Tender Billionaire Daddy by Scott Wylder

CHAPTER FIVE

Lacy

I slept better in the hospital than at home. The heating hadn't been working there for the past week, so there was a constant chill in the air, and with the neighbors constantly fighting, it was hard to get a few moments of peace. At least the hospital was warm and I didn't have to worry about someone getting murdered in a domestic dispute gone wrong.

The next day, I was allowed to check out. Liam was waiting for me in the waiting room when the nurse wheeled me out in a wheelchair. He grinned when he saw me. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Not horrible. I should be out of your hair before you know it."

"Trust me; I'm happy to have your company." He took the wheelchair from the nurse and steered me outside. I shivered as a stiff wind hit me. My worn jacket didn't do much to protect me from the chill. It wouldn't be long before it we had the first snowfall of the year if it kept being this cold.

"Don't worry, my car isn't far," he said. "You can warm up in there."

He took me down to the reserved parking section. At the end was a sleek Porsche. I gaped at it. I don't think I’d ever been so close to one of them, before.

Liam helped me inside. Sharp pain stabbed at my ribs as I moved. Even with pain medicine and after a good night's sleep, I still felt like shit. Liam put one arm around my shoulders and one under my knees, before lifting me up. I couldn't help but blush at his being so close. He was so strong. Lifting me didn't even faze him. He set me down on the seat carefully and I practically sank into the soft leather. This was easily the most comfortable car seat I’d ever sat on.

I looked out the windshield and saw a sign on the parking spot. "Reserved for the Gouldson Family". I smiled at the sight of it. Of course, he had his own parking spot. He was probably one of the biggest donors of the hospital.

Liam started the car. Soon heat was blasting through the vents. It was soothing after being chilled to the bone. "I'll be right back," he said. "Just have to return the wheelchair."

I smiled and nodded before he dashed off. I closed my eyes, dozing a little. For a rich person, he felt so normal. Now and then a wealthier person came into the restaurant and I would wait on them. The ones I served were always polite, but a little condescending and they always under-tipped. Liam wasn't like that. With him, I felt like I was talking to a normal person.

A second later he came back. "All right. Let's go home. I had my housekeeper prepare a special breakfast for you." When he said something like that, I remembered I was talking to a billionaire.

The drive to his place was quiet. Once we were there, he parked the car and came around to pick me up gently. "You know, you don't have to carry me everywhere," I said, feeling my cheeks heat. "I can walk."

"I like carrying you," he said. "Besides, it'll be less painful for you."

I had to admit he was right. For someone so big, he was very graceful. I didn't get jolted at all in his arms. It let my ribs settle into a dull ache instead of sharp pains.

His home was huge. It was more like a mansion, with white pillars at the entrance. Inside was an ornate foyer that led to a cozy living room with overstuffed couches and a fireplace. A wide staircase led up to the next floor. He carried me upstairs.

"Sandy!" he called out. "We're back!"

He carried me to a bedroom where a middle-aged woman with greying-blonde hair was setting up a breakfast cart that held a covered platter and a carafe of coffee.

She smiled at us. "Perfect timing. You must be Lacy. It's nice to meet you, although I wish it was under better circumstances."

I smiled at her wanly. I wondered what she thought about Liam carrying me around like this. What had he even told her about me? She didn't seem at all surprised to see me in his arms. Had Liam brought home other women like this?

"Nice to meet you," I said.

Liam set me gently on the bed. "Thanks, Sandy," he said. "I can take it from here."

"Of course." She gave us a parting smile before leaving.

Now that I was alone with Liam, I felt a little nervous. This was the first time I had been alone with him. In the hospital, people could walk by at any moment, but here, in his own home, we had all the privacy he could want or need. That also meant that if he had any nefarious plans, he could act on them now.

Liam pushed the breakfast cart closer to me, before taking off the cover to reveal a stack of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon and sausage. My mouth watered at the sight of it. "Eat up," he said. "I guarantee it tastes better than whatever rubber food they tried to feed you at the hospital."

"Thank you. And thank Sandy for me." I took a bite of the pancakes and moaned. They were the best I had ever tasted.

"It's my pleasure, Lacy." He sat down on the edge of the bed and I tensed.

"Do I make you nervous?"

The question wasn't accusatory. It sounded like genuine curiosity.

"A little," I admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, but I don't know you. I still don't understand why you would go through all this effort for someone you've never met."

"I wish I had a better explanation," he said. "I understand why you're hesitant. The truth is I just want to. I want to take care of you and make you feel safe and happy. I can't bear the thought of you going back to that freezing apartment and if something happens to you—" he stopped, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "I just want you to be safe," he said. "That's all. I promise."

I wanted to believe him. After all, this was everything I had wanted for a long time, but it seemed too good to be true. "Thank you," I said. "This is very kind of you."

A trace of sadness entered his gaze. "You don't believe me."

"I don't know what to believe," I said honestly. "This is all so new to me."

He nodded. "I understand." He stood up. "Get some rest, okay? You need to recover."

He opened the door and Peppermint barreled through. She jumped up on my bed, her tail wagging. I laughed and scratched her behind the ears as she licked my face. "Good to see you too," I said.

Liam smiled at the two of us together. "I'll be in my room. If you need anything, just shout."

I nodded. I wished I could trust him. He seemed so sad that I didn't, but how could I trust someone I had only just met? Especially one with so much power over me.