She snorted and picked up her wine. She sipped and met my gaze. “That’s absolutely not true. In the end, you saw me as a burden.”

  The opposite was true. I sipped from my glass and held it between my knees. For years, I’d imagined seeing her again. Now that I'd made it happen, I only wished I’d found her sooner. My muscles felt jumpy as I prepared to tell her how wrong I'd been. “I… was so afraid of losing my parents that I ended the only relationship I ever had that mattered to me.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “No.” At eighteen, I’d realized my parents were rich and assumed they’d want all their sons to become part of their world. I hadn’t understood they just wanted us to be happy or that they’d be so accepting of my choices. Now that some of my brothers were married or engaged, I’d realized even more how wrong I’d been about everything.

  She pressed her leg against mine and shook her head as she sipped. “I’ve met your maman. I fantasized all my life that they’d adopt m, too, 'cause then maybe I’d be… someone else. There was no way either of your parents would desert you.”

  Her father was my pedar’s driver. Her mother was head housekeeper. They’d been staples in the background at almost every major event in our lives. As a teenager, I’d been a damn snob as I’d never wanted anyone to associate me with the squalor from my earliest memories. I sipped my wine and asked, “Like yours deserted you?”

  She let out a small laugh. “When you told me to get lost, I mistakenly told my parents that I was pregnant. I didn’t tell them about you, but they finally cut me out of their lives.”

  I narrowed my eyes. Her parents had never talked much around me, but I’d always assumed they were similar to mine. “What do you mean finally?”

  She squeezed my palm, and a spark raced up my skin and into my heart. She let go of me. “It means they worked for your parents, but my parents were nothing like yours.”

  Clarissa should have been cherished. My body still had aftershocks from her simple touch. “And Hunter?”

  She gulped her drink, finishing it. “A huge mistake. When I saw how he treated Sam, I realized in an instant how I’d done exactly what I swore I’d never do.”

  I put down my half-finished cup and folded my hands in my lap. I didn’t want to scare her as much I wanted to help her. I also needed her to fill in the gaps of her story. “Look, I don’t want to ever fight with you about Sam, but I need to do right by him and you.”

  “You did nothing wrong.”

  My lips quirked higher. “You’re too forgiving.”

  She let out a sigh. “Look, you didn’t beat me, you weren’t playing me, and you were never cruel. You thought we were a mistake. And I needed to take responsibility and ensure Sam never had the kind of childhood I had.”

  “You’re letting me off the hook too easy,” I said and wondered if any other man besides Hunter had mistreated her.

  She rested her head on her fist as she leaned back on the couch and studied me.

  My nerves grew taut. Then she sat up straight. “No, I'm not. But I need you to swear that my parents will never find out about Sam’s parentage.”

  I had no love lost for her parents as they'd never shared anything they knew about Clarissa. For years, my entire family assumed she'd finished college somewhere and didn't want to come home to visit them. I swallowed and asked, “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely. They will not profit off us.”

  "Fair enough," I said, thinking that my parents would have a harder time following her wishes than I would. “I need you to agree that you and Sam will stay with me for more than a night.”

  She moved like she was getting ready to jump up. My skin was prickly, too, as I waited for her response.

  She sighed. “You’re asking a lot.”

  Maybe hoping to get the rest of her story was expecting too much, but I inwardly swore I’d treat her right from here on out. I met her gaze. “I’m asking that we work together, like a family.”

  She hugged herself and closed her eyes as she rocked. I couldn't predict what she’d do next, but she was clearly on edge.

  “I’m not good at letting people in,” she said.

  I needed her to understand that time had changed me. “Who I was when we were together is not who I am now.”

  “How have you changed? You’re still throwing around your cash.”

  I finished my wine and decided I wanted to keep her in my life for as long as she’d stay. That was why I’d pushed to get her to agree to come to the hotel with me. I’d not even processed that until now, but my heart knew what it wanted. I was still drawn to her like a magnet, so I needed her to at least feel comfortable around me.

