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?”

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

The thin material left little to the imagination

was on high alert and tried to look elsewhere. But the tiny shorts she’d on weren’t helping. Her legs seemed to go on forever and even her baby bump was glorious and womanly.

breathed, “I’m so sorry

causing her honey blonde curls to wrap around one of her breasts and exposing part of her neck.

Brand. I apologize for my mother,

cheeks. “What can

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

will need your services right away,” he stumbled over the words.

had an emergency at her shop, and I stayed late to help. I just got home a few minutes ago and plugged it in.”

nodded, “Can I convince

Mandy blinked and looked down at herself. She squeaked and covered her breasts, noticing how see-through her pajamas were in

need a few minutes

I come in?” Elliot surprised himself with the request.

had no idea how they

need to carry the boxes,” Elliot added

out the breath she was holding, “All right, Mr. Brand. But

moment the revolver was

was mortified, “I truly

a hand and placed a long finger against her bow

that you’ve had someone

well, something like that. Please come in.”

second-hand smoke hit them both. Mandy tried to ignore the way her mother was yelling at the television.

basement smelled of rot and was damp. However, the bedroom that

“Where are the boxes

beat-up liquor boxes.

Please just have a

a chair to offer him. He looked huge sitting on the edge

opened one of the drawers of the dresser, Elliot stopped

put these items in a box if