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The Glory of the Billionaire

The Glory of the Billionaire

Vikings

5.0
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5
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Zachary Danvers had everything he could ever want. He was successful, famous, wealthy, and surrounded by women, but there was something he lacked-a family. He'd watched other people with the ones they loved, the sense of belonging that he craved. He longed for the warmth of that connection, the bond that went deeper than anything his status or wealth could provide. Karina Hart, or Kari as her friends called her, was known as the best diagnostician in her field. She was sharp, intelligent, and respected, but behind her professional facade, she carried a heavy burden-a past she'd worked tirelessly to bury. No one truly knew the depths of her history, and she intended to keep it that way. The two found themselves at a lively party, laughter echoing around them as people danced and mingled. The air was thick with joy, and Zach couldn't help but be drawn to Kari's quiet beauty and grace. They spent the evening talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. The chemistry between them was undeniable, an unspoken connection that seemed to pull them together. But just as the night seemed perfect, Kari's phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a single, cryptic message. Her face drained of color, her hand trembling as she stared at the words. "It's happening again." Zach noticed her sudden shift, the way her smile faltered. He took her hand, squeezing it gently, offering comfort she didn't even realize she needed. "What's wrong, Kari?" She hesitated, but the weight of her past was too heavy to ignore. "I have to go," she murmured, voice barely a whisper, but the panic was clear in her eyes. Zach didn't let go of her hand, his grip firm, determined to help her face whatever had come to haunt her. The night had taken a turn, and as Kari's past resurfaced, it wasn't just her future on the line. Zach knew that with the danger now circling, they were both at risk-her past had found them, and it would stop at nothing to tear them apart.

Chapter 1 01

ZACHARY DANVERS

Zachary glanced at the woman sitting two seats away from him, out of the corner of his eye.

She had tucked her denim-clad legs under her, her hands gripping the armrest as she stared outside the small window. He knew she wasn't actually looking out because there was nothing to see except plain white clouds. It was like she had retreated into her own world, and whatever thoughts haunted her had her trapped in a place he couldn't follow. Zach knew her mind was running faster than the speed of his personal jet that they were currently travelling in.

Zach shook his head. He wanted to know what made her so scared, but it was none of his business.

But you made it yours when you whisked her away.

Zach frowned. If his conscience was a person, he would have clearly punched him in the nose. His conscience seemed to always point out things he didn't want to even think of.

She was just supposed to be a part of the deal. Nothing more. But ever since he had pulled her out of that situation, she had been a constant presence in his thoughts. Her pale skin, her big, hazel eyes that were always hiding something behind their wide gaze, the way she looked so small in the seat next to him. No, not small, fragile. She looked fragile, and he didn't like it. It made him want to protect her, but that was absurd. She wasn't his responsibility.

Zach tried to concentrate back on the email he had been typing at the moment, but Karina had seemed to occupy his mind so much that he hadn't even written two words. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, his mind too far away to focus on anything business-related.

It was useless to try to work at that moment. He shut down his laptop and pressed a button on the arm of his seat. The panel of the cabinet slid open with a soft hum, revealing the small wine collection he had acquired over the years. Choosing a bottle of Pinot Noir, he swiped two glasses from the stand beside it. It was a move he usually made when he needed a distraction or when he felt the pressure of the weighty silence between him and Karina.

He didn't know why he was so concerned about her. It wasn't like he owed her anything. But the way she had looked at him when he told her she was coming with him-like she had nowhere else to go-made something stir inside him. Something unfamiliar, something he didn't want to explore.

He walked over to her seat, glass in hand. She didn't even notice when he slid into the seat opposite her.

He poured a small amount into each glass and held one up, catching her attention.

"Karina?"

She blinked, her eyes darting around as if she hadn't even registered he was there. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear him.

Zach leaned forward, his hand gently catching her shoulder. He shook her lightly, but it startled her. She jumped, eyes wide and panicked, as if she didn't know where she was for a moment.

She looked around frantically, her breath coming faster, her chest rising and falling as though she was caught in a whirlwind she couldn't escape.

"Kari... breathe. Look at me," Zach's voice was soft but firm.

It took a moment, but she finally focused on him. Her eyes slowly settled, and he saw the panic start to fade, replaced by a trace of exhaustion. She wasn't a stranger to fear, he realized. She carried it with her, like a heavy cloak she couldn't shrug off. Zach wasn't sure if it was something recent, or if it was always there, lurking beneath the surface of her calm exterior.

When her eyes fully locked onto his, he smiled, though it didn't feel like a real smile. It was the kind of smile you give someone when you're trying to make them feel safe, when you're trying to convince them that everything is fine when you both know it isn't.

"It's me. Zach. Everything's fine. I'm here."

She let out a shaky sigh, and he could see the tension in her shoulders begin to ease, her body slowly relaxing back into the plush seat.

Zach gestured toward the half-filled wine glass as he picked his up. "Are you alright?"

Karina hesitated, her eyes flickering to the glass before looking back up at him. "Y-yeah," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't believe her. He didn't need to hear the words to know she wasn't okay. But he didn't push. Not now. Not yet.

Before he could say anything more, the voice of his friend-slash-pilot crackled over the intercom, startling them both.

"Put on your seatbelts, people. We'll be landing shortly."

Zach finished his glass in one quick gulp, trying to ignore the small nagging feeling in his chest. It wasn't like him to get so tangled up in someone else's problems. But then again, nothing about this situation was normal.

Karina busied herself with putting on her seatbelt, her hands shaking ever so slightly as she clicked the buckle into place. Zach watched her, his mind racing again. She was broken. He didn't know how or why, but there was a story behind her eyes, one she wasn't ready to tell him yet.

The question from earlier hung in the air, unspoken but present.

"Where are we going?" Karina asked softly, her voice carrying a weight he couldn't ignore.

"A safe place," Zach answered, his voice low but firm. The words tasted like a lie on his tongue, but they were all he had for her. A safe place? Was it safe for her? Or for him?

Karina didn't respond, her gaze drifting out the window again. The silence stretched between them, the hum of the jet's engines filling the quiet.

Zach leaned back in his seat, his thoughts spiraling once more. What was it about her that made him question everything? Was it just because he had taken her away from that place? Or was it because he couldn't stand to see someone so... fragile?

He had never been one to fix people, but Karina made him feel like he should try. He didn't know if that made him a hero or a fool.

As the jet began its descent, the weight of the decision he'd made earlier that day settled in his chest, heavier than it had ever felt.

He was taking her somewhere she couldn't go back from. Somewhere he couldn't go back from.

But there was no turning back now.

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