Healing Love: A Billionaire Romance (Forever Us Book 2) Read online

  Bianca Borell

  Healing Love

  The Forever Us Series Book Two

  Bianca Borell

  Copyright 2021 Bianca Borell

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author. All songs, song titles, and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.

  Disclaimer: The material in this book contains graphic language and sexual content and is intended for mature audiences, ages 18 and older.

  ISBN: 978-3982019284

  Editing by Missy Borucki

  Proofreading by Michele Ficht

  Book design by Swish Design & Editing

  Cover design by Spellbinding Design

  Cover Image Copyright 2021

  First Edition Published 2019

  Second Edition Published 2021

  All Rights Reserved

  There’s this thing inside us, some call it passion, others call it a calling. Whatever it is, it brought me to writing. To all those who pursued their inner voice, I bow to you!

  “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”

  ~ Maya Angelou

  Dedication

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Connect With Me Online

  Acknowledgments

  A Note From The Author

  About the Author

  BRIA

  I stand between two private airplanes facing a life-altering choice.

  A layer of sweat trickles down my neck, and an all-consuming fear swallows me whole.

  One airplane would take me exactly where I’ve wanted to go for such a long time, but in one night, everything shifted.

  Is love supposed to hold such power over someone?

  Damien, Damien, Damien. Every thought revolves around him, the only switch to a light inside the darkness of my mind. He occupies so much space in my soul. To remove him would mean removing the rest left of me. I blame him, my love for him, and my stupid heart that beats only for him, for this mess I find myself in. Not his threats, but the way he ignites feelings in me I kept on a leash, enslaving me to dream of things I shouldn’t even consider again.

  My gaze finds the second plane that would bring me to the land of probabilities and unknown possibilities—a fifty-fifty chance of living or dying.

  Quinn’s deep voice jostles me, interrupting me from drifting further in my reflection process. “Hey, sweetie, you look pale. Should I worry?” he asks, his eyes stretched with concern.

  “I wouldn’t know where to begin with what’s going on in my head.”

  Quinn presses me to him, his embrace grounding me to the present while I inhale woody and citrus notes. “You already decided, but the fear holds you back. Although I respect the predicament you find yourself in, don’t let fear overtake you,” he says while clasping my shoulders.

  “But is the risk worth it?” I ask, even though a voice whispers inside me it is. How strange, where has this tiny voice been hiding until now?

  “What’s there left to lose? Plans, my dear, are for us to think we’re in control, but life always beats us on it,” he says, and my lips arch into a small smile. “Let whatever you hold on to out. Don’t fight a losing battle. Haven’t you learned that lesson by now? No one lives in complete control.”

  “He gave me three months,” I say, and some amusement flickers in his eyes. I snap my head to the side, balling my hands into fists. Implosive anger swirls inside me toward Damien for putting me under such pressure.

  “Then let us take small steps because I’m sure you won’t find it in you to let Damien destroy the one thing you’ve worked for to exhaustion.”

  “I won’t ever forget or forgive his cruelty,” I deadpan, while Quinn’s forehead creases. His eyes light up in surprise. He doesn’t believe me, and I huff. How can he, when even I waver despite my anger?

  “One step at a time. Let’s get through your heart surgery. After you recover, we’ll find someone who can help you manage everything that’s going on in your mind.”

  “You’re confident enough that everything will end well, Dad.” He nudges me forward, his hand glued to my back.

  “I don’t want to consider the alternative, but to see you well and alive. Grant me that wish.”

  I nod, swallowing my fears. The people in my life deserve a second chance with a normal me after what I’ve put them through these last years.

  As Quinn leads us to his jet, I say, “I’ll get through this surgery alive. I’ll emerge free and well to embrace my life, love, family, and legacy with not only a functioning heart but also the right mind.”

  “Thank you, Bria,” he says, his eyes glassy. Witnessing the emotions rolling from him, my heart pangs.

  This unbelievably generous and selfless man thanks me, and emotions threaten to choke me. The strange sensation unbalances me, and I wrap my arms around his torso. “It’s me who has to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Without you, I wouldn’t have felt this little sparkle inside me through all the screaming pain I wore like armor around my heart.”

  As we embark upon Quinn’s sleek, white, golden striped Gulfstream G550, the realization that there’ll be no going back halts me for a moment. “Stop second-guessing,” Quinn says.

  His features soften as we duck inside. Rachel, his long-time personal flight attendant, greets us in her gold and black uniform, her auburn hair pulled into a tight bun. Her lips quirk up, and her round, brown eyes gleam.

  “Miss du Mont, Mr. Quinn, welcome aboard.”

  “Thank you, Rachel.”

