Hearts of Wealth (The Billionaire’s Dynasty #3)

Chapter One

Catherine

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I T HAD BEEN A WEEK since Regina had whisked Paisley away, leaving me feeling helpless and guilty. I felt like it was my fault. I’d shown up at the gala and quite frankly, stole Timothy away from Regina. Regina was a jealous bitch, and she was making Timothy and Paisley pay for what she thought was a slight against her. Regina had cheated on Timothy, married another man, and now she wanted Timothy back. It was ridiculous that she thought she could just waltz back into Timothy’s life and snap her fingers.

Screw her.

Timothy deserved better. I was better for him. I knew that. The last week had been good. I’d enjoyed spending time with Timothy, but I knew he was sad. He felt like he screwed up with Paisley. The poor girl was collateral damage. Regina was an evil bitch. I didn’t know what I could do to help Timothy or Paisley. For now, I was just doing my best to be there for Timothy. It wasn’t easy. Timothy was a lot like a cactus. Very prickly. But I was still crazy about him, and I couldn’t just walk away from him.

I’d tried. I had tried to walk away from him several times. Every time I walked away, I was pulled right back. He was a force I couldn’t resist. The man was nothing I’d thought I would ever want. He was wealthy, arrogant, and slightly obnoxious.

But underneath all of that, he was a really good guy. He just didn’t show it well. But I got to see it. I was confident I was one of the very few people on this planet that knew the real Timothy. Our relationship had been rocky, but that was because he struggled to be honest with his feelings. I’d gotten my feelings hurt, and we didn’t have any real conversation about what either of us was feeling.

Until the gala. That night was our chance to strip away all the barriers we’d each put up. Timothy had finally come clean with his feelings for me. I knew he wasn’t a diehard romantic, which was fine. I’m not either. I didn’t need him to be vulnerable all the time. He gave me a glimpse inside, and that was all I needed to know. He cared.

I drove through the gate to Gloriana Manor. I still found myself amazed that I was a welcome guest at the lavish home after such a rough beginning. Falling over the garden wall turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. Timothy was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Stepping inside, I scanned the grand foyer, searching for Timothy. I walked into the kitchen to see if he was in there. When I didn’t find him in the usual areas, I headed upstairs. As expected, I found him in his office, engrossed in a phone call. His expression was strained yet compassionate as he spoke, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was talking to Paisley.

The whole situation had him on edge. I knew he felt helpless when it came to his stepdaughter. Or was it his ex-stepdaughter? I knew he considered her his daughter. It wasn’t step or ex or anything else. In his eyes, she was his.

“Hey,” I said softly as I entered, trying not to interrupt. Timothy glanced up, offering me a tight but warm smile before returning his attention to the call. I was about to walk out of the office and give him privacy when he waved his hand and then held up a finger indicating for me to wait.

He cut the call short, scribbled something onto a notepad, and finally turned to me with a heavy sigh. “Sorry about that,” he said, his voice sounding equally heavy. His eyes met mine for a moment before they drifted away again, scanning the documents scattered on his desk. The weight of the world seemed to be pressing down on him.

I walked over to him and took his face between my hands, forcing him to look at me. Those gorgeous blue eyes of his were filled with stress and worry. “Timothy,” I whispered, “it’s going to be okay.”

He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. His hands came up to rest on my hips, pulling me closer. The heat between us was palpable.

“I just feel so powerless,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes opened, and he looked at me like he was hoping I could make it true.

“You are not powerless,” I said firmly. “You have done everything you can for Paisley. Regina is the one who’s being unreasonable, not you.”

“It doesn’t make it any better,” he sighed.

“How’s Paisley holding up?” I asked, unable to keep the concern out of my voice. Timothy ran a hand through his hair wearily, his shoulders slumping as he sank back into his chair.

“Not good,” he admitted, his tone heavy with worry. “Regina has her holed up in her new villa in Italy. She’s insisting on sending Paisley back to boarding school. I’ve tried everything. I can’t even talk to her.”

My heart sank at the news, guilt gnawing at me from within. Regina had essentially kidnapped her daughter. Paisley was so set on living with Timothy. The day after the gala, Paisley had ended up missing. It didn’t take long to figure she wasn’t missing at all. Regina had swooped in and taken her after promising Timothy she could stay. The evil woman actually made a deal and then went back on her word. Even though legally she had every right to take Paisley back to Europe, the way it was done felt like a betrayal to all of us who cared about her.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I never should’ve trusted her.” Timothy’s gaze was full of regret.

“We couldn’t have known,” I said gently, reaching out to squeeze his hand in reassurance.

