The Billionaire's Redemption

Chapter 2

James Nicholas and the passion he caused me to feel were still fresh in my mind even after six years, contrary to what I had believed. My lower lip trembled as I continued to struggle to maintain balance, but when I thought back to his cold shoulder the next morning and his bitter comments when I confronted him later, my composure eventually returned.

Susan, that never happened. I believe we should just acknowledge that we were both inebriated.

That James shouldn't be on my thoughts was all it needed for him to remind me in his cold, detached tone. We had the past; this was the present; and I had a task to complete.

James

Even after the session was over, I could still hear the camera click. I sat on the stool and observed Susan as she spoke to one of the directors.

As I admired her in her black jeans and boots, I had the idea that she was a remarkable woman. Even now, after six long years, when I saw her again, not much had changed about her. Somehow, she had managed to stay in my brain.

She was physically distinctive, definitely, but she also had a sarcastic tongue and a charming grin that helped me overlook the most crucial aspect.

She is forbidden.

The editor of the magazine that was interviewing me today said, "Hey James, would you like to see some of the shots we got?"

I replied, "Sure thing, Jessica," and after giving her a brief wave, I got up from my chair. When Susan glanced briefly in my direction, she stared at me intently, and then she looked away once more. The stagehands were already packing up the set, and Jessica and Susan were still talking.

She gave me that frigid gaze, and I wondered what was going through her head.

Since the moment we met, Susan Tanner has consistently put me to the test. The only relative I had was her brother Dave, and our bond has remained strong throughout the years since we first met.

Dave resembled my confidant more. Susan was the only person who had access to all of my secrets, but she was also like a pin, poking and piercing me in places I never intended to feel anything.

She continues to cause my adrenaline to steadily pump through me from across the room, and there is no apparent way to stop it. I took my time to enjoy the way her hips curved in the jeans and how long her legs were as I stared at her.

She looked just as reassuring then when she was much more thin. Her favorite color has always been red, and the red shirt she wore with the black pants she was wearing today complemented the color of her lips and accentuated the natural beauty of her creamy complexion. It all just seemed to go well with her golden hair.

Or perhaps I'm just partial to blondes?

In any case, Susan was on my mind constantly. I went out the door, ran into Jessica, and we left the studio together after I placed my hand on the small of her back. I had to congratulate Jessica on the expertly snapped images after she showed me a couple of them.

I remarked, "Nice, they all look really lovely even without the edits."

"They do, really. One of our best is Susan. Don't worry, you're expecting to see the greatest shortly plastered all over "Page Six" despite the fact that we had to bring her to Denver specifically for this shoot.

I gave her a quick nod, and she left the office before I stood up and left as well. Susan was hailing a taxi when I arrived at the building's exit. Susan's haste intrigued me even more, so I got in the car and took a quick look at my watch as my car was steaming in front of me and my driver was ready to drive me to the site of my next appointment.

Please follow that cab, I requested. My driver made no further inquiries as he nodded and moved. I still had an hour until my meeting, and because it was just a review meeting today, I could afford to be late.

After a brief journey, I saw Susan exit the cab, embrace a woman, and follow her inside the structure. I murmured, "It looks like a studio," and then ordered my driver to head back to where we had been.

Susan was on my thoughts for the remainder of the day, and it didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to see her once more.

Later that evening, I called my handler and remarked, "This is an absurd plan." "The sheikh and I are meeting. I have previously arranged thousands of transactions for the CIA. Why is a wife necessary for this one to work?

Dave was sitting next to me in my home office and he claimed to be concentrating on the tabloid he was holding, but I knew he was listening to everything I said. The only person still on earth who was aware of this minor aspect of my existence, but he still didn't know quite enough. Some information is never meant to be shared, but Dave had been helpful in the past in gathering information on celebrities for the CIA, and I had told him about my previous undercover affiliation with the organization.

The only issue was that he wasn't exactly aware of what I did.

I sighed in frustration and ended the call before massaging the back of my neck. More discussion of the wife, family, and trust, I grumbled, sounding almost like a whiner. The question is, "How do I find a wife in three nights?"

Dave glanced to the next page, "You can hire someone," he said. "I've heard that's a big thing right now."

“Hire? I don't trust anyone to accompany me to Jeddah.

Jessica, what about her? You two have been seeing each other for a while, right?

She works as a reporter at Page Six. Why would I bring a journalist to the sheikh's house? It will allow for excessive exposure.