  “I realized how I never fought for you when you were in my heart," I said. "I was afraid I’d lose everything I had to the point that I ruined both our lives. And what’s funny is that Maman and Pedar don’t care if I succeed as a doctor. They love me and want me to be happy, no matter what.”

  She tilted her head. “You don’t need to include me in your plans to do right by Sam.”

  “I’m starting with doing right by you.”

  “Why?”

  I met her gaze. The memory of the first time I’d stolen a kiss from her played in my mind. I’d taken her to a middle school dance in the gymnasium that we’d spent a week decorating with posters and paint that had splattered on her face and clothes.

  “Maman took me in when I was four," I said. "I hardly remember life before then, but when I saw your place and where you and Sam live… it really hit home how blessed I am.”

  She laughed. “Appreciating what you got when you get it is pretty fucking special. but why did you go to my apartment?”

  “I came to apologize and to let you slam the door in my face. When I talked your landlord into letting me into your apartment and discovered a photo of Sam, I realized I'd waited too long.”

  “I was fucking scared to go home when I heard somebody had stopped by. I should have guessed it was you when I heard you were ‘Mr. Grey in the flesh.’”

  “Your leasing agent…” A huge grin grew on my face. When we were kids, my brothers and I had always considered Clarissa the only girl who was truly a lady. “No one’s ever going to believe me that Clarissa Brown swears.”

  She cupped my face, yawned, and stood. “You’re cute. Okay, we’ll take the jet… if you swear my parents never find out.”

  “I’ll make it happen.” I said. One phone call and hopefully my parents would agree to talk Clarissa's parents, their longest-serving servants, into retiring. Or maybe Maman and Pedar could move them to one of their seldom-used vacation homes. I'd also have to ensure that no one spoke to them about Clarissa and Sam.

  She waved at me and returned to her bedroom. “Good night then.”

  Tomorrow would be a whole new day. She was the only person I’d ever let down in my life, and not having her trust shook me hard. We had a long way to go, but hopefully tonight marked a fresh start.

  4

  Clarissa

  Birds chirped outside, and there was clearly daylight behind the curtains. I had no idea how long I'd slept, but I stretched in bed and closed my eyes. A restful sleep had been a commodity I’d not enjoyed in years, and I knew it was one of Elon’s gifts I shouldn’t have accepted.

  As a girl, I’d let myself dream that I wouldn't be a burden if I ended up marrying Elon. Unlike my parents, his were warm and caring. Neither of my parents had wanted a child. I’d been born because Roxanne Norouzi figured out my mother was pregnant and talked her out of having an abortion. My parents had let me know that more than once.

  They were no longer in my life. I was here with Elon, who I used to dream of as the Prince Charming who would save me. Although the day he’d told me we were done, I accepted that I’d never be able to whitewash how my parents had treated me. I needed to protect my unborn child. I vowed that Sam would always know he was loved and wanted.

  Every day I came home from work to Sam, I knew I’d kept that vow… until Hunter.

  It had rocked me to come into my apartment and find Hunter hiding in the closet. Sam had two black eyes and bruises everywhere. I’d tried to kick Hunter out of my place, but he'd hit me too.

  The minute he'd left for work, I'd grabbed the keys and my son then hopped in the car.

  We’d checked into a shelter, where our bodies healed, and I spoke about my past with counselors. Talking about it helped me more than I'd thought possible. And now, weeks later, Elon was back, and Sam and I were staying in a penthouse.

  I needed to ensure that Sam never experienced the things that I had. If that meant letting Elon watch out for him, that was the way it had to be. Sam had always been and always would be my first priority.

  I scrubbed my face and cleaned up with the toiletries in the bathroom. When I opened the bathroom door, Sam was waiting. He gazed up at me with a huge grin. “Mom, did you check out the clothes in the bag?”

  His blue eyes were innocent. My heart hammered. Thinking I’d made the right decision to accept Elon's help, I went to the closet with him. Both our bags were inside. “Do you like the things in your bag?” I asked.

