Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 53

*Michael*

*Earlier that morning*

“How long have you made it a habit of sleeping with my friends?” Lauren’s voice sounded on the other end of the phone.

My heart sank, and I took a few steps back to make sure Shelby was still on the deck reading. Fortunately, she was out of earshot of my conversation.

“What are you talking about, Lauren?” I asked, fishing for more information.

“I know you were hooking up with Shelby on the yacht. Leave it to that slut to not only ruin my engagement but also to sleep with my father,” Lauren said with disgust.

“Lauren, your engagement fell apart because he was a cheater. It had nothing to do with Shelby.”

“It had everything to do with Shelby; if she weren’t there, his entire focus would have been on me,” she continued in a whiny voice that always grated on my nerves.

I sighed loudly and rubbed my temple. Lauren had been sending me texts all morning asking for money. I was glad that Shelby had decided to spend the afternoon by the pool so I could get things handled before our evening together.

“You are purposely avoiding my first question. How many times has this happened? I didn’t know you have a taste for younger girls.”

“That is not what happened, Lauren. Shelby is very different from the rest of your friends.”

“Oh my god, so it is true!” Lauren practically shrieked through the phone.

“Shelby and I have been seeing each other for a while now,” I admitted, not wanting to drag this conversation out or hear any more of Lauren’s ridiculous accusations.

“Gross! Dad, I can’t believe you. Are you really sleeping with my worst enemy?”

“Since when is she your worst enemy?” I asked, trying not to get frustrated with my daughter.

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. I not so patiently waited for Lauren to continue.

“You better end things with her, or else.”

I was used to Lauren’s threats. She had been using them to manipulate me ever since she was fifteen.

“Or else what, Lauren? This is really about money, isn’t it? Why can’t you ever just ask for money like a normal kid.”

Right after I found out Lauren was my daughter, I invited her to spend time with me at one of my houses. She would make up lies that I left her home alone for the entire weekend or that I let her drink when she stayed with me.

She promised to tell her mother if I did not give her exactly what she wanted. I indulged in it, believing she was just going through a lot in her life, and she was acting out because of it.

After all, she had just lost the man she thought was her father and gotten a new one, all within a short amount of time. I tried to tell myself that was the reason she would extort me for money. That may have been the actual case in the beginning, but she quickly learned it was an easy way to get me to do exactly what she wanted.

“Okay, fine, I need a measly five million,” Lauren said as though we were discussing mere pocket change.

“That is ridiculous, Lauren. Even for you.”

“Fine then, I will ruin your relationship with that little home wrecker.”

“Do you even know what a home wrecker is? You may not like my relationship with Shelby, but honestly, there is nothing you can do about it,” I said.

I hung up the phone and ran my fingers through my hair. I was so frustrated with my daughter, but I didn’t want to let her antics take away from my vacation with Shelby.

However, this threat was a lot different from the ones she pulled when she was younger. She had requested five million dollars this time, and if I didn’t pay, she promised to ruin my relationship with Shelby. I wasn’t going to let her get away with it this time.

I stuck my head around the corner again and saw that Shelby was wading in the pool while on the phone. Knowing that Shelby was busy, I quickly dialed a number I hated using.

“Michael, what an unexpected surprise,” a seductive voice sounded on the other end of the call.

“Marmie, what does Lauren need five million dollars for?” I asked sharply, not wanting to dance around the problem. Trying to get information out of the woman was like pulling teeth, and I was too angry to play her games today.

“I am not sure what you mean,” Marmie answered with an air of surprise.

“You know exactly what I mean, Marmie. I know that you and Lauren always plan these schemes together to get what you want. So I won’t ask again, what is it this time?” I said, trying my best not to completely lose my temper.

“My, my, someone is very protective of their little girlfriend. I didn’t know you went for such a younger woman, Michael. Are you finally going through that midlife crisis? You know most men just buy a new car.”

I could almost physically feel the hot steam coming out of my ears.

“So you are wrapped up in all of this,” I said icily.

“Lauren tells me everything, my dear. Honestly, I expected better out of you. This girl ruined your daughter’s chance at happiness. She broke up her engagement. I think Lauren is entitled to some compensation,” Marmie crooned into the phone.

“That is not at all what happened. Lauren made a bad choice getting involved with a man like Todd. Their breakup had nothing to do with Shelby.”

“Oh, is that her name?” Marmie said.

She knew exactly how to push my buttons.

“I am sure you already knew that, Marmie. Now I am going to ask you one more time. What does Lauren need this money for?” I said, clenching my teeth.

“Why don’t you ask her for yourself?” she bit back at me.

“I don’t like being extorted, Marmie. You need to talk to our daughter and tell her I am done responding to threats. When she is ready to talk like an adult, I will hear her out.”

“Best be careful, Michael. New relationships can be so fragile. I just want what is best for my only daughter.”

“I don’t care what the hell you want. You need to figure this out now!” I yelled into the phone and hung up.

As soon as I turned around, I knew I had made a mistake. Shelby was standing there, eyes clearly shocked. I wondered how much of that conversation she’d heard.

***

“Shelby, please wait,” I called after Shelby’s silhouette as she took off down the beach and back towards our cabana.

In the few seconds it took me to finish securing the sailboat to the dock, Shelby had made it far enough down the beach that I couldn’t catch her, even at a run. I watched her form disappear into the cabana, and I followed her inside. I left a trail of sand behind me from my beach-filled shoes.

The bedroom was empty, and the bathroom door was closed. When I tried the doorknob, I was met with resistance. She had locked herself in. I knocked softly on the bathroom door, and unsurprisingly I got no response.

“Shelby, please just come out and talk to me. I don’t want to leave things like this.”

My phone buzzed again, and I pulled it out of my pocket, hoping to see Shelby’s name on my screen. Unfortunately, a text from Lauren sat threateningly there instead.

Just three words.

Don’t underestimate me.

I wanted to throw my phone across the room and out the open window, but I thought better of it. So instead, I slipped the phone back into my pocket, my hand grazing the ring box. I had such high hopes at the beginning of the day, but all those hopes had been dashed.

Lauren had not stopped texting me throughout the entire day; I had done my best to ignore it until the last text message she sent came through. Unfortunately, Lauren had the worst timing and interrupted the most important question I was about to ask Shelby.

The moment I was about to pull the ring box out of my pocket, my phone buzzed instead. Flashing across the screen was a picture. The picture of me and Shelby naked in the cove, Shelby’s back to the camera. Somehow Lauren had it.

Something more had to be going on if Lauren felt the need to blackmail her own father for money. I needed to handle this in person before Lauren did something stupid.

“Shelby, I am so sorry. I have to go now. I love you,” I said to the door, knowing I wouldn’t hear it back and that I didn’t deserve a response.

A car was waiting for me outside the cabana, and I hopped into the back. The drive to the airport felt miserable, knowing that I was leaving Shelby behind, angry with me. Nevertheless, I swore to myself that I would handle this situation as quickly as possible, then fly back to wherever Shelby was and make it up to her.

I boarded the private jet taking a seat next to the bar cart. I poured myself a glass of whisky before calling Shelby. I listened to the call ring for several minutes before it went to voicemail.

I didn’t leave a voicemail. I didn’t have anything I could say that would make this situation any better.