“I have to find a way to bring her back, Catherine. I promised her. She will run. She will file for emancipation. I love that kid, but she’s fifteen and has no business being on her own. She might think she’s old enough to handle life, but she’s really been pretty sheltered.”

“Maybe Regina will meet another guy and decide she doesn’t want a kid getting in the way,” I said.

“I have to do something,” he declared. “I can’t just sit back and let this happen.”

I nodded in understanding. “We’ll figure it out together,” I told him. “We’ll do whatever it takes to bring her home.”

“The whole buying an island and hiding her away is sounding better by the day,” he muttered.

I laughed. “I’m not sure she’s going to think that’s better than boarding school.”

“Maybe not. What countries don’t have extradition policies with the United States?”

“We’ll find a way, Timothy,” I murmured, reaching out to gently squeeze his hand. “We won’t give up until Paisley is back where she belongs. And it won’t require you to commit any crimes. I don’t want you rotting in a cell.”

He offered me a grateful smile. “Thanks for sticking with me.”

We had been so consumed by Paisley’s ordeal that we hadn’t had the chance to address our own relationship, to discuss where we stood amidst the chaos. But I knew deep down that we both wanted to be together. I wasn’t about to dump on him with a bunch of relationship talk.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “All we do is talk about Paisley. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I assured him. “And Paisley is pretty important.”

“Do you think I should drop this?” he asked. “Am I just making it worse by refusing to accept the inevitable?”

“No,” I answered firmly. “You are doing what you have to as her father. Yes, you are her father. Paisley has to know there is someone out there looking out for her. Even if you don’t get her right away, she’ll always know she has a place to come back to.”

“Thank you. You may not know this about me, but I tend to be a man that gets what he wants. I don’t know how to take no for an answer.”

“Don’t I know it,” I laughed. “It’s one of the things that drives me crazy about you.”

“In a good or bad way?”

“Both,” I laughed.

“So what are you doing today?”

“I have a meeting with a new client later today,” I told him, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “It’s a referral from the Historical Society.”

“That’s great, Catherine,” he murmured, forcing a smile onto his face. “I’m sorry I’ve been too wrapped up in my own issues to ask about your work.”

“It’s okay,” I reassured him, though deep down, I felt a hint of disappointment. Timothy’s troubles with Paisley and Regina were consuming all his time and mental energy, leaving our relationship on the backburner. But that was something we could address later. For now, I had to be there for him.

“I hope the meeting goes well,” he said after a moment of silence, pulling me into his arms. He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, the familiar warmth of his touch sending a shiver down my spine. It was moments like these that reminded me why I couldn’t imagine my life without him. I could wait until things got better.

“Me too,” I said. “It’s an old house, built around the same time as this one.”

“Really?”

“Yep.” I nodded. “Doing your house has put me on the map.”

He chuckled. “I’m glad I was your jumping-off point.”

“Me too. I still think your house is the best, though.”

He smiled at that, the corners of his eyes crinkling endearingly. “Of course you do. You poured your whole heart into it.”

Our lips met in a languid kiss, the kind shared between lovers comfortable in each other’s presence. It was a distraction we both needed, an escape from the harsh realities we were dealing with.

Pulling away reluctantly, I murmured against his lips, “I should get going. The meeting is in an hour. I don’t want to be late.”

“Will I see you later?” he asked, his voice laced with hope.

I returned his smile. “Of course,” I replied. “I’ll come up for dinner.”

A hint of mischief danced in his eyes as he spoke again. “And will you stay the night?” he asked, his tone playful.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his question, shaking my head in mock disbelief. “You know I have to sleep in my own house sometimes,” I teased, unable to resist a playful jab. “Otherwise, why have it?”

Timothy chuckled, pulling me into a warm embrace once again. I loved that he couldn’t let me go. “Fair enough,” he conceded, pressing another kiss to my forehead. “I’ll see you tonight. Stay if you want. But fair warning, I plan on doing everything I can to convince you to stay.”

I laughed. “Then I’d better pack an overnight bag, because I’m helpless against your charms.”

He swatted my ass. “I know.”

“Mean,” I joked. “So mean.”

“I promise, you will not be disappointed.”

Rolling my eyes playfully at his overconfidence, I pulled away from his embrace and started gathering my things. “All right, lover boy, it’s time for me to go now.”

“Catherine...thank you.”

I gave him a warm smile, touched by his sincerity. “Of course, Timothy. I’m always here for you.”

Our gazes locked for a moment, and I was once again sucked in by those captivating eyes of his, the ones that had drawn me in when we first met at the beginning of the summer. That felt like a lifetime ago. My whole life had changed from the very moment I fell over that wall.