Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 by Laura Burton (learn to read books .TXT) 📕

Edward, who looked back at the security guards standing at the foot of the drive. He nodded to them and all but one of them dispersed down the street.

“Anthony, stay here with Johnny in case she comes back, I’m going to look for her.”

Anthony made to argue but the rumble of an engine caught their attention. A scrawny teenager hopped off his motorbike and walked up the path with a black bag at his side.

“Anyone order pizza?”

Edward and Anthony looked at each other.

“Wait, if you’re the pizza guy… then who was – ?” Johnny said, confused. Anthony stuffed a handful of bills in the boy’s hand and grabbed the pizza.

“Go,” he said to Edward, who dashed down the path.

“Where is Edward going? What’s happening?” Johnny’s voice trailed off as Edward ran along the street, his heart thumping. One of the guards caught up with him.

“A tall man with red hair was seen walking with a lady into Hamilton Park five minutes ago,” the guard said. Edward nodded as he pulled his phone out.

“David, Hamilton Park.” He hung up the call and ran as fast as his legs would carry him, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Chapter Twenty-One

Love Never Dies

Catherine decided she had lived a good life. She was happy with it and how far she’d come. She was close to her family, at the top of her game in her career and she had no doubt about who she was. Nothing would change that. Yet, she was not ready to die.

Calvin tightened his arm around her waist as he steered her along the path beside the giant projector screen in the park. It was movie night, and Catherine smirked inwardly at the ironic choice of movie. It was one of those cliché 90s horror movies, where the monster would walk slowly in pursuit of a blonde running through a graveyard. The suspenseful music quickened Catherine’s heart rate and she chewed the inside of her cheek as they walked off the path and into the hedge growth.

Run, Catherine. Run now. He’s going to kill you.

What else could he mean, when he said he needed closure? Why would he be taking her into a quiet part of the park, on a night when the sound of screams or gunshots would be entirely ordinary as far as the neighborhood was concerned? It was the perfect cover up.

“You enchant me,” Calvin said in a silky voice. He came to a halt, and turned. Now they stood face to face in the middle of a grove of trees. A blanket of leaves shrouded the moonlight from view and only the whites of his eyes glowed in the darkness.

“Save the flattery Calvin, just say what you’ve got to say,” Catherine said, with her fists clenched. She dug her fingernails into her palms, in an attempt to distract herself from her racing pulse.

“I think you forgot that I own you, darling,” he said acidly.

Catherine scoffed.

“Excuse me?” she shrugged away from his hold, marched to a tree and leaned against it. “You do not own me.”

“Oh, but I do,” Calvin said. “And do you know what happens when someone takes something of mine?”

Catherine laughed derisively.

“You’re not going to say something cheesy again are you? Like me breaking your heart?”

Calvin rushed forward, the leaves rustled and he grabbed Catherine’s wrists.

“Do not mock me,” he said in a violent whisper.

Fear is a funny thing, Catherine decided. The very idea of being in a dangerous situation would send her body into panic mode. But now that she was in Calvin’s clutches, entirely unable to break away, he had done something she supposed he didn’t expect. He had set her free. From panic.

There was no point being afraid anymore. With one sudden movement, he could break her neck and she would be dead. Or perhaps he would opt to strangle her instead.

After a couple of minutes, she’d pass out and then she’d die.

Calvin’s head was barely an inch away from hers and a tiny beam of moonlight illuminated his pale complexion as Catherine stared him in the eye. She made a decision in that moment, that she would not show Calvin he had any power.

“Or what?” she said, refusing to blink. A flash behind Calvin’s eyes made her smirk. This was not part of his plan. He expected a hopeless, screaming woman begging for his forgiveness. “How does it make you feel, Calvin?”

His brows furrowed at her question. “To know that a woman would prefer to die than go out with you?”

She knew it was mean. The venom in her words almost made her wince. But with her heart pounding faster than the hooves of a racehorse, and her ears ringing, she didn’t care. This man had tried to kill Edward twice. He deserved it. Calvin let go of her hands and staggered back. Then he growled.

A gun shot fired and Catherine flinched, wide-eyed. She stood frozen for a moment and wondered if she was in shock. Slowly, she patted herself down to check for a wound. But she remained unharmed. Instead, she squinted through the darkness and caught sight of Calvin’s gun glinting above his head, facing upward.

“You can sing like a canary, but you’re not too bright, are you?” he said with a sigh. Catherine wasn’t sure what to do. Run and scream to the hundreds of people sitting on picnic blankets watching the movie? Or stay and listen to Calvin’s monologue? Before she could make up her mind, Calvin started to speak again.

“Did you know he was just playing a game?” he said. Catherine frowned. “Didn’t you think it was odd, that Edward Marks would show interest in you?” He laughed darkly. “Oh Cathy, you’re so naïve.”

Catherine trembled with anger. He was toying with her.

“I know who he is,” she said quickly. “I’ve known all along.” That was a lie. But there was no point letting Calvin know the truth.

“Right, and I’m sure you know all about the deal he made with that friend of his… Sam was it?”

“How