Billionaire's Blackmail Bride: Billionaire Brothers Kent - Ridge's Story (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) by Judy Angelo
Authors: Judy Angelo
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room watching reruns of classic comedy
shows. He’d always been a fan of ‘The Honeymooners’ and ‘I Love Lucy’ and he
welcomed the distraction.
Contrary to what he’d expected, though, after sitting through four
episodes of comedy he was in no better mood than when he’d left early that
morning. In fact, when Lani finally emerged from the bedroom, scantily clad and
making him even more aware of her as she spread her arms in a languorous
stretch, his mood got even worse.
He didn’t mince words. “We’re leaving,” he said. “Today. You can
start packing right now.”
Lani froze mid-stretch then she lowered her arms to her sides and
frowned. “So soon? I thought this was supposed to be a week-long honeymoon.”
“I’ve had enough,” he said, his voice terse. “It’s time for me to
get back to the real world.”
“Well.” That was all she said – no protest, no nothing – then she
shrugged and headed back into the bedroom.
Ridge grimaced then let out the breath he’d been holding. The truth
was, he’d expected a fight, maybe even an all-out war. The last thing he’d
expected was for her to accept his sudden change of plans without demur.
But he was thankful. He was looking forward to getting back to
Houston where he could lose himself in the day-to-day problems of work. With
all that distraction maybe he would be able to deal with his dilemma. This
romantic setting was definitely not working in his favor.
But, back in Houston Ridge soon found out that losing himself in
work was not going to be the answer. Each night he still had to come home to
face a bride, now a wife of over one week, who proved a constant distraction.
And as if that weren’t bad enough she was a constant cause for vexation. The
woman would not listen to him.
As soon as they’d arrived back in Texas the woman decided she was
going back to work the very next day.
“You already told your staff you’d be away this week,” Ridge told
her. “Why don’t you just stay in and relax?”
Instead of seeing reason Lani had a ready response. “So you rush us
back here so you can get back to work but I should sit in the house for the
rest of the week, bored out of my mind? Nothing doing.”
“You were the one who complained that you hadn’t had a vacation
since taking that job.”
“I didn’t complain,” she retorted. “I merely stated a fact. But
that’s beside the point. The important thing is, we’re back in Houston and I’m
certainly not going to waste time sitting in your big old house, twiddling my
thumbs when I could be getting some good work done.”
“Just like I thought,” Ridge said, his lips twisting in annoyance.
“You’re nothing but a workaholic.”
“Says the man who cut our honeymoon short so he could get back to
work.” Her laughter told him she was not intimidated by him, not in the least.
And that was the pity because if she would only listen to him then
she wouldn't keep doing things that pissed him off… except that she seemed to
take pride in her ability to do just that.
They’d been living together a little over a week in this ranch house
– the one she’d called his big old house – when he came home much later than
usual, almost nine o’clock that night, to find that she wasn’t there. It was
the first time he’d come home and she hadn’t been there.
Frowning, he threw his jacket onto the sofa and fished his cell
phone out of his back pocket. He dialed her number. It went straight to
voicemail. Not what he wanted to hear.
A twinge of worry made his frown deepen but he sucked it in. Maybe
he was overreacting. Lani was probably working late. He would give her another
ten minutes and if she didn’t get home by then he would try her phone again.
The second the clock told him the time had passed he tried her
number. Voicemail again. What the heck? What reason would she have for turning
off her cell phone? If she had to be in a meeting all she had to do was put the
darned
shows. He’d always been a fan of ‘The Honeymooners’ and ‘I Love Lucy’ and he
welcomed the distraction.
Contrary to what he’d expected, though, after sitting through four
episodes of comedy he was in no better mood than when he’d left early that
morning. In fact, when Lani finally emerged from the bedroom, scantily clad and
making him even more aware of her as she spread her arms in a languorous
stretch, his mood got even worse.
He didn’t mince words. “We’re leaving,” he said. “Today. You can
start packing right now.”
Lani froze mid-stretch then she lowered her arms to her sides and
frowned. “So soon? I thought this was supposed to be a week-long honeymoon.”
“I’ve had enough,” he said, his voice terse. “It’s time for me to
get back to the real world.”
“Well.” That was all she said – no protest, no nothing – then she
shrugged and headed back into the bedroom.
Ridge grimaced then let out the breath he’d been holding. The truth
was, he’d expected a fight, maybe even an all-out war. The last thing he’d
expected was for her to accept his sudden change of plans without demur.
But he was thankful. He was looking forward to getting back to
Houston where he could lose himself in the day-to-day problems of work. With
all that distraction maybe he would be able to deal with his dilemma. This
romantic setting was definitely not working in his favor.
But, back in Houston Ridge soon found out that losing himself in
work was not going to be the answer. Each night he still had to come home to
face a bride, now a wife of over one week, who proved a constant distraction.
And as if that weren’t bad enough she was a constant cause for vexation. The
woman would not listen to him.
As soon as they’d arrived back in Texas the woman decided she was
going back to work the very next day.
“You already told your staff you’d be away this week,” Ridge told
her. “Why don’t you just stay in and relax?”
Instead of seeing reason Lani had a ready response. “So you rush us
back here so you can get back to work but I should sit in the house for the
rest of the week, bored out of my mind? Nothing doing.”
“You were the one who complained that you hadn’t had a vacation
since taking that job.”
“I didn’t complain,” she retorted. “I merely stated a fact. But
that’s beside the point. The important thing is, we’re back in Houston and I’m
certainly not going to waste time sitting in your big old house, twiddling my
thumbs when I could be getting some good work done.”
“Just like I thought,” Ridge said, his lips twisting in annoyance.
“You’re nothing but a workaholic.”
“Says the man who cut our honeymoon short so he could get back to
work.” Her laughter told him she was not intimidated by him, not in the least.
And that was the pity because if she would only listen to him then
she wouldn't keep doing things that pissed him off… except that she seemed to
take pride in her ability to do just that.
They’d been living together a little over a week in this ranch house
– the one she’d called his big old house – when he came home much later than
usual, almost nine o’clock that night, to find that she wasn’t there. It was
the first time he’d come home and she hadn’t been there.
Frowning, he threw his jacket onto the sofa and fished his cell
phone out of his back pocket. He dialed her number. It went straight to
voicemail. Not what he wanted to hear.
A twinge of worry made his frown deepen but he sucked it in. Maybe
he was overreacting. Lani was probably working late. He would give her another
ten minutes and if she didn’t get home by then he would try her phone again.
The second the clock told him the time had passed he tried her
number. Voicemail again. What the heck? What reason would she have for turning
off her cell phone? If she had to be in a meeting all she had to do was put the
darned
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