Billionaire Romance Box Set - The Billionaire's Mystery: A Billionaire Romantic Suspense Series Read online

  The Billionaire’s Mystery

  Box Set – The Complete Collection

  A Billionaire Romance Suspense Series

  Sarah J. Brooks

  The Billionaire’s Mystery

  Book One: A Listing to Die For

  A Billionaire Romance Suspense Series

  Sarah J. Brooks

  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

  More books from Sarah J. Brooks

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter One

  “Where is Alyssa?”

  My head perked up. This was it. I’d just gotten the email and replied to it. I jumped to my feet.

  “Sir,” Garth turned to me, his blond hair slicked back but not greasy looking. His blue eyes scanned my body, but I don't think it was in a dirty way. I cleared my throat; his gaze brought a blush to my cheeks. “I um, just got an email from her. She's sick. At the hospital right now. She said she will need a couple of days ... at least, that is what the doctor told her.”

  He stared at me, not saying a word.

  Everyone in the room had their eyes on us.

  “Who are you?”

  My jaw almost dropped. “I ... My name is Ally.”

  “Ally ...” He mulled my name over. “And how long have you been working here?”

  “A year and a half.”

  Had he never noticed me? I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised. He didn't have time to go around noticing everyone that he employed.

  I forced a tight smile over my lips, waiting to see if he would say anything to me.

  “I'm in need of a receptionist. Alyssa was supposed to have some paperwork ready for me and help me get a house ready to be shown. You can do that.”

  Without another word, he turned his back on me and headed for his office.

  I stood there, this time, my mouth fell open. He stopped, looking over his shoulder.

  “Are you coming?”

  “I ... y-yes,” I stammered, rushing off after him. I noticed everyone staring but didn't dare look any of them in the eye. Garth opened his office door and stepped inside. I followed him, closing the door behind us. Unsure of what else to do, I opened my mouth and spoke, “Did you need me to get you anything?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Garth moved to his desk, dropping down into the thick leather seat behind it. He turned to face me. “You said your name was Ally, correct?”

  “Yes.” I stood straight, my hands behind my back like my mother had taught me. My shoulders square and my head raised.

  A smirk spread across his face. “Relax.”

  I took it as a command. I know it made some people uncomfortable when I stood like that. It took a fair amount of effort, but I managed to force myself to relax a little.

  “You said Alyssa emailed you?”

  “Yes, er sir.”

  “Please.” He cut me off. “Mr. Adams or Garth will do, but I do ask you address me in a professional manner when we are with clients.”

  I nodded. “Mr. Adams,” I cleared my throat. “Alyssa and I worked side by side before she got her promotion.”

  She had been so excited about it. Alyssa's goal wasn't to make her way up in the company, it was to own it by marriage. She had a plan to win Garth Adams over and become his wife. Of course, I wasn't going to ask her that.

  “I don't think she had anyone else's email address other than yours, and she didn't want to bother you. I was just about to report it to the supervisor when you came looking for her.”

  “I will be sure to let Michele know.” Garth looked me over. “Do you know much about staging a home?”

  “Yes,” I lied.

  “Good.” He grabbed a black file off the counter and handed it to me. “I will give you the keys.” He turned his attention to his desk, rummaging around. “You can go over and get started on the place, and I will be over in a couple of hours; once I've met with a couple clients.” He pulled out a single key on a keychain and handed it to me. “Alyssa does a very good job; I will be unimpressed if you do not.”

  I took the key from him, my fingers brushing against his for a fraction of a second. My heart jumped into my throat as my eyes locked on his. A tingle ran down my spine though I couldn't place it.

  I didn't know what to say to him, so I just nodded and walked out of the room, my heart hammering in my chest. I made my way down to the car before looking at the address on the key ring, and then pulling my phone out of my pocket, set the GPS on and headed for the location.

  See, I work for a real estate company. It's a big deal, most of the time it's celebrities and rock stars looking for their second or third home. But a couple non-famous billionaires pay us a visit every now and then.

  When I pulled into the driveway, I looked around. This place seemed bigger than my entire apartment building. I shut the engine off, my heart still racing. How was this happening?

  I grabbed the file Garth had given me and flipped through it. The owners weren't living there though there were still a few nicknacks that they had left for us to use. The master bedroom was empty, but the kitchen was fully loaded.

  They were asking more than I would be able to afford in a lifetime. But I was guessing they would get it—considering they had a fucking movie theater in the basement. I stepped out of my car, wondering how I was going to make this work as I strode towards the front door.

