Page 1 of The Billionaire's Baby Betrayal

CHAPTER1

PIPER

Piper Marshall arrived late for the first pre-race exam of the horse her boss, Felix Bankes, had entered in the St Leger Stakes at the Doncaster Racecourse in England. The horse, Sir Valor, was the favorite to win, which was not out of the ordinary for a thoroughbred from Bankes Farms. Piper had trained the last two winners from the stables, and she knew Felix expected nothing less from Sir Valor.

She parked her aging Alfa Romeo sports car in the first spot she found in the owners’ parking lot and hurriedly grabbed her leather tote bag before exiting. She didn’t notice the tall, dark-haired man getting out of a car. Nor did she see the Porsche 911 convertible blocking her vehicle. She heard a voice calling out as she slammed her door and walked toward the riding stables.

“Excuse me, miss, but are you an owner?”

Piper turned to see a man resting his hip on the back side panel of the car.

Her cornflower-blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why are you asking?”

He fixed chocolate-brown eyes levelly on her and shrugged. “If you aren’t, you need to move your car for me, an owner, to park his car.”

She hesitated because she knew he was right, but Piper was in a rush and tried to answer around the fact that she wasn’t an owner.

“I have permission to park here. If you’ll excuse me, I’m expected at the stables.” Her copper-haired ponytail swung as she turned on her heel.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Piper sighed as she considered not responding and continued toward the stables. It wasn’t her personality to be rude or lie, and she knew that if she did, she would feel guilty for the rest of the day. She twirled around and stared at the handsome face with a head of immaculately styled curly hair. The smug smile on his full lips lent a hint of sex appeal she might have wanted to investigate under other circumstances.

“Sir—”

“What’s going on, Piper? You’ve kept the team waiting,” interrupted her boss, Felix, as he ran up to her and grabbed her upper arm. “We must get to the stables.” He steered her away from the parked cars.

Piper saw the scowl on his tanned patrician face as she maneuvered her arm from his grasp. “Felix, I am aware of the time, but you interrupted my conversation.”

He shot a scornful glance over his shoulder at the man standing alone. “I can’t imagine what you would have to say to Andrés Olivera. He’s part of the nouveau riche element striving to succeed in our world. Olivera fancies himself a breeder, but he and others like him are of no consequence to us.”

“That’s Andrés Olivera?” asked Piper, not daring to look back. She knew of the man from the business and social pages of newspapers and magazines. He was a successful venture capitalist and confirmed bachelor who apparently enjoyed a jet-setting lifestyle with his affluent clients and the upper echelon of international society. His actual net worth was unknown but rumored to be close to a billion dollars.

“Yes, that’s him, and why should you care?” curtly replied Felix. “I said he’s no concern of ours.”

“Don’t get in a huff over it!” said Piper. “I only asked because I didn’t recognize him from his newspaper photos. I haven’t read anything about his breeding and racing successes.”

Felix ignored her reproach and continued toward the stables.

When they reached the stables, the racing commission veterinarian began examining Sir Valor. He checked the horse’s lip tattoo and asked the groom to lead him on a jog away from and back toward the vet. After checking for any inflammation or pain in the horse’s legs and finding none, Sir Valor was led back to his stall to rest before the next exam, immediately before his race.

“Thank you, doctor. Would you grant me a few minutes to study your notes?” Piper smiled graciously at the well-respected doctor. Douglas Carlyle had been a veterinarian for twenty years, ten with the commission.

“Of course, Marsh.” He rubbed Sir Valor’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen his coat so lustrous.”

“That’s because he’s well-groomed, well-fed, and well-loved at the farm,” said Piper.

“No, it’s because his pedigree is superior. Bankes Farms insists upon breeding the best,” Felix cut in.

Piper and the doctor exchanged knowing looks in response to Felix’s pompous bragging.

Piper stepped away to read over the doctor’s notes as Lady Gisela Summerlin approached Felix. Lady Gisela was the daughter of the owner of a competing breeder, and Piper felt that there was nothing that the lady would like better than to merge the two enterprises. Felix, she was sure, didn’t consider Gisela more than the daughter of a competitor, although he ate up the attention.

She watched discreetly as the lady made use of all the flirtatious gestures in her repertoire but to no avail.They’re not going to work on him, Gisela. Your pedigree doesn’t go back far enough for Felix, she thought.

Piper had found out quickly after Felix hired her that the charm he exuded when enticing her to work for him was a sham. The man was a snob and a narcissist, and he prided himself on being immaculately dressed for every occasion. His blond hair was trimmed weekly in the American Ivy League style, and he refused to sport facial hair of any kind. With his blond hair, hazel eyes, and sophisticated manner, Piper considered him as attractive as other women did, but she wondered if they ever saw past the looks and wealth to Felix’s true self.

“Thank you, Doctor Carlyle,” said Piper as she handed him the notes. “We’ll see you later this afternoon.” She looked around the grounds. “Has the owners’ pavilion opened yet? I could use some coffee.”

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