Stranded with the Billionaire

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“Hello.”

A hoarse whisper and a hard push on the shoulder pulled Sage  out of his dream. Or nightmare. They have become one in the same.

“What?” he asked, straightening up and looking around.

Irena ‘s wide eyes looked at him.

He pulled  the blanket over her. If there is danger, he cannot be entangled in it. “Everything OK?” He blinked in the darkness, trying to focus on Irena .

For a moment, he thought he saw his lower lip quiver. Her chest swelled at the thought that she felt fear. The  urge to protect her suddenly came to him.

“Hey. What’s wrong?” he asked, placing his hand on her knee. Her legs are crossed in front of her chest and she hugs them.

Her face turned pale as she approached him. She didn’t seem so panicked that there couldn’t be any imminent danger. Adrenaline ran through his body as he tried to relax. He moved to lean on the sofa and Irena  followed him. He took his blanket and placed it on their lap.

“May I sit next to you?” she asked.

Sage  looked at her. Her jaw clenched as she stared at the darkness around them. “Of course,” he said. Was it wrong for him to enjoy the feeling of her shoulder next to him? That for the first time since meeting her, she seemed vulnerable?

He shook his head. Obviously something is wrong with her. It was wrong to take advantage of the situation when she was suffering. Focusing on her, he sang in his head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He kept his voice calm as he looked at her.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Unnecessary.”

“Is it an accident?” Are you scarred? Because I won’t let anything happen to you. Telling her that I would take  care of her was a bit too intimate. Moreover, she seems to keep her independence with all her might. He didn’t want to take that away from her.

“A little,” she whispered.

“Trust me, I’m a little scared. But we’ll be fine. As long as we stay calm, everything will be fine.

“That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“What? That I’m scared?”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her nod.

“But, I think that’s what you  want. A man who is not afraid to show his feelings.”

She laughs. “That’s when you watch a girly movie and you don’t cry even though you’re full inside. When we’re stuck in the desert, we want to know that nothing scares you.” She approached him.

Instinctively, he put his arm around her shoulders. His posture stiffened, then relaxed. She rested her head on his arm. He leaned down until his lips were inches from her ear.

“Nothing scares me. I’m the scariest thing you’ll ever meet.

He felt his shoulders rise and fall with his laughter.

“I trust you,” she whispered. “Most billionaires are pretty scary.”

Sage  stepped back and looked at her. Was that all she saw in him? Why can’t people look beyond his father’s wealth and define him as something else? Is that his curse?

He was about to leave, but Irena  stopped him. So he stayed, but he couldn’t stop the anger that was boiling in his heart. He leaned his head back on the couch behind him.

At least when he’s alone, most people don’t know who he is. He can blend in with the crowd and be like everyone else. That’s Sage  Kennedy  and that’s it. That’s not Sage  Kennedy , heir to the Kennedy  Outdoors exclusive. And he prefers this anonymity.

He closed his eyes, a determination rising in his chest. Once this public relations nightmare is resolved and Kennedy  Outdoors is safe, he will sell his shares and leave. Disappear into the world and never look back. There’s nothing for him.

All the people who were supposed to love him are gone, and he’s fine. It was as if the world was telling him he was alone. It’s time to start listening.