Page 19 of The Billionaire's Knight

“I’m not much of an instructor,” Gwen offered. “I tend to be too critical. But my best friend, Samira, is terrific. She teaches several self-defense courses. I could arrange for you to go to one.”

“Maybe you could go with me?” Julia suggested with a shrug. “I’d enjoy getting to know you.”

“I’d like that,” Gwen admitted. Especially, since she was beginning to accept Jase wasn’t a fling. That meant she needed to make a phone call. “I need to make a call real quick.”

“Stay in here,” Julia offered as she stood. “I’ve got a couple of things to check on myself. Meet me in the kitchen when you’re finished. We’ll grab some lemonade, hunt up some swimsuits and lounge by the pool. If we’re lucky, Mom will make one of her strawberry avocado salads. They’re incredible. Especially if she has any of her homemade salad dressing.”

“Sounds good.”

Julia paused at the door, turning back to speak to Gwen. “Be easy with him. I know he can come across as gruff and commanding, but Jase is one of the most loving people I’ve ever known. He doesn’t show his heart to many. Don’t hurt him.”

Gwen’s head was already shaking before Julia finished. “I won’t,” she vowed. At least, not intentionally.

Chapter Eight

Gwen had a doctor’s appointment scheduled in two weeks. It was the earliest time that fit into her schedule. Plus, after answering numerous questions, she’d discovered she could very well ovulate and get pregnant at this point in missing her birth control shot. They’d do a blood test to check for pregnancy prior to renewing her shot. Supposedly, a blood test could detect pregnancy within six to eight days after ovulation.

Just thinking about it made her a little crazy. Odds were, she wasn’t. That was what she kept telling herself.

Her phone had buzzed three times while she’d spoken with her OB’s office. One call from Jase. One from Bare. One from Levi. None had left a voicemail, but all three had sent texts informing her to Call me. God save her from arrogant men. Business before pleasure.

She called Bare. He didn’t waste time on niceties.

“Miles Kane is dead.”

“Who’s Miles Kane?” she asked.

“You haven’t spoken to Levi,” Bare stated as if she didn’t know that.

“What’s going on? Who is Miles Kane?”

“Call Levi. I’m on my way to you. Don’t let anyone in. Was that the doorbell?”

“Yes,” she answered, already heading into the hallway to try to cut off Julia. Bare was yelling in her ear, but nothing was filtering through.

“Sybil.” Julia’s voice held confusion as did her expression when she turned as a woman walked through the door. “What are you doing here?”

Sybil Jones was Jase’s secretary. Gwen remembered her from the first day they’d gone to Hayes Industries. She hadn’t paid attention to the dossier on her. Gwen had been too focused on Jase’s to care about his employees. Now, she wished she’d read through it. Something was off. Sybil bypassed Julia, stopping slightly ahead of the other woman and off to the right. Gwen saw immediately. It was strategic. It allowed Sybil to keep both her and Julia within her gaze.

“Ms. Jones, can we—”

“Hang up the phone,” Sybil commanded. She lifted a gun, pointing it toward Julia with unwavering aim. “Now.”

Gwen clicked her side button while brushing her thumb in a way to make it appear she’d disconnected. She left the connection open though so Bare could hear everything. She gently laid the phone face down on a table in the hall and held her hands up. Claire was still out of the room, and Gwen hoped Mr. Hayes kept his wife on the phone this situation was under control.

“What’s going on, Sybil?” Julia asked, appearing unconcerned about the gun currently pointed at her.

“Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get his attention? To make him see me? Just once, I wanted him to look at me and really see me. All I had to do was get rid of you.” Sybil kept her gaze darting between Julia and Gwen

“Sybil.” Julia kept her voice soft and even. She flicked her gaze toward Gwen, and Gwen did her best to encourage Jase’s sister to keep Sybil engaged in conversation.

“One more step, and Julia’s taking a fatal shot,” Sybil growled at Gwen.

Gwen put her hands back up, trying to appear as nonthreatening as she could. “Who did you need to get rid of?”

“He was never going to pay attention to me as long as she was around. I may as well have been a piece of office furniture. The sad thing is you don’t even realize it.”

At first, Gwen believed Sybil was talking about Jase. Clichéd maybe, but it happened all the time. Secretary falling for her billionaire boss. It was a storyline that sold both movies and books.

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