The Billionaire's Weakness

Chapter Four

Paul

Before I could even open my eyes I felt the pounding in my head. Why did I drink so much last night? Opening one eye ever so slightly I could see the sun was shining meaning it was later than I normally woke up. I turned over to reach for my phone and that’s when I felt an arm and a leg drape over me. Both my eyes shot open and I quickly realized that I was not in my room. f**k. I turned my head and could see my Tinder date from last night sound asleep. Crap. I promised myself I was not going to go home with her. 

Slowly I picked up her arm while shifting my leg out from underneath hers. I rolled farther away and placed her arm gently on the mattress. My phone was not on the bedside table so that means it must still be in my jeans. When I stood the bed let out a very loud creak which caused the woman to stir. 

“Good morning. You’re not trying to sneak away are you?” She stretched and sat up on her elbow facing my backside. 

“No, I was just getting up to try and find my phone. I have no clue what time it is.” Why can’t I remember her damn name right now? Leah? Lisa, no. Crap. I heard her shift but didn’t turn to see what she was doing. 

“It’s after ten. Why don’t we shower and go grab breakfast? I know this great little place that is farm to table. Everything they make is amazing.” She was on her knees behind me now and placed her hands on my back. She started planting open mouth kisses on the top of my shoulder moving her way up to my neck. 

“Sounds great. How about you start the shower. I just need to check my phone real quick to make sure nothing work-related came in.” She gave me a big smile and hopped out of bed and into the bathroom. 

Before shutting the door she turned and gave me her most seductive look. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

"Wouldn't dream of it." As soon as that door clicked shut I jumped up and started searching for my clothes. It took me less than five minutes to be fully dressed and in my car driving away from her house. When I pulled up to the stoplight I opened my Tinder app and blocked her. I’m really getting too old for this s**t. 

When I entered the house I was happy to find the front room empty so I wouldn’t be judged on my walk of shame. I hurried downstairs to shower and change. When I came back up I found Dom in the kitchen feeding Bria. 

“Fun night?” He asked before making a vroom vroom sound effect for Bria’s spoon. 

“Couldn’t tell ya. She seemed satisfied though so it's probably safe to assume I had fun.” I poured a cup of coffee and gave Bria a quick kiss on top of her head before sitting down at the table with them. 

“Are you planning on having a second date with this one?” Dom raised his eyebrow at me waiting for my answer. 

“Let’s see, I don’t know her name. I snuck out without saying goodbye while she was waiting for me to join her in the shower. Oh, and I blocked her on the app since I never actually gave her my phone number. So, no. I don’t think there’s going to be a second date.” 

“There is so much wrong with you.” 

“Mr. Perfect over there.” I snorted at him. “Until Quinn came along you were just as screwed up as I am.” I took a sip of coffee and ran my hand over my head. “I’m not going to seriously date or settle down with someone who doesn’t challenge me. Hooking up on the first date is fine but nothing long-term is ever going to come from a one-night stand. At least for me it’s not.” 

“So stop having S E X with them on the first date.” I looked at him dumbfounded. I can’t believe Dom actually spelled out the word s*x while whispering the letters. 

“You know she can’t understand what we’re saying yet, right? You don’t have to spell anything yet.” 

“Oh, you’re an expert on babies now too? No one knows how much they can absorb at this age. I’m not corrupting my sweet baby girl for you.” 

“I just want someone who isn’t so obviously desperate, you know? Someone who is going to make me work for it. A woman who isn’t with me because she has to be but because she wants to be. Apparently, I’m looking for too much.”

“You know what you need to do?” I shook my head and waited for him to answer. “You need to quit with the hook-up apps and put little Pauly on time out. You need to find a project to take your mind off things. And I have the perfect one for you.” 

“Whatever it is better be worth me putting my d-'' Dom shot me a look warning me not to finish my word. “ D I C K on ‘time out’. Because if it’s not I can’t make any promises.” 

“Quinn was right. Someone was on the deck the other night.” As soon as the words left his mouth I sat at attention. 

“What did you see? Were they just snooping around or were they actually trying to get in?” 

“Not sure. They never came into direct contact with the cameras. I had to watch it over and over just to know for sure that it wasn’t an animal. So either this person just got extremely lucky or they knew exactly where the cameras were and how to stay in the blindspots.” 

“f**k. What did Quinn say when you told her?” Dominic glanced down and avoided eye contact with me. “For Christ's sake Dom, we can’t keep this from her or Emilia for that matter. They need to know so they can be aware.”

“I know that. This morning just wasn’t the time to do it. When Quinn got home she told me she saw on the news that Lianna and three of her guys were shot and killed overnight. She didn’t take it too well.”

“Damn. Any word on who did it?”

“Not yet. Lianna was smart with how she handled business. Maybe it was someone trying to move into her territory and she was too much competition for them. You know when you’re at the top there is always someone waiting to take your place. You can try, but you're never really able to anticipate when it’s coming.” 

“Yeah, I know. So what are your thoughts about our own issue here?”

“First, both girls need to be properly trained on how to use a gun. If we aren’t here with them they need to be able to defend themselves as best they can. Second, we need to think about hiring a small security team for the home and possibly a full-time guard for Quinn and maybe Emilia too. This could’ve been an isolated incident but I’m not willing to take that chance.”

“Neither am I. I’m on board with everything you just said. I will start researching private security and getting interviews set up for this week. The goal will be to have a team in place by the beginning of next week.”

“Thank you. We’ll also need to monitor who has access to the house. Make sure all employee background checks are up to date and there aren’t any red flags anywhere. Personal guests are another thing. I know you don’t normally bring women back to the house since Bria arrived, do you know if Emilia is seeing anyone?” 

“No, I think she’s too much for any of the local guys to handle. Besides a few work friends she only has Quinn.” 

“Jonah too, right?” I looked at Dom wondering why he would bring up Jonah. The two of them never hung out alone. 

“I guess so. When we’re all together they hang out but as far as I know, they are never alone together.” I shrugged at him. 

“To be on the safe side we should fill him in on everything as well. Just in case he happens to be with either of the girls and something happens.” Dom wiped Bria’s face and picked her up out of her high chair. “Alright, I’m going to try and get this one down for a nap.” 

“Give her here. You look like crap and I’m pretty sure you didn’t get any sleep last night after finding out someone has been lurking around your house. Go upstairs and be with Quinn. Get some rest.” Dom handed Bria over to me and I blew a raspberry on her chubby cheek making her belt out a giggle. “Plus, she loves hanging out with her Uncle Pauly. Don’t you principessa?” 

“Thank you. I was worried I was going to fall asleep while rocking her.”

After Dom went upstairs I took Bria into the living room with me. I laid her blanket and activity mat down on the floor and placed her on top of them. Grabbing my laptop I sat myself down next to her and started my research. 

There were a few local security companies based in Seattle that seemed decent enough to interview. One, in particular, intrigued me. They claimed to have an even split of male and female personal protection agents. If Dom was going to require Quinn to have a guard with her at all times may be having a female would make her feel more comfortable. 

About ninety minutes later I had emailed the companies to set up interviews and reserved dates and times at the local shooting range for both girls. Now that Emilia is making steady money I know she’s been looking for her own place so she may fight me on learning how to shoot. She hates guns, always has. So I’ll deal with her if it becomes an issue. 

I glanced down at Bria who had finally worn herself out playing and trying her best to crawl. “Uncle Pauly thinks you have the right idea kid.” I closed my laptop and placed it next to me. Laying down next to Bria, I  grabbed a throw pillow from the couch, placed it under my head, and closed my eyes. Finally, it was my turn to catch up on the sleep I missed out on last night.