Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 25

*Michael*

“Bruce. What did you replace out?” I asked the head of my security team.

“We have reason to believe that Blaine knows your current location in the Bahamas, sir,” Bruce’s voice echoed on the other end of the phone.

I looked up when the door clicked; Shelby had left during my eagerness to call Bruce. I felt like a complete a*s. I kissed her and then made a phone call seconds after.

“Sir?” Bruce’s voice pulled me out of my own thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Bruce. What did you say?”

“We are worried about your security measures in the Bahamas. You have no one with you from the team. Please tell me you have been activating the security system we had installed.”

I’d completely forgotten about the security system in the rush of preparing for Lauren’s engagement party. I’d have to remember to set that after we got off the phone.

“How do you know that Blaine knows where we are?” I asked.

Seconds later, my phone buzzed against my ear. I put Bruce on speaker so that I could read the incoming messages. He’d sent me multiple screenshots of Lauren’s social media pages.

There were at least ten posts in the last three days, all pictures of her on the beach or lounging out on the yacht. In the last message was a picture of the Bahama beach house with the caption “Engagement Party at Daddy’s!”

“s**t,” I muttered under my breath.

“She has been documenting her every move, and in turn, documenting yours as well.”

“I should have known she would be posting. She never stops.”

“It would be wise, sir, to advise your daughter to stop posting, at least for the time being.”

“That, unfortunately, will not happen. Lauren has made social media her career. She will never agree to stop posting.”

“Even if it is putting you and your entire family at risk?”

“She doesn’t know about Blaine, and it is going to stay that way,” I said bluntly.

“Of course, sir.”

“What do you suggest I do?” I asked.

“Is it possible to head to a new destination? We may have caught this early enough that you can leave before Blaine replaces a way to get to the Bahamas.”

“I will see what I can do. I likely won’t be able to make that kind of arrangement, though. I have a house full of guests at the moment.”

“I understand, sir. Should I send a few members of my team to you?”

“I really don’t think that is necessary,” I said, hating the idea of having any of my bodyguards follow me everywhere while I was on vacation. I got enough of that at home. I also selfishly knew Shelby and I likely wouldn’t get another moment alone if I agreed.

“I wish you’d let us send someone out just to watch the perimeter at least,” Bruce said with a sigh. “I’m just a call away if you change your mind. I’ll have some of my men on standby.”

“Thank you, Bruce. I will let you know.”

I hung up the phone and resumed pacing my bedroom. It felt excruciatingly empty after Shelby left. I started to make my way towards the door to go and replace her when my phone rang again.

“Alester,” I said, answering the call.

“Good evening, sir. I am so sorry to bother you during your daughter’s engagement party,” Alester said.

“Alester, you know I am never too busy to talk to you,” I said with a laugh. No one knew better than Alester just how much of a lie that was. I was always too busy.

“I just got off the phone with the security team. Have you talked with Bruce yet?”

“Yes, I actually just got off the phone with him.”

“Oh, good, then you probably know more than I do. I just wanted to call and assure you that your accounts have all been secured. I also went over your father’s will again with a fine tooth comb, and it is just as I expected, airtight.”

“Thank you, Alester. That brings me a lot of peace of mind.”

“Just be careful, Michael. It sounds like Blaine will stop at nothing to bring down the Astors.”

“Honestly, it would be a waste for him to come here. I have nothing on me of any value to him. He would be smarter to wait until I am back in New York. If he does show up here, there is nothing he can take from me.”

“Just be careful, sir. If Blaine realizes that he won’t be able to get money, he will likely go after something else.”

“What could he possibly go after, other than my money?” I asked, curious as to what Alester was referring to.

“Your reputation,” Alester said with obvious anxiety in his voice.

“You make a good point, Alester. This is exactly why I depend on you so much. I will be on high alert.”

“Take care, Michael.”

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto my bed, not wanting to deal with anything more for the rest of the night. The soft thump of the phone on the mattress broke the silence of the very empty room.

The realization that Shelby had left, and that I had let her, hit me in the stomach. I placed my palms over my eyes, and the first thing that came to mind was Shelby and our k**s.

