New Beginnings Read online

  New Beginnings

  Barrington Billionaires Series

  Novella

  Book 5.5

  by

  Jeannette Winters

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  Napoleon Oliveira never allowed anything to come between him and his dream. And yet a single clerical error has halted what he’s spent the last ten years working for.

  Myla Alluri grew up knowing the lie was the only thing that protected her. Once free to live her life as she wished, she finds she’s still bound by her past. Breaking free would jeopardize the people who risked everything to save her.

  When their paths cross their attraction is undeniable. Her lie is the one thing that stands between them and a future together.

  Can he love her without knowing the truth or will she risk it all for him?

  Copyright

  Kindle Edition

  An original work of Jeannette Winters, 2017.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, events, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Missy Pinet. You’re so much more than just a member of my team, you’re a dear friend. You take my vision and give it fruition. You never cease to amaze me with how talented you are.

  Karen Lawson, Janet Hitchcock, E.L. King and Marion Arche, my editors you are all amazing!

  Thank you Melissa Pinet for another beautiful book cover. www.mldgraphics.com

  Also thank you to my beautiful model Kerissa Taylor Raymond. You look amazing on this cover!

  To my readers who continue to inspire me with endless messages and kind words. Always make time for romance.

  Hate to say goodbye to your favorite characters? The perfect solution is a Synchronized Series! One world. Three authors. Character cross-over. Triple the amount of books. Binge reading at it’s best.

  Each author’s books are full stories you can enjoy individually! But putting them all together weaves an even more pleasurable reading experience.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Other Books By Jeannette Winters

  Chapter One

  “We had to lie. If not . . . you know what could’ve happened. I might not be alive now.” Myla Alluri was grateful for everything Alex Henderson had done for her and what he still was trying to do in Tabiq. Unless you grew up there, you could never really comprehend.

  Alex raised the letter from the dean’s office and shook his head. “I understand the fear you felt in Tabiq, but you should’ve told me the truth.”

  “Alex, I’ve been lying so long about my age that it feels like the truth.”

  “If you’re not eighteen, how old are you?”

  It’d been so long that she thought about it. Back home celebrating a birthday didn’t hold the same sentiment it did here. At least not for young girls. “I’ll be twenty-four on my next birthday.”

  “Twenty-four? You’ve got to be kidding. There’s no way.”

  “It’s true. On January first I’ll be twenty-four years old. I’m lucky because I looked young enough to hide my age for a long time. If the officials had ever known how old I really was, I’d have been taken long ago.”

  She could see Alex’s anger building. Myla would never forget who he was. The son of the man who’d put my country through this turmoil. But she’d learned the Henderson children were victims of James Henderson’s brutality too. They tried to hide it, but when no one was looking, she could see it in their eyes. It resembled the pain she’d see in so many back in Tabiq. Will any of us truly heal from his actions? All she could do was hope.

  “When you brought me here, I continued as I always had, in self-preservation mode.”

  Softly Alex responded, “Myla, you know you can trust Ziva and me. If there is anything that troubles you, we are here for you.”

  Deep inside Myla knew that. If it hadn’t been for them, she’d have faced horrendous acts. Instead, here she was in the United States, attending Boston University. Even as a child her dreams hadn’t come close to this reality. But she couldn’t erase everything she’d experienced in her past either. “It’s hard, Alex. We’re trained not to open up and trust. Changing isn’t as easy as flipping a switch.”

  “No, it’s not. But we have some issues that are going to be difficult to fix. Since you didn’t have any legal documentation showing your age, we falsified ones based on what we’d thought was the truth. I’m all for telling the truth, but now it’s a bit too late. Unless you want to be deported back to Tabiq, and potentially see me in prison, I suggest you keep your real age a secret.”

  Continuing to lie wasn’t really what she wanted to do. She wanted to leave all that behind. She wanted to tell Alex she was willing to risk the consequences for coming clean, but that wasn’t the case. Without Alex’s help, she wouldn’t be in the US and definitely not attending such a well-renowned university. The best way for her to help him and Ziva for all they’d done for her, was to keep her mouth shut and do as she was told. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Coming here was supposed to be her new beginning, and now she knew she had to hold on to some of the past.

  She made it through the first semester without any issues. Her only worry had been whether or not she was going to be able to keep up with the other students. But all her studies back home had paid off, and she had an excellent grade point average. Myla didn’t want to give any of that up. “What are we going to do about the dean? She insists on seeing more documentation, or I risk being expelled.”

  “You let me handle that.”

