Free Devotion - Billionaire Contemporary Romance Novel by Aria Hawthorne Page A

Daddy’s dime, knowing she would never have to work an honest day in her life. 
    Two years ago, Phillip met Marlow at a charity ball.  Isabel had always assumed Marlow had been the one who pursued Phillip because Phillip never seemed fully committed to her—or their relationship. Phillip’s abrupt announcement of their wedding engagement last year forced Isabel to admit to herself that she didn’t know her boss as well as she thought.  In fact, the only news that seemed more shocking than their sudden engagement was the news that Marlow had broken it off—just as suddenly—in order to pursue a relationship with Phillip’s ex-business partner, Symeon Colovos.
    “And Symeon?”  Isabel pressed him. 
    “No, Symeon Colovos wasn’t smart enough to attempt to understand the structure of the company or its financials.  You’re the only one, Isabel, who knows as much about the company as I do.”
    Isabel stared at Phillip, attempting to comprehend his words.  Over the years, he had slowly entrusted her with access to all the financial documents of his investment properties as well as his firm’s balance sheet and his billionaire net worth.  But she was she was surprised to hear that she was the only one in the company—other than Phillip—who knew any of the confidential details.
    “Phillip,” she said, choosing her words with precision and care.  “I want you to know that I take my job working for you very seriously.  I do not take your trust in me for granted, and regardless of anything I might have said or did tonight…” She stopped, suddenly pained by her own careless actions. “I want you to know that I am fully committed to you—always.”
    Phillip looked at her, as if her words pierced through his armor of guarded emotions and lanced his most private thoughts and desires.  His eyes churned through sentiments that could not be expressed through words.
    “Yes… thank you,” he acknowledged, his voice raspy with restraint before glancing away through his window as their car approached Isabel’s house.  His sudden silence told her that nothing more needed to be said, and the rare intimacy between them faded into the darkness. It had been a long, long night; now, it was time to leave everything behind them and part ways as usual.
    “Good night, Phillip,” she said softly, lingering in the darkness before Param whisked open her door and towed her out by the hand.
    She did not hear Phillip greet her goodbye in return.  Instead, she only heard the eerie creaking of her house, settling in its foundation as the wind rushed against its wooden siding and pushed her along the pathway up to her dimly lit porch.
    “Isabel—”
    Phillip’s commanding accent forced her to stop and turn back towards the Bentley.  He had called out to her through its lowered window.  She checked to see if she had left behind her purse.  No, she had everything with her .  She peered back at him with an uncertain pause.
    “Be sure to spend tomorrow morning with Aidan.  We’ll manage at the office without you.  Your son, no doubt, needs time to show off his new helicopter to his mum.”
    Without waiting for her response, the tinted window slowly rose, but not before Phillip’s blue eyes flashed at her with his trademark devilish charm.  Isabel smiled and nodded.  She unlocked the front door and pushed into the security of the foyer as the car peeled away from the curb and raced away into the distant night. 
    Thank you, Phillip.  Thank you for everything .
    She navigated through her house with care, quietly bumping into a series of Aidan’s cars, trucks, and plastic jungle animals, lined along the foyer’s stairs like a barricade.
    Aidan had been playing there, waiting up for her…
    She saw her son’s dirty clothes, tossed haphazardly in a pile on the floor.  She lifted up the clothes and smelled Aidan’s familiar scent—a mixture of gravel dust, dirt, and boyish perspiration.  She smiled.  Everything