Lorenzo bent, scooping up the five year old ginger-haired boy, and twirling him in the air, earning a delighted giggle. "I didn't expect to find you still awake, big man," he said as he carried him inside.
"I tried to get him to bed, but he refused. He said he wanted to see you before he slept."
Lorenzo glanced up to see Renee's worried expression. She was his housekeeper and cook, but she also helped care for the foster kids he sponsored whenever they visited.
Bryan had quickly risen to the top of that list—and Lorenzo had been seriously considering adopting him. But the fear of failing as a father gnawed at him—what if he wasn't strong enough to protect him from his own dangerous world?
He and Bryan shared a painful similarity: both had lost their biological parents and been placed in the orphanage system at a young age. The difference was that while Bryan might still have memories of his own parents, Lorenzo had none. He'd been told they died when he was only a few weeks old.
"Why didn't you listen to Aunty Renee, Bry? You know the rules. You have to obey the elders," Lorenzo said to the little man in his arms, trying to sound stern but failing. A soft part of him he didn't know existed dominated whenever it involved Bryan.
"I told Aunty Renee I was really sorry. I just really missed you. I'm sorry for disobeying, Aunty Renee," Bryan apologized, turning to the young brunette with the kind of face no one could resist.
Renee ruffled his hair playfully before returning to finish cleaning up the kitchen, while Lorenzo shook his head at the boy's tactics. He was such a sweet child.
"Now, let's get you to your room. Lead the way," Lorenzo instructed, setting Bryan down.
Bryan's eyes sparkled with excitement as he asked. "Uncle Lorenzo, did you get me something from your party? Maybe a toy?"
"There were no toys at the party," Lorenzo replied, and his face fell.
"How about we go shopping tomorrow?" Lorenzo chipped in.
"Yayyy... I love shopping!" A grin lit up Bryan's once-dull face. With that, he bounced all the way to his room.
Minutes later, after reading Captain Underpants to him, Bryan drifted off to sleep. Lorenzo chuckled at the ridiculous story of George, Harold, and their hypnotized principal, Mr. Krupp, fighting crime in his underwear.
"Goodnight, buddy," he murmured, kissing the little man's curly hair, before he got up, and headed to his own suite on the second floor.
As he stepped inside, his thoughts were once again invaded by Ashley. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at that moment. Her hurried excuse to step outside when he had asked about the hospital still lingered in his mind.
Lorenzo suspected it had everything to do with Christian Harrington—whom he later learned might have been the reason Ashley was fleeing the hospital.
'He'll pay dearly for messing with what is mine...again' Lorenzo thought, his jaw tightening.
Just then, his phone rang, breaking his train of thought. Carl's name flashed on the screen.
"Wassup, man?" he greeted once Lorenzo answered. "I heard you went to a party without me. That's cold, dude. I've been dying to meet some high-class beauties lately."
Lorenzo chuckled. "I didn't go to a club."
"What, you think my type only hangs out in clubs?"
"I think you're whining like a spoiled kid."
"Really?" Carl faked annoyance. "I'm hanging up. I'll take my childish tantrums elsewhere. But just don't call when you need any information."
"Hold on. I need to tell you something."
Carl paused, his curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
Lorenzo knew exactly how to get his undivided attention–Carl loved gossip as much as he loved women.
He savored the moment before dropping the bombshell. "I saw her again tonight."
Silence.
Carl knew exactly who he meant. Lorenzo had already told him about their unexpected encounter at Novaspire Hospital a week ago.
"We spent some awkward time together. She was my plus one," Lorenzo added.
Carl gasped. "Damn, didn't go well, huh?"
Lorenzo sighed. "Might have, if Christian Harrington hadn't shown up with his… little bitch."
Rubbing his eyes, he replayed the evening in his head.
"Kayla Beckett?"
Lorenzo's lips curled in distaste. "Do you want to hear the twist?"
"Of course. Go on."
"Christian Harrington was Ashley's husband."
"Was?" Carl asked, his curiosity deepening.
"They're divorced."
Carl sighed in relief. Knowing how his best friend had been crazy over Ashley, he figured he could finally have a chance.
"But I don't know how long they've been separated. Can you dig up some info on that? And on Christian Harrington? I need every shred of dirt you can find."
