Page 252 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

“Yes, I am.”

“I can’t believe you’re really a billionaire!” she gushed. “We’re here for Megyn. We’re her parents. Does she really live here? Can we come in?”

My stomach felt tight. The television interview had, so far, done a world of good for both Megyn and myself, but here was a consequence, nonetheless. I knew Megyn hadn’t mentioned our relationship to her parents. These two must have seen the news broadcast or otherwise heard about it, perhaps from a friend, since they did used to live in the area.

“I think I should go get Megyn,” I said. I winced internally, though I kept my aggravation from showing on my face. Poor Megyn. I’d meant to give her time to relax and now I had to interrupt her and bring her into a situation that was as far from calming as possible.

“Don’t worry,” a quiet voice said. I spun. Megyn came down the hallway, her hair still damp, wearing the same clothes she’d taken off before her bath. “I’m already here.”

“Megyn,” I said. I went over to her and grabbed her arms. I brought my lips close to hers, but instead of kissing her, I whispered, “Go back to the bedroom. I’ll take care of this.”

Megyn’s lips curved into a slight smile. Wordlessly, she pointed over my shoulder. I turned and dismay gripped me as I saw the woman—Crystal—stepping over the threshold into the living room. She let out a wordless exclamation of delight and spread her arms wide, spinning in a circle on the spacious floor.

The man, Megyn’s father, came over to me and held out his hand. “I’m Jeremy,” he grumbled. “Megyn’s father. That’s Crystal, her step-mother.”

I took his hand but didn’t shake it. I held it tight and looked hard into his eyes. “It would have been nice if you called ahead. It’s a long way from California to New York. Plenty of time to make an announcement.”

Jeremy looked over at Crystal, his expression blank, like he wore a mask. “You know how women can be sometimes, getting ideas in their head. She wanted to drop by and surprise the two of you.”

“So that we couldn’t say no,” Megyn muttered.

Jeremy avoided her gaze.

I squirmed from the sheer awkwardness of it all. Clearing my throat, I decided to try and regain some semblance of control. “Well, why don’t you come in and we can talk now you’re here? No sense turning you away again so soon.”

Jeremy nodded. He called over, “Crystal, we can stay for a bit.”

Crystal came running back over. She grabbed my hands in hers and squeezed tight, pricking my skin with her sharp nails. “Thank you sooo much,” she cooed in a falsetto. “Your house is so lovely! And right on the beach. Is that a firepit? How much did it cost you to install?”

I wrapped my arm around Megyn and brought her with me to the living room. “I didn’t install it. I bought it and dumped it out there on the sand. It’s not a permanent fixture.”

“What?” Crystal’s baby blues open up wide. “Even Jeremy can afford a firepit like that. Surely you have the money to do something better?”

Jeremy,I noted.She didn’t mention a thing about her own money.

I sat down on the couch with Megyn. “Well, that’s what I bought, and that’s what’s out there.”

There would be no use explaining to this woman what I had told Megyn all that time ago, how I felt there were better ways to spend my money. Megyn had understood. Crystal would not.

“Maybe we should tell them why we’re here, baby,” Jeremy said. He sat down in a rattan chair and sagged back, almost seeming to go limp once his legs didn’t have to support him any longer. I almost felt sorry for the guy. His second wife had drained him, of life and probably also of money, if I was reading the signs right.

“Well, sure, but they have to know why already, don’t they?” Crystal tilted her head. She stood by the back living room window, gazing out at the ocean with hunger on her face. “I want to see if it was real, what was on the TV. I needed to see it for myself. I couldn’t believe thatMegynof all people would be able to shack up with a billionaire.”

“You could have called,” Megyn said. She trembled under my arm. I looked down at her, but she didn’t look afraid. As a matter of fact, she looked pretty pissed off.

“As I said, I needed to see it for myself.” Crystal turned away from Megyn and wandered into the kitchen. I heard her picking things up and setting them down, evidently checking out the values of each item. “Is this the only house you own, Carter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“There’s only one of me.”

Crystal laughed aloud like I’d told a great joke. She peeked around the corner. “No, really.”

“I just don’t,” I said curtly. “And I’d appreciate it if you would quit snooping around. It’s in very bad taste to come into a man’s home and touch all his things.”

Crystal flounced from the kitchen to the living room and dropped down on her husband’s lap. He made a soft sound as if it hurt, though she didn’t apologize or even seem to realize she’d caused harm. “Where do you keep your valuables?”

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