Page 1 of A Billionaire Rebel

One

Jude – 1993

It’sthe shortest sentences that can often rock our worlds to the core.

I love you.

I hate you.

Go away.

I’m pregnant.

It’d been a week since Heidi Titan had stood here in my office and uttered those words. Her husband, Mark, had only been in jail for two days then, held there after I’d filed an assault charge.

He’d punched me just once, and even if it hadn’t been for Heidi, I wouldn’t have let it go. I wasn’t his usual choice for a punching bag. Like most abusers, he preferred targets who didn’t hit back. Unfortunately for me, it was better for Heidi if I filed charges instead of beating the shit out of him.

One of these days, he was going to pick a woman who could kick his ass, and not a single person on this planet would feel sorry for him. It couldn’t happen soon enough, in my opinion.

Then, two days ago, someone had paid Mark’s exorbitant bail, and he’d been released. The judge I’d talked to after Mark’s arrest hadn’t been able to justify denying bail completely, not for a single punch and some vandalism. Mark had no criminal record, and his reasons for wanting to hit me were the sort that most people could at least somewhat identify with.

I’d fired him from his job, and he thought I was sleeping with his wife. Not giving him any bail at all would’ve made it look like I was getting special treatment because I had money. The amount had been big enough that I’d believed he had no way to pay it.

Unfortunately, I’d been wrong. He’d gotten the money or collateral from somewhere.

I scowled at my computer as if it held answers for me. I’d been staying late at my office ever since Mark had been released. My wife, Rachel, was still convinced that I was having an affair, either with Heidi or with some other woman, and my absence only made her suspicions stronger.

She didn’t believe I was staying here to prevent Mark from showing up at our house and causing problems there, and I’d even tried to convince her that I just needed some space from her. Still, she stubbornly clung to the idea that I was cheating.

If Mark’s asinine behavior cost me my marriage, I would make it my life’s mission to make him miserable.

Someone buzzed at the front door, distracting me from my problems for only a few seconds. The security camera over the door showed a police officer in full uniform. I groaned. He couldn’t be here for anything good.

I hit the button to unlock the door and started going through the things I needed to take home with me. I had a personal bathroom attached to my office, complete with shower, but I’d only brought two changes of clothes with me. Not to mention that my couch was murder on my back. I needed to go home tonight.

I wasn’t above walking out to my car alongside the cop. I was in good shape for my age, but that wouldn’t mean anything if Mark decided to use a weapon. He’d had a bat the last time he’d shown up here, and I’d been lucky he hadn’t come after me with that instead of a fist.

“Mr. Holden?” The cop knocked on my open door.

“Come in.” I glanced at the name on his uniform, not bothering to stand or offer him a seat. “How can I help you, Officer Miles?”

“Approximately ninety minutes ago, Mark Titan filed a missing person report for his wife, Heidi.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Heidi’s missing?”

“Mr. Titan says that, after being released on bail, he went home and found her gone. He tried to report her missing that same day but was told that he had to wait as there were no signs of foul play.”

I frowned, thinking through all the possibilities. “Was her car there? Maybe she just left him. The guy’s a bit of a jerk.”

“Her car, keys, purse, and other personal items were all in the home.”

“All right,” I said, meeting his gaze full on. “Why come talk to me?”

I was fairly certain I already knew the answer to that question, but I wasn’t going to assume. Besides, that seemed like a reasonable question to ask under the circumstances.

“Mrs. Titan worked here?”

“Some. She was a temp, filled in for various people when they were sick or on vacation.”

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