The Ice Queen Billionaire (The Frazer Family #4)

Chapter 1

KAT

“Lottie,” Caleb says, the relief in his tone palpable.

My gaze goes to the door as Lottie enters, tucked under Elijah’s shoulder. Her head is buried against his chest, his arms locked tightly around her.

I close my eyes and let out a deep breath, sending up a silent prayer of thanks.

“Lottie? Darling.”

Darra jumps to her feet, trembling hands reaching towards her daughter, before coming to rest over her chest.

An ache forms in my throat. Despite everything she’s put my brother and Pen through, no mother should find out her daughter is missing. God only knows where.

“Mum?” Lottie says, her head coming up. “What are you doing here?”

“You expect me to ignore the fact that you didn’t arrive on the plane you were supposed to?” Darra’s voice catches, her eyes blinking rapidly. “I know you think I’m the world’s worst mother, but—”

“I don’t think you’re the world’s worst mother,” she replies, her eyes widening as she takes in the police officers and family members. “I sent you a message telling you I was staying here for my birthday. You didn’t get it?” she whispers, her voice cracking.

“Clearly,” Darra says, her tone hardening.

My stomach clenches as Darra’s mask slips, and Lottie tries to placate her mother.

“Mr Frazer?”

Elijah looks up as the police officer in charge steps forward.

“As Miss Frazer has returned?”

“Yes. Please. If you need a statement, I can bring her to the station later,” Elijah says quickly.

His rigid posture tells me he wants to remove all eyewitnesses. As a family, we don’t need our dirty laundry aired in public.

The officer nods and motions for his colleagues to clear up and move out.

An awkward silence descends.

Pen steps forward and walks them out. I can hear her talking in the corridor. It’s good to see my friend where she’s meant to be, standing beside the love of her life.

“Hey, button,” Caleb says, stepping forward and giving Lottie a hug. “You had us scared.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Uncle Caleb…”

I tune out the rest of their conversation as my eyes come to rest on the man standing in the doorway.

A sudden chill expands deep within my core, and I curl my fingers inward, gripping the chair I’m sitting on.

“What the—” Gabriel hisses.

I sense his gaze move to me, but my focus remains locked on the man in the doorway as I work on schooling my features.

“Zach?” Caleb says, breaking the spell.

Darra moves towards Zach. When she touches his arm, my lungs constrict, spots flashing in my vision. I clench my jaw, swallowing against the painful tightness in my throat.

Zach shakes his head and steps away. “No.” His gaze finally leaves me before landing on my older brother.

My thoughts spin as I question my reality. Our reality.

How the hell did we get here?

“Listen to me.” Elijah’s words pull me back into the present. “You have every right to know who your biological father is. I just wish you’d spoken to me. You scared me, princess. You going missing—”

My niece throws herself at Elijah. The sound of her heaving sobs echoes around the room, and I pinch my lips together to keep them from trembling.

Elijah pulls Lottie onto his knee and cradles her against his chest, the same way he always has. Tears well up behind my eyelids, but I blink them away. My brother loves his daughter, irrespective of her biology. Lottie is a Frazer. No one will take her away from us, that I vow.

My eyes return to Zach, and our gazes lock.

He flinches and lowers his head. He closes his eyes before opening them again. The look he sends me has a knot forming in my stomach.

“I wanted to marry her,” Zach says suddenly, pushing off from the wall and stepping forward.

My heart rate slows at the sound of his voice.

Focus.

“As Darra said, I wasn’t good enough,” Zach says, stumbling slightly over his words. “Her father threatened Dad. He’d just moved jobs, told me he’d set him up, that he had the power to do it. Showed me footage of… I couldn’t.”

Zach’s eyes are overbright, his voice shaky, as he tries to justify his actions.

My skin crawls, and I fight the urge to scratch it.

Zach is the eldest of five much younger siblings. They’d often come to stay with us when we lived together. If his dad had lost his job, or worse, it would have had devastating consequences for the family. I should feel pity, but instead the bitter tang in my mouth leaves me cold.

His eyes lock on Lottie. “Then he told me if I interfered and warned you, there’d be no baby.”

My hands clench as heat rushes through my body.

No, you bastard, you don’t tell a child that!

Lottie buries her head in Elijah’s chest at his words.

He kisses the top of her head before tilting her chin up to look at him.

“I told you once before. You may not carry my blood, but you will always be the daughter of my heart. Wherever you come from, however you came into this world. You will always be mine. I love you, Lottie Frazer, and I will always be here for you, no matter what.”