I scowled because I didn't immediately recognize the name when he asked, "What about Juliet?" 'The redhead'? I gasped when Dave offered to remind me.

"Oh—Julian," I reprimanded. "We split up because she left the country."

He mocked, "I thought you had finally found the one.

I stood from my executive chair, untied my tie, and moved over to join Dave on the sofa. "There's no one, Dave, you know that," I said.

I retrieved the empty glass from the middle table, poured some brandy into it, and then took a sip. Some of us don't have the same good fortune that you do in finding true love.

Dave smiled and took up his glass, adding, "When you say it like that, it sounds like it's a terrible thing to be in love." "But it's an amazing thing. You'll learn once you begin to experience it.

"Have you reconciled with your wife yet?" I furrowed my brow at him.

Dave's eyes glittered and his smile grew cheeky. He responded in a provocative tone, "Oh yes, we reconciled well," and then he burst out laughing, which I also did. "Of course we made amends. My life's love is Sarah. I can't be angry with her for too long.

I got to my feet and gave him a pat on the shoulder, saying, "Good for you, my friend." I need a drink right now while I stew over my options for the future. locating a wife, going to Jeddah... Such incidents make me regret having left the military in the first place.

Dave said, "Being a billionaire suits you better than being in the Navy, trust me," and then he showed me the tabloid he was holding. "Take a look at this image. James Nicholas, a billionaire, reveals three of his success's secrets. It seems more like you're divulging information so you can use charm to win everyone over, he joked.

I shook my head and laughed before getting my coat off the rack in my office. I proposed, "Let's go to the club." "When I'm there, I drink better."

Dave and I took a car to "The Cartel," one of my numerous prosperous franchise restaurants in Denver. The restaurant was bustling when we got there, and a bartender came over to serve us in the VIP area. My mind kept working quickly to find solutions to my problem while I listened to the loud music and let it drown out my thoughts.

The most well-known leader in Jeddah was the sheikh I was going to meet. Zayed Al-Mufti, a distrusting man who had discovered and killed some operatives dispatched in the past to infiltrate his cartel, had been at the top of the CIA's list for years.

I once met Zayed, and I was aware of his fierceness. Since he was connected with another trustworthy Arabian politician of mine, I decided to approach him by making friends with him first. For the past three years, Sheikh Zayed had been on my radar, and now was the right time to close the deal.

"I just texted Susan to come get some beers with me right here. She's headed that way. When she arrives and realizes you are here, I want to see the expression on her face. Even in the past, she could never stand you, and it's always hilarious.

Our drinks had arrived, and as I sipped and relaxed on the chair, I savored the martini's power. I gazed at Dave while crossing my legs in front of me. "You always want to hurt her like that, and I get the blame. Why do you find it so amusing to place us in the same environment when she can't stand me?

Because it's entertaining to see my sister use words to sever you, she is my sister.

I nodded in agreement and smiled as a familiar warmth filled my heart simply thinking about Susan. "She really has a way with words," I said.

Even though my friend was laid-back and humorous, I knew that he did not make fun of his younger sister, so I didn't want Dave to know about that night with Susan just yet. The only thing that might put us at odds was Susan.

Dave is the only person who is on my side. I must keep that.

Dave said, "Either way, it's fun watching you two go at it," and as he spoke, my mind briefly wandered and a strange idea crept in.

I required a wife to play the part for me. Someone I could rely on—someone powerful and intelligent. Susan-like person.

But she won't ever consent. Although it was a strange thought, as soon as it crossed my head, my brain immediately began to work on it.What if I was able to persuade Susan to become my wife?

Of course, just for a few weeks. Although I didn't want to marry her or anyone else, I couldn't think of a better fit for this part.

I watched Susan enter the VIP area and sashay over to where Dave and I were sitting. Since my club was big enough, they could use other VIP sections whenever we were here when we were hanging out.

"Hey, Dave," Susan gave me a warm welcome before glancing my way and said, "You."

I saw the skin-baring portion of her short red sequined dress when she crossed her legs in front of her while sitting.

"Why do you have on a wig?" Dave questioned her as he gaped in astonishment at the black hair she was tossing to one side of her shoulder.

"I assume we're in a club. I can be anything I want to be in it, she retorted.

Dave said, "I don't even want to know," and then he stood up. "I'll order additional martinis for us. It is still early in the night.