Stupidly Illogical: Worth of a Billionaire Series, #3

Worth of a Billionaire Series

Perfectly Imperfect

Entirely Improper

Stupidly Illogical

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Stupidly Illogical Blurb

EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT to be stupid – it’s just that some people abuse that privilege...

After the harrowing experience in the Amazon, Ryan and Ginny have returned to Rhode Island wanting nothing more than a bit of quiet time together.

A series of strange events puts the couple on edge. A conference in Chicago comes up, Ryan sends Ginny on her own so he can figure out what is going on.

Ryan’s brother, Nathan, comes back asking for money. He, and the mafia he has ties to, won’t take no for an answer.

When Ginny is kidnapped and Ryan has to find Nathan—who’s gone underground—in exchange for Ginny.

Will they ever find the peace they are looking for? Or will Ryan’s past destroy everything?

Contents

Worth of a Billionaire Series

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Stupidly Illogical Blurb

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Epilogue

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Chapter One

Ryan

TWO WEEKS HAD PASSED since I’d last heard from Nathan. It was strange how quickly time could blur together. At first, I was on edge, my mind spinning with endless scenarios and possibilities as to why he hadn’t reached out. But as the days went by, that edge began to dull, and a reluctant sense of acceptance settled in. I had to assume he was just fucking with me.

I didn’t have time to sit around worrying about what Nathan might do. The calls had stopped, which made me think Nathan was behind them. I still didn’t know how he’d gotten Ginny’s number. I assumed he got her name from the press and did a little background check and found it somehow. I didn’t know what his game was, but I doubted that I’d heard the last from him.

I was doing my best to act normal, but Ginny was way too observant. I knew she’d caught on to my stress level. She’d been casual about so far, but it was only a matter of time before she wanted to know what the hell was on my mind. We were in a relationship, and that meant we were supposed to talk to each other. We were supposed to share our thoughts and emotions and all that stuff. I wanted her to tell me when she was stressed. It made sense she would expect the same. Fortunately, she was busy with the foundation and getting things going for the engineering program.

I was engrossed in a report on my computer screen when I heard the soft creak of my office door. I glanced up to find Ginny leaning against the doorframe, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. It was almost uncanny how she could read my emotions with a single look.

Hi. I smiled.

What’s up with you? she asked, her voice gentle yet probing.

I shifted in my chair, a small sigh escaping my lips. I had been expecting her to confront me about my recent behavior, and the truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure how to bring up the subject that had been gnawing at me for weeks. Just work stuff, I replied, hoping to deflect her attention. My go-to distraction had been sex or a raunchy comment that either had her getting naked or rolling her eyes and walking away.

Ginny’s gaze didn’t waver, and I could tell she wasn’t buying my vague answer. Ryan, it’s more than that. You’ve been acting kind of weird ever since we got back from New York two weeks ago. What’s going on? Is it the Antonio thing? Is there something you haven’t told me?

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the weight of her observation. She was right, of course. My distraction had been noticeable, and I couldn’t keep dodging the topic. It has nothing to do with Antonio.

So there is something. She nodded.

Yeah, I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind, I admitted, my eyes meeting hers briefly before returning to the screen.

She pushed off the doorframe, taking a step into the room. Ryan, you know you can talk to me, right?

I hesitated for a moment, then made a decision. Yes. And I should. Want to sit down for a minute?

Ginny immediately looked concerned, her brow furrowing slightly as she walked into my office. Sit down? Is something wrong?

I quickly shook my head, trying to reassure her. No, everything’s fine between us, I promise. It has nothing to do with the cartel. As far as I know, Antonio is locked up good and tight.

What is it? Her concern for me was sweet and reminded me I wasn’t alone. I had a good woman. I had a great life.

It’s just... I left out something about my personal life, and I think it’s time I shared it with you.

She looked puzzled but took a seat in the chair across from my desk, her gaze steady on me. Okay, now you’ve really got my attention.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. So roughly two years ago, someone entered my life unexpectedly. Someone I didn’t even know existed.

Ginny nodded, staying quiet while I found the right words.

I met her gaze, my voice serious. My half-brother, Nathan, showed up.

