Page 76 of The Billionaire Babe

“AJ. Stop, you shouldn’t move.” Standing up, she looks worried.

“Come here, Val. Lie with me.”

“Lie with you?” she asks, taking in my injury as she bites her lip.

“Come here,” I growl, and she finally lets go of a breath and climbs onto the bed. It isn’t big enough for us both, but I pull her in tight, our bodies sandwiched against each other, and I feel her body relax into mine.

“Just don’t ever jump in front of a gun for me again, okay?” she says, trying to pull herself together.

“That’s a promise I am not making to you, sweetheart,” I tell her honestly. “What happened to my mom?” I ask her, even though I already know the answer. Val’s head buries into my chest, and my lips immediately find the top of her head. Her rose scent wraps up my nose, and I take a deep breath, her hair tickling my chin. I feel my throat getting a little tight, my heart thudding hard. I close my eyes, still picturing her sitting in the armchair, and I swallow roughly, trying to push the sadness down. I wait for the words from Val, needing the confirmation.

“She passed away. I’m so sorry, AJ. She had an overdose.” I feel her tears seep through my shirt, so I pull her tighter. “Brady and I organized a funeral home to look after things, and they are waiting for you to make some decisions.”

I don't have words. I feel heartbroken since it was my mom. But I also feel relieved. She is finally at peace and no longer chased by her demons. I kiss Val’s head again, feeling grateful to have her by my side, knowing that as sad and low as we feel now, we still have each other.

“Brady, Cody, and I have been talking with the police. They want to interview you.”

I don’t know how long I have been here, but I’d assume they would want to speak to me at some point.

“And your father?” I ask, my nostrils flaring, thinking about that man and all that he has taken from me and tried to take from his daughter. My shoulders stiffen, but I slowly relax again as I feel Val’s fingers run up my bare chest. I trail my hand up and down her arm, and I can see her hand shake a little.

“He, ahh…” She pauses as she weeps. Again, I pull her even tighter, wishing I could take away all her pain. She clears her throat and continues. “He died at the scene. Police shot him twice in the chest after he shot two bullets into you. There will be a private burial later this week. George is helping me manage it.”

I don’t know George well, but I am extremely grateful for him and everything he has done for Val.

“It will be okay, sweetheart. I got you,” I tell her, needing her to know that I will always be by her side and there for her whenever she needs me. Losing a parent is hard. Couple that with the past few months that Val has experienced, and it is a wonder she is still standing.

“And Van Cleef Corp?” I ask, the words she was saying at the trailer park now coming back to me. “You got a trust fund?”

She slowly explains everything that she and George found out and talks to me about Dennis.

“The board has agreed to meet in sixty days to talk over the change of leadership. They will take care of the business for me now as I get my life together. I am confident by then things will be a little more sorted.” There is obviously a lot we need to do between now and then, but I like her optimism.

“So you want me to move in, then?” I smile against her.

“I never want you to leave me again.” My reaction is instant as I pull her even closer to my side. My shoulder aches, the throbbing increasing, but I don’t care. All I care about is this woman. Everything else is a distant second.

“I can promise you something else, Val,” I tell her, and she takes a breath.

“What’s that?” she asks in anticipation.

“Whether in your penthouse or a shitty apartment on the other side of town, I promise that wherever you are is where I will be,” I say firmly, leaving no room for questions.

“I love you, AJ.” She looks up at me, and I see all that love shining in her eyes.

“I love you, sweetheart,” I tell her, then I take her lips with mine.

AJ - SIX MONTHS LATER

“Here, I got you a coffee,” Brady says, pushing a takeaway coffee cup in my direction as he walks into the meeting room at Van Cleef Corp.

“Took your time,” Cody says, looking up from his laptop and leaning back, clearly waiting for the caffeine hit.

I roll my head to relieve some tension and look at my two friends. “Okay, so how are we positioned with the new guys?” I ask, getting down to business. It has been over six months since the incident and life has been crazy. It took months with police statements, physical therapy, and getting up to speed on our new working arrangements, but the three of us sit here as partners in Fortress, the new security firm responsible for not just Val, but for the entire Van Cleef Corp. But I never leave Val’s side. Where she goes, I go. That will never change.

“We have twenty new guys who have passed their physical and background checks. We have them scheduled for some training with us next week. Assuming they pass all the training, they should be ready to be deployed in the business within the month,” Cody says, and I nod. As Val arranged, the board looked after the company for exactly sixty days, and then she stepped into her new CEO position. She worked hard those first few months to clear her name, increasing staff morale and pushing new deals. Her work ethic is unsurpassed and one of the many things I admire about her.

It's not only work that has been busy for Val. She is still trying to finalize her father’s estate. Her stepmother, Abigail, has become a recluse. Val purchased an apartment for her in Florida, where she now lives. The family mansion where Val grew up sits vacant now, with Val hiring builders for an entire redevelopment. The plans are being drawn up, and I am not sure if living in such luxury is going to work for me. I still find her penthouse amazing.

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