Read Online Biker Billionaire #2: The Mile High Club by Jasinda Wilder - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jasinda Wilder
Ads: Link
he—?"
"No, he's alive, but it's not good. They need me back in the States ASAP."
* * *
The helicopter brought us to an airport outside Khartoum where a jet was waiting for us. Shane's brothers were already on board, dressed in civilian clothes and looking sullen, scared, and worried.
I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me, and was worried to ask.
We rode in silence, no one speaking, no one moving.
We stopped in Hamburg, Germany to refuel and left again as soon as the tanks were full. It was the longest I'd ever sat in complete silence in my life. Eventually I fell into a restless sleep. We arrived at the JFK International airport in the dead of night. Shane's brothers gave us space when he pulled me aside and sat down with me in a waiting area outside the gate.
"So you have a decision to make, Leona." I caught his fingers in a death grip as he spoke. "You can come with us, or I can put you on a flight back to Detroit. We're headed to our parents' estate New York."
"There's nothing for me in Detroit," I said. "Nothing but my parents or to go crawling back to John."
"I don't know what's waiting for me in New York. Dad's in critical condition still." He seemed to be leading up to something, hesitating.
"What? Say it."
He closed his eyes briefly. "If...with my dad out of commission, leadership of his company falls to me. He's been wanting me to take over for years now, but I've always refused. I don't want to do it, never have. But...I can't refuse now."
I didn't understand what the big deal was. "So? You'll be a corporate CEO, then. I get it. If you don't want me with you...I mean, I know I'm not going to be much use in corporate boardroom, so if you're saying I can't really—"
He cut me off with a kiss. "No, Leo. That's not what I'm saying. The exact opposite, actually. If you come with me, you'd be basically part of the family." He had a pained look on his face. "Listen, I don't...I've never, ever brought a girl home. In my family, in this kind society, you don't bring a girl home to meet the family unless it's serious. There's casual girlfriends, and then there's the girl you bring home. If you come with me, we're declaring to my family and everyone else what we are."
"Which is?"
"Something more." He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly through his teeth. "I know it's fast, and unexpected, and a lot of pressure, but..."
I got up and paced away from him. What did I want?
I thought about getting on a plane back to the D, thought about begging for my old job back, sleeping in my parent's spare room where I'd grown up, seeing John to get my stuff...
No.
I turned back to Shane and threaded our fingers together. "I'll go with you. I don't claim to know what I'm getting myself into anymore than I did when I agreed to come with you to Africa, but...I'm game. If you really want me there, if you think I'll fit, then I'll come. I don't know shit from shellfish when it comes to high society, or whatever, but...I'll do my best."
Shane seemed relieved. His shoulders slumped down as if he'd been preparing for a blow that he realized wasn't coming.
"You're sure? I'd understand if you're not."
I tugged his hand, pulling him to where his brothers waited with shocked expressions on their faces. "I'm sure."
He kissed the top of my head. "That's my little lion."
We joined his brothers, who were staring at me in something like awe.
"You're bringing her...home?" Luke asked.
Shane just nodded.
"Did he explain to you what that meant, in our family?" Rob asked me.
"Sort of. It's a big deal, I gather."
Jon chuckled. "A big deal. Yeah, you might say that."
Luke shook his head, bemused. "You've known Shane how long?"
"Two weeks, maybe?" I was playing it cool, but inside I was on fire, even more terrified than when bullets were flying past my head in Khartoum.
Luke looked at Shane, bumped him with his shoulder. "Your girl's got balls, Shane. Great big brass ones."
Shane nodded. "Yeah, that's why I—yeah,
"No, he's alive, but it's not good. They need me back in the States ASAP."
* * *
The helicopter brought us to an airport outside Khartoum where a jet was waiting for us. Shane's brothers were already on board, dressed in civilian clothes and looking sullen, scared, and worried.
I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me, and was worried to ask.
We rode in silence, no one speaking, no one moving.
We stopped in Hamburg, Germany to refuel and left again as soon as the tanks were full. It was the longest I'd ever sat in complete silence in my life. Eventually I fell into a restless sleep. We arrived at the JFK International airport in the dead of night. Shane's brothers gave us space when he pulled me aside and sat down with me in a waiting area outside the gate.
"So you have a decision to make, Leona." I caught his fingers in a death grip as he spoke. "You can come with us, or I can put you on a flight back to Detroit. We're headed to our parents' estate New York."
"There's nothing for me in Detroit," I said. "Nothing but my parents or to go crawling back to John."
"I don't know what's waiting for me in New York. Dad's in critical condition still." He seemed to be leading up to something, hesitating.
"What? Say it."
He closed his eyes briefly. "If...with my dad out of commission, leadership of his company falls to me. He's been wanting me to take over for years now, but I've always refused. I don't want to do it, never have. But...I can't refuse now."
I didn't understand what the big deal was. "So? You'll be a corporate CEO, then. I get it. If you don't want me with you...I mean, I know I'm not going to be much use in corporate boardroom, so if you're saying I can't really—"
He cut me off with a kiss. "No, Leo. That's not what I'm saying. The exact opposite, actually. If you come with me, you'd be basically part of the family." He had a pained look on his face. "Listen, I don't...I've never, ever brought a girl home. In my family, in this kind society, you don't bring a girl home to meet the family unless it's serious. There's casual girlfriends, and then there's the girl you bring home. If you come with me, we're declaring to my family and everyone else what we are."
"Which is?"
"Something more." He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly through his teeth. "I know it's fast, and unexpected, and a lot of pressure, but..."
I got up and paced away from him. What did I want?
I thought about getting on a plane back to the D, thought about begging for my old job back, sleeping in my parent's spare room where I'd grown up, seeing John to get my stuff...
No.
I turned back to Shane and threaded our fingers together. "I'll go with you. I don't claim to know what I'm getting myself into anymore than I did when I agreed to come with you to Africa, but...I'm game. If you really want me there, if you think I'll fit, then I'll come. I don't know shit from shellfish when it comes to high society, or whatever, but...I'll do my best."
Shane seemed relieved. His shoulders slumped down as if he'd been preparing for a blow that he realized wasn't coming.
"You're sure? I'd understand if you're not."
I tugged his hand, pulling him to where his brothers waited with shocked expressions on their faces. "I'm sure."
He kissed the top of my head. "That's my little lion."
We joined his brothers, who were staring at me in something like awe.
"You're bringing her...home?" Luke asked.
Shane just nodded.
"Did he explain to you what that meant, in our family?" Rob asked me.
"Sort of. It's a big deal, I gather."
Jon chuckled. "A big deal. Yeah, you might say that."
Luke shook his head, bemused. "You've known Shane how long?"
"Two weeks, maybe?" I was playing it cool, but inside I was on fire, even more terrified than when bullets were flying past my head in Khartoum.
Luke looked at Shane, bumped him with his shoulder. "Your girl's got balls, Shane. Great big brass ones."
Shane nodded. "Yeah, that's why I—yeah,
Similar Books