The memory of her eyelids as they delicately fluttered shut right before my lips met hers. I could almost feel the heat of her body pressed up against mine and the perfect curve of her a*s as I pulled her up to me.

I needed to replace her. She’d told me her truth about Todd, and now it was my turn to tell her my truth. I needed to explain that it was my bastard brother who ruined our moment.

Her touch must have addled my brain; it was the only logical explanation I could replace as to why I would let her walk out of my room. How could I have let her walk away, especially after a k**s like that?

I was desperate to replace her and made my way out of my room and down the hallway, even knowing my hair was in a state of disarray. I could not waste time fixing it; I also did not want to mess with Shelby’s handiwork.

I made my way back to the party, hoping that Shelby had come back there. I scanned the sea of drunken people, searching for her. A flash of red got my hopes up, but they quickly fell as the woman turned around. The red-haired woman did not hold a candle to Shelby.

“Daddy!” Lauren squealed, catching sight of me.

“Lauren, sweetheart. Are you having a nice time?” I said as I tried to seem as interested as I could. Even though I was desperate to cut the conversation short and replace Shelby. I knew the longer I let our moment pass, the harder it would be to get it back.

“It is absolutely amazing, Daddy. Have you tried the Lauren lemon drop?” she asked, but she shoved a drink into my hand, not waiting for my response. The next thing I knew she was hitting the side of my glass with a fork, getting the crowd’s attention.

“My Daddy, who was sweet enough to throw this amazing party for me and my fiance, would like to give a speech in our honor,” Lauren said, her voice raised to the entire crowd.

Nothing quite like being put on the spot. However, I knew that if Lauren wanted it, she would stop at nothing to get it.

I couldn’t help but wonder if my daughter had purposely set her sights on Todd, knowing he was not single. Sadly, I knew better than to think she wasn’t capable of such a thing.

“Thank you, Lauren, for that wonderful introduction. I would like to welcome you all to my home and thank you for taking the time to celebrate my beautiful daughter and her future husband,” I said, holding my glass up to the couple, and the crowd followed, raising their drinks too.

I couldn’t think of anything complimentary to say about Todd, so I decided to focus on the good aspects of my daughter’s character. However, that proved to be more difficult than I had originally thought.

“Lauren has always known how to get exactly what she wants.” s**t, that sounded harsh. “So I know that because she has put her heart into having a happy marriage, that is exactly what will happen for her. I wish all the best to my one and only daughter.”

The crowd clapped at the wrap-up of my speech, and I hoped I had pulled it off without upsetting Lauren.

“Thank you, Daddy!” Lauren said, pecking a small k**s on my cheek. I guess I hadn’t blundered too badly.

“Where is Todd?” I asked Lauren, surprised to see that he was not by her side.

“Oh, I’m not sure. I’ve been having so much fun, I lost track of him,” Lauren said with a shrug, not seeming worried.

“Well, let me know if you need anything, sweetheart, but I think I am going to turn in for the night. I’m not young enough to keep up with you and your friends.”

“One more thing before you go. We need to discuss the budget for my wedding. I need to contact this wedding dress designer if I am going to get one of their dresses in time, but it is a fifty-thousand dollar deposit to hold my spot.”

Not wanting to get into a conversation about wedding budgets when I desperately needed to replace Shelby, I told Lauren, “Whatever you need, honey.”

Lauren squealed her usual high-pitched, bird-scaring squeak, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“We can discuss the details later,” I said and walked back inside. I looked around and was relieved that the house seemed to be empty, so I made my way up to the second floor and Shelby’s door.

I knocked quietly, but there was no response.

“Damn it,” I said, fearing she was ignoring me on purpose.

I pressed my ear to the door and heard running water, and I guessed that she was taking a bath. I wished I could be in there with her, feeling her naked body against mine. I sighed and pulled out a piece of gum, popping it in my mouth and pulling a pen out of the inside pocket of my jacket.

On the small bit of hope that she wasn’t ignoring me but simply couldn’t hear me, I wrote a note on the gum wrapper and slipped it under her door.

I can’t stop thinking about you or that k**s. I will replace you tomorrow, so we can talk.