Billionaire's Only Cure Read online

  The slender one took a step forward, his fingers still resting on his holster.

  Her stomach churned like those helicopter blades, sending waves of fear all through her body. It was coming. She was going to throw up. Maybe her inner organs themselves.

  Jade lightly patted her hand like he understood her condition.

  Did he?

  She didn’t know, but his hand eased the panic. Somehow, she gained control of herself in the wake of his reassuring touch.

  God, how did she get into this mess?

  She gave Jade a weak smile of thanks. He was the only thing keeping her together. If not for Jade, she would have gone crazy. Plus, he’d saved Medusa’s life. She had no idea how far the nearest hospital was from Medusa’s apartment, but nothing moved swiftly in New York City traffic, not even ambulances. Thanks to Jade’s chopper, Medusa got to the hospital as quickly as possible.

  “I’m Officer Jimerson, and this is Officer Denis. We’d like go have a word with you about Martha Smith’s attempted murder.”

  “What?” Jade narrowed his eyes at the officer. “Did you say Martha Smith?”

  The fat cop pulled a small notepad from his pocket. “Yes, Martha Smith. Your neighbor.” He pulled a blue pen from another pocket. “Mr. Parker, can you and your wife answer few questions for me?”

  Wife? Why was he calling her Jade’s wife? Was he mad? Didn’t he see her hands? There was no ring.

  Suddenly she realized she was too close to Jade, practically clinging to him. Had she lost her mind? Why was she so close to him? Abruptly, she released him.

  Jade pulled her closer and took her hand. She tried to pull it away, but he wouldn’t let go. What had gotten into him?

  “Officers, I’m sorry, but there seems to be some misunderstanding here. We don’t know any Martha Smith.” Jade caressed her knuckles with his thumb. For some unknown reason, she liked the way his touch felt, even through his gloves. It comforted her in that moment, more than anything else.

  “And we’re not husband and wife,” Alice blabbered. At least that need to be cleared up.

  Jade shot her a cunning smile. What was he thinking?

  “Yes, that too. We’re here for her friend in the ICU,” Jade said.

  The officers stared at them, confused. “Aren’t you, James Parker?”

  Jade chuckled, “I’m sorry, but I’m Jade Hyde-Parker. CEO of Parker Chemicals.” He pulled a business card from his jacket and handed it to Alice.

  Alice extended it to the officer. Thank God, it ended up being a mix up.

  Jimerson took the card, stared at it, and his demeanor instantly shifted from tense to relaxed. “The owner of Parker Chemicals? The one on the cover of that business magazine a couple months back? Damn, I didn’t recognize you at all.”

  Jade shot him a confident smile with a half-open lip. Man, he looked good when he smiled like that. Not that he looked bad any other time, but that confident smile was the one that took her heart away six years back.

  Denis turned to face his partner. “Didn’t her brother say room one? Where the heck did he go?”

  “I don’t suppose her brother is Dr. Smith? Tall, kind of intense bearded guy?” Jade asked, pulling his cell phone out.

  “Yes, the bearded one with green eyes,” Jimerson said, tensing up again.

  “Lunatic,” Jade muttered, shaking his head. “Officers, if there’s nothing more, can you excuse us? Me and my friend need to check on our patient.” Jade’s voice took on a harder edge, filled with the confidence of innocence.

  “Yes, of course.” Jimerson gave them a weak apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for the confusion. Mr. Hyde-Parker. We won’t trouble you further. Please don’t tell this story to the press.”

  “I won’t.” Jade pulled out his phone again and placed a call, lifting it to his ear. “Doc, can you send a competent doctor to VIP room one? I’ve been standing here for half an hour, and I haven’t received a single update on my patient. You should come out of retirement and fire your hospital director.” Jade listened a moment, then shook his head and turned her. “What’s her full name?”

  “Madison Jackson.”

