Impulse Read online

  IMPULSE

  Infinitus Billionaire

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  Copyright © E. B. Walters 2015

  Published by Firetrail Publishing

  ALSO BY E. B. WALTERS

  The Fitzgerald Family series

  Slow Burn (book 1)

  Mine Until Dawn (book 2)

  Kiss Me Crazy (book 3)

  Dangerous Love (book 4)

  Forever Hers (book 5)

  Surrender to Temptation (book 6)

  WRITING YA PARANORMAL AND FANTASY AS

  EDNAH WALTERS:

  The Runes Series:

  Runes (book one)

  Immortals (book two)

  Grimnirs: A Runes Book

  Seeress (book three)

  Souls: Grimnirs Book 2

  Witches (Coming March 2015)

  The Guardian Legacy Series:

  Awakened (prequel)

  Betrayed (book one)

  Hunted (book two)

  Forgotten (coming June 2015)

  This book is a work of fiction. The names characters, places, and

  incidents are products of the author’s imagination and

  are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to any

  actual events or persons, living or dead,

  actual events, locale or organizations is

  entirely coincidental.

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  Firetrail Publishing

  P.O. Box 3444

  Logan, UT 84324

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  Copyright © 2013 E. B. Walters

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 0991251733

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9912517-3-5

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  Edited by Kelly Hashway

  Cover Design by Jared Kestner and Melissa Haag. All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner

  whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief

  quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Firetrail Publishing publication: Jan 2015

  www.firetrailpublishing.com

  DEDICATION

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  This book is dedicated to my fans.

  Thank you for your continued support.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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  To my editor, Kelly Hashway,

  I am so lucky to have found you because you

  are awesome. I would not have asked for a more

  thorough, meticulous, and professional editor. To my personal assistant

  Cheree Crump, you listen, you counsel, you uplift, you

  scold, you kick-ass, BUT you make my life a lot easier. Thank you.

  To the dynamic duo who’ve become my new critique and promo partners,

  amazing Author Melissa Haag and Author Karen Lynch.

  Thank you for reading the raw version and giving me wonderful feedback.

  That ending would have been a lot different, LOL.

  To Katrina Hill, as always, thanks for the stamp of approval

  To my beta-readers, Jeanette A. Conkling and Toni Steiner,

  I don’t know what I would do without you guys.

  You are gurus at finding typos and inconsistencies, going

  through the final product, and making sure everything works

  I couldn’t have polished this book without your keen eyes.

  Thanks to my street team. You ladies are absolutely amazing.

  To husband and my wonderful children, thank you for

  your unwavering love and support. You inspire me in

  so many ways. Love you, guys.

  TRADEMARK LIST:

  Bentley

  Blue Nile Inc.

  Ciel Satellite Group

  EchoStar Corporation

  Gulfstream

  Harley Davidson

  Honda

  L.A. Times

  Lays

  Lifetime Movie Network

  Montage Beverly Hills

  Rick Springsteen

  Rolls-Royce

  Showa

  Suzuki

  Telesat Canada

  Triumph Speed

  Union of Armenian Noblemen

  Van Nuys Airport

  CHAPTER 1

  “That’s a nasty bruise you have there,” Chris Lander called out from across the trailer.

  Jillian Finnegan studied the bluish patch of skin on her right shoulder, a memento from last night. Several more covered her hips and thighs, but the body suit hid them. Her gaze connected with her partner-in-crime—Chris Lander, the genius who hid her bruises so no one noticed them.

  “They don’t hurt,” Jillian said a tad defensively as she adjusted her robe.

  “Of course,” Chris mumbled through clenched teeth, reaching for his “special” bag.

  “You’re not going to lecture me again?”

  “What good would that do?” Jaw set, Chris joined her. “You’re stubborn and blindly loyal. If the studio finds out the cause of those bruises…” He pushed the robe aside and started applying base color on her shoulder.

  She and Chris were Hollywood’s dynamic duo—the brilliant stunt coordinator and his most daring stuntwoman. In the past seven years, Jillian had doubled for many female action stars under Chris’ watchful eyes. If the studio learned about her nocturnal activities, she would be out of a job. She had a contract that forbade extracurricular stunts, which she’d breached this past week.

  “I couldn’t say no,” Jillian said. “They’re family.”

