Bad Boy Billionaires

Book I - 2

SCARLET

“Yes, Mom. I’m already packing.” I put my phone on speaker to pack my things properly. She’d been calling me endlessly since last night, reassuring herself that I was coming home for the weekend.

After Mom remarried, I flew straight to Cambridge to study and never once visited them.

To be honest, I didn’t want to. Thomas was always busy with work, but he was kind enough to visit me. As for his son Luke? To him, I was invisible.

“I’m just so excited to see you, honey. It’s okay if it’s not on my birthday, and I understand that you are busy, but please just let Thomas’ driver pick you up at the airport next week,” she said, her voice high-pitched as usual.

“No, Mom, but thank you. You know me, I don’t want to be treated like a princess with a bodyguard.” I stood and walked over to stand in front of the mirror. I let down my wavy, dark brown hair and stared at my reflection, finishing my makeup with lip gloss. I then popped my mouth.

I didn’t want to tell Mom I was flying to New York tonight. Though she knew I was going to come home, she had no idea I would arrive early for her fiftieth birthday. It was Thomas’ idea.

“I just want to give the best for my only baby,” she said.

“I’m not your only one. I have a stepbrother, remember?”

“You’re still my only one. Lucas is never home, but he promised to attend the party tonight. Oh, by the way, honey, Luke is in Cambridge. Didn't Thomas tell you he arrived there a few days ago?”

I frowned, and my heartbeat quickened hearing his name. “Luke’s here? No, Thomas didn’t mention anything,” I murmured.

“Why don’t you ask Luke to meet? You two haven’t seen each other for a long time,” she suggested, and I shivered oddly as if someone poured cold water over my head.

For the record, the wedding day was the first and last time I saw him.

I noticed that every time Mom was talking about Luke, my stomach would start churning, and there was always this inexplicable pressure in my chest.

Of course, I couldn’t tell her that I had a big crush on Luke, and I was always curious to know about him. I secretly stalked him on Google.

I looked for social media accounts he might have, but there was nothing. I only found articles about him and the company. I tried to find out if he was dating, but there weren’t any pictures of him with a woman.

I bit my lip hard as I remembered his face at the wedding. Luke was the epitome of male beauty—an utter perfection. Every time Mom talked about him, every hormone in me was rising.

So, I didn’t think meeting him was a good idea. “We’re not close.”

Mom heaved a sigh. “Would you believe me if he said the same when I asked him to meet you?”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, he wasn’t interested in meeting his one and only stepsister. “I’m not surprised.”

“Oh, well... That’s Luke. You’ll get to know him when you come home. I really miss you, honey.”

Damn, I was strangely excited. Butterflies filled my stomach.

“I miss you too, Mom.” So much.

We hung up. I slid my phone into my pocket and grabbed my suitcase.

***

I still couldn’t get over the thought of Luke being here in Cambridge. I’d been debating whether to show up and introduce myself formally, but how could I? I couldn’t ask Mom for his number. I didn’t know where he lived.

However, I was more concerned about what I would feel if I saw him. I would certainly have mixed emotions.

Thomas assigned him to a new business project in Cambridge, and he would stay for three months. It would be enough time before I graduate in two months. I badly needed the help of someone with IT expertise for my thesis. Luke had been an IT genius during his Harvard days.

I frowned at my wristwatch. After fifteen minutes of waiting, the Uber finally came. I dragged my suitcase along with me and stepped into the car. To my irritation, my phone rang the moment I settled in the car.

“Good evening, Miss Scarlet Carter?” The driver greeted me. “Your destination is JFK airport?”

“Yes, thank you.” I drew out the phone from my pocket. Jax’s name appeared on the screen. “Yes, what is it?” I snapped.

“What’s with your tone?”

“I’m sorry. I’m going to be late for my nine o’clock flight.”

“Is it today?” he asked, then cleared his throat.

“Yes. Why did you call me?”

“I just want to remind you of our agreement. Nine days to go, Ericka.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why don’t you just find another woman to screw this weekend?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve been busy. I flew back home last night.” Jax groaned. I noticed the grogginess in his voice.

