Page 49 of Daddy Billionaire Dragon

I quickly scribble a note for Penny and stick it to the refrigerator. I just tell her that I’m going away to Pittsburgh to spend a few days with my mom without telling her why. Then I grab a bag, shove some clothes into it, and check Lex’s work schedule. I have to time my visit to Druk Technologies right. After waiting for fifteen minutes, I order a cab.

The cab ride takes just over half an hour. I step into the private elevator that will take me all the way to the top floor. I don’t encounter anybody on the way up, for which I am immensely grateful. I quickly go into Lex’s office, knowing that it’ll be empty. He’s in a meeting with the other partners right now.

Once inside, I retrieve the Ziplock bag with the pregnancy test stick and place it on his desk. Then I grab a Post-It note and a pen from his desk. I hesitate, not knowing what I’m going to say.

Lex,

You’re going to be a father.

I rumple it up and throw it away.

Lex,

We’re going to be parents.

That won’t work either. As I agonize over the note, the door opens and my heart stops beating.

It’s Rachel. Relief courses through me. I force myself to breathe steadily.

“Nic! I thought you weren’t coming in today!”

Rachel’s eyes go round and wide as she take in my appearance. I am dressed in lounge pants, hoodie, and flat sandals. My hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. Then her eyes dart to the overnight bag hitched on one shoulder over my purse.

“Yeah, I had to drop off something important,” I say hurriedly, grabbing the Ziplock bag. I try the top drawer of his desk and find it open. I quickly shove the Ziplock bag in it.

“Will you just give me a minute? What I need to tell Lex is confidential,” I say, trying to make it sound like I’m talking about work.

“Sure,” she says, throwing me one wary glance before she leaves.

That was a close shave. I want to collapse into Lex’s chair, but I need to hurry. The next time the door opens, it might be Lex, and I’m not ready to face him just yet. I finally write a note, stick it on the Ziplock bag, and rush out. Rachel is at her desk right outside Lex’s office.

“Are you alright? You don’t look well,” she says, eyeing me with concern.

“Just a little under the weather. Thank God I remembered I had to drop that thing. Will you tell him I’ve left it in the top drawer like he asked me to? Thanks,” I almost sprint toward the elevator before Rachel can say anything. Once inside, I collapse against the wall, screwing my eyes shut. I’m engulfed by a deep sense of despair. What if he wants nothing to do with me?

I force myself to stand up straight and take a few deep breaths. This isn’t the time for hysterics. I pull out my phone and send the resignation email I had typed earlier. Then I call my mom and tell her I’m coming home. She’s delighted but also wants to know why. I just tell her I need to be home and hang up before I start bawling my lungs out.

I consider taking a flight, but after checking the flight schedule, I know there’s no flight for another hour. An hour of inaction will kill me. Besides, I need to put some distance between Lex and I immediately.

I decide to drive.

Chapter 24 - Lex

The meeting is almost at an end. We have decided to go with KobiTech for developing the maps app. I voiced my concerns about the company in the meeting, but we decide to use them anyway. We can’t base every business decision on gut instinct alone. They come with impressive recommendations and can get the job done quicker and cheaper than anybody else in the market. I just hope this decision doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass.

We start talking about other stuff like we always do at the end of a meeting. The guys know that Nic and I are seeing each other. They have fallen into an annoying habit of asking about my relationship with Nic after meetings. But today I’m in no mood to indulge them. For one thing, Nic has been a bit under the weather for the last few days, and for another, my danger sensors have gone into hyper-drive, especially in the last week. I don’t know what any of it means and I don’t know what to do. Not being able to take action is making me more frustrated than ever.

I am worried about Nic. I hope she’s not coming down with anything serious. The thought of anything happening to her, no matter how trivial, makes me feel uneasy. She still feels that she’s being watched, but she says that she feels safe with me around. It makes my chest swell with pride to think that I make her feel safe. It also humbles me that she has placed her trust in me.

But the ever-present sense of danger has me on the edge. Imagine the fight or flight response you feel when faced with imminent peril. The response typically lasts only for a few minutes. During the response, more blood is pumped by the heart to give you more energy, your muscles are tense, ready to go into action at a moment’s notice. This is how I’ve been feeling almost every single minute of every single day for the last couple of weeks. The only time I’m not feeling it is when I’m making love to Nic. When she is in the bed next to me, I don’t even have to resort to the herbal remedy to help me fall asleep.

She has of course noticed my odd behavior since we’re spending almost every night together, but has made no comment on it so far. I think she has attributed it to me being worried over her being watched. And she is right. I think what I’m feeling has got something to do with Nic being watched. Who is watching her and why? Do they plan on harming her? I don’t know what I will do if anything happens to her. The thought that somebody is out there, wanting to harm her, is enough to set my teeth on edge.

I’m also worried about how long my ‘relationship’ with Nic is going to last. Though she hasn’t said anything, she has been particularly moody this last week. I know she had hoped that I would change my mind, and I was almost tempted to a few times, but then I’m reminded of what is at stake.

There’s conversation going on around me, but I’m not listening to a word. I discreetly glance at Liam and Pat. They seem to be doing just fine. I don’t know about the others, but after the anniversary party, I was secretly worried that their relationship would show some signs of strain, like it always does when all our families come together for the major holidays. It has been years since the incident, but some things leave a permanent void.

When my relationship with Nic ends, at least I won’t have to worry about the guys. And by not letting myself get involved too deeply, I might even stop my heart from being broken.

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