Carl and Lorenzo went way back, having met just after Lorenzo gained his freedom. Their bond had grown since then. Carl was a private investigator, one who could uncover information others couldn't.
There was a momentary silence before Carl responded. "Okay, man. You don't need a hug, do you?"
Lorenzo soft features morphed into a tight glower. "Fuck off. Just get me the info. And find out why Christian didn't marry Kayla Beckett."
He was going to hang up when he remembered another important thing. "Also check how Ashley ended up with the Flynn." He wanted to be sure she was completely safe.
After ending the call, he headed to the shower before making his way to the sitting area. Settling into one of the luxurious single-seater couches, he poured himself a glass of whiskey. He switched on the large screen, tuning into CNN Business News. The reporter was discussing Grey Group and its recent announcement about plans to expand into North America, marking it as the third continent the company was entering.
Reporter: "It's no longer surprising how Grey Group has shaken up the business world, but could this new achievement be the reason they turned down the Beverly Road construction?"
Lorenzo gulped down the remaining golden amber liquid in his glass, ignoring the burn in his throat as he switched off the TV with a bored expression.
He was heading back to his bedroom when a call from Elara Vaughn made his step halt. His brows knitted into a tight frown as he watched Elara's name glow on the screen.
Lorenzo had thought she would give up her fantasies about him after their last encounter which had left Elara crying. Just like he had assumed that being the heiress of a respected empire would keep her too busy to chase after uninterested men. He had been wrong—twice.
Elara had fallen in love with Lorenzo since their drunken supposed-to-be one night stand, and now she would do anything to be his. She had even offered to be his mistress at their last meeting, which Lorenzo declined.
He knew that not even her desperation could melt his icy heart. Only one woman had that power, and she was the only one he wanted.
He stared at the phone in his hand, watching it ring for the third time. The persistent heiress had been calling him for weeks, but always during the day. Something had changed, and he was curious to know what.
"Hello handsome." The sultry tone of persistence filtered into his ears the moment he slid the answer icon. "You've been avoiding me." She purred, and he immediately felt a twinge of annoyance.
He brushed his hair back, the effortless motion only emphasizing his striking features, before pinching the bridge of his nose, his patience thinning.
Elara chuckled nervously, her voice dropping lower. "I'm outside your gate, but I don't have the code. Thought I'd surprise you."
Lorenzo's grip on the phone tightened. Outside? "You've got to be kidding me."
He opened the security app and saw the red Lamborghini parked outside, with Elara standing beside it in an outfit that barely covered her, as usual. His lips curled in distaste. She was trying to seduce him, and he knew it. Elara packed the hotness of ten people—with her model figure and perky ass, men practically tripped over themselves for a chance with her. But Lorenzo Grey was immune to her charms. Still, he couldn't explain why he continued to entertain her drama, unlike the other women who also threw themselves at him.
"Why are you here ?" he bit out, and Elara bit her lower lip, flushed.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you," she purred again. "The way you touched me that night… I still remember every second of it." Here they were again.
He wasn't interested in playing this game. "I'm so wet right now… just how you love it," she added, her voice careful.
Lorenzo's brows shot up, not believing his ears. She risked driving hours through the cold just to say she missed him? He should've ignored her, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to. He decided to let her in.
Lorenzo opened the gate, his finger pressing the remote's button with a bit more force than necessary.
"You're lucky I'm in a very good mood tonight," he muttered, making a ray of hope bloom in Elara's heart. "Get yourself inside."
"He's not so heartless after all." Elara muttered to herself, reentering her Lamborghini.
A few seconds later, her car glided into the vast compound. Lorenzo didn't move from his spot, eyes narrowing as he watched her park. Elara, always eager, didn't waste time. Her voice crackled through his phone again.
"I'm in, handsome," she said with a delighted giggle.
"Good. Stay in your car until someone comes to show you to the guest room." He said, earning a frown from the once-happy lady. "And Elara..." Lorenzo's voice turned colder, making Elara's heart skip in fear. "Make sure you're gone before I step out in the morning, and this should also be the last time you appear in my house uninvited. Understood?"
Elara swallowed hard. Her fingers curled around the steering wheel, her long nails pressing into the leather. She had hoped for something—anything—but all she got was his cold, clipped tone. How could he allow her in just to send her to his guest room?
"Ye-yes," she whispered, but she didn't plan to give up so easily, not until Lorenzo changed his mind about her.