  “Doc, it’s Madison Jackson, but they only had Madison on the card. I didn’t know her last name when I spoke with your doctors.” Jade paused again and looked at Alice. “One moment, Doc is checking her status.”

  A minute or so later, a smile appeared on Jade’s face. His fingers tightened around Alice’s, but in a good way.

  “Yes, thanks. That’s great news. Can you ask one of your doctors to send me hourly updates?”

  A full ear to ear smile plastered on his face, Jade turned and looked into her eyes.

  “She’s not in a coma, but unconscious. They had to pump her stomach, and they found a traces of poison in her system. She’s in intensive care. Doc told me she should wake up within forty-eight hours. So, just relax.”

  “Are you sure?” Her heart wasn’t at ease yet.

  Jade chuckled. “Alice, relax. She’s not in danger anymore. She’s already showing signs of recovery. I just talked with the owner of hospital, and he wouldn’t lie to me.”

  Alice sighed in relief. If he said so, then he must have talked with the right person.

  “Let’s go back to my apartment. We need a good rest,” Jade said, making her heart beat faster. Why was he inviting her to his apartment?

  Chapter 28

  Alice stepped into the apartment on thirtieth floor of Parker Chemicals. Dark brown carpet and the clean fragrance of citrus welcomed her. Like Jade’s apartment, this one had minimal furniture. A small brown leather couch, a television, and nothing else in the hall. Really, nothing else. Who would want to live in this place? Even guests would run away after a few hours.

  Whatever. She had to stay here until her apartment was cleared.

  When Jade invited her to his apartment, she was in shock at first, but on the way he told her he would get hers checked for poison and chemical threats. It made sense. Medusa had been poisoned, and there was a chance she’d eaten something poisonous at home. Instead of going to a hotel, it was easier to stay in Jade’s guest apartment for a couple of days. Since she worked in the building, it would be convenient. Jade said he would send someone to fetch clothes from her apartment. After everything he’d done for her, she couldn’t refuse.

  “There’s a swimming pool at the back of the apartment. I can set it to mild temperature if you want to relax,” Jade said, while tapping the buttons to lighten the main room. Brown was the predominant color. Who was his interior decorator, anyway? Did he hire a newbie? Even Alice could do better than this without a degree in interior design.

  “Does this floor have a balcony?” Alice asked. The last thing she wanted was to spend all her time in the depressing drab space.

  Jade placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her toward a brown wooden door. The door opened on a spacious balcony with a stunning view of the city.

  “I often watch the traffic from my office.” Jade stood next to her, his gloved hands resting on the black metal railing.

  “What do you watch in it?” Alice stole a glance at him; his blue eyes were lost in something deep. Suddenly, she wanted to connect to his inner self.

  “It reminds me that I have a lot to achieve.”

  “What more do you need? You have all this money you don’t even spend.” She thought about his empty apartment. He obviously didn’t spend money on himself. And, fortunately, he didn’t have a girlfriend to spend it on either.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Fortunately? Where hat that thought come from? What was good about it? Why was she happy for it?

  Turning his head, he stared at her with pain-filled eyes. “You too? You think I do this for money?”

  Alice shook her head. No, she knew it wasn’t for money. Her thoughts were running wild, and her mouth blabbering nonsense. His battle differed from any normal person’s.

  “Five years,” he said. “It took me five years to get here,
to be able to shake hands. But when I stare at the traffic, I feel like I’m watching the world through a single hole in a locked box.” His fingers tightened around the railing.

  Alice rested her hand on the back of his hand, brushing her thumb across the ups and downs of his knuckles; her fingers fit there like they were made for those gaps.

  “No. If you ask me, you’re not locked in a box. You broke free six years ago when you ran after me and asked my name.” Pausing, she glanced at him. His breathtaking blue eyes were fixed on her. “Do you remember how afraid you were, going in front of your doctor? Can you believe you stood face to face with another doctor and pushed him away using your hand? Isn’t that like reaching the moon already? The sun isn’t far from here.” She smiled. It felt like ages had passed since she last saw him. That scared graduate student she knew had matured into a confident businessman. She was happy for him.