  He showed me his kicks, as he called his shoes. “They're brand-new Vans Slip-Ons. Also in the bag are Converse and Nikes. I love being rich.”

  I kissed his forehead. “I’ve not given you much.”

  He took my hand and spoke with intensity. “You did what you could. Now I need you to marry my dad.”

  My heart hammered. Girlish dreams didn't work out for me, and Sam shouldn’t waste his time hoping for something that wasn't going to happen. I stood taller. “That’s a bit of a stretch.”

  I opened my bag and found jeans and a T-shirt, my usual clothing preferences, as well as a sundress. I never wore dresses as I didn't think I looked pretty in them, so I grabbed the jeans.

  Sam sat on the bed, watching me. “Look, you deserve nice things too. I hated Hunter. Dan was probably worse. But Elon… he knows about baseball, and he fed and clothed us. Mom, he’s the one for you.”

  My shoulders tensed. Dan had been Sam's babysitter. He'd used the money I paid him to buy alcohol, but he'd seemed capable and never smelled of alcohol when I picked up Sam. I’d never seen any marks on Sam after Dan babysat him, but now I questioned everything.

  I heard footsteps outside my bedroom. “Let's get moving… he’s waking.” We both scurried out of the room and headed to the kitchenette, where I boiled water, scrambled through the supplies and found tea bags. I remembered that Elon wasn’t a fan of tea from bags, but it was all we had. When Elon appeared, dressed in a T-shirt that showed the definition in his muscles, I sighed.

  His physical form was one reason why other men didn't stack up. Elon was perfect and could star in a superhero movie if he’d ever had an inkling to appear on screen.

  I smiled a little brighter, told him to sit down at the table, poured the tea, and put it on a tray I then placed in front of him. I folded my hands. “Tea. I hope you like it.”

  “Thanks.” He gulped it, clearly still preferring his drink ultrahot and not caring if the liquid burned his throat. He set down the empty cup and waved a hand. “Let’s get some breakfast. I’m yours all day to do whatever you want. Do you hear that, Sam?”

  Sam's eyes twinkled as he gazed up at his father. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” Elon grabbed his shoes.

  Both Sam and Elon gazed at me, and I realized I’d made a huge mistake in keeping them apart. My selfish desire to have Sam for myself wasn’t good.

  Sam started for the door, waving for us to follow. “Well, I am hungry. Breakfast sounds good.”

  We headed downstairs, and Sam directed us to one of the nearby theme parks. I didn't get free tickets, so Sam and I never came here. Once Elon had paid our admission, though, Sam marched us up to the Wizard Cafe.

  Customers had to pick up trays before going through the line. Elon didn’t seem to mind, though his lips pressed together when he realized he needed to carry his own food to the table. I almost laughed at the notion of a Norouzi serving himself.

  After we ordered, Elon paid, and Sam found a table. Once we were all sitting, Elon asked, “Clarissa?”

  “Yeah?” I realized he'd yet to make himself tea using the mug of hot water on his tray. I opened a tea bag and did it for him.

  “You’re not my servant.” I ignored the comment as I wasn’t that different from my parents.

  He waited till I finished. “You need to start realizing you’re privileged."

  No, I wasn’t—Sam was. But a huge breath escaped my lips. It was good that Elon thought of us as family, though, as Sam needed to be protected. He’d never hear from his parents, like I had, that he wasn't a priority. “Oh… thank you.”

  "I've already spoken to my parents," Elon said. "Your parents are retiring. So when we ever do visit my parents, you won’t be bothered. ”

  Sam bit into his sandwich like it was his first meal in forever. Once he finished chewing and swallowing, he asked, “You have parents?”

  Elon nodded but then must have noticed how still I was. “They are excited to meet you, but that’ll come later. Okay?”

  I lowered my head. “We’ll need time for an adjustment, so no one is overwhelmed.”

  He took my hand, and awareness zipped through me. “Clarissa, let me buy whatever it is Sam wants today as a means of getting to know him.”

