House Of The Billionaire (The Billionaire's Contract Series) Read Free

can see clearly again. Like the scales have fallen away from my eyes,’ he joked.
    ‘Come and take a seat on the balcony. It’s a warm evening.’
    They stepped out through the large glass doors and Keith sat down at the little table out there, lifting his glasses and rubbing his eyes. ‘What are we going to do about today’s debacle?’ he asked. ‘Are you feeling OK? You were pretty spaced out in the meeting.’
    ‘I’m fine,’ Tyler said, standing with his hands on the cool metal safety rail. He looked out over the busy city.
    ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t get the deal,’ Keith said. ‘Without you there, I seemed to be floundering. But we still have tomorrow. We can get a strategy together...’
    ‘There isn’t going to be a meeting tomorrow, Keith. I’m going to cancel it.’
    ‘You sure you aren’t sick or something?’
    ‘I’m not sick. I’m going to take a break.’
    ‘A break? Do you have time in your schedule?’
    ‘No, I don’t have time in the schedule. That’s the point. My business has taken over my life. Yesterday, Kirsty said she didn’t know me. I’m not sure I even know myself anymore.’
    ‘Ah, so this is about Kirsty.’
    ‘What is that supposed to mean?’
    ‘Tyler, we all work long hours and spend time away from home. It’s the nature of our business. Hell, my wife has threatened to kick me out a couple of times and I’ve missed more of my daughter’s birthday parties than I care to admit. But it’s just the way it is. If Kirsty’s been pressuring you to spend more time with her...’
    ‘She hasn’t,’ Tyler said, cutting him off. ‘I want to spend more time with her. I want to get to know her.’ He turned to face Keith and said, ‘I think I’m in love with her.’
    ‘Whoa.’ Keith pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and peered at Tyler as if he were examining a new species of life through a microscope. ‘You sure about this? You’re one of the most eligible men in the world. You could have any woman you wanted.’
    ‘I want Kirsty.’
    ‘Maybe you should take a break, Tyler. Rearrange your schedule. You’ve hired some good people to run your companies, let them keep things ticking over for a while. Maybe a couple of days. Make a weekend of it and catch a show in the West End or something.’
    ‘I’m taking a month off.’
    ‘A month? Tyler...’
    ‘As you say, I employ good people. They have the skills to keep everything running while I’m away.’
    Keith laughed but there was no mirth in it. ‘What are you going to do for a month? You’ll go crazy.’
    ‘I’m going to go to Darkmere House.’
    ‘What? Where’s that?’
    Tyler watched the sun disappear beyond the horizon. An impenetrable gloom fell over Milan. ‘It’s a place I’ve been running from for years,’ he said softly. ‘It’s time to stop running.’
    ‘What?’ Keith asked, confused.
    ‘I need you to rearrange my schedule. Call a meeting in London and let the Board know I’m taking a leave of absence for a month. Delegate my duties to our best people. Postpone the Nakatomi deal until I get back; I need to handle that personally.’
    ‘OK,’ Keith said, getting up. ‘I’ll get started.’
    Tyler saw him to the door but when they go there, Keith stopped and said, ‘Are you sure that Romance novelist is worth all this? Putting your life on hold for a month?’
    ‘I’m not putting my life on hold, Keith. I’m putting it back together.’
    After his assistant had left and Tyler had closed the door, he leaned back against it and whispered to himself, ‘Yes, she is worth it.’
     
    Chapter Three
    Kirsty sat staring at a blank page on her Mac. The rain from yesterday had continued through the night, keeping her awake as it lashed against the window and thunder rumbled in the distance. Now she felt tired and the story she wanted to write wouldn’t come forward from the murky recesses of her mind. She wondered if she should just scrap the idea...or relegate it to a