Her eyebrows shot up, clearly taken aback by the revelation. Half-brother? How? I mean, I didn’t know you had a half-brother. I thought you said you grew up without a family. I didn’t know you had a brother.

Yeah, well, neither did I until he showed up, I said with a half-hearted laugh. Look, Ginny, I need you to know something. Nathan is, well, he’s not a good guy. He has a way of manipulating people, getting under their skin. And if he ever tries to contact you, I need you to tell me immediately. Promise me that.

Ginny’s expression shifted from surprise to concern as she absorbed what I had just shared. Me? Why would he reach out to me?

Because that’s what he does, I muttered. He’s bad news. Please, if he calls you, tell me.

Ryan, if he’s that problematic, why haven’t you cut ties with him?

It’s complicated, I admitted, running a hand through my hair. But I’m working on it. And I wanted you to know the truth, especially if he ever tries to weave his way into our lives.

Ginny nodded slowly, her eyes showing a mixture of understanding and determination. If he contacts me, I’ll let you know right away. Is that what’s bothering you? You think he’s going to try and call me?

I just don’t like the fact that he’s back. With him, there is always more. I know he’s going to do something.

You’ve told him to go away?

Yes, I assured her. But I think that only encourages him.

I’m here. I’ve got your back. Don’t think about him. You have an amazing life. He can’t touch you.

Thank you. I smiled. I felt a lot better now that she knew. It did help to feel like I had a partner.

She squeezed my hand gently, offering me a warm smile. We’re a team, remember? No secrets between us.

As her words sank in, I realized how lucky I was to have Ginny by my side, ready to face whatever challenges came our way. I was a lucky man.

Can I ask you a question?

Sure. I smiled, hoping she didn’t ask too many questions. I couldn’t tell her everything. Not yet.

How did you find him?

He found me, I said with a hint of disgust.

How? I don’t understand. He knew about you?

A couple of years ago, Drew and I decided to do those DNA ancestry tests, I began, a hint of nostalgia creeping into my voice. I was a foster kid, you know, with no real connection to a biological family. Drew thought it might be cool to find some long-lost relatives, cousins or something.

Ginny nodded, seemingly following along. That sounds like a good idea.

Well, it led to me discovering Nathan, I said, my voice tinged with a mix of resignation and frustration. He turned out to be a half-brother on my father’s side, someone I never even knew existed.

Ginny’s eyebrows furrowed, her curiosity deepening. So you reached out to him?

I shook my head, correcting her assumption. Actually, it was the other way around. Nathan was the one who got in touch with me.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Oh? How did he even find you?

That’s the thing, I continued, my voice growing a bit more animated. I think he saw all the public information about me online—my work, my connections, everything. And he might have thought it was an opportunity to come into my life.

Ginny’s confusion seemed to be lifting as she pieced the puzzle together. So he wanted to establish a relationship with you?

Yeah, at least that’s what I thought at first, I replied with a sigh. But as time went on, it became increasingly clear that Nathan’s intentions weren’t genuine. He was after something else.

Ginny’s eyes narrowed, her concern evident. What was he after?

I paused for a moment, choosing my words carefully. Money. He seemed to believe that I owed him something, that I should help him out financially. It was like he saw me as a means to an end.

Her gaze softened, and she reached out to touch my hand. I’m sorry you had to go through that, Ryan.

I managed a faint smile, grateful for her understanding. Thanks, Ginny. And I appreciate you listening to all of this. It’s not something I talk about. It’s kind of embarrassing.

She squeezed my hand gently, offering me comfort. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You didn’t do anything. You don’t have to go through this alone, you know. We’re in this together.

I nodded, my gratitude for her support growing with each passing moment. I know, and that means a lot to me.

She leaned back in her chair, her thoughtful gaze never leaving mine. So what happened between you and Nathan?

I hesitated, not quite ready to delve into the details of that part of the story. It’s complicated. But what’s important is that I’ve distanced myself from him as much as possible.

Ginny nodded in understanding, her expression a mix of empathy and concern. And if he tries to contact me, I tell you.

I met her gaze, my voice firm. Exactly. I don’t want him getting involved in our lives, especially yours.