Her arms fly around Elijah’s neck, and I inhale a ragged breath.

“Zach is her father,” Darra spits, her nostrils flaring, her lips pulled back. “He was my lover for years, even after you threw me aside.”

There’s a pounding in my ears as my eyes move back to Zach.

Whatever he sees in my expression has his hands going to the sides of his head, the heels of his palms pressing down hard. Adrenaline rushes through my body, making me grip the cushion tighter as my vision narrows.

Everyone is looking at me. The need to flee is becoming overwhelming.

“Never show your true feelings or insecurities, Kitty Kat. That way, they can’t be used against you.”

Words from the past hit me hard.

Dad.

Instead of running, I allow the coldness filling my chest to expand outwards, leaving me numb, empty.

My hand goes to the chain I wear around my neck. I grip the pendant tight, and it digs into my skin, the discomfort grounding me.

The buzz of muffled voices continues.

“What was I?” I ask coldly, tilting my head, my eyes never leaving Zach’s.

He grimaces, and my lips curl, my eyebrows pinching together.

Why?

“If you continued your affair with Darra, why did you need me?” I ask, my voice surprisingly steady.

His body becomes unnaturally still as his chin drops to his chest.

“Kat,” he says, his voice thickening.

I stare at him until his gaze drops to his hands.

“You were sleeping with her while you were living with me?” My voice is distant, flat. “You lied to me. You deceived me.”

A dark flush sweeps up his neck and across his face. My eyes track its progress. A sheen of sweat breaks out on his forehead and upper lip. Yet, there’s no satisfaction. How can there be? His lies and deceit set in motion a string of events that can never be undone.

“Kat,” he whispers, his gaze pleading. “I—”

My stomach contracts.

Darra steps forward.

“You were convenient,” her tone is smug. “Enabled him to stay near Lottie.”

She cocks her head, her lips twisting in a sneer.

It takes every ounce of self-control to prevent me from slapping the smug look off her face. I’m a Frazer, I won’t give her the satisfaction.

She’s toxic, always has been, but Elijah was too blind to see the snake he invited into our lives.

The charge in the air changes. Darra thrusts out her chest, not sensing the danger as she continues her rant.

“He should be thanking you,” she spits. “You’re as frigid as your brother. Is it surprising he looked elsewhere?”

Zach spins to Darra.

“Shut up. Enough of your toxic lies,” he hisses. His gaze hardens as he stares at his ex-lover.

Elijah gets up and stalks towards Darra.

“Get out,” he snaps.

Her head tilts up as she slowly raises an eyebrow.

My brother stops, inhaling deeply, making her give a short, disgusted snort.

Elijah moves forward, but Caleb grabs his arm. Caleb might be the joker among us all, but he has a fierce sense of loyalty.

“Don’t give her the satisfaction,” he says, stepping between them, his hands landing hard against Elijah’s chest, stopping his forward motion.

Caleb turns his head, his voice cutting through the silence. “Get your toxic arse out of my brother’s apartment.”

Darra sneers and rolls her eyes.

I grit my teeth harder.

“Do as he says,” Elijah hisses. “Before I return us to court and remove everything I agreed to. Believe me, I have more than enough evidence to do it.”

Darra freezes. Her eyes lock onto Elijah over Caleb’s shoulder. All colour drains from her face.

There’s a pause. Darra flicks her hand in front of her face, her mouth tight, as if she has suddenly smelt or tasted something bad.

“Lottie, you’re coming back with me,” she says, her eyes moving to her daughter, her expression hard.

“No, no, no. I’m sorry. Don’t make me leave,” Lottie pleads, her arms locking around Pen, her heart-wrenching sobs twisting something inside me.

“She doesn’t have to go anywhere with you.” Elijah’s voice is deadly quiet. “I’m now legally her father. Your threat no longer stands. If you know what’s good for you. You’ll turn around and leave. Now.”

Darra’s shoulders go back, and she stares at him, weighing up his words. Whatever she sees, she turns on her heel.

“Zach?” she all but shrieks as she makes her way to the door.

My eyes return to Zach, who is once again watching me.

His gaze drops to the floor. But he remains static.

Darra harrumphs as she storms out, the front door slamming behind her.

I flinch as the sound reverberates around the room.

Gabriel and Caleb drop to the floor in front of me, their hands resting on my knees.

No, no, no, little brothers. Back off. Can’t you see I’m hanging on by a thread?

