Page 5 of Billionaire's Runaway

Letting Laura lead would be difficult, but I’d find a way. Somehow. Typically, I was a take-charge kind of guy. I’d been running a multi-billion-dollar company since I was twenty-four. I had a staff numbering in the thousands. I was the oldest Cassel brother and had lorded it over my siblings their whole lives. I was bossy, demanding and yes, controlling. Unfortunately, those skills would only serve to push away the one person I wanted most in the world.

“Will you come home with me?” I asked her.

“I don’t really know what you’re asking,” she admitted.

“Come to New York. I’ll get you an apartment.”

She tensed, and I corrected myself immediately.

“Or you can stay with my parents until you get on your feet,” I quickly went on. “I can help you find a job. Emerson will be back soon, so you’ll have a familiar face.” I scrubbed a hand over my eyes before moving to wrap my arm around her again. “I’m not telling you to do it. I’m asking. Honestly, I just want to help you. My family… My family’s powerful, and we can protect you.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “If you’re sure I won’t be an inconvenience.”

I snorted. She’d been nothing but inconvenient since the moment I’d met her. Taking off on me at the club. Running away from home and not coming to New York to let me protect her. Disappearing on the ship during Fray’s wedding cruise.And now, breaking down in the middle of nowhere and calling Emerson instead of me.

“My family will love you,” I said rather than addressing any of those things.

How could my parents and siblings do anything but adore her? I was pretty sure I already did.

“Okay,” she whispered as we made it to the private airstrip where my company jet had landed barely an hour ago. It had been hell to find one out here. Thankfully, my assistant, Roz, was the best in the world and had contacts I couldn’t even imagine. Before my town car had made it halfway to JFK, she’d gotten everything squared away for my pilot.

As we arrived now, the SUV drove right up to the aircraft. A message from my pilot had informed me the jet was fueled up and ready for us, so I immediately helped Laura out of the car and let the driver bring the bags aboard for us. I tipped him a thousand dollars and asked him not to tell anyone he’d seen us. With a single nod, he agreed, promising Laura’s car would be taken care of and the shop would call my office directly to make arrangements.

As Laura boarded the plane, the driver pulled me aside.

“Sir,” he whispered. “When I gathered the young lady’s things, I noticed a flashing light under the passenger side dash.” He hesitated. “I believe it was some sort of tracking device.”

I nodded. Why didn’t that surprise me?

“You left it there?” I confirmed.

“Yes, sir,” he assured me.

“Thank you for letting me know.” I pulled another five hundred dollars from my wallet and handed the bills to the wide-eyed man.

“Have a safe flight, sir,” he said, tipping his cap to me before heading back to the warmth of his car.

I blew out a sigh and climbed the stairs up to the plane. This was one of those situations I wasn’t sure how to handle. I didn’t want Laura to be scared she’d been tracked, but if she found out later that I’d kept the information from her, she’d just get pissed at me all over again.

Damn, this girl was playing hell with my morals.

Our flight attendant, Kathy, secured the door then went to sit with the pilot, preparing for takeoff.

I sat across from Laura, watching her as she looked out the window, her brow furrowed and her fingers gripping the armrests as we taxied down the runway then lifted off.

“Are you afraid to fly?” I asked, terrified I’d pushed her into something she didn’t want again. I’d given Fray so much hell for taking Emerson on a cruise when she was terrified of water. He hadn’t known. Had I done the same sort of thing?

“No,” she said, looking at me and smiling brightly. “I think it’s just dawned on me that I’m free. Like, really free. I don’t have to get married to someone I don’t know. I don’t have to go home. I’m not beholden to anyone.”

Well, sort of. She was free of that family. But if I had anything to say about it, she’d belong to me for the rest of our lives.

“When we get back, I’ll get you some food,” I promised. “I might be able to scrounge up some peanuts or something if you’re hungry now. I didn’t exactly give them time to kit out the plane’s kitchenette before takeoff.”

“I’m actually starving,” she admitted. “It’s been…a while since I’ve eaten.”

Exactly how long wasa while?I beat back the protective fury that instantly rose in my chest.

I pushed the call button beside my seat, and a few moments later, Kathy came out.

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