gun to be level with his chest, “Better start talking fancy man.”

“What’s going on out there?” A man’s voice bellowed from somewhere inside. “Can’t a man get some sleep, damn it all to hell!”

“I’m her new employer,” Elliot stumbled over the words just as he heard a rustling behind the woman. He looked up and saw Mandy.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief, “Mr. Brand? What are you doing here?”

Mandy scooted around her mother and unlatched the door. But rather than showing him inside, she went out onto

better days. The thin material left little to the

on high alert and tried to look elsewhere. But the tiny shorts she’d on weren’t helping. Her

breathed, “I’m so sorry

her honey blonde curls to wrap around

be sorry, Mr. Brand. I apologize for my mother, she

can I do for

that was apologizing for things that she’d no control over. A wave of protectiveness washed through him. He couldn’t let her stay here, not for another night, another hour, or another

need your services right away,” he stumbled

is dead, I’m sorry! My sister had an emergency at her shop, and I stayed late to help. I just got home a few

I convince you to come tonight?”

her breasts, noticing how see-through her pajamas were in the

a few

request. But

knowing that this man had

need to carry the boxes,” Elliot added with a smile.

was holding, “All right, Mr. Brand. But just a warning,

raised a dark eyebrow, “I think I realized that the moment

“I truly am

a hand and placed a long finger against her bow

be,” he whispered, “I’m glad that you’ve had someone to protect you.”

from his, “Yes, well, something like that. Please

tried to ignore the way her mother was yelling at the

damp. However, the bedroom that she led him

Elliot’s voice was gruff, “Where are the boxes that you

Mandy swallowed and walked out of the room and returned with three beat-up liquor boxes. Elliot

Please just

him. He looked huge sitting on

opened one of the drawers of the dresser, Elliot stopped her.

these items in a