She smiled reassuringly. I’ve got your back. I’m loyal to you. I don’t know why he would call, but if he does, I’ll tell you.

As the weight of the conversation lifted, I felt a renewed sense of closeness with Ginny. I knew she was going to be in my corner no matter what came our way. Thank you.

Did Nathan call you? she asked with a confused expression.

No.

But you think he’s going to call me?

I realized I didn’t tell her the whole thing. When we were in New York, he made an appointment to meet me at my office. He used a fake name and created a fake proposal.

Her mouth dropped open. Why? Who does that?

Nathan, I muttered. He knows I’m not going to see him. I made it pretty clear I wanted nothing to do with him.

She nodded her head. The day you met us for lunch.

I smiled. It was funny that she knew the day because she knew me so well. Yes.

I knew it! I knew something had happened. You have to tell me things. I’m here. I’m the one person in this world you can say anything to and I’m not going to stop loving you. Unless you tell me you’ve been cheating on me, then you won’t need to worry about ever speaking again.

I laughed and shook my head. That will never happen.

I can’t believe you been wrestling with this for two weeks. I’m so sorry, babe. I wish you had told me. I could have tried to talk you through it. I don’t know if I can fix it, but I would have been here to talk to.

I know. I nodded. I’m sorry. I guess I forget I’m half of something.

Can you tell me why you think he might try and talk to me? she asked gently. Do you think he’s going to try and get me to somehow persuade you to give him what he wants?

Possibly. I shrugged. "Nothing is out of the realm of possibility with Nathan. It’s crazy. I don’t even know him, but I know him."

As I spoke, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief wash over me. Ginny gave me her full attention, her eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the weight of her concern and love, and it made me feel safe.

I smiled gratefully at her, feeling so lucky to have such an amazing woman But even as I spoke those words, a niggling doubt crept up in my mind. Nathan was manipulative, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was up to something. I needed to be careful.

Chapter Two

Ginny

AS I WATCHED RYAN FROM across the desk, I tried to read his mind. There was something he wasn’t saying. He wanted to believe I felt better that he told me what was wrong with him, but it wasn’t the whole story. I didn’t want to push him. Whatever it was, it was big. It took him two weeks to tell me the truth. That meant he’d been sitting and stewing on it. Who knew how long it would take him to tell me the rest? A cloud had settled over his usually cheerful demeanor. I missed my smiling, flirty man.

I couldn’t stand seeing him like this. We’d been through so much together, and I could read him like an open book. Well, most of the time. Is there anything I can do to help? I asked.

Ryan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. It’s complicated.

I wasn’t satisfied with that vague answer. Not even close. Come on, spill. You know you can trust me with anything.

He looked at me with his lips twitching into a small smile. I know, and I do. It’s not a big deal. How is the lesson planning going?

Classic evasion. I could see the sadness in his eyes, the way he pretended everything was okay. My heart ached for him, and my protective instincts kicked into high gear. Ryan was the kind of guy who cared deeply for those he allowed into his inner circle. He didn’t deserve whatever had hurt him. If I did happen to meet this Nathan character, I was going to give him a real piece of my mind. The guy didn’t deserve to share any DNA with Ryan.

With a sigh, I relented and got up from my chair. I gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. All right, you don’t have to tell me everything now. Just remember that I’m here whenever you’re ready.

His smile grew more genuine, and he placed his hand over mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Thank you.

I gave him a quick kiss. I’m going back to my office. I’ve got a video chat in twenty minutes. Lasagna sound good for dinner?

Perfect, he said. I gave him a quick kiss and left him alone.

I had a job to do, after all. As much as I wanted to beg him to tell me what was on his mind, I had to focus on my own responsibilities. I tried to put myself in his shoes. In a way, we had been in each other’s shoes not all that long ago. When I was trying to process everything, I had been through with Antonio, Ryan gave me the space I needed to get my head straight. When I was ready, he was right there with no judgment. I would do the same for him.

For the rest of the day, I threw myself into my work.  Between phone calls and reviewing my lesson plan and other proposals, I thought about Ryan. The idea of someone hurting him was like an itchy wool sweater. It was a constant irritation that I couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just because he was my best friend—he was my anchor, the one who grounded me