  “Don’t even mention that doctor.” His lips curled downwards. “I should have punched him instead. How did he dare to touch my Al—” He looked away.

  Blood rushed to her cheeks. Why was he talking like that? She stared into the starry sky. Chilly air brushed across her face and scattered her hair everywhere. “It’s cold out here, isn’t it?”

  He brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. “Let me get your favorite latte," he said, softly.

  She turned to face him. There were hints of exhaustion on his face. Was it because of the emotional trauma?

  “Jade,” she said, giving him a grateful look. He had done a lot for her that day. First the helicopter, then the hospital and the cops’ investigation. He had been with her through a lot in the last few hours. It wasn’t like his old self. Maybe his phobia had restricted him, but he had never shown this side of himself back then. Even when her mother was hospitalized, he remained in his house.

  But today, he acted like a completely different person. A mature one. He did things he wouldn’t dare before. Did he do them for her? Going against the doctor when his heart was scared? When he pushed the doctor away, his legs were trembling; he was afraid. Yet he protected her. Even with the cops, he went above and beyond her expectations. If someone had told her that she would see such a day, she would have laughed out loud. Expecting this from Jade was like expecting a child to sing opera in his first performance. But Jade was constantly surprising her, wiping his own past image from her mind.

  It felt good to have him around.

  Jade halted and stared in her eyes. “Yes?”

  “Don’t go.”

  Jade smiled, a warm smile that lit a small fire in her heart. Wrapping his right hand around her shoulder, he turned her to face the traffic on the street.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you alone.” His deep caring voice soothed her heart.

  Alice snuggled beneath his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Warmth flooded her heart, like it used to when they were together. His house in Santa Palz was outside of town, and his balcony opened to a beautiful garden view. Watching the garden from his balcony, snuggling in his arms, listening to their favorite songs—man, she missed those days. “Thanks for being here for me,” she whispered, afraid of losing his arm around her. Right now, she needed the comfort and strength he gave her.

  He rubbed her shoulder, silence settling between them, his eyes fixed on the traffic below.

  “Can I ask you something?” she said.

  “Hmm?”

  “Did you really hate me for leaving you?”

  For a fraction of a second, Jade’s fingers tightened around her shoulder, but he relaxed the very next moment like nothing happened.

  He sighed, “What if I tell you that I’m thankful you left me? If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have improved this much.” He turned his face slightly toward her. His breath brushed against her ear. Lightning bolts danced across her skin, shooting into her core. Her mouth went dry, and a familiar fragrance invaded her mind. The fragrance of Jade Hyde, the man she loved.

  She tilted her head and stared into his deep blue eyes that had power to take her breath away. His lips parted a little, revealing the subtle moisture on them. Slowly, his head leaned forward at an angle, his lips parting more—to take hers in.

  A sudden urge struck her, to raise on the tips of her toes and kiss those freaking beautiful lips.

  Crap. What was she thinking? Had she gone mad, lost all the screws that put her head together?

  Ducking down, she stepped back from his embrace. What was she doing? Lying in his arms like they were still together, drowning in his blue eyes, thinking about his lush lips. A crazy cupid must have shot her last night to make her think about Jade Hyde like this.

  “I’m sorry.” Jade turned away and rushed back inside.

  Her heart pained her. Was he angry at her? She rushed after him. Seeing him walk away like that broke something in her heart. He didn’t deserve a heartbreak from her once again.

  But as soon as she got inside, she froze.

  Helen, Jade’s mother, stood against the front door, her black eyes boring deep into Alice’s.

  Chapter 29

  Jade stormed off of the balcony. What was he thinking? Leaning down to kiss her? Why would he kiss her? She broke up with him. Everything ended that evening, five years ago. There was nothing going on between them, not anymore.

  Then why did his heart flutter every time she touched him? Why did lightning sparks jolt through him when she came close? Why did he want to taste her lips again?

