SAFEHOUSE (A BWWM BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE) by Mia Caldwell Read Free Book Online

normal life. I’ve grown up associating with the most powerful people on
this planet. And I didn’t like what I saw.”

 
    His body language had changed. He seemed angry, unhappy…

 
    “They treat others terribly, and don’t think about the consequences. I
disagree with their actions. When I was given the chance to take part in witness
relocation, I jumped on it. It gives me a chance to spend a little time on
something outside of myself. I give to charity, I support good causes around
the world… But I wanted something more. Something personal. This kind of work
grounds me. What is it you say? The work is hard… But it’s good for the soul.”

 
    I nodded. “If I was in a better position myself, I would do something
to give back to my community... Especially where I grew up… there are so many
people who need help in so many different ways. So I guess it’s nice to see
someone like you trying to help out in your own way. You’re a really nice guy,
Julien. I just didn’t expect this.”

 
    You are really nice guy Julien? Sometimes I wish
I knew how to shut up.

 
    We sat there and talked some more, watching as the sun moved across
the sky. I couldn’t help thinking there was something he was still hiding. It
made me curious and want to know more about him.

 
    I hated to go, but he had some sort of meeting he had was already
running late to.

 
    “We should do this again. I haven’t gone on a picnic since . . . ” his
voice trailed off as he was obviously lost in thought.

 
    “I’ve never been on a picnic, now that I think about it.”

 
    He raised a brow at me. “Really? Not even as a child?”

 
    I shook my head no, shrugging. “It just wasn’t something that my
parents had time to do. They were always working,” I replied, helping him clean
up.

 
    Julien’s face softened as he folded up the ragged blanket into a
perfectly neat square. He looked as though he were about to say something but
didn’t.

 
    I pointed to the blanket he was holding so carefully in his hands.
“That means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”

 
    He looked down at it, his face unreadable. “You don’t miss much, do
you? Yes it does mean a lot to me. My father brought it one evening when we
were at the beach. It was just some normal night, but it’s one of the only
memories I have of him. He died when I was three.”

 
    Even though I already know knew that, it still sucked to see Julien’s
face when he admitted it.

 
    “At least the memory is a good one.”

 
    “It must’ve been so hard to leave your parents behind to come here…”

 
    It was just a small cut, but it still hurt. “You didn’t read that in
my file? They were killed by a drunk driver… Along with my…”

 
    I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence.

 
    “I’m so sorry. You don’t have to continue. People are senseless, and
when they operate vehicles they tend to become even more so.”

 
    We walked back up to the château, not saying much. It had been nine
years since it happened, but sometimes it felt like it was just yesterday.

 
    We went our separate ways, and I was left to my work once again. After
finishing up in the gardens with Alain, I went into the kitchen and mopped the
floors until they were sparkling clean.

 
    Anything to get my mind off of my family.

 

 
 
      ( Back
to Table of Contents )

 
    Chapter 11

 
 
 
 
    To my surprise, the secret garden picnic was just the first of many
little excursions that Julien took me one over the next week. He would take me
away from my work for hours on end, showing me a new part of the castle, or
just walking around outside and chatting with me. At first I was incredibly
suspicious of this. I mean why wouldn’t I be? Didn’t he have better things to
do with his time?

 
    Julien explained it to me that he needed constant breaks to keep his
mind fresh. He figured it would make me feel more comfortable if we got to