Page 75 of The Billionaire Babe

“What the hell did you call me?” her father yells at her. What the hell is she doing here? The group of them look like they just arrived and were hiding among the spare trailers.

“Your name. Mr. Wilson. That is your name. Van Cleef was my mother’s maiden name, my grandmother's name, the name you took when you married into this family. The name that you have now tarnished,” she says, and although I can hear the tremor in her voice, she looks pissed. But she needs to get out of here, it isn’t safe. What the hell was she thinking coming here?

“I haven’t fucking tarnished anything. You and your fucking felon here have ruined everything!” he yells, spit flying from his mouth as I move a little to the side, putting my body in front of Val’s. Her father waves the gun around in his hand. He is desperate, and desperate men do stupid things. My life for hers, always.

“It doesn’t really matter. I already got AJ a new bike. He is moving in with me, so he no longer needs that apartment—you have saved us the hassle with that. Not to mention that the IRS is currently being sent this live recording, as is Society News, and oh, that’s right, where are my manners, this is Detective Skimmer from the FBI. He works in the white-collar crime division. Unfortunately, for you, he only started this past month, so he isn’t on your payroll yet,” Valerie says, and I swallow. I left her for half a day, and she organized all this? I watch her with admiration. Coming to my defense like no one has ever before. Then I hear sirens in the distance.

“You fucking bitch,” her father seethes, and while he is looking at her, I take another small step back. He is now like a wild dog being backed into a corner. I spot both Cody and Brady taking a stance and ensuring Val is somewhat behind them too. I spot both George and Levi with some other guy I don’t know over near the car, Levi with a camera held high, obviously filming. I also see my Fortress team members strategically positioned all around the trailer. The whole fucking team is here.

“Now, now, is that any way to speak to your daughter? The rightful heir of Van Cleef Corp, and as of tomorrow, the new CEO.” She is in boss mode, but we all still need to be careful.

“No one will believe it. This recording is doctored,” her father says, waving the gun around again as he starts to look panicked.

“Oh, but according to the trust fund that my mother left, Van Cleef Corp is mine on my twenty-sixth birthday, and believe me, the first duty of business will be your immediate removal from the company.”

“You fucking bitch, just like your mother. I only married her for the money, and now you have ruined that.”

I take another step back, watching him closely. Val needs to be removed now. He is right on the edge. I look at Brady, and as he meets my eyes, we share a nod in agreement.

“Thank you, I take that as a compliment,” she says. You’d never know how nervous she is. She’s running off anger alone.

“Fuck you!” he yells, and I jump as he fires the gun. I hear Val scream, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Cody grab her and pull her down to the side, covering her body and running her back to the car, where George and Levi are scrambling to get inside. I feel a sharp burn in my chest as her father shoots another round, and I fall to the ground as more shots go off around me, and then it is quiet.

“Subject down. I repeat, the subject is down,” I hear before I see men everywhere, jumping out from behind the trailers, running out from behind trees. These aren’t my men. I think they are local police, maybe even the FBI. Some run in my direction and past me to where Val’s father is. I lie still on my back, trying to breathe, but it hurts like a motherfucker, and then my vision starts to go.

“AJ! AJ!” I hear Val’s screams, and I turn my head and see her running toward me. She falls to her knees and cups my head in her hands.

“My life for yours, Val. Always,” I whisper, then the lights go out, and all I see is black.

42

AJ

My body feels heavy, and I groan as I move my head to the side.

“Don’t move too much,” I hear Val say softly from next to me. Her voice is like an angel, and my body, although sore, immediately relaxes having her with me.

“I feel like I have been hit by a truck,” I murmur, trying to get a gauge on what’s wrong with me.

“Not a truck, but you did just get out of surgery,” she says, and I open my eyes. I squint, looking at her perched on a chair that she has pulled right up to the bed. Her hands hold one of mine. The room is white, stark. The bed linen is scratchy. I am in the hospital, that much is clear.

“No wonder I can’t move my arm,” I say, looking across to my other arm that is wrapped from shoulder to wrist and in a sling across my body. I wiggle my toes and move my legs. They feel heavy, but otherwise, they move okay.

“No other injuries.”

I turn my head back and look at her. I let my eyes wander from her head, down her body, and back again. She looks tired, like she has been crying, but she is still beautiful to me.

“You alright?” I ask, praying she didn’t take a hit.

“I’m fine. My bodyguard jumped right in front of the gun and took two bullets for me.” Lowering her eyes, she takes a big, shaky breath in. I squeeze her hands, and her eyes shoot back to mine.

“Just doing my job.” Watching her, she huffs out a laugh as a tear runs down her cheek.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart. We are okay,” I tell her, trying to comfort her, the stress of the entire situation now overflowing.

“I just saw you lying there, blood coming from your chest. I was so scared,” she whispers as another tear falls. I reach up with my good hand and cup her face, wiping the tears away with my thumb. “I just didn’t know what else to do. We got the police involved; we took helicopters to Wilmington…”

“Come here,” I tell her as I move to the side a little.

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