Read Online The Billionaire’s Handler by Jennifer Greene - Free Book Online

break-in was the point. It really shook my timbers. But even worse was the steady round of lawyers and security people calling after that. And I forgot. There was a neighbor who came over, lost her husband, was hoping I could pay her rent for a while. Then…my father’s second aunt’s grandson’s wife was pregnant with a baby that needed some kind of expensive operation—”
    â€œCarolina?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI know all this,” he said patiently. “I’m surprised you didn’t cave long before you did. The way the doctors explained that ‘hysterical deafness’…it was your body giving you permission to shut down andquit listening to everyone’s demands. Losing your hearing was self-defense.”
    â€œWhatever. Here’s the thing I wanted to say. You know what? This is really your family’s money. Not mine. Why don’t I just give it back to you.”
    â€œNo. Not an option.”
    â€œJust listen to me, all right? I’ve lost just about everything that matters to me. My job. The family relationships I thought were strong and solid. Friends. The things I loved to do, loved to be part of, always took for granted. And you know what?”
    Maguire wiped a hand over his face, tucked his chin on a fist. “What?”
    â€œWhen you first kidnapped me, I kept thinking how weird it was…that I wasn’t afraid. But now I actually get it. Because my reality is that I couldn’t be a happier kidnappee. I don’t want to go home right now. I really don’t.”
    â€œAnd you’re not.”
    â€œBut all those problems’ll go away if you just take the money back. Wouldn’t you like all those millions?” she asked coaxingly.
    Maguire got this expression on his face as if he were fighting not to laugh. Fighting to believe she was for real. “I have more than enough money than I could ever use or want, Cee. So, no.”
    â€œOkay then. How about for Tommy? How about if I give it all to Tommy?”
    â€œTommy couldn’t use another penny in his lifetime. He’s got a fortune. All in safe, secure trust funds.”
    Still. She was warming up to the idea. “You could burn it if you wanted to. Or throw it away. I always thought I wanted heaps of it. That it’d be so much fun to buy anything I wanted. That I’d feel so much safer if I had security in the bank. And that’s been the craziest part. It’s not fun. And I don’t think I’ll ever feel safe again.”
    â€œYes, you will,” he said quietly, forcefully. “You can make different choices—”
    â€œI know, I know. I could always choose to just give it all away. And in principle, I’d love to do that. To pick people and causes who really needed something, or someone, to come through for them. Only, Maguire, I learned the hard way that it’ll never be like that. Because no matter who I give to, someone else will be mad that it wasn’t them. Or mad that I didn’t give enough.”
    â€œBut there’s still another choice—”
    â€œI know, I know. You think I haven’t thought this through? I could start all over under an assumed name. That has a lot of appeal. You probably think it’s the best choice. I mean, I’ve been whining about what awful people my family and friends have turned into, haven’t I? But I just can’t see giving them totally up quite yet. I mean, they’re my whole history. Warts and all, they’re still my blood. Maybe my lifeis broken right now…but getting even more broken doesn’t make any more sense, does it?”
    â€œNo. And there really is another choice, Carolina.”
    â€œWhat?”
    But just then Wilbur emerged from the front cabin, ordering them to strap in because they were “imminently landing.”
    For the first time in hours, she glanced out the window. She hadn’t asked where they were