Damaged Billionaire Daddy Bear - Leela Ash Page 0,19

almost doomed expression that had crept into Theodore’s eyes. For a tough, macho billionaire to be called a teddy bear … Well, ouch.

She was still chuckling as she reached the fire-engine red Range Rover sitting in her driveway. Her humor vanished as she beheld this reminder of his stupendous wealth and, for the first time, Jessica tried to decipher why his wealth angered and bothered her so much. So he had some beautiful cars? At some level, she noted that this one was more her style. But why did that bother her so much? He probably had ten more she hadn’t seen.

Was it because, deep down, she knew it emphasized their differences? Even if she worked five jobs she had no hope of climbing to his social strata, she thought. But it wasn’t just that. Seeing his wealth and how he loved to flaunt it, reminded her a bit of Patrick toward the end of their marriage. Patrick had had nowhere near Theodore’s level of success but he had been successful in his own right. And he had interpreted success to mean a carte blanche to manifest his womanizer tendencies until it had gotten to the point of her catching him screwing the brains out of the babysitter ─ who should have been watching their kids ─ while their kids were left to play by themselves, beside the pool, of all places.

She had confronted him and he had had the unmitigated gall to accuse her of acting as though she were his mother. And while she was still crying her eyes out and trying to recover from the shock, he had swept from the house and taken the half-clad babysitter with him. And that had been that, she thought, now, forcing herself back to the present.

But thinking of Patrick had ruined her mood, and now, all she wanted to do was curl up in her bed with a fashion magazine or place some headphones over her ears and listen to some good motivational audios or soothing soul music.

“What’s wrong?” Theodore asked before her butt could even reach the seat.

She shot him a look of surprise as she drew the seatbelt across her chest and looked behind to make sure the kids were also strapped in.

She looked back at him, “Wrong? Why would anything be wrong?”

Theodore started to tell her that he had sensed her emotions and felt the strong sadness, in that moment, before she forced a smile. But he held himself in check.

Silently, he moved the gear into drive and guided the powerful car into town, deep in thoughts. That brief flash of emotion had surprised him. Perhaps, Jessica wasn’t as carefree and shallow as he’d thought. She had seemed truly hurt just then, and for some weird reason, it had made him want to protect her from the world.

What was wrong with him?

Chapter 8

Rows of shops and houses sped past as they headed for the other end of town.

Jessica and her kids kept jerking their heads this way and that, staring at the passing scenery, and for the first time in a long while, he began to see the town through fresh eyes.

Angel Springs was a quaint little town with a rustic appeal. The locals were fortunate to be blessed with one of the best men Theodore had ever seen as mayor, Stephen Cutler. Stephen was human but not much got past him, which was why he was one of the very few humans in Angel Springs who knew that more than half the townsfolk were shifters. He didn’t mind, though; heck, he went out of his way to help them.

“Mom? Can I get a swimsuit?” Kal demanded in a sulky tone.

Jessica sighed. “Kal, our agreement was to join Carla and her dad on a picnic. No one said a thing about swimming. Besides, I’m not very comfortable letting you two jump into water when I’m not certain how deep it is.”

Theodore threw a smiling look and a wink over his shoulder at the kids before turning back to face the road as he pronounced in a matter of fact tone, “Oh, don’t be a spoilsport. The day is very bright, and warm too. Let the kids have some fun. Besides, even if they don’t get in the water, they’ll still get wet because I saw Carla pack some water guns. So what would you rather have to contend with in the laundry? Wet swimsuits or wet day clothes?”

Jessica rolled her eyes, “Obviously, you’re their new lawyer.”

“And doing