King of Players: An Opposites Attract Romance (Billionaire Kings of New York Book 3)

1. The Commodity of Kindness

one

Kaira

Stretching back my arms up high, I carefully worked on the high bun I was trying to fix with several bobby pins. Today—and until nine o’clock—I was dedicated to making sure that everything in my house reflected class.

As I checked my appearance in the mirror, I caught a couple of pins that weren’t doing what they were supposed to. Gently pulling them out and readjusting, I thought about how proud my grandmother would have been. It had been six months since she had passed away, and this was my first fundraiser since her passing. I needed to honor her memory by carrying on the tradition. And her passion was and always had been, serving the church.

Adding a touch of lip-tint with the small, soft applicator, I mused over how she would disapprove of the color I was adding. “Nothing will top the beauty God gave you, darling Kaira,” she would say.

At twenty-nine, I was beginning to have my doubts. Wasn’t she also the woman who frowned upon every male friend I had brought home? And wasn’t she the one who refused to remarry after my grandfather had passed away? Having spent the last twelve years of her life a lonesome widow, she carried her suffering like a medal.

That was where we disagreed the most.

I loved the church and what it did to serve the underprivileged, but I also couldn’t shake the feeling that God was much greater than what my grandmother had believed. He was grand, vast and he wanted me to be happy. If it weren’t for that firm faith, I would have stopped helping the church by now. My inheritance was generous enough to grant me a comfortable life, and my philosophy studies had rendered me questioning.

Constantly questioning everything… except kindness and generosity toward fellow men.

Even if God thought it was best to take away my parents when I was only seven. Even if that swerving car driven by a drunken driver had mercilessly torn my sense of safety and security to shreds.

I trusted my instincts and intuition, and they constantly told me that I was exposed to so much pain only to empathize, care, and lend a helping hand to those who suffered.

Satisfied with my work-ready appearance, I smoothed the wrinkles out of my white t-shirt, tucked it into my high-waist jeans, and left the room.

“Good morning, Miriam.” Over the kitchen counter downstairs, I smiled at my house manager, who immediately extended a hand with a steaming mug of coffee for me.

“Good morning, Ms. Bradley.” Resting her arms on the counter, she crossed them and said, “Everyone’s here. They started with the garden and will work their way in, as you advised.”

“Great.” I sat down on the barstool. “I’ll finish this and go give them a hand.”

Giving me a serious look, Miriam tilted her head. “You always do this; exhaust yourself all day and end up collapsing right after the fundraiser.”

“Well, at least not in the middle of it.” I giggled. “Let’s see if I still got it, or if thirty is creeping in too soon.”

Throwing back her head with her echoing laugh I adored, the old woman said, “You’ll never know what it’s like to be old. Not with a mind like yours.”

Lifting an eyebrow, I took a sip of my coffee and mulled over her statement for a moment. Sitting down the mug calmly, I shrugged and tried to hide my concern behind a smile. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

Gracefully in her long dress and high ponytail, Miriam made her way around the counter and stopped right in front of me, tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear the exact same way my grandmother used to. “You’re a gemstone, darling. And those only get more and more precious over the years.”

***

The preparations for the fundraiser had gone perfectly, with the planning company that had always taken care of my grandmother”s events free of charge. My friends from the church and the attached youth center were also incredible, helping out with everything, knowing that it was all for the benefit of their community.

While I took shelter from the scorching sun, I stood out on the veranda with a glass of iced tea. Evan, the man from the company responsible for the guests and invitations, approached me, holding up his phone. “Just got word from Abel Drakos’ assistant that he’s bringing a friend of his.”

I smiled, the sun causing me to squint my eyes. “The more the merrier! Let’s hope he’s not only coming for the party.”

Standing beside me, the young, energetic man shook his head. “I don’t think so. Mr. Drakos wouldn’t do that to you.”

“He barely knows me,” I scoffed. “His mother knew my grandmother, and he’s only here to honor her memory.”

“And that’s precisely it. I think he’s trying to double-honor it.”

Nodding, I flashed him a smile. “I’ll go with your optimism.” And then I took a large sip of tea, catching a half-molten cube of ice in my mouth and chewed it. “Gosh, if it stays this hot tonight, I think we’ll spend most of our time indoors. I’d better go make sure they set up enough hydration stations.”

“Do your thing.”

“Later!”

I went, and sure enough, Miriam had already thought of what I had, and instructed the team to employ more corners for water and cold refreshments.

The rest of the day went as if on fast-forward, and I could finally let out a sigh of relief as I stepped into the shower. After ten minutes of pure relaxation under cool water, I dried myself and walked into the dressing room, eyeing the dress I had especially made for tonight. A black silk number, long enough to touch my toes as I walked. The sleeves were wide and airy, allowing me to move freely without overheating.

As I touched the fabric, I thought of how black silk had been my mother’s favorite choice of night garment, and I believed I inherited that from her. What I never had the time to learn, however, was her tendency and acceptance of making it out in a little black dress that proudly showed off her assets.