  Myla panicked. “Alex, you’ve done so much for me already. I don’t want you to get in any trouble on my behalf.”

  Alex laughed. “The Hendersons are always in trouble. We wouldn’t know what to do if we weren’t.”

  “But—”

  “Let me handle it, Myla. You just keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Myla had no idea what that was. All she did was attend school. It wasn’t as though she was contributing in any way. “What’s that?”

  “Enjoy the college experience. It’s something none of us were able to do.”

  She knew things couldn’t have been easy for them with James as a father. She thought college would’ve been the escape for them. “Didn’t you like it?”

  “Myla, there wasn’t anything we were allowed to like. If we did, our father put an end to it. The only good thing he did was give us each other.”

  She knew that must be difficult for them accept. Myla had met all four of Alex’s brothers and also his s
ister, Zoey. As an outsider, it was hard to get close to any of them. All the walls she had around her own heart and life were nothing compared to theirs. Although Alex tried to hide the pain, she still saw it. She wanted to hug him, but she knew he’d feel uncomfortable. The only person he let close to him in that way was his soon-to-be wife, Ziva.

  She knew how to put a smile back on Alex’s face. Make him think of the one he loves. “I’ll handle my end of the deal if you promise to let me catch the bouquet at the wedding.”

  Just as she thought, Alex leaned back and laughed. “You’re only eighteen, too young to think about getting married.”

  Myla took one of the pillows off the couch and tossed it at him. “Very funny. Since you are getting married on New Year’s Eve, should I expect you won’t let me toast with champagne either?”

  Alex became serious again. “Myla, when I said no one could know your real age, that goes for my family as well.”

  That surprised her. “Don’t you trust them?”

  “I do. But I also love them, and the fewer people who know, the less likely they can be hurt. Understand?”

  All too well. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t lied before. It was his family, and she’d do as he asked. That didn’t mean she was going to like it. “I get it. But you have to realize I’m not a child, no matter what the world may think.”

  “Good. While you’re here, do you need anything? Any money so you can go out and have fun instead of sitting in that dorm all the time?”

  Alex had already given her so much by paying for her schooling; there was no way she was going to accept another thing from him if she didn’t have to. “I’m happy spending time in my room studying. That is why I am here, after all.”

  Alex smiled at her. “Then I suggest you get back to school before the dean reaches out to me, regarding grades next.”

  Myla laughed at his teasing. He was like having a big brother around sometimes. “Bummer. I was just thinking about playing hooky from class tonight too.” Alex shot her a look as though he actually believed her. She raised her hands and said in a serious tone, “Don’t you worry about that. There are some things I’m not willing to compromise on, and my education is one of them.” With that, she got off the couch and headed toward the door. Before leaving, she turned back to him and said, “Alex, I really wish there was something I could do to repay you for all you’re doing for me.”

  “There is. You haven’t made it to our Sunday family brunches yet. Why don’t you make a point of coming this weekend?”

  She had wanted to go, but everyone who attended was actually family. She was the only one who wouldn’t fit into that category. Myla had been able to get out of going by using schoolwork as an excuse. It wasn’t a lie, but she definitely had time to spare. Declining his request was on the tip of her tongue, but instead she said, “I’ll be there.”

  “We’ll pick you up at your dorm because it’s at Brice and Lena’s house.”

  And you don’t want me to back out. Got it. “See you on Sunday.”

  As Alex’s limo driver took her back to the dorm, she already regretted agreeing. She liked them all very much. That was the problem. She didn’t want to get close to them. They weren’t her family, and one day she’d need to leave. It would only hurt more if the bond they shared grew any deeper. One time. What can it really hurt?

  Napoleon Oliveira needed a transcript showing completion of all his required courses. He’d spent the last ten years working for his Ph.D. in infectious diseases. He was damn sure he followed his curriculum. It was beyond him how he could be short one elective. His friends encouraged him to offer the university a large donation to make this error go away. It would’ve been so much easier. Yet, he wanted to do good in the world, not just make a shit load of money, and he didn’t want his reputation to be tarnished by one act of poor judgment. Not over one course.

  The semester was almost over. He knew it would take a few weeks for them to update everything, but he should be on a plane back to Italy right after New Year’s.

  Spending another holiday away from home wasn’t acceptable as far as his parents were concerned. There were certain things they expected or demanded from their children, and one was being home for all family gatherings. He’d tried explaining the situation was out of his control, but his mother practically accused him of intentionally letting that course slip to avoid spending the holiday with them.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t love his family; to him it was an issue of demanding he go instead of going because he wanted to. It was no secret why he was the black sheep of the family. Even as a youngster he always chose to do as he wanted, instead of what he was told to do. It landed him in hot water many times, but over the years it proved to be a valuable lesson. One that had made him the man he was today. A man who didn’t need anyone, not even his family’s power and wealth to get where he wanted to be.