  “Are we ready to take off?” Ramsey, Quinn’s pilot for the last twenty years, dressed in his black uniform and golden tie, wearing a confident look, nods. They shake hands. Over his shoulder, we stare at the co-pilot, the newbie who rushes to greet us and disappears the next second.

  “Excuse him, he’s s
till in the honeymoon phase.” Ramsey shakes his head at him, a mix of nostalgia and amusement crinkling in the corners of his sharp eyes.

  “It’s good to welcome you aboard again, Miss du Mont.”

  “Everything all right with your family?” His face lights up, and love oozes from him at the mention.

  “Miss du Mont, with two teenage daughters, the moment puberty hit, I aged ten years. It’s hard for a man to realize he isn’t the hero in their life anymore. I’m thankful for my wife. At least she tries to understand my frustration. They enjoy their inner circle, where I’m not allowed but tolerated.”

  Laughter rocks my body, and even the co-pilot’s head snaps to us. Their mouths hang open, and I laugh a little more, rejoicing in the liberating sentiment.

  “I don’t want to interrupt your chit-chat, but we have a schedule to keep,” Quinn says, tapping his Patek Philippe.

  They bolt back to their places, and Ramsey informs us over his shoulder, “The flight will take ten hours and fifty minutes. We will land at Tokyo International Airport at eight fifty p.m. With the good weather ahead of us, we expect a smooth flight.”

  “Thank you, Ramsey.”

  BRIA

  Sinking into one of the overstuffed, brown leather armchairs, I buckle up while Quinn takes the one in front of me, a mahogany table separating us.

  The engine rumbles beneath us, and gravity thrusts me further into my seat. When we’re up in the sky, Rachel approaches asking, “What can I get you, Miss du Mont, sir?”

  “A glass of sparkling water, please.”

  “Make it two,” says Quinn.

  She brings our drinks while we face each other as we sip from the glasses, enjoying the silence. My body relaxes at the familiarity of both the plane and his presence, opposite the nagging thoughts reeling in my head. I massage my temples to gain some comfort.

  Quinn’s chest bows over the table. “Try to sleep. You’ll need your energy.” I rest my hands in my lap and tilt my head toward the window, murmuring.

  “I’ll try.”

  “Rachel!” His baritone voice prompts Rachel to rush to us.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Please give Bria a tablet for easing her nerves.”

  “Yes, right away.”

  She returns a short time later and hands me a small cup containing the tablet. Not long after I swallow the pill, sleep gathers me in its arms.

  In my dreams, I lay in Damien’s arms.

  He trails kisses down my face, murmuring, “I told you I’d find you again. You can’t escape what’s meant to be, my love.”

  I cling to his chest with the sun’s rays leaping over the turquoise lake’s surface as we dance to a tune of an old love.

  “It’s beautiful here. Can we stay for a while?” His eyes flicker with the promise of a hundred lives to be spent together, warming me from within.

  “We can stay for as long as you wish.” He twirls me around, and I giggle as my heart bursts with love and happiness.

  “I feel safe here like nothing bad can happen,” I say, and his hold on me tightens.

  He dips his head, and his lips graze my earlobe, igniting a fire of love and need inside me. “I’ll never let anything bad happen to you. You’re safe. I’ll protect you even from yourself.” His words yank at my consciousness. The sky blackens, thunder gathers around us. Fear grips me.

  “What if I don’t wake up?” My fingers dig into his muscular forearms, and my voice fractures. “I’ve so much to lose . . . I’m not ready to go.” He cups my face in his hands, and his eyes blaze with passion and fierceness.

  “You’ll wake up, and you’ll come back to me. We’ll always find our way back home in the arms of the other.”

  “And then, then what?” I urge him to answer as he lowers his head, his lips mere inches above mine.

  “Then I’ll love you, Bria, if it’s what you want.” My heart leaps in my chest, and the clouds vanish.

  “I love you so much, Damien. It has always been you I want, but it hurts. Make it stop.” His long, elegant fingers grasp my face while his brows knit together.

  “What, baby? Don’t ask me to stop us. I never had that power. It has always been greater than us.”

  “This roller coaster we find ourselves on. I’m tired.”

  He envelops me in his arms and rests his chin on my head. “So am I, but we’ll make it better, together.”

  “It sounds too good . . . I must be dreaming.”

  “Come back, baby, this time for good. Let’s heal each other. Promise me?” His fingers slide down my neck and chest, then burrow into my waist, his steel-blue eyes ablaze.

  I’m ripped from his arms and sit up with tears stinging my eyes, a shudder jolting me. My hand flies to my heart pounding in my chest.

  “A nightmare, sweetie?” Quinn’s eyebrows draw together, lines of worry marring his forehead.

  “No, on the contrary. But it has the potential to become one,” I admit, my voice breaking. I lift the glass of water with my trembling fingers to my lips.

