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,

days. The thin material left little

tiny shorts she’d on weren’t helping. Her

he breathed, “I’m so sorry for bothering you.”

to the side, causing her honey blonde curls to wrap around one

Mr. Brand. I apologize for my mother, she probably

can I

wave of protectiveness washed

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

“Can I convince you to come

squeaked and covered her breasts, noticing how see-through her pajamas were in the porch light.

just need a few

himself with the request. But he

knowing that this man had no idea how

will need to carry the boxes,”

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

a dark eyebrow, “I think I realized that the moment the revolver was pointed through the crack in the door.”

mortified, “I truly am very sorry.”

placed a long finger against her bow

“I’m glad that you’ve had someone to protect you.”

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

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

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

Elliot’s voice was gruff, “Where are the boxes that you can use?”

room and returned with three beat-up liquor

much. Please just have a seat

to offer him. He looked

the drawers of the dresser, Elliot

in a box if you want.”