Page 90 of Faking it with the Billionaire
“I do have one announcement to make,” Kyler says. “As many of you may know, this is my fiancée and my daughter.” He introduces us to the press.
Kyler takes a question in the front row from one of the reporters. “It’s common knowledge that you’re a wealthy billionaire, and you don’t need the NHL’s money to play the sport. Have you considered purchasing a team in the league?”
He smiles, and his shoulders seem to relax with her question. “If I do that, it would be against the league’s rules for me to play the game.”
“So, when you retire?” she asks, probing further.
He leans forward into the microphone. “I have no plans to retire, now or anytime in the near future,” he says, making his position absolutely clear. “This is just a short break. A couple of weeks to focus on my growing family.”
“Growing family?” the woman asks. “Does that mean that you’re expecting another child?”
Bristol’s eyes widen, and while sometimes she doesn’t pay complete attention to what’s going on, this time, she catches every word. “Am I going to be a big sister?” she asks with an excited squeal.
No doubt, every reporter heard her excitement, and a few of them even managed to get it on video.
“No comment,” Kyler says, but it’s too late. The rumor escaped, and there’s no chance of leashing this monstrosity.
TWENTY-THREE
KYLER
I endup paying Lia for the day but letting her go home early. With Bristol safe at the arena and Em keeping an eye on her, there really isn’t any reason to have the nanny pick Bristol up. But now, I regret not having Lia home to cook us all a nice dinner or watch Bristol in the evening.
I could use some alone time to talk with Em. I don’t want her to think that last night was a one-off incident.
I don’t want no-strings-attached sex. With Em, I want the whole package.
I end up ordering dinner, and Mitchell is generous enough to pick it up and bring it back to the house before he takes off for the night.
Bristol helps set the table, and once dinner arrives, I stalk upstairs to find Em, who seems to have been hiding from me since we got back from the arena.
I give a firm knock on her bedroom door, and it squeaks open. The latch wasn’t secure. She’s standing beside the bed, her suitcase open and the dresser drawers open as she folds her clothes and packs her belongings.
“Are you planning a trip?” I ask. She hadn’t mentioned going anywhere, but she’s certainly got the money after the last couple of months that I’ve been paying her six figures.
She glances up at me, and her gaze flinches. “Not exactly.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, stalking into her bedroom. I glance at her bag, curious if she’s packing summer clothes for the beach or maybe she’s planning on going someplace in the mountains and needs some cooler clothes for the climate.
She’s got everything stuffed into one bag, from her bathing suits on top to her sweaters peeking out underneath.
“The contract is over, Kyler. I’ve finished off my job now that James Fitzgerald has been arrested and is behind bars. You and your daughter are safe.”
“That’s what this is about? You don’t have to leave.”
“Don’t I?” She laughs nervously and bites down on her bottom lip. “Who are we playing make-believe for now?”
“The team thinks we’re engaged.”
“And?” She’s holding her lacy black bra in her hands, folding it in half, but she doesn’t put it into her luggage. She’s fiddling with it. “We knew this had an expiration date. Just neither of us knew when it would be.”
I wish I could argue with her that she’s wrong, but she’s not. I didn’t ask her to marry me out of love; it was all part of a farce to get Fitzgerald to renew my contract.
Which didn’t work.
I’m still waiting on a phone call from him, but what the reporter said has been itching through my head since the moment I left the arena.Ownership.
I could own an NHL team.
