An I.O.U. from a Billionaire Read online

  An I.O.U. From a Billionaire

  By Olivia B. Dannon

  Edited by Kathy Moore

  Also

  Edited by: Kathy Krick

  Copyright © Olivia B. Dannon 2017

  Cover Artist: Olivia B. Dannon

  Stock: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/

  Published by Smashwords

  ISBN: 9781370989331

  Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher/author. Printed in the U.S.A

  Author Contact Information:

  Website: www.authoroliviabdannon.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoroliviabdannonromancer

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/OliviaBDannon

  Books by Olivia B. Dannon:

  Paladin’s Promise

  Heatwave Series

  Heatwave

  Love You in December

  Burning Ice

  Where There’s Smoke

  Bargaining with Billionaires Series

  An I.O.U. From a Billionaire

  A Note to My Readers:

  Thank you so much for reading! Whether this is the first book you’ve read by me or not, I do hope you enjoy, An IOU from a Billionaire.

  Please remember if you love this book to review at your eBook store. I read all of your reviews and it helps get great books in more hands when you contribute your reviews. No matter how small or how big you’d like to make it, every single one counts.

  Thank you!

  Love, Olivia

  PS. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to hear about new releases and giveaways!

  Dedication

  This one is for Joan “Wilder” Clark! Happy birthday to you. I wish you many more for the future. Thank you for being suck a great friend and amazing support. I’m honored to call myself your friend.

  This book contains adult content suitable for persons eighteen years and older. This book is intended for and should only be read by adults due to sexual content, and language.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Your sister just got married in a barn,” Earl Grayson stated in a tone of disbelief.

  Joan smiled at her sister Kenna. Her golden blonde hair was pulled back away from her face, smiling in genuine joy. Her white dress was a princess style gown, with a long train and veil.

  Tears spilled from the corners of Joan’s eyes as she watched Kenna kiss Winston, her new husband, for a second time. “Isn’t she the most beautiful bride you’ve ever seen?” Joan asked before cheering as the bride and groom turned toward the crowd of friends and family.

  Earl muttered something that Joan didn’t hear with all the applause and well wishes in the air. A quick glance found him on his phone.

  Texting during a wedding? Come on.

  Everyone followed the bride and groom out into the meadow. A dance floor, sparkling lights, and tables were set with Kenna’s color theme – pink, white and navy. It was dusk and the lighting gave everything a magical glow.

  Joan could hear Earl talking all through dinner to someone about being a very important doctor. She wasn’t paying attention. She’d heard all these stories before. This was the moment in Kenna’s life that Joan and her family had prayed for. All she could do was drink up the perfect happiness of Kenna and Winston.

  When it was time for dancing, Earl took Joan out onto the dance floor. He was smiling, but it was fake. He wasn’t happy or comfortable around her family, and it was impossible to miss. In the ER at the hospital, he was in his element. At a gala or an exclusive charity dinner, he was charming and the man whom everyone loved to meet and talk with.

  When the pleasantries were over, the real Earl shone through.

  Joan found she didn’t like Earl and was pretty sure he was realizing things were coming to an end. So when he cleared his throat and looked down at her with a practiced, sympathetic expression she actually felt relief.

  “I’m not feeling us anymore, Joan.”

  Really? This is how you’re doing this?

  “I agree. I think being friends and coworkers is going to be best for us.” Joan nodded.

  “Well,” he scratched his chin, “friends, sure. I don’t think coworker is going to work out for me. There is bound to be some hostility. I don’t need that at work. I save lives for a living.”

  Joan stopped dancing. “You’re leaving Phoenix General? You’re on the board….”

  Oh, wait a second.

  “You’re leaving. I’m going to speak with the director when we get back,” Earl stated.

  “The hell you are.” Joan glared up at him. “I worked my ass off to get my position at Phoenix General. You’re just going to have to suck it up, Earl. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Earl gave her a smile as if she’d said something funny. “I’m on the board. I practically run the hospital. You can go to New Henrich Memorial Hospital for all I care.”

  “The worst hospital in the state? No.”

  Earl’s face was heating up as people at the wedding looked at them. “I was joking, but now that you’ve embarrassed me, you’d better believe that’s exactly where you’re going.”

  “Connie will listen to me. She knows I’m a good nurse and she’s not going to let you railroad me out.”

  The confidence he’d been wearing like an expensive suit diminished. “I’ll have a sit down with Connie. She’s not going to lose her best ER doctor over a nurse.”

  “You’re not even in the top ten.”

  “Why don’t you stay here at your barnyard wedding and think about the ignorance you’ve been spewing on this dance floor. Meanwhile, I’m catching the first plane back to Phoenix.”

  Winston and Kenna were passing out pieces of cake. Winston approached offering a piece to Earl. “You can’t go without eating a piece of cake.” He smiled.

  Earl took the cake Winston offered. “It was a lovely wedding. Congratulations.”

  “Aren’t you going to try the cake?” Winston grinned. His rancher tan made his teeth appear sparkling white. Kenna’s smile was less happy and looked a bit devious to Joan as she came to stand beside Winston.

