Obsessed Heir (Billionaire Heirs #4)

Epilogue

Barron

“ I haven’t seen the shopping area on board yet.”

“Seriously, Mom,” I kid, standing here loaded down with all the things she bought while we went through half the stores in town.

“Barron, Miss Opal does enjoy browsing when she has a chance,” Abigail says, backing up her wheelchair so they’re not in the middle of the corridor.

“I adore the bear cubs on Abby’s top.” She cranes her neck to see Abigail’s T-shirt. “And with most people ashore, it’s the perfect opportunity.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t think to get one for you as well.”

Abigail burst into tears when I gave her the bag I had sitting on the dresser. Had I known she was really missing her clothes, I would have given them to her sooner.

Then again, if she had something to wear, we would likely still be on opposite ends of the suite. So no, definitely not.

“That’s perfectly fine, Son. I think I would do best to look at them myself,” she declares.

Behind her, Abigail is pressing her lips together to keep from laughing. She mouths, “all of them,” so only I can see.

“Use your medallion to pay for the T-shirts and anything else you decide to buy.” I’m resigned to the shopping spree and the dent she’ll put in my profits. “All the proceeds for those items go to charity, so don’t hold back.”

“That’s very generous of you, dear.” She tilts her head, offering her cheek.

After a peck for her, I do my best not to devour Abigail as she holds on to the handles for dear life. I’m more than pleased with the streak of desire in her eyes as I pull away.

“Have them deliver everything,” I suggest. “So you don’t have to carry them.”

“We can hang the bags on the chair.” She pats the handle, and I’m reminded she’s already gone through this with my mother. But they won’t be alone anymore.

“Get some swim shorts while you’re browsing,” I suggest.

Abigail loses some color in her cheeks.

“Oh, you’ll need a bathing suit if you’re going to learn how to swim,” Mom chimes in.

“Swim. Shorts ,” I reiterate. I don’t need anyone ogling her while we’re by the pool. In fact, I might teach her myself, at night. “Go on. I’ll order lunch to be delivered within the hour.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the time,” Abigail promises. “You ready, Miss Opal?”

“Yes, dear.”

She pushes away in the opposite direction as I watch.

“I mean no disrespect, Abby. But now that we have nuptials coming, you could call me Mom,” Mom says tentatively.

Abigail brings her hand to her mouth. “I would love that,” she says in a tearful voice.

A sense of satisfaction fills me as I walk down the long hallway.

While my plan to become a billionaire in my own right has run its course, I’m okay. I had nothing to prove to anyone but myself. The more important thing is that I managed to make my family truly happy.

The elevator opens, letting out a lone passenger.

“Barron.”

“Rhys.” I nod in greeting. “I know now’s not the best time, but I want to talk to you later on.”

“Oh, what’s on your mind?” he asks, a little wary.

“There were a couple of times where we could have needed a helicopter. I thought I’d ask if you would consider doing a few trips with us while I set something up?”

A big grin spreads across his face. “Yeah, I could do that.”

“All right, I’ll catch you later on to work out the details.”

“Sounds good,” he says, as we go past each other in the doorway.

I ride up, nearly giving in to the urge to whistle. Exiting at the top, I glance toward Holly’s door. I wonder how she’ll feel about having her life turned upside down.

She may or may not know I saw Rhys coming out of her suite. And though he said he’d find a place to sleep on his own, I doubt he’s using a spare bedroom.

Once inside, I deposit the bags on the couch, leaving it for them to see what belongs to whom. With my task done, I hit the fridge for a beer then check the time. There’s one more thing I need to do before my women return.

I enter my office and lock the door behind me before I settle in behind my desk. After a quick glance at the photograph on the wall, I tap the mouse to turn on my laptop.

We all make small decisions that together weigh on us by the gravity of the consequences. It’s important enough that I see the message every day.

Logging in, I go to the nondescript icon sitting in the corner of the screen. I double click, starting the authentication process. The way Dante set this up, there’s no chance someone will accidentally find the encrypted feed.

After a moment, the camera feed comes up, displaying the exact scene in the photograph. The only difference is the light appears dimmer, and a solitary bug is flying around, catching the last rays of the fading sun.

I put in my earbuds and turn on the sound. Movement catches my eye a second before the clink of metal hitting metal comes through.

The microphone picks up a grunt of distress. “Stayed away…” Esteban’s muttering starts. “Should have stayed away.”

That’s right, you bastard. And now you realize you shouldn’t have crossed me.

I warned that bastard I’d put him in the ground if he ever tried to fuck me. He thought I meant I’d kill him. No, there are much better ways to make people pay for trying to hurt the ones I love.

Like a moth to a light, I knew he’d come back once she was older. He didn’t disappoint. My men grabbed him when he went after Abigail as she was leaving school.

He’s had five years in that cave. What was left of the money I gave him was converted into coins. Some pay for bread he’s fed every day. The rest is set aside just for him.

We all make small decisions that together weigh on us by the gravity of the consequences. Each coin represents a decision that should weigh on our minds, and so they grow heavy with each subsequent coin placed on that motherfucker’s head, day after day.

Because he never should have fucked with my family.

The end…