  Was he falling for her?

  His heart almost stopped with that thought.

  “Jade.” A feminine voice followed by the fragrance of white roses pulled him out of his thoughts.

  Jade froze when he spotted his mother leaning against the front door. The fragrance of white roses wafted over the air, annoying the hell out of him. He hated it, but his mother never got rid of that perfume. Even in her fifties, she used the overwhelming smelly perfume.

  “Mother, what are you doing here? And how did you get in?”

  Alice rushed into the room behind him. It was a very bad time for her to be here.

  Dozens of emotions flickered across Helen’s face in the span of a second, from surprise to shock, anger to rage. He hated that. The way Helen looked at Alice. He hated it. Even six years ago, she did that.

  “What is she doing here? Did you put your life in danger for that girl?” Helen lost control of her modulated voice and cursed Alice.

  “Mother, you can’t say things like that to her. She’s my friend.” Why was Helen here again? He needed to fire all his security guards. How had she gained access to this apartment? This apartment was off limits even to his mother. How did she get in?

  Helen lashed out at him. “You’re asking your mother to shut up for a woman like that?” She waved her hands. Her cheeks turned red. Her breathing grew heavy, as if she’d just finished a five mile run.

  “I’m leaving.” Alice said, and God, there was a hint of anger in her voice that had never come up before.

  “Wait.” Jade extended an arm in front of Alice. She wasn’t going anywhere. Not when things were going good between them. “Mother, why don’t you leave for today. It’s already late, and I’m sure you have some business deals lined up for tomorrow.”

  Furrowing her brow, Helen shook head.

  Damn, please, not again.

  “Son, I’m not going anywhere. If anyone is leaving, then it should be her. But first tell me why the hell is she here? Hasn’t she given you enough trouble for one lifetime? Did you forget how much time you spent locked up in your room after she left? Did you forget how the doctors gave up on you and suggested we move you into an asylum?”

  Jade rubbed his forehead. Those weren’t happy memories, and he didn’t want to dwell on them anymore. Yes, he’d hated Alice for putting him in that state, but he didn’t care about it anymore. She was back in his life, and he wasn’t going to lose her again.

  He moved close to Helen. Closer than he was comfortable with. But the
thought of Alice leaving was like hydrochloric acid burning his heart.

  He reached past his mother and opened the door, then lightly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her toward the hall. “We can talk later, but right now you need to leave.”

  “No, I’m not going,” Helen said, digging in her heels.

  “Okay, then you can stay here, and I’ll take Alice to my apartment. Do you want that?” Jade turned back and winked at Alice. “Alice, come with me.”

  Alice’s face went pale like a vampire had sucked all the blood out of her. “Me?”

  “Yes, you.”

  “Wait,” Helen said, her voice quivering a little. “I’ll leave, but don’t take her to your apartment.”

  “Deal,” Jade said, relief rushing through his veins. That was close. He didn’t want to handle his mother in front of Alice. He’d had enough of this six year ago. She’d always hated Alice, and maybe she was right in some ways. If Alice hadn’t left him like she did, he wouldn’t have had to go through the nightmarish month he did. But his mother also needed to understand that Alice made him strong. She should thank Alice for that, not hate her.

  Jade waited for Helen to step outside, and then turned back to face Alice. “I’m sorry. You know her, and she hasn’t changed much in the last five years.”

  “Jade, I think I should leave. I’ll find a hotel.”

  “Alice, please.” Jade rushed to her. Reaching out, he tried to grab her hands, but she evaded him and started walking toward the door.

  Every step she took, the memory of that evening haunted him, stronger and stronger. The evening where it all ended. The evening when she left him and never came back, and now she was leaving him again.

  Chapter 30

  A loud thud sounded behind her when Alice stepped out of the apartment. She turned back abruptly. Jade was on his knees, his face ashen, his gaze absent.

  Was he having a panic attack?