  Earl took a large bite and shuddered. “It’s… good.” He chewed a little and swallowed. “I have to get going. You should stay and enjoy, Joan.” He winked at her, shoving the dish with the partially eaten cake into her hands.

  Joan watched him go, hating him more with every step he took. She didn’t care that he was dumping her. Hell, she wouldn’t have cared if he’d made sure to avoid her shift but to uproot her? Banish her from her friends, who were more like her work family, and try to cram her into the dirtiest poorest run hospital in the state?

  What an asshole.

  “Nope.” Kenna pulled the plate from Joan’s hands as she spoke. “You don’t want to eat that cake.”

  Joan’s brows lifted. “I don’t?

  “Not unless you want a strong dose of granny’s liquid Exlax.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “Granny did, actually.” Kenna laughed. “He is going to crap his pants any second.”

  Joan laughed as she hugged Kenna. “I love you.”

  “I know,” Kenna hugged her back, “that’s why you’re letting that asshole get away. Go. Beat him back to the hospital and save your dream job. Don’t let him take
that away from you.”

  Drawing back, Joan looked at her sister who was two years her senior. “It’s your wedding day. I can’t leave.”

  “All the important parts are over. We’re going to dance some more, throw a bouquet, and be off on our honeymoon. I won’t let you lose your job because of me. You’ve already sacrificed too much for me, Joan. I’m your big sister. It’s my turn. Now go and kick his ass.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Liam Wainwright followed the GPS on his phone to a tiny house on a huge piece of land out in the middle of nowhere. Tumbleweeds crashed into the side of his car. A herd of cattle started making a racket, sounding much more like moaning than mooing. He walked down the dirt driveway on the opposite side from the pasture fence. Liam was careful with every step he took in his alligator skin, black Louis Vuitton loafers. Still, the dust and muck clung to them.

  “What in the hell are you doing out here, Cole?” Liam thought.

  The dark navy, cashmere Armani suit he was wearing wasn’t doing him any favors in the heat and humidity. Liam shed the jacket and folded it over his arm, leaving him in the white, blue, and crimson striped button up shirt and crimson red tie.

  He raised his fist to knock on the door as it pulled inward. A man stood inside glaring out at him. Over his shoulder was Cole. He was holding the hand of a girl, the farmer’s daughter no doubt, with eyes as big as saucers.

  “That’s my brother, Mr. Hursh,” Cole explained.

  “You responsible for him?” Mr. Hursh asked Liam pointing at Cole, who was regaining the color in his cheeks.

  Liam inclined his head. “Yes, sir. I am.”

  “He’s just been telling me he has the means to do right by my daughter.”

  Shit, Cole.

  “Do right by her? Cole arrived here only four hours ago.” Liam straightened.

  “That’s plenty long enough to do what they done,” Mr. Hursh said his hand running over the butt of a gun at his waist. “If she’s pregnant I expect a marriage.”

  Liam met Cole’s brown eyes across the room. They were set as he nodded. His fingers were still intertwined with the girls, and his pupils slightly dilated. His nose was red from the hay and weeds that were kicking up his allergies and no doubt aggravating his asthma.

  “I love Marlene and I want to marry her,” Cole said.

  “Get your things, Cole. Let me talk with Mr. Hursh alone.”

  “No.” Cole stood up coughing as he did. “This is my life. I love her.”

  Liam glared at Marlene, who was smiling with triumph at Cole. “You just met her. You don’t know her, and you sure as hell don’t love her, Cole. You’re sixteen. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Old enough to get her pregnant,” Mr. Hursh repeated.

  Liam would have preferred to handle Mr. Hursh and his con artist daughter without Cole standing there, but he could see now there was no way around it. “If Marlene turns up pregnant we’ll run a paternity test. If the baby is Coles, we’ll compensate you for the child and take the child off your hands.”

  “Liam—” Cole protested.

  He kept going. “If the baby isn’t Coles, if the baby is someone else’s as I assume it is, I am going to sue you with my team of lawyers.”

  “What for?”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure they’ll think of something. We’ll keep it in the courts until you’ve lost your farm, or even longer. I don’t take kindly to people who threaten my family. That’s what you’re doing isn’t it, Mr. Hursh?”

  Mr. Hursh was frowning. He had his arms folded, no longer fingering the gun on his hip.

  “She’s already pregnant,” Liam stated, looking this time at Marlene. Her arms were crossed protectively over her stomach.

  “Marlene?” Cole said her name turning toward her. “Tell him he’s wrong.”

  “She doesn’t have to tell me. She can take a test right now. If I’m wrong, we’ll leave with my apologies and compensate the Hursh family as an apology for my false accusation. But if she’s pregnant, I will have you both spending the next five to ten behind bars. You know who I am, and you know I have the means to do exactly what I say.”

  Mr. Hursh let out a long sigh. “Way we figured it, you’d be kind enough to give us some money for the pregnancy and delivery. You got billions. Not like you’d miss it.”