  Sam needed more than things. I should be clear on that, but maybe I’d let things slide today as they'd just met. Once Elon opened his heart and not only his wallet, Sam would prefer Elon, but I’d always known my time with my son was temporary. My shoulders slumped. “Fine. You probably think I’m being ridiculous.”

  Elon sat up straighter and cut his eggs. “You’re being overprotective, but you haven’t said why that is. I’m here to help lighten your load.”

  I stilled and stirred my coffee. “Don’t lighten it too much. I need to feel useful, and I hope you do more than just buy things.”

  “Mom, can I order French toast too?”

  I glanced at Sam and realized he’d finished his entire meal.

  Elon took out a twenty dollar bill and handed it to Sam. “Go for it.”

  Sam took the money and darted to the cashier to place his order.

  Elon ate more of his breakfast. I chewed on my toast and hoped he wouldn't watch me eat.

  When Sam returned, Elon joked, “Maybe we’ll take him to Paris, so he can have a real French breakfast next week.”

  Sam smiled brightly and practically glowed as he nodded. “That sounds so much better than school.”

  I shook my head. I needed to make sure that Sam wasn't only interested in what he could get from Elon. I waited for Sam to finish his first huge bite of French toast. “Once we settle in at Elon’s place, we’re walking you right to school to register.”

  Elon perked up like he’d won a prize. “I’ll have my secretary start the paperwork.”

  I sat back with my coffee and said, “Perfect.”

  He winked at me. “Glad to finally get a compliment from you.”

  I sipped my coffee and relaxed. “I only give those out when you do something right, Elon.”

  He finished the food on his plate. “Sounds like something to strive for, but please eat more. We can’t have you wasting away.”

  Heat rose to my face. Hunter had always criticized my eating habits, making me feel self-conscious about my body. I shook my head. “I don’t want to get fat.”

  Elon tilted his head. “Maman would probably say you’ve gotten too thin. Eat.”

  His mother was nice. She’d always offered me food when she saw me. Sam stared at me. I picked up my fork and said, “Okay.”

  I hoped he hadn’t figured out that my ex had tried to control my eating habits. I gazed at my plate and ate.

  I tensed with embarrassment from the attention both Elon and Sam paid my every bite, but I finished as much as I could. It was nice, though, that Elon expected me to eat in front of him and didn't insult me.

  Once I wiped my lips and we were ready to enjoy the park, we stood. I put my hand on my son's shoulder. “Sam, just remember always that I love you.”

  “Of course he knows that,” Elon said.

  I glared up at him. “Don’t patronize me, Elon.”

  He nodded.

  We walked outside the restaurant, and Sam directed us to a roller coaster. The line seemed long. “This is going to take hours. Let’s do something else and come back.”

  Elon held up his hand then said he'd be right back. He left us, and I took a deep breath. It was easier to think without him standing next to me.

  Truthfully, I wasn’t ready to trust him, but it was a miracle that he'd shown up when he had. There was no way Hunter would look for me at a theme park or knock on the door of a room in the nicest hotel in town. He wouldn't figure out wherever we went on Elon’s jet, either.

  Sam was safe. I sighed with relief.

  Elon returned, holding fast passes that would enable us to skip the regular line for one that moved much faster.

  “You shouldn't have wasted your money, Elon,” I said.

  “I’m a stockholder, so there was a deal anyhow.”

  Of course he was a stockholder. I rolled my eyes and glanced down at my son. After his big breakfast, I hoped Sam’s stomach had settled enough to take a roller coaster ride. Elon walked beside us to the fast-pass line.

  Elon addressed Sam. “Since I told my brothers in a group chat that I found your mom, they all want to know how she’s been. Everyone is excited to meet you… when you’re ready.”

  The Norouzi family was large and loving. I remembered all of them fondly.

  Sam bounced on the soles of his new shoes. “Sounds nice. What was my mom like when you knew her?”

  My entire body tensed. Normally, I avoided Sam's questions about my childhood.

  We'd reached the front of the line. Elon let Sam get into the roller coaster first. “Your mom was shy, sweet, kind, and way more mature than me.”