  The dream does funny things to my battered heart. Is it a sign, or is my mind playing with my nerves?

  I shake off the question of what would happen with us if I wake up after surgery. What’s the point in asking me something that knots me up? Us together edges on impossible again. We went through that, and it almost destroyed us.

  Why am I even contemplating it? I’m delusional.

  So, no. It’s wiser for us to forgive each other and carry on separately. But as I picture it, hurt strangles my heart. I can’t seem to make my heart give up on loving the only man I crave with every cell of my being. But I have to. Too much happened. We should agree on being friends.

  Right, like it helped others in the same situation. It’s the one sentence that achieves the opposite. I sigh and toss and turn in my seat.

  “You have a few rough days ahead of you.” He grabs my hand in his and squeezes it. “I’ll be there, Bria. Do you want me to let Alex or Damien or someone from your family know?”

  “I hope to get the chance to tell my family in person. Regarding Damien and Alex, I haven’t decided yet.”

  After all these years together, understanding crosses his face, the secrets we share, the ongoing fight for my life we don’t need words. He pats my intertwined fingers and reclines in his seat.

  ***

  The pilot announces our impending landing, and I inhale through the mix of anguish and uncertainty spread in front of me.

  We land, and the crew lets us out, wishing us a welcoming stay. I step outside, wrap myself in my oversized blazer, the black night shrouded in the crisp air, and fold my arm around Quinn’s. We stride toward the black limousine waiting for us. An elderly man dressed in an immaculate black suit grabs our luggage and opens the door.

  During the drive from the airport to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, I peer out the window, enthralled by everything passing us by.

  The city pulsates with life, lights shining everywhere, skyscrapers and intricate bridges battle for my attention. People wearing outfits from a cartoon character stand next to stylish, posh-suited individuals. It’s a city of extremes where flamboyance paints in vivid colors the normal life routine. The driver raves to Quinn about Tokyo's various attractions, and a desire to discover them rises inside me.

  Quinn tilts his head to me, a promise written in his eyes. “I’m sure we can find a few days to enjoy Tokyo.”

  “It would be great,” I say as my lips arch into a timid smile, and he palms my hand.

  How long has it been since I felt anything near excitement? What a waste of breath the last years of my life turned out to be. I allowed the darkness of my mind to turn me dead inside.

  “Your well-being and recovery are what’s important right now. For everything else, we’ll make time afterward.” I nod, his eyes dart outside, and his shoulders sag, his entire posture shrouded in pain. He’s thinking of her, Tonia, his wife. He sighs and says, “Life and this world have so much to offer. The loss
and sacrifices we make are how we pay for the privilege of being a part of life.”

  One day I’ll come back and see it with Damien. But the moment the thought arises, I shake it off. Instead of visiting this city as a tourist, I am here as a patient hoping to save my life. As the city pumps its energy through me, I’m aware it could go both ways. If I survive the surgery, though, I’ll learn to find pleasure in life again.

  We check into the hotel and the presidential suite. The 360-degree view through the windows offers a spectacular sight of Tokyo and Mount Fuji. I plop down onto the circle-shaped beige couch, contemplating the breathtaking view. My eyes land on the iconic, white and orange Tokyo Tower while I dwell over my precarious situation. If everything goes well, the doctor will release me after a week, but I’ll stay in Tokyo for some check-ups. I’ll have enough time to recover before Damien’s deadline. First, my heart, then my mind.

  We order room service, and we both settle for something Japan is famous for—sushi. Moans escape my lips as I dip the sushi roll in soy sauce and wasabi. The mix tickles my taste buds. The best I’ve had and Quinn agrees with me through a mouthful.

  As sleep eludes us, we settle at the round wooden table and play chess. I purse my lips to keep from smiling at him, running a hand down his face in frustration with my win.

  The clock strikes two in the morning, and I rise to my feet, not able to stifle the yawn escaping my lips. I bend from my waist, kiss Quinn on the cheek, and whisper, “Good night, Dad.”

  “Good night, sweetie. Please shut that brain of yours off for tonight.”

  I leave him alone in the company of a glass of scotch. The events of tomorrow must strain him too. Life with me isn’t for the faint of heart, which would be the mother of all ironies regarding our situation.

  I crawl into my bed, but the solitude nags at me. I pull my legs to my chin, glancing at the impressive round moon tapping at my window. Things I shouldn’t think of circle through my mind, such as Damien’s mouth on mine, the way my body blossoms in his arms, his musky and addictive scent, his plump lips quirking up in the most charming smile. I think of everything we said to each other, his “I love you” at the end, and my heart hums in my chest. I switch into a fetal position, pull the covers under my arms and sigh.