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?”

and unlatched the door. But rather than showing him inside, she went out onto the porch.

left little to the imagination and

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

so sorry for

to wrap around one of her breasts and

“You have no reason to be sorry, Mr. Brand. I apologize for my mother, she probably thought

Heat filled Mandy’s cheeks. “What can I do for you?”

away from this beautiful woman that was apologizing for things that she’d no control over. A wave of protectiveness washed through him. He couldn’t let her stay

away,” he stumbled over the words. “I tried to text you.”

phone 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 minutes ago and plugged it in.”

convince you

at herself. She squeaked and covered her breasts, noticing how see-through her

just need a few minutes to pack.”

request. But he didn’t want to lose sight of

man had no idea how they

need to carry the boxes,” Elliot added with

Mandy let out the breath she was holding, “All right, Mr. Brand. But just a warning, we weren’t

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

Mandy was mortified, “I truly am very

He held up a hand and placed a long finger against

glad that you’ve had someone to protect you.”

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

way her mother was yelling at the

of rot and was damp. However, the bedroom that she led him too

voice was gruff, “Where are the boxes that you can

swallowed and walked out of the room and returned with three beat-up

“I don’t have much. Please just have a seat on my bed.”

wished that she’d a chair to offer him. He looked huge sitting on the edge of her

As she opened one of the drawers

can put these items in a