He told me he was a businessman and often flies around the world. I wasn’t sure if I believed him, but he made himself clear about how much he hated liars, so I guessed he was telling the truth. Though, I didn’t bother asking about it.

I frowned. “Isn’t your home in New York? I still don’t understand our coincidences.”

“Yet, you won’t let me see you. I’m starting to hate answering your queries about your job. Are you sure you’re a graduate?”

“Of course I am. I couldn’t register in the app if I weren’t, right? Also, as I said, your expertise in IT is wider than mine. I’m still new to this.”

“I’m pretty sure you also didn’t give your real name on Pro-Express.”

“Ericka is my real name,” I lied. “But I’m sure yours isn’t Jax.”

“Do you want me to tell you my real name?”

“No. Thank you,” I declined right away. I had stalker tendencies. I would search the Internet for his name if I knew about him.

“You’ll soon find out when we meet.”

“What if I’m ugly?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not.”

“I said, what if? What if I’m not your type?”

“Then I’ll cover your head with the bedsheet.”

I laughed. “Okay, okay. Because I’m sure you’ll be disappointed. I’m not pretty.”

“I don’t care. I only care about how wet you could get if I’m inside you.” And there, I felt something building up inside me.

“You don’t care about appearance, is that it?”

“No. I care, but it would be much easier if you’d tell me what you look like.”

“I look like a woman.” I giggled. “Why are you in New York? Didn’t you just arrive in Cambridge a few days ago?”

“It’s family matters. Something came up,” he said. “I can easily find you when you get here.”

“You won’t do that.”

“I said I can. I didn’t say I will. And I don’t stalk. I only search for people if they commit fraud.”

“Good. Because I’m going to sue you.”

He laughed softly. “I’ll see you in nine days. When is your flight back?”

I shrugged. “Maybe in a week.”

“Good, I have to hang up, my father’s calling from the other line. Have a safe flight, Ericka.”

“Thanks, bye.”

I hung up and tried to call Thomas’ number, but his line was busy, so I just sent him a message. I told him about my expected time of arrival. I just hoped he received it. He’d insisted on having me picked up at the airport.

My stepdad was happy that I was finally coming home. If only he could wrap me in a box with a ribbon as a present to my mother.

He was a great man and a good husband to my mom. Whenever we talked over the phone, he never stopped talking about how much he loved her. But I’d heard that he was a strict man and the King of the house—and me being late could upset him.

But Luke was no prince since he hardly stayed in the house.

Then that made my Mom the Queen. I wonder if they would treat me like a princess. I giggled at the thought but remembered I didn’t want to be one.

The flight went smoothly. Honestly, I was excited and nervous at the same time. It’d been six years since I last saw New York.

The airport was crowded as usual. I dragged my luggage off the baggage carousel and decided to find Thomas’ driver.

After a few minutes of searching, I still couldn’t find him. Mom said he should be a man in his early forties, and he had my picture, so he would quickly find me. My shoulders and feet were beginning to feel heavy. He probably got stuck in traffic.

I drew out my phone and decided to call Thomas. But, as I was scrolling through my contacts, someone approached me. I lifted my head to see who, and to my surprise, Luke was standing before me. I gasped a little at the sight of him.

My heart pounded abnormally. Again.

“Hello, little sister,” he greeted. His voice was cultured yet strangely familiar.

My imagination and memory didn’t do justice to how beautiful he was. He was even more gorgeous than I last saw him. He was dressed in a tailored, navy-blue suit and a Constantin wristwatch, and I was sure he was wearing a pair of custom-made shoes.

My knees started to feel weak. Luke’s deep gray eyes pierced through mine, and his chiseled jaw was sharp and defined.

“Luke,” I breathed. “How did you find me?”

He flashed out a half-smile. I almost melted. “I remembered your face a little.”

“Where’s…. Where’s the driver?” I asked, my mouth still felt dry. He was too beautiful; it was too much to handle.

“He won’t come. Come on.” He snatched the handle of my suitcase from me. I felt tingles in my stomach when his fingers brushed mine.

“Wait. What’s going on? How come you are here?”

“Unfortunately, Dad asked me to come pick you up.” He looked briefly at his wristwatch, his left eyebrow raised. “Come. It’s getting late…”