  Garth had given me the right key, at least, it opened the door. I have to admit, for a split second I worried it wouldn't work and I would have to go back there. I bit my lip looking around as I padded into the large house, the sound of my cheap heels echoing around me.

  “Holy shit.” This place needed to be staged? It wasn't good enough just how it was? I shook my head. If I could afford it, I would buy it in a heartbeat just the way it was. “Alrighty. Time to see if I can work a little magic.”

  ***

  An hour later, the place looked good. Better than it had when I arrived. At least, I could say that.

  Most of the house just needed a good cleaning, which had taken me most of the time to get done. When Garth rolled into the driveway, I was still hanging pictures. I didn't tur
n to face him when the door opened.

  “It looks good.” He sounded surprised.

  “Thank you.”

  I hopped down from the ladder, beaming as I turned to face him. I didn't want to admit just how happy it made me that he said it looked good. This could get me in the right spot, I realized. If Garth liked the way I decorated, he would call on me again if he needed extra help. If he liked the way I decorated better than the way Alyssa did, then he might even put me above her on his call list.

  Garth left the room, taking in the small changes I had made since I'd been here. He uttered a murmur of approval before turning to me.

  “The client will be here within the hour.” He looked me up and down. “Uh, you may want to look professional.”

  My cheeks flushed. I'd taken my shoes off the second I started climbing a ladder and fiddling around with everything. My high waist belt had also long since come off along with my earrings, my necklace, and my rings had also come off. I rushed over to my purse as fast as I could in my skirt and reached for the inner pocket.

  Once everything was back on and I'd slipped into my shoes again, I cleared my throat. I looked around, making a mental checklist of everything.

  Floors: Check.

  Open windows: Check.

  Flowers: Check.

  Bright centerpiece on table: Check.

  “Shit,” I muttered, heading for the kitchen as fast as I could, grabbing my purse along the way.

  “What did you forget?”

  “Nothing,” I lied. “I just ... might have waited a little too long.” I grabbed the vanilla from my purse and rummaged around for a pot to place on the stove.

  I didn't wait for the water to boil before adding a little vanilla to it.

  “Is that all you're putting in?”

  “Yes.”

  I pulled out the almond extract from my purse. A personal secret I'd been working on. Everyone did vanilla, and it smelt amazing, but almond extract smelt even better. I added a tablespoon of it to the water and took a deep breath. Soon enough the entire house smelled incredible.

  I turned to see Garth staring at me.

  “I'll admit, I'm impressed.”

  A blush touched my cheeks. “I aim to please.” I managed to make it sound like I wasn't beyond proud that I'd impressed him.

  A smile touched his lips, and for a split second, I just stared at him—taking everything in.

  He wore a well-fitted suit, the kind that probably cost more than my rent for six months. His blond hair didn't look long—he had it slicked back, and his grey-green eyes looked like they could stop a woman in her tracks. As he moved around the house, I was sure I could see his muscles flex as he reached up, fixing one thing or another.

  My eyes trailed lower. I couldn't help it.

  My head tilted to the left as I took in that amazing ass. Yup, I could see why Alyssa wanted him alright. It wasn't just the money—he was hot. I mentally shook myself, trying to clear my head. It wasn't a good idea to be thinking dirty things about your boss. Anyways, I'm sure all the girls did that. It was no fun being like everyone else.

  I cleared my throat. “Would you like me to stay for the showing or would you rather I leave?” `

  “You can stay. If Alyssa is going to be sick for a few days, you will need to know how to show a house. I do not have the time to do everything for you.”

  Nervousness touched at the pit of my stomach, but I didn't dare admit it. I just nodded and took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I'd studied this for years. Maybe I hadn't been to school for it, but I had read hundreds of books, and even more magazines. I'd helped friends and family get their house ready for sale, and I'd been to more than a handful of open houses.

  Garth turned to face me. “A few things you should know.” His hands clasped behind his back. “This family is very reputable. They have a lot of leaning and a lot of connections.”

  “Meaning, if you find them the perfect house, they are more likely to mention you to all their friends.”

  A thin smile spread across his lips. “You catch on quick. They are moving because they want to be closer to their daughter.”

  So they were emotionally motivated. “She's married?”

  Garth nodded.

  “With kids?”

  “One. Another reason they want to be closer to her.”

  “You know, there is a perfect spot for a little playground out back.” I moved over to the window above the sink. It looked out into the back yard. “Right, back there.” I pointed to what looked like there used to be an above ground pool.