Perhaps I was just a little shy about my femininity.

But now that the party was in full blast, I had to forget all about that and invest my time in persuading people to make donations.

“The children’s center is almost finished,” I said to one guest—a wealthy surgeon. “And with enough funds, we can add to the computer lab; a science lab, an art room, and a music studio.”

“Fantastic,” he nodded approvingly. “I must admit; it’s refreshing to see you holding the torch and completing what she started. Most people your age would rather spend their time squandering that inheritance or traveling the world.”

“I’ve already traveled the world, John.” I giggled. “Time to help the young ones see it the way I did.” In the background behind John’s head, I spotted Abel Drakos and another man standing next to him, both in killer Italian suits, radiating even deadlier handsomeness. “Oh, you’ll have to excuse me. One of our biggest donors has arrived with a new face.”

“Ah, fresh blood! Better pounce quick, dear.” John laughed, patting me on the back before I made my way over to Abel.

“Good evening, gentlemen.” I extended a hand to Abel. “You have no idea how grateful I am that you came.”

“Kaira.” He took my hand. “Charming as always. Not only did I come, but I also brought an interested donor.” Turning to his friend, Abel grinned, gesturing at his friend as if we had already met.

Confused that he didn’t bother making the introduction, I took the lead myself and extended my hand. “Kaira Bradley, thank you so much for caring about our cause.”

Taking my hand, he kissed the back of it instead of an ordinary shake. “Pleasure’s all mine.”

What was with those people? Where were their manners? “Um, I’m sorry, Mr.?”

His face suddenly froze, but he seemed to land on his feet rather quickly. “Uh—Chad? Chadwick Niles?”

Now I was beginning to question my memory. Had we met at one of my grandmother’s benefits? Another social event? Did I know him? “A—Very nice to meet you, Mr. Niles. I’m sorry. I’ve been standing out in the sun all day and my brain’s a little fuzzy.”

“But your skin is glowing, and I guess that beats anything.”

His smile came out appreciative to a fault, and I thought that maybe the V-neck of my dress was a little too revealing. Having failed to discern if we had encountered each other before, I decided that a little refresher of boundaries was never a bad idea. “I think I’ll stick to the power of my mind, thank you very much.” I added a smile in the end, a flair of lightness to my otherwise alienating remark. His smile slowly faded, so I quickly added, “Have you considered your contribution yet, Mr. Niles?”

Clearing his throat, he nodded. “Oh, I’m not just here to donate. I’m here to help you sell whatever cause this is.”

Although his confidence in his ability could have been explained as pure cockiness, I chose to see the intention in the greater scheme of things. “Well, if you manage to raise more funds tonight, you get a special prize.”

“Now we’re talking.” He raised an eyebrow. “A dinner alone with you?”

I couldn’t help it when my eyebrows shot up, amazed at his forwardness right in front of his friend—and in the first few minutes of us meeting. “We’ll see if that can be arranged. You must prove worthy, my friend.”

“Y—You really don’t know who I am, do you?” He sounded baffled.

Once again, I doubted my own mind. “Have we met before tonight?” I then turned to Abel, whose face reflected nothing but amusement.

“No,” Chad finally said. “But there’s a first time for everything.”

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to see Theresa, a woman working with the church. She leaned in and said, “Someone has a question for you, Ms. Bradley.”

“Oh, of course,” I whispered before turning to my guests. “Sorry, gentlemen. Duty calls. Please enjoy your evening.” And then my eyes locked with Chad’s, who was half-smiling. “May luck be in your favor!”

He chuckled and waved—almost sarcastically—as he said, “I won’t need luck, Ms. Bradley. You’ll see.”

Walking away and following Theresa’s lead toward the other guest, I was aware of the questions in my mind. Why did Abel and Chad act as if I had met the latter before? Or should I have some idea of who he was? Had we met? Really? He certainly seemed a little familiar, but I had honed my skill at placing names and incidents to faces long ago. I remembered every one of our guests—who gave generously, who only came for the drinks and the women, and who donated their time through volunteer work.

I hadn’t met Chadwick Niles before, had I? How embarrassing that would be. Did my advancing towards thirty mean that I was soon to start forgetting more important things?

That was ridiculous. My grandmother remained sharp as a razor until the day she died.

“Ms. Bradley,” the guest in question rejoiced at the sight of me. “Please, I was betting my wife here that this trip to Jerusalem wasn’t purely religious. Help me out!”

“Yes,” his wife added. “We’d like to purchase it.”

“Well, it’s a mix of everything,” I explained. “There’s a lot of culture and beauty in Jerusalem. And in a way, you can’t fully appreciate the spiritual without the cultural and the visually stimulating.” Pausing, I examined their impressed faces. “If I were you, I’d snag that baby before it’s taken.”

“Damn it, you’re good.” The man confessed, turning to the usher and saying, “Sold!”