Billionaire Rancher Stepbrother Read online

  I'm so tired, God.

  Is he really the one for me?

  Can't I just give up?

  Seventeen

  Damn her. Even now, she had her hooks in him so damn deep that he was this close to telling his driver to turn the car around and head back to the lodge. Love you always. Those were the fucking words she had used for the other man in her life, and she had said them while wearing his ring on her finger. He had heard him say them with his own ears, but even after this...even knowing that all she might want from him was revenge and that whole scene of her trying to stop him from leaving was just a fucking act, to have him pay for all the times he had hurt her—-

  God.

  He still couldn't make himself hate her.

  Couldn't even stomach the idea of hurting her back by fucking the first available woman and letting Sarah know about it.

  He couldn't do any damn thing to hurt her because he loved her.

  All he had been able to do was leave...because he loved her and probably always would.

  When Damian's phone rang, a part of him was already wishing it would be her name he would see, and he did his best to convince himself it wasn't despair that crushed his heart when it was Tommy's name that flashed on the screen.

  "What is it?"

  "News about you and Ms. Clarke have exploded on the Internet," his PA reported anxiously. "There were guests at the balcony who saw what happened, sir, and the photos have already gone viral."

  Damian swore under his breath. "Do Josiah and—-" His phone started vibrating, with his father's name popping up on the screen. Fuck. "I'll call you again. I already have my father waiting on the other line."

  And as was his usual, Josiah nearly roared Damian's ears off the moment he answered his father's call.

  "What the hell is going on, Damian?"

  And because he was too tired to lie, he simply gave the full, unvarnished truth. "I'm in love with Sarah, and she's in love with another man."

  "What the fuck—-"

  "A married man named Hardy—-" He stopped speaking when he heard Naomi cry out in the background. "Am I on fucking loudspeaker?"

  Instead of Josiah answering, however, it was Naomi who came to the line. "Did you say Hardy, Damian?"

  He stiffened. "Yes. I did." And remembering how adamant Sarah had been to keep the truth from their parents, he couldn't help asking sharply, "Do you know him?"

  "Oh, yes." And this time, there was a distinct sob in Naomi's voice. "When Sarah was young, she had...she had a hard time saying Daddy for some reason. That's why she ended up calling her own dad Hardy."

  Damian whitened.

  "She probably tracked him down. He's—-"

  He cut his stepmother off, saying with fierce urgency, "I need your help, Naomi. Can you find Sarah for me and keep her from leaving? I'm heading back right now."

  And his driver was clearly eavesdropping because the guy was already taking a U-turn as he spoke, and when he saw his employer looking at him through the rearview mirror, his driver simply mouthed three words: I'm Team Sarah.

  Damian could only give a nod of thanks, his nerves stretched taut while he waited for Naomi to get back on the line. And when she finally did—-

  "She's in your office," Naomi shared shakily. "Can you tell us what's happening—-"

  "I'll give you all the answers you want," he promised curtly, "but right now, I need to focus on Sarah—-"

  "Do you really love her, Damian?" Naomi asked painfully.

  "I always did, Naomi. From the moment I saw her."

  And after that, Damian found himself doing something he hadn't done for years.

  He prayed.

  ****

  Tommy was waiting for him by the steps, and his PA looked as if he had aged in years in the past few minutes.

  "Sarah?" Damian asked right away.

  "Still in your office, sir."

  He gave the younger man a curt nod of thanks. "Keep everyone away. I don't want us disturbed."

  "Understood, sir."

  But when Damian entered his office, it was to find the room completely empty, and his gaze immediately strayed to the balcony's open doors. He was too fucking late, Damian realized dully. She had obviously outwitted everyone. He should've expected this, should've fucking seen it coming. He had hurt her so fucking much, had hurt her for the last time, that she had obviously decided it was better to risk her neck, escaping through a second-floor balcony, than have to face him again.

  A gentle breeze blew in as Damian sank to his knees.

  He had lost her for good.

  And it was all his fucking fault.

  An unfamiliar stinging sensation struck his eyes, and the realization that a man of his age was about to cry had his lips twisting. It was just one of the many things, he thought numbly, that only his little Sarah could make him do.

  Only his Sarah.

  He felt himself start to shatter from within and he couldn't make himself care.

  I love you.

  The words felt like the only thing he had left of her, and already his lips were moving at the thought, the words tumbling out.

  "I love you so fucking much—-"

  "I love you, too."

  Damian's head jerked up.

  And that was when she saw her standing by the fucking doorway of his en-suite. She was pale and shaking, her eyes swollen with tears, but ah God, when she spoke...

  "I'm sorry. I had to pee."

  The love she had for him since she was eighteen was in her voice.

  Sarah's hands flew to her mouth.

  And then she was running.

  Falling to her knees.

  Wrapping her arms around him.

  "Don't cry, Damian."

  His arms went around her.

  "Then don't ever fucking leave me."

  She pulled back to smile tearily up at him. "I couldn't even if I wanted to. There's this voice inside my head, and..." She swallowed back a sob. "It keeps saying you're the one for me—-"

  His mouth covered hers, and it was the sweetest, loveliest kiss, because this time, there were no more lies between them.

  "Tell that voice for me," he said raggedly against her lips, "he's one smart dude."

  "He has to be," she whispered with a tremulous laugh, "since He's God."

  Epilogue

  Two months later, and Sarah, now Mrs. Damian Fox, was standing in one corner, thinking to herself, Who would've thought life would turn out this way?