  “Hmm.” Garth nodded. “So you think they can be motivated by their grandchild?”

  “Of course, they can. It's family.” I turned to face him, leaning against the counter, and my heart skipped a beat. I hadn't realized how close he was to me. Way within that personal bubble of space. I inhaled. The scent of his cologne rising to my nose.

  I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second and then opened them. “If they want to move closer, it's so they can spend more time with the kid. If they want to increase their chances of the kid coming over, they will want a house that appeals to the kid.”

  “Have you studied psychology?”

  “Marketing.” I shrugged. “Just a couple books ...” I'd never been able to afford the education. Still, I made the most of it.

  “You're right.”

  He moved away from me, and I stared at him as he paced around the kitchen, glancing down at his watch.

  “They want to be close to their family.”

  “So we give them a house where they can have family.”

  “Yes.”

  I bit my lip. It didn't sound hard, but if I'd known that at the beginning, it would have been a little more helpful. Next time, I would be able to decorate right.

  Next time, I'd make sure there were no questions. They would buy the house.

  If there even was a next time.

  I hated admitting it to myself, but it was true. There might not be a next time. Don’t think like that, I told myself.

  It wasn't long before another car pulled into the driveway, and Garth cleared his throat. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Just ... watch me and take notes. If I tell you to do something, then you do it, got it?”

  “Yes.”

  What the hell was he going to ask me to do? I was almost too scared to ask. I watched as he padded over to the door and opened it wide as the couple slipped out of their shiny red car. My eyes narrowed as I looked at the BMW emblem across the front grill, and my jaw almost dropped. I took a deep breath, if I was going to make it in this company, I was going to have to get used to that and knew it. I shook my head, following Garth to the door.

  I waited a couple feet behind him, the black folder he'd given me in my hand. I checked inside it just to make sure I had the paper ready to give them. Four bedroom. Three bath. Fireplace in the living room. This house was something every girl wanted. And the kitchen, oh God, it made me want to buy the place.

  “Kerry.” Garth extended his hand to the woman. “Alex,” he said, shaking the man's hand. “I hope you two found the place without an issue.”

  “We did,” the woman answered.

  She had black hair tied up in a bun; her blue dress looked like it was made to fit her body, and both her and the denim Jimmy Choo wedges were right out of a magazine I'd been reading a week ago.

  I tried not to show my shock—or the small bit of envy—as I gave them both a smile.

  She looked me up and down, and based on the look she gave me, she wasn't impressed. I pulled the paper out of the binder, needing to do something with the silence. Garth opened his mouth as I spoke.

  “The place is a three story home built in 1921, not including the cinema that is under the basement.” The woman took the paper from me with narrowed eyes as Garth stared at me. “Although the frame and the hard wood are original, the rest of the place was updated two years ago. S
o you get all the beauty and charm of an old home, but you get all the benefits of a new one.” I'd had a chance to read the papers in the binder while we were waiting. “The last owners spent under $100 a month heating this entire house during the winter since they put in their new heating system.”

  I could tell that perked the man's interest. Alright, so he was the cheap one.

  Garth cleared his throat. “Why don't we start in the kitchen? There's something I want to show you outside.” He motioned for the couple to step ahead of us, and they made their way into the kitchen. I stepped forward.

  Garth's fingers tightened around my arm and pulled me to a stop. My heart skipped a beat.

  “Not bad,” he muttered in my ear.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  Chapter Two

  I thought it went well. The couple left with a smile on their face, but they still wanted to see another house, one they had found while looking online last night or something.

  I cleaned up as fast as I could without rushing the job, and Garth watched the entire time. I finally turned to face him when I was done. “Mr. Adams, you could have left whenever you wanted.”

  He stared at me without saying a word for a few seconds and my heart skipped a beat.

  “No. If Alyssa is going to be out of commission for a while, we need to get something sorted out.”

  “What?”

  “You look cheap.”

  My jaw dropped, and I stared at the man in front of me. He'd just told me I looked cheap.

  “Excuse me?” I stammered.

  Who the fuck did he think he was? I didn't care if he was my boss; I was going to break his fucking nose.

  “You look cheap,” he repeated. “You can't sell billion dollar homes in twenty dollar shoes.”

  I stared at him with wide eyes. How could he tell my shoes were twenty dollars? They could have passed for sixty or seventy.

  “I ...” I knew I was supposed to say something but had no clue what to say. So I just stood there.

  “Come on ...” He turned on his heel and headed for the door. I grabbed my purse, chasing after him. Where were we going?