  When his parents refused to fund his college endeavor, they’d mistakenly thought he’d bend to their wishes. They were wrong. All it had done was encouraged him to move out at the age of eighteen and build his own small empire from scratch. His was nothing in comparison to theirs, but it didn’t need to be. The sole purpose had been to support him through college so he could follow his own dreams. Which worked nicely, but it took a few years longer than I wanted.

  Spending holidays with his friends and family only to hear once again how crazy it was to walk away from what they considered to be his natural gift was not what he needed right now. They’d never understand that his passion was infectious disease research, not takeovers and flipping businesses for profit.

  Life was all about adjusting to change. Even now he needed to sit in on a different class than normal due to a business call. Fortunately, his professor was accommodating and allowed the last-minute switch. Today’s covered material would directly collate with his final exam next week. It would serve no purpose to go through all this trouble only to fail because he hadn’t attended this micro-biology seminar.

  He probably could speak on the subject better than the instructor. He’d spent the summer volunteering to study the latest outbreak of a new viral strain in young children in West Africa. Whatever was needed to complete his studies, he would do. There were much greater things that required his attention.

  He opened the door to the room his professor had given him. When he entered, he was shocked to find it filled with a young crowd casually dressed. He took the seat farthest in the back by the door. This way he could pretend to be listening while actually working on other matters.

  Once he was settled in his seat, he pulled out his laptop and started reviewing notes he’d received earlier from Dr. Philipps, who was still in West Africa.

  He was deep in thought and wasn’t listening when the professor started speaking.

  A voice next to him whispered, “That’s very rude.”

  He turned and was about to tell her what she could do with her opinion, but he wasn’t expecting her to be so close. Was he so absorbed in what he was reading that he’d missed this stunning creature when she sat down next to him? She was exotic looking with long dark wavy hair and the brightest blue eyes he’d ever seen. “What’s your name?”

  “Myla,” she replied softly. “You should be concerned with what she’s saying, or you’re not going to know what’s on the exam.” She pointed toward the front of the room. There was a diagram of the human body on the screen. “You’re never going to pass anatomy if you don’t pay attention.”

  Anatomy? “What did you say?”

  She shook her head. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You seem like you don’t know what class you’re in. I’m willing to help tutor you on what you’ve missed, but I have no time for people who don’t take education seriously.”

  He could’ve burst out laughing. Myla looked like she was about twenty years old and here she was telling him what he needed to do at age thirty-two. He was about to refuse her lovely offer, yet she intrigued him. “I’d lik
e that, thanks. My name is Leon, by the way.” The only people who called him Napoleon were his family, and he believed that was just to piss him off.

  “Since you’ve only missed about ten minutes, may I suggest you close your laptop?”

  Leon turned one last time and checked his email. The seminar he was actually supposed to be in was tomorrow night in this room. Myla was right; he wasn’t focusing as he should. At least he hadn’t missed it because he’d only have himself to blame if he had. Closing the laptop, he tried to do as she asked and listen. At least it’s not a cooking or painting class, because I’d have to walk out no matter how cute Myla is.

  For the next hour, he watched Myla closely. There was no need to follow what the professor was saying as Myla took such detailed notes. When she offered to tutor him, he thought she was just being kind, but obviously, she knew what she was doing. Although she appeared to be young, he had to give her credit. She didn’t appear to be here for any reason other than she wanted to be. That only made him more interested in her.

  When the seminar was over, Myla handed him a piece of paper. “This is my number. Call me if you want to meet early tomorrow, and I’ll catch you up with anything you may be struggling with. I charge twenty dollars an hour. I hope you’re a fast learner because you really didn’t seem very interested in anything she had to say.”

  It was almost comical he was going to pay someone to tutor him in a class that he’d passed almost six years ago. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do it. “This might take a few hours. Maybe a couple sessions. Do you give a discount?” Leon felt bad for playing along, but if he told her the truth, he probably wouldn’t see her again. Of course, I don’t plan on being in Boston much longer either way.

  “It’s up to you, Leon. Either you can pay me the twenty dollars an hour, or you can explain to your parents how you wasted their hard-earned money. I’m not the one who is going to fail this course.” She didn’t wait for him to respond. Instead, he was left standing there with only the view of her perfect backside to remember her by.