  Foxtown was finally on its soft opening, and so far the hundreds-plus guests invited for its first round of press was more than promising. Everyone was raving about the theme park, and she had lost count of the number of times she had heard the phrase 'Westworld meets Jane Austen' being bandied about. Then again, it really was the best description really. Foxtown, simply put, was a theme park offering a fully immsersive experience based in a fictional town that was half Wild Wild West and half Regency London...just like the man at its helm—-

  And almost on cue, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she leaned back to smile up at Damian. "Hello, stranger."

  "Lord Fox," he corrected, making her roll her eyes, "while you're..." He fixed a quizzical look at her attire, which was outrageously frilly. "A clown?"

  She burst into laughter. "Jerk."

  "Just being truthful, love." The billionaire absently arranged her bonnet while speaking, and she caught sight of other guests sneakily taking photos of him doing so. Same old, same old, she thought fondly.

  "Sorry I made you wait. I thought I'd check on Hardy on my way," he explained.

  She brightened at the mention of Hardy, asking excitedly, "Is he enjoying himself?" Since Hardy used to enjoy spending time in the kitchen as a hobby, she had thought it would be a good idea to have her biological father try working part-time at Gunter's, which was patterned after the eponymous tea shop during the Regency period.

  "He's doing great," Damian murmured, "but part-time should be as far
as it goes."

  She couldn't help smiling at the way her husband was obviously picking his words with care. "I know you think I'm being overprotective about him, and I probably am, but it doesn't mean I'm blind to the realities of his condition." The first time she had tracked Hardy down, the latter's decades-long psychiatrist had been more than blunt with her. Some people in this world simply aren't tough enough to deal with life, and your father's one of them. It had been a heartbreaking assessment, but Sarah had long learned to accept it. Since then, she had come to see Hardy as both her father and someone to look after like a child, and when the truth of his condition came to light, she had been beyond happy when Damian, Naomi, and even Josiah had welcomed Hardy into their lives as well.

  "Sarah?" When she turned to him with a questioning look, he said softly, "I love you."

  Her heart turned into mush, and she just had to raise herself on her toes to give him a quick, sweet kiss.

  After that, they continued with their walk, still holding hands, and only occasionally breaking the silence between them when they thought of something to share with the other.

  "Damian?"

  "Mm?"

  "I love you."

  Unlike her, however, this only had her handsome Dom smirking. "I know."

  It was times like this that she couldn't help marveling how everything was too perfect between them. Then again, maybe that was how it was, when serendipity was at work. They had taken one look at each other and had fallen in love at first sight. They were step-siblings to each other, but their respective parents hadn't minded that they also became a couple. They had been apart from each other, had hurt each other, but every single time, love would win and they would make up and forgive each other so very easily.

  Life was beyond perfect, and when the sheer perfection of it terrified her—-

  A breeze tickled her cheek, and she burst into laughter because this wasn't the first time Damian had held a portable fan to her face. After finding out what Sarah believed was God's way of letting her know she had made the right choice, he had used this tactic every time he saw her eyes darken with sadness.

  "You really have to stop doing that," she told him. "People keep asking me about it—-"

  "Give them the same answer I do," he said with a shrug.

  Her eyebrows shot up. "Don't tell me you told them the truth!"

  He shot her a pained look. "Give me more credit than that, love."

  "Then what did you tell them?"

  And he answered simply, "I tell them I know when you're feeling hot."

  "Oh." That made sense...wait. It took her a second to realize how 'hot' could be interpreted in another way, and her gaze flew up to him in horror. "Damian!"

  The End

  Author's Note

  March 15, 2020

  It's Sunday here in my part of the world, and as of today, Metro Manila (where I live) is officially under a lockdown of sorts. Basically, it's business as usual within MM + certain travel restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19. I have every hope, however, that this part of our lives will eventually come to pass (as we've already seen happening in China), and I look forward to one day re-reading this book and reminiscing about how we, as a whole, were able to overcome this modern-day pandemic.

  But I digress.

  First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to pick this book, and I hope you enjoyed Sarah and Damian's love story. Lately, I've been gravitating towards light-hearted and fast-paced romances while unconsciously toning down on the angst. It's a mood or a phase if you will, and I expect it to change eventually. In the meantime, however - these books are meant to make you guys smile, fall in love, and feel more optimistic about life in general.

  Anyway, thank you again, and in case you're interested or you're new to my work, a couple of characters who have shown up here either have their own books as well or were also featured in other stories. I've shared the blurbs of their stories below in case you'd like to give them a try.

  That's it for now. Thank you again everyone!

  Until our next journey,

  Marian Tee

  P.S. It would truly mean a lot if you could post a review of Billionaire Rancher Stepbrother if you enjoyed the story! Even a short line or two is enough. It's always a huge motivation for me and helps me finish writing the next one. ;)

  The Billionaire Rancher She Married

  (Harriet and Devon's story)

  Evergreen, Texas’ most eligible bachelor Devon Montgomery does not believe in love, which is why the handsome but cold-hearted ranch owner gets himself a mail order bride who’s sure to be undemanding of his time.

  Old-fashioned and hopeless romantic Hilary “Harry” White has never been happier to leave the city and be wife to a hard-working Texan cowboy. Imagine her surprise when she instead finds herself wife to an intimidatingly powerful billionaire rancher instead.

  Swept off her feet, Harry thinks it’s happy-ever-after for her...until she realizes that Devon only sees her as a property he’s bought to do his bidding.

  Acheron's Woman

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  "I'm sorry," Pippi said finally, "but I don't think I'm your type, and it would hurt me to see you bored with my company after just a few minutes."

  As Pippilotta "Pippi" Jones considered herself allergic to rich, handsome men, finding out that she was required by her work to visit Greek billionaire Acheron Simonides in his home was Pippi's worst dream come true.

  But since an order was an order...

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