Caviar and Covert Ops: Book 3 (Military Moguls) by Olivia Jaymes Page B
Authors: Olivia Jaymes
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Donovan.”
“His mother was a Braxton and that makes Nicky a Braxton.” Dane slipped by her and reached into his suitcase, pulling out the thick envelope. “This is the trust I’ve had set up for Nicky. You’ll never have to worry about money again, Lily.”
He held out the papers but she was looking at them as if they were a poisonous snake. “Just look at it,” he urged. “For the most part you’ll have complete control over the fund.”
Finally she took the envelope and pulled out the sheaf of papers, taking her time studying them before returning her gaze to his. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, no color in her pale face.
“This says there’s a million dollars in this account. A million dollars, Dane. I think you need to start from the beginning again. Just how did you find out about me? And why did you seek me out? I want answers.” Her voice had turned shrill at the end.
Scraping his fingers through his hair, Dane knew the time for honesty had come. He needed to tell her the ugly truth.
Even if she didn’t want to be with him anymore. He didn’t want her pity. He wanted her love.
*
Lily was glad Nicky was sleeping peacefully but her world was quickly crashing down all around. Less than half an hour ago they were having a lovely getaway, enjoying her young son’s first visit to Disney. Now she was face to face with the man she thought she loved but may never have known at all.
“When Brandon died I was named the executor of his estate.”
“You said that,” Lily replied abruptly, trying to be patient even as her heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.
“I’m trying to explain. As his executor I was given access to certain personal items. One of them was the last email you sent him after Nicky was born.”
Lily remembered that letter well. She’d been terrified of raising a child alone with little money and no emotional support. It had been a last ditch effort to get Brandon to own up to being a father and taking even the slightest interest in his son. She’d never heard a word back and eventually any hope she had withered away.
“You read it?” For some reason it bothered her to think he’d read words written in post-partum desperation. “And you didn’t believe me?”
Dane set the soda can on the table. “Actually my first inclination was that your letter was probably true. Brandon had never been known for being practical or careful so it made perfect sense that he would recklessly impregnate a girl he had no intention of staying with. But I needed to know for sure of course. I couldn’t turn over money to someone who wasn’t Brandon’s actual blood relative.”
That did make sense. She’d never expected money and had never asked for any, but no one would be handing it out unless Nicky was the genuine article.
“Brandon didn’t mention his son in his will?”
Dane sat down heavily in the chair by the window, his shoulders hunched and his elbows on his knees. “Brandon didn’t have a will. Just a bunch of bills and creditors. I liquidated his estate to pay them off. Your email was the last thing the family attorney gave me.”
Leaning against the cool glass of the window, she shook her head. “The family attorney, huh? What kind of family needs an attorney? Wait, don’t answer that. A rich one.” She straightened and looked him right in the eye. “So you were sent to pay me off? Get rid of the rubbish? Did you decide to have a roll in the hay while you were at it?”
His face paled and she knew her arrows had found their marks. If only he knew that she was hurting just as badly. She’d thought they really had something but now it looked cheap…and tawdry.
“No,” he bit out. “No one sent me. I read the letter and made my own decision. The fact is I haven’t said a word about this to the rest of the family. I was going to let you decide if you wanted to meet them and let them know about Nicky. They’re not the easiest people in the world to deal with,
“His mother was a Braxton and that makes Nicky a Braxton.” Dane slipped by her and reached into his suitcase, pulling out the thick envelope. “This is the trust I’ve had set up for Nicky. You’ll never have to worry about money again, Lily.”
He held out the papers but she was looking at them as if they were a poisonous snake. “Just look at it,” he urged. “For the most part you’ll have complete control over the fund.”
Finally she took the envelope and pulled out the sheaf of papers, taking her time studying them before returning her gaze to his. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, no color in her pale face.
“This says there’s a million dollars in this account. A million dollars, Dane. I think you need to start from the beginning again. Just how did you find out about me? And why did you seek me out? I want answers.” Her voice had turned shrill at the end.
Scraping his fingers through his hair, Dane knew the time for honesty had come. He needed to tell her the ugly truth.
Even if she didn’t want to be with him anymore. He didn’t want her pity. He wanted her love.
*
Lily was glad Nicky was sleeping peacefully but her world was quickly crashing down all around. Less than half an hour ago they were having a lovely getaway, enjoying her young son’s first visit to Disney. Now she was face to face with the man she thought she loved but may never have known at all.
“When Brandon died I was named the executor of his estate.”
“You said that,” Lily replied abruptly, trying to be patient even as her heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.
“I’m trying to explain. As his executor I was given access to certain personal items. One of them was the last email you sent him after Nicky was born.”
Lily remembered that letter well. She’d been terrified of raising a child alone with little money and no emotional support. It had been a last ditch effort to get Brandon to own up to being a father and taking even the slightest interest in his son. She’d never heard a word back and eventually any hope she had withered away.
“You read it?” For some reason it bothered her to think he’d read words written in post-partum desperation. “And you didn’t believe me?”
Dane set the soda can on the table. “Actually my first inclination was that your letter was probably true. Brandon had never been known for being practical or careful so it made perfect sense that he would recklessly impregnate a girl he had no intention of staying with. But I needed to know for sure of course. I couldn’t turn over money to someone who wasn’t Brandon’s actual blood relative.”
That did make sense. She’d never expected money and had never asked for any, but no one would be handing it out unless Nicky was the genuine article.
“Brandon didn’t mention his son in his will?”
Dane sat down heavily in the chair by the window, his shoulders hunched and his elbows on his knees. “Brandon didn’t have a will. Just a bunch of bills and creditors. I liquidated his estate to pay them off. Your email was the last thing the family attorney gave me.”
Leaning against the cool glass of the window, she shook her head. “The family attorney, huh? What kind of family needs an attorney? Wait, don’t answer that. A rich one.” She straightened and looked him right in the eye. “So you were sent to pay me off? Get rid of the rubbish? Did you decide to have a roll in the hay while you were at it?”
His face paled and she knew her arrows had found their marks. If only he knew that she was hurting just as badly. She’d thought they really had something but now it looked cheap…and tawdry.
“No,” he bit out. “No one sent me. I read the letter and made my own decision. The fact is I haven’t said a word about this to the rest of the family. I was going to let you decide if you wanted to meet them and let them know about Nicky. They’re not the easiest people in the world to deal with,
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