Bought by the Billionaire Prince

"Hey, Mom! What's going on?" Having seen who it was, college sophomore Ari Douglas answered her cell phone on the first ring. "You want me to bring something home tonight for dinner?" Ari usually stayed in her dorm room at New York University and went home to Queens to visit her mother and sister on the weekends. But she missed the last weekend, so she was making it up to her mother tonight."Don't worry about that now." Her mother's voice had a bit of an edge to it, like when she was a child and she didn't want to worry her."What's wrong, Mom?" Ari stopped on the campus sidewalk and bent her head toward the phone to listen.Her mother sighed. "Ari, it's nothing to worry about, but Henley collapsed on the track today.""What?" Ari's voice rose several octaves.Track was her sister's favorite sport and, when she wasn't in class, she spent every waking moment practicing for meets.Ari switched ears, shaking her head. "I knew that she was going to pass out one day from overworking hersel

The next morning, Grayson heard the distinct sound of his cell phone ringing. It sounded like music blaring off in the distance, pounding against his skull, but the more he came to his senses, the more he realized it was the ring tone he had for his brother. Why is Xavier calling me so early? he thought to himself, sleeping in his overstuffed, brown leather chair. But then he looked at the clock setting on the table next to him and it read ten o'clock in the morning. Not so early, I'll give him that.Grayson sat up and stretched, rubbing the back of his neck, stiff from having slept in a chair all night. The fireplace was still blazing from the night before. Luckily, it was October and cold enough in Estrea to keep him from dying of heat stroke in his sleep. He chuckled at the thought. When he stood, every muscle and bone in his body ached. He silently cursed, vowing never to fall asleep in his chair again. Although it was comfortable when sitting in it, it didn't make for good sleepi

Grayson took a sip of his wine, but hardly touched his dinner, not in the mood to deal with his father. But he thought that he would get it over with. He hadn't seen his father since the incident, and he had nearly thrown a fit for him to come to the castle. This was their first family dinner in a while. It was a shame that it had to be under these circumstances.Grayson missed the days when his mother was alive. Back then, they had dinner together every evening, no matter what was happening in their lives. After she passed away of cancer, the family dinners just weren't the same. Grayson had been ten, and Xavier was eight when their world changed.After she passed, their father had become hard, not the carefree man that he had been when his wife was alive. He soon became distant, treating his family as a business firm and not a true family. But luckily, Grayson and Xavier had remained close over the years.Looking back, it was impossible to believe how they had survived it. But the ab

"Don't worry, Mom. Everything's going to be all right." Ari squeezed her mother's hand, waiting in the hallway just outside of the hospital administrator's office. Ari could only imagine why. She just hoped they would continue to treat Henley.Cecille gave her arm a gentle squeeze, forcing a smile, but said nothing."Mrs. Douglas?" A woman greeted them, dressed impeccably in a business suit, her hair styled into a perfect brunette bob."Yes," Cecille asked, rising to her feet. "I'm Mrs. Douglas...." Then she motioned toward Ari. "And this is my daughter, Ari Douglas, Henley's sister. Would you mind if she sits in on the meeting with me?""Yes, of course." The woman smiled, extending her hand. "My name is Dr. Alice Sanders, the hospital administrator." She motioned toward the open door. "Would you come in?"Ari followed her mother into the office. Everything was just as meticulously arranged as the hospital administrator. Everything has a purpose. Everything has a place."Please. Sit do

A few days after sending in her paperwork, her phone rang. When Ari looked at the caller ID, it was AmericanMate. "Hello?" Ari asked, answering on the first ring. Butterflies danced in her stomach. This was the call she had been waiting for. "Yes. Is this Miss Ari Douglas?" a female voice asked at the other end. Ari worked to keep her voice even. "Yes, this is Ari," she replied, her heart pounding."Hello. My name is Alba and I'm calling from AmericanMate," the woman said. "We received your paperwork and the owner would like to speak with you personally regarding your match. Do you have a moment?""Yes, of course." Every scenario ran through her mind from being set up with a millionaire to being rejected… and everything between."Hold just one moment, please." Chamber music immediately started playing in her ear. Ari didn't mind. She was glad for the moment of reprieve. She took a few deep, calming breaths while she waited.Vickie looked over from her desk where she was doing her h