I move my hands and squeeze each of theirs before quickly standing up and making my way towards Lottie. I take my niece’s face gently in my hands and drop a kiss on her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Aunty Kat,” Lottie sobs, a fresh set of tears running freely down her cheeks.

I incline my head and smile at her, using my thumb to brush away her tears.

“You, my darling girl, have nothing to be sorry for.” I swallow past the tightness in my throat.

“I’m sorry you got caught up in the games of adults.

” I cup her face in my hands, my gaze holding her watery one.

“All you need to know is that everyone loves you unconditionally, whoever your father and mother are. You’re Lottie Brooke Frazer, and you always will be. ”

I look Lottie in the eye as I inhale. The need to get out of here, to escape, is riding me hard. I move my hands, cupping her chin in one hand and squeezing her shoulder with the other.

“I need to leave right now, but I want you to know that has nothing to do with you. I love you, sweet girl.”

Lottie lets go of Pen and wraps her arms around me. I close my eyes and hug her back, allowing this young girl’s courage to bolster my own.

How have we got here?

“I love you too, Aunty Kat,” Lottie whispers against my shoulder.

I allow my lungs to fill with air as I calm myself. I give her one final squeeze before stepping back, praying my voice remains steady and my legs hold me up.

“I need to go,” I tell Lottie. “But we’ll get through this. Call me if you need me.”

Lottie nods, her eyes still glistening.

Pen’s hand comes up and grips my arm, sending me a silent message of support.

I meet her gaze, offering her the slightest nod.

“I need time,” I whisper.

I know my friend well. She won’t push me now, but she’ll need to know I’m okay.

I turn to my siblings and hug each in turn. I suck in a ragged breath before turning and making my way to the door.

A hand lands on my arm.

Zach.

I pause, my eyes dropping to where his hand is encircling my bicep. I curl my lip as I look up, my stare as cold and dead as I can make it.

Don’t you fucking dare!

He drops his hand as if burned.

“We need to talk,” he says quietly.

“We do,” I say. There’s no point in denying it. “But not now.”

It’s like a fog has descended, and my brain has stopped working. I’ve never felt like this before.

He dips his chin.

I open the door and use that moment to dart out before anyone else can stop me.

I hit the down arrow on the elevator multiple times.

I need to process, take stock, and rebuild my barriers. Escape.

“I’m going after Kat,” I hear Gabriel say, close to the door.

The elevator pings, announcing its arrival, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I step in, the door closing, just as my younger brother makes it out of the door.

I drop my back against the wall, my head thumping slightly against the hard surface. I grip the pendant on the chain around my neck before closing my eyes and focusing on my breath.

In and out, in and out.

It stutters, and I pinch the skin on my wrist, twisting it. My eyes spring open just as the elevator stops. The doors open, and I thrust my shoulders back, running my hands down my clothes before stepping into the car park.

I freeze as Darra’s voice echoes across the parking garage.

“We made love in your bed for hours. More than once. But he won’t tell you that.”

I lift my chin and bite my tongue before heading towards my car.

“You’ve never been able to keep a man,” she shouts, stepping into the light, her expression venomous. “Looks like even your brother’s best friends couldn’t defrost your icy heart. It certainly wasn’t difficult to turn their heads.”

I stuff my trembling hands in my pockets.

Ignore her!

“Nothing to say?” Darra goads me but keeps her distance.

As I reach the door. I grip my keys. The car bleeps as it unlocks, and at the same time, the elevator pings behind us. Gabriel and Caleb burst out of the doors.

Gabriel growls as he takes in the situation.

“Fuck off, Darra, haven’t you done enough damage?”

My quiet, introverted brother takes a step towards Darra, and I use the distraction to get into my car. Switching on the engine, I wait for it to roar to life. It’s a sound I need. It’s not only Gabriel and Caleb who have a love of cars. This baby, my ice silver McLaren Artura, is my pride and joy.

My hands grip the steering wheel tight to quell the tremors racking my body.

I put her into reverse and pull out, passing the twins who are still next to the elevator door, waiting, watching… my protectors. Darra is nowhere in sight.

I acknowledge them both as I drive past, but don’t stop.

I need time and space. I pray they understand my compulsion to flee, to lick my wounds in private.

My breathing stutters, and I close my eyes as I’m forced to wait for the barrier to go up.

My stomach heaves, my throat burning as I finally put my car into drive and escape the nightmare that has only just begun to unfold.