  “You’re pregnant? Who’s is it?” Cole demanded of Marlene. “You said you were a virgin like me. You said you loved me.” His vulnerable expression hardened as Cole frowned at her. “You made me believe you loved me for me and not because of my family.” The volume of his voice was rising with every word he spoke.

  “I do—”

  “Shut up.” Cole stood up recoiling from Marlene like she’d burned him. Shit.

  “Let’s go, Cole.”

  Cole left the room going down the hallway toward a back bedroom. Marlene stood to follow.

  “No.” Liam said the single syllable with such force Marlene didn’t question him. She tucked her brown hair back and over one shoulder. Her blue eyes watched Liam with caution. “You hurt my brother. Don’t ever reach out to him again.”

  Marlene shrugged one shoulder. “If he reaches out to me, there’s nothing I can do about that. I’m vulnerable with a baby coming. You can’t expect me to ignore him in my fragile state.”

  “You hurt my brother. I won’t pay you anything.”

  She raised her thin brows. “I can get very ugly, Mr. Wainwright. I may not have billons, but I do have evidence of intercourse between Cole and me. For the right price, I’ll give it to you. No one likes to hear the word rape. It’s so ugly and sticky.”

  Mr. Hursh was smiling again. “Clever as her mother.”

  “Ten thousand. That’s all I’ll give you and only after you sign the paperwork my attorney will draft, stating you will never claim sexual relations with Cole.”

  “Twenty thousand.”

  “If you go to the press with this story, if you attempt to soil my brother’s reputation, you couldn’t get more than a few thousand. You’ll get ten. That’s it.”

  “Twelve or I’ll take my chances.”

  One call to his attorney and Liam knew they would dig up dirt on Marlene that would shut her up without giving her a dime, but then Cole emerged from the hallway, his eyes red and puffy. His breath beginning to wheeze as he exhaled, and Liam knew they had to get out of there.

  “Eleven. You’ll get the money after the paperwork is signed. My attorney will be in touch.”

  Cole rushed out the door.

  “If we don’t hear from you in two days, we’ll call the police,” Marlene said.

  “Cole is a good kid. He would have been good to you. What you lost today by trying to use him is a greater loss than any amount of money you’ll ever steal or con. You’ll be nothing and Cole is only going to get better.”

  Liam shut the door.

  He was cutthroat in business interactions and wanted to bury these two creatures. He would have succeeded if Cole’s wheezing wasn’t so intense. Revenge would have to wait.

  Cole was sitting in the passenger seat of the rental car swiping at his eyes and scowling at the dashboard. As soon as Liam opened the door and got into the driver’s seat of the Jaguar, Cole began with his apologies. “I’m sorry. I… thought she was different. I love her. I can’t believe she was using me.”

  “You don’t love her, Cole.” Liam put the car in reverse and backed down the trail.

  “Where is Hansen? Why isn’t he here?” Cole asked as they pulled onto a paved road that would lead them back to the freeway.

  “The jet is having problems. He’s taking care of it.”

  Cole nodded swiping again at his wet face. “We talked for three months, Liam. I know her. She’s just scared.”

  Oh hell no.

  “She was ready to accuse you of rape, Cole. She doesn’t care about you.”

  “I love her.”

  Liam increased the speed of the car. “You don’t know
her. She is a con artist. She played you because she could get money out of you. Marlene wasn’t even crying when you left, she was just extorting money. She doesn’t love you.”

  “You’re an asshole, Liam.”

  “I’m an asshole? You left school and flew across the country without permission to meet some girl you met on the internet. I dropped everything to come save your ass, and I’m an asshole?”

  Cole’s overgrown blond hair fell down over his eyes as he coughed. His face was round like it got when his asthma was becoming a bigger issue.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No. Someone knocked up my girlfriend,” Cole growled.

  Lord, bless Hansen for sticking with me when I was in my teen years if I was anything like Cole.

  “I know you’re hurting, Cole. You have to accept that she’s not your girlfriend. She’s not the girl you fell for. You were tricked. Forget her.”

  “Forget her?” The look Cole was giving him would have been more appropriate if Liam had asked him to amputate both his legs. “You don’t get it. She’s the one, Liam.”

  “Marlene, if that is her real name, is not the one. The girl who just had sex with a stranger while she was pregnant with someone else’s baby in her womb is not the one, Cole.”

  More tears streaked down Cole’s red, swollen face.

  He’s not thinking straight. He’s struggling with his asthma.

  “We’ll get a flight back to Los Angeles and talk about this when we get home.” He reached out to pat his brother on the arm, but Cole shoved his hand away. More tears poured from his eyes and the breath he took whistled with the tightness of his chest. “Where is your inhaler? You need to use it, Cole.”

  Cole bent forward and started digging through his satchel. “Mom’s still in Italy?”

  “Yeah. I believe so, anyway.”

  “You didn’t tell her I took off?”

  Liam shook his head. “She would have left the ceremony they are having in honor of her work. I’m not planning on telling her until she gets back.”

  “She’d understand. She would believe that I am in love with Marlene.”