Free Her Billionaire Secret: Part 4: An Alpha Billionaire Romance by Jenna Chase, Elise Kelby

Chapter One
    TEVIS
    His office had floor to ceiling windows to one of the best views in London, overlooking the River Thames. Below him on the street stood the journalist and photographer who had followed him everywhere for the last three days. So far he hadn’t given them the opportunity of getting any closer to him than seeing him through glass. He presumed they were from Citrus Gem Magazine and they were hoping to get to her through him. If they were still on his tail, then they weren’t having any luck finding Claire either.
    His thoughts as he looked out weren’t on the journalists but on Claire. Since she left he had focused all his efforts on trying to find her, delegating his work to the firm’s directors. He hadn’t let go of the reins, hence still being in the office. It was a conscious decision to realign his work so that he could have more personal time.
    Personal time he wanted to spend with Claire. He would find her, even if it took him a lifetime.
    The security gates to the underground car park slid open and he watched the black vehicle drive past the photographer who snapped away as if his life depended on it. Tevis knew the images would not reveal anything of interest. The driver of the vehicle was his friend Sam Rendall, one of the few people besides family members who had a device to activate the gates. Five minutes, perhaps less, Sam would be in his office providing an update on his investigations into Kathryn Tyler and her daughter Fay—his Claire.
    Claire had been his every waking thought, the instigator of every action he’d taken over the last few days. Some might have called it an obsession.
    He called it searching for the love of his life.
    One long weekend was all he’d had, but he had known it from the moment she’d argued with him in that feisty, no-nonsense way of hers. Her loss was a pain deep inside that wouldn’t go away. He wished he’d been able to read her better, to understand that although she’d keep her promise she would go when she’d fulfilled it. Her fear had been that deep. He thought he had more time to convince her that it was possible to deal with it, but he hadn’t.
    The door to his office opened and he turned to face Sam Rendall. His personal assistant knew to allow this visitor through, no matter what Tevis was doing. He cut straight to the chase, no pleasantries were needed.
    “Any more information?”
    “Yes,” Sam responded, his face for the first time in days containing a smile. “I know who Claire’s father is. I’ve booked a private jet. We’re leaving now and I’ll fill you in as we travel.”
    Tevis was already half way across the room.
     

Chapter Two
    CLAIRE
    The sun was warm on her back as she ambled past York Minster with her camera slung over her shoulder. Even the cathedral’s gothic magnificence failed to tempt her to linger and take some shots.
    She was getting little pleasure from her photography. It seemed so empty, lonely even, not having someone close to share her work with. Her father loved everything she did, he had several of her images on his studio wall. Somehow it was no longer the same. She wanted to share her work with Tevis.
    It was too late. She'd pushed him away. Without realising it, by falling in love with him she'd allowed him to put his mark on everything she did, everything she thought.
    The city of York, in the centre of Yorkshire, was home. Here the only family she had now lived. Her father had moved here to hide Claire from the press, to give her a normal life. When he'd met and later married Sarah, he'd found contentment and that had flowed over to Claire. The birth of her little half-brother Elliot had been the icing on the cake. Her father wasn't replacing her mother, Claire had known that. He'd found a different happiness with Sarah. She brought serenity to a house full of creativity and cushioned them from the world outside, just when they'd needed it the most.
    Claire walked on down High Petergate, passing