Billionaire's Baby Contract

Chapter One-1

Chapter One

PHOEBE

“Please don’t do this.” I dashed the tears from my eyes and pleaded with the man holding a knife in front of me. “I have to pay my sister’s facility, or they’ll kick her out. The state facilities...” I trailed off, realizing he didn’t care.

His red eyes didn’t even blink. He seemed high on something, and it was clear I couldn’t get a spark of empathy from him.

He didn’t care that my disabled sister was thriving in the privately run facility, and I was solely responsible for covering what the meager benefits she received didn’t. The few thousand dollars in my purse, accumulating because of late nights and not making it to the bank before working again the next day, would just be a d**g spree to him, while they would ensure my sister another month in her home.

Tears welled again as I thought about how hard I’d worked for that money. I’d stripped and danced for hours, letting men paw my young body in what they thought were discreet ways, because I had no choice. He couldn’t just take it!

With a grunt, I slung my bag of dance clothes at him, trying to knock him off-kilter. He blinked as though in a stupor for a moment but was most likely shocked that I had the temerity to strike him and not because I’d hurt him.

What had I been thinking? I shuddered as his trance slowly slipped, and anger simmered below the surface. He was going to lunge at me at any moment, and he still held that knife. I had to get away.

The problem was, the robber stood between me and the way out of the alley. As he stumbled toward me, I held tightly to my purse and darted to the side. His fingers caught my long fall of brown hair, and I winced at the sting in my scalp, but I kept running. I couldn’t let him take me down.

If he got hold of me now, he’d probably kill me on top of stealing my money. I couldn’t risk that. I was pretty attached to my life, but not just because of that.

I had Tabitha counting on me. Without me, she’d end up in a state-run facility, and I couldn’t let that happen.

I jerked away from him, leaving behind a chunk of my hair in the process, and ran with everything I had. I turned just once to see if he was following me, and he was. He seemed to have shaken off the effects of whatever d**g coursed through his veins, and he was clearly angry.

I ran without paying attention. I tucked in my elbows and pumped my legs, charging down the alleyway as though my life depended on it.

It probably did.

I emerged from the alleyway and onto the street. A short-lived wave of relief washed over me, but I soon realized I wasn’t out of danger yet. There wasn’t anyone around at the moment, so I didn’t see an option for help.

I should have had one of the bouncers walk me out to the bus stop, but they were all pretty useless. They spent most of their time obsessed about their muscles and didn’t care about us dancers. It was usually easier to skip dealing with them, but I wouldn’t in future, if I had another chance.

I still ran, but my speed was flagging. I glanced behind me again, and the mugger was still charging at me like a bull seeing red. I swallowed down the hitch in my chest and forced me legs to keep moving.

I saw headlights on the next street over. I just had to cut across this one to make it to them. With a burst of speed, I plunged into the road. If I could reach the headlights—

A screech of brakes made me turn slightly, and in panic, I froze. A red car bore down on me, but I couldn’t move. The driver couldn’t stop in time either, and all I could do was stand there, knowing he was about to hit me, but too paralyzed to turn.

The car slammed into me, jolting me backward and making me fly off my feet. As I flew through the air, I saw the mugger stop, stare in shock for a second, and then turn and run the opposite direction.

I hit the pavement hard. It was a strange moment, as everything seemed suspended. I was paused, except for my trajectory. I slammed into it, and there was a jolt. For a second, I felt nothing but shocked surprise.

Then the delayed reaction caught up, and my entire body hurt. My head throbbed, and I barely clung to consciousness.

There was a light above me, and then a man stood over me. The streetlight formed a halo around him as he bent down, giving him an angelic look.

Not a heavenly angel though. In his dark suit, with his dark hair and perfectly chiseled features, he was anything but pure. He was a dark angel for sure.

I blinked, trying to hold on or make sense of the words coming from his mouth, but all I could see were the shape of his lips. They were firm, smooth, and elegantly defined. I wondered what he tasted like.

He blinked and seemed aghast before looking amused. “I assume you’ll live.”

His voice was deep and smooth, like polished onyx. He was everything dark, sexy, and perfect in the world.

As my awareness faded, his countenance was all I could see. I kept my eyes locked on his bright blue gaze, but rather than anchoring me, it tempted me to fly.

I let go...

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