Be My Babygirl A Billionaire Romance - Jane Henry Page 0,44

here? I don’t miss the way Tiffany holds her head up in the air and looks down her nose at Katie.

“Welcome home, Darius,” she says coolly. “You brought a tagalong?”

My hands ball into fists at the way Katie’s cheeks redden.

“Tiffany, didn’t expect the pleasure of your appearance so soon. What luck.”

Sarcasm drips from my tone like melting ice cream, which only stokes her fire. Her blue eyes narrow and her lips purse, before she ropes her hands around Rawley’s bicep.

“Rawley brought me home for your arrival.”

Rawley looks abashed. “Now, sweetheart, we said we would talk to him later…”

“Oh, but we may as well clear things up soon, shouldn’t we? Seeing as he brought a guest and all.”

Rawley winces and forces a fake laugh. “Well, Tiffany and I are… we’re dating,” he says, his palms pointing upward in a gesture of surrender. I feel as if he’s punched my gut, all the wind whooshing right out of me.

Doesn’t he know what she’s capable of?

“I see.” I give him a cold smile. “Well then, let’s toast the happy couple. You two deserve each other.”

I wrap my hand around Katie’s waist. “Meet Katie.” A note of pride enters my voice, though it shouldn’t. This is only a hoax. Just to get us through this. Even if it feels less and less like a hoax every minute. “My fiancée.”

Tiffany’s eyes narrow to mere slits for a split second before she forces a fake smile.

“Ah, I see. Isn’t that…” she looks down her nose. I can see her icy gaze searching Katie’s left finger for a ring. “Quaint.”

A door slams, and Gran comes stomping on the porch with a broom in one hand and a duster in the other. She’s dressed in old sweats, her hair tied up in a handkerchief, dust smeared on her cheeks.

“Well, look at who the cat dragged in,” she says with a cackle. “And Darius, you brought us a guest!”

She hands Tiffany the duster and broom. “Tiffany, be a dear and dust the mantel while I greet our guests, will you?” She practically shoves her inside. “That’s a girl.”

Rawley purses his lips, but Gran ignores him. I stifle a smile. She knows exactly what she’s doing. She comes down the steps and gives me a hug that’s noticeably weaker than the last time I came. When was the last time I came? It’s her eightieth birthday, and she deserves a party. Still, I have to admit, I’m glad Katie’s with me. It’s odd going home.

She leans in and whispers in my ear, “That girl you brought looks a lot sweeter than the Wicked Witch of the West.” She pulls back and reaches for Katie.

“Well, hello. Look at you, aren’t you a pretty little thing.”

She wraps her arms around Katie, who gives her a warm hug back. My heart melts a little at that. She isn’t abashed or scared, but welcomes the greeting from the woman who raised me.

“Now, tell me this grandson of mine treats you well,” she says, her arm around Katie’s waist. “He might be a big billionaire, but around here, he’s still my boy.”

Katie looks over her shoulder at me, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“Good boy,” Katie mouths at me, teasing.

I narrow my eyes at Katie and make a discreet little swatting motion in the air, in retaliation to her comment, which only serves to make her laugh.

“Is he?” she says to Gran. “You know, I could totally see that.”

Oh, could she? Seems I’ll have to set that record straight later tonight. There isn’t one ounce of boy left in this daddy.

They go up the stairs together, and I’m left alone with Rawley.

There’s an awkward moment of silence but I decline to speak first, enjoying watching him squirm. “I could’ve told you before I… before you, I mean, well, I—”

“It’s fine,” I lie.

He sighs and shoves his hands further in his pockets. “She’s good to me, man.”

Bullshit.

He shrugs. “It’ll work out. We have...an open arrangement in our relationship.”

“A fucking what?”

“Open arrangement.” He shrugs. “No need for monogamy, man. It’s the twenty-first century. I mean, I know you guys had a misunderstanding, but maybe if you weren’t so old-fashioned, things could’ve worked out. Glad there’s no hard feelings.” He slaps my back and heads up the stairs. I’ve never wanted to deck him so hard in my life.

No hard feelings, my ass.

But the clouds shift, and the sun peeks through, illuminating the large, grassy lawn. I breathe in deeply. I’m home, I’ve got a sweet woman to warm