Page 96 of The Billionaire's Son

She shrugged. “Hardly my idea, but send me an invite.”

“If I did, would you come?”

She lifted her gaze to his and found him staring at her intently. She hesitated. “Probably not.”

“Why not?”

“We—we’re different people, Trey. I’m not part of your world.”

After a long moment he said, “What if I wanted you in my world?”

Her heart began to pound. Yes, this was what she wanted him to say, even if it was all wrong for them both.

“You know I don’t fit.”

He picked up her hand and laced their fingers together. “Maybe we could make it work.”

“Could we?”

“I think Jason wants us to.”

“And whatever the little prince wants, the little prince gets?”

Trey’s eyes widened. “The little prince? I haven’t heard that one in a while.”

“Sorry. It’s one of my pet names for Jason.”

Now wearing a sad smile, Trey squeezed her hand. “Funny thing. I was once a little prince.”

“You?”

Trey nodded, seemingly fascinated by the connection of their fingers.

“I’ve met your father,” Kelly said. “I find it hard to believe the man spoiled you when you were Jason’s age,”

“Not my father.” Trey shook his head, obviously thinking back. “My mother. I was her little prince.”

Kelly held her breath as Trey continued to speak. He seldom mentioned his mother.

“I’ve often wondered if that’s one reason Darlene turned to drugs,” he said. “Two different women, two different ways of reacting to the pressure of being a Wentworth. Hell, I was happy to back away from that life myself.”

“And you’re about to be sucked back in.”

“I knew my absence was temporary, but things will be different when I take over. I’m nothing like my father.”

“No,” Kelly said. “You’re not.”

“Thank you for that,” Trey said.

He fell silent, and so did she. Canned laughter from the television was the only sound as she remembered what he’d said on Drop Shot about some scars being less visible.

Her family history might be sad, but so was his. No matter how much money anyone had, everyone had to do the best they could with the hand they were dealt. Sometimes the cards sucked.

Jason was getting better. That was the important thing. He didn’t need her anymore. Perhaps she was even a reminder of a confusing and scary period in his young life. With a sharp stab of regret, she wondered if she needed to step away. She should cut off all ties with the little dude, which meant any connection with his father would also be lost.

A connection that didn’t really exist anyway. Or only in her imagination.

“Kelly—” Trey broke off, shaking his head.

“What?”

“I’m sorry if the press release hurt your feelings,” he said. “That wasn’t my intention, but I should have warned you.”

“I understand,” she said.

“Do you really?”

“You explained the reasoning,” she said. “And after all, the statement was the truth.” She raised her gaze to Trey’s and got caught by the raw emotion glittering in his dark eyes. She swallowed.

“Wasn’t it, Trey?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

TREY RAISED A hand and caressed Kelly’s soft cheek. She was so lovely, so good for him in so many ways, and he was desperately in love with her. And this time his feelings were the real deal. Not the crazed infatuation he’d had for Darlene. He knew the difference now.

Jason loved Kelly, too. No doubt she was the perfect woman to nurture his son. Her influence would turn him into a fine man.

He wanted to make Kelly his wife and build a life with her, have another child, if she was willing.

Yes, it was possible the dangerous job she loved could end her life too soon, but he’d become willing to take that chance. He better than anyone knew there were no guarantees.

Except one.

Marriage into the Wentworth family destroyed women. Ground them down until there was nothing left but a shell of their original vibrant spirit. His grandmother had died too young and under mysterious circumstances that his father refused to discuss. His mother was rotting in a sanitarium. His wife had drunk herself into a horrifying and violent death, nearly killing her own child.

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