  “The stunts they pull are dangerous, Jill. They cut too many corners to thrill the crowd. Let them hire a substitute for emergencies.”

  “You don’t understand,” Jillian whispered.

  “Damn straight, I don’t.” Chris took a deep breath, his hazel eyes flashing. “You’re their sister, yet they have no problem putting your life in danger. It’s important to plan a move down to a fraction of a second. Practice it over and over again”—he slammed a fist against his palm for emphasis—“before doing it in front of an audience. They had you performing moves you haven’t done since you were a teenager. No wonder you fell.”

  “Only during practice,” Jillian said defensively.

  “Does it matter?”

  Yes, damn it. Working with my family meant everything to me. “The ride went smoothly during my act. I had the people on their feet, holding their breath, silence so tense it pulsed. Then…” She closed her eyes, images from last night zipping through her head. The thrill. The crowd. The look of pride on her brothers’ faces. If only her father had been there.

  Chris didn’t understand how stifled she felt doing stunts as a double. Hiding behind makeup and wigs, not getting her due despite all the work she put in. When performing with her family, she felt free. Complete. Right now, The Phantom Rider was the star of the Bay Area Circus. Soon, Jillian wouldn’t need the mask to hide her real identity. She would once again be part of The Fearless Finnegans Troupe, the main attraction of the show.

  “Then what?” Chris asked.

  Jillian opened her eyes and grinned. No matter how often Chris criticized her nocturnal activities, he missed that life. “I gave them what they wanted and left them begging for more. You should come on Friday.”

  Chris shuddered. “No, thanks. I’m too young to have a heart attack. Did you wear the mask again?”

  “Oh yeah.” Once her father recovered, he’d give his final approval, and she would say bye-bye to Hollywood.

  “As long as the fans keep calling you The Phantom Rider, your secret is safe.” Chris stepped back and studied his handiwork. The discolorations were gone. She could always trust Chris to take care of her.

  She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Uncle Chris.”

  He dis
missed her with a flick of his hand, picked up a fire-red skydiver suit, and pushed it into her arms. “Now put that on and get out of here before I call your father and tell him everything. I’m sure he has no idea what you and your brothers have been up to. Damn fools,” Chris mumbled. “How could they not see your bruises? A near-sighted moron could spot them a mile away.”

  She didn’t try to trivialize his worries. Reasoning with Chris when he switched to mother bear mode was out of the question.

  “You can’t call Dad.”

  “I know. How’s he doing?”

  “Better.” Her father had had a heart attack and recovery was slow. Every time she stopped by his place, it broke her heart to see him. He’d become a shell of the once vibrant man who’d done some of the most daring stunts in the history of the Finnegans. Her throat tight, Jillian pulled on her jumpsuit and zipped up, but she watched Chris from the corner of her eye.

  He tapped on his tablet and went over the sequence of action he had planned for the skydiving segment, but his mind wasn’t in it. He kept pausing and glaring into space. She faked interest in the zippers when he glanced her way.

  Chris had always watched out for her from the moment her mother married into the Fearless Finnegans Troupe, a family of daredevils. Jillian had been only ten when Daniel Finnegan adopted her. Overnight, she’d acquired a doting father, an uncle and aunt, two older brothers, and cousins, who’d welcomed her into the family. Her mother had joined the act before the ink dried on the marriage certificate. Chris, who’d been the Finnegan’s stunt coordinator back then, had worked with Jillian slowly and diligently, and by the time she was twelve, she was ready to ride her bike on The Wall. A year later, she’d conquered the Globe of Death, a rite of passage for all Finnegans. Her brothers liked to brag they did both when they were ten.

  Jillian had just turned sixteen when a freak accident killed her mother during a performance. It was Chris who’d helped her overcome her fears and got her back on the bike. But her performance had slowly changed, her behavior on stage becoming erratic. She’d taken chances, thrilling the audience, but scaring her father.

  The nights they weren’t performing, she’d “hung out” with her cousins and brothers. Hanging out with the Finnegan boys often involved doing something illegal. Lucky for all of them, her father never found out or heads would have rolled.

  Or maybe he had. Being pushed out of the family’s nest had hurt. Angry and feeling rejected, she’d packed up her things and joined Chris in Hollywood. Working with her family now was like coming home.

  Jillian reached up and kissed Chris’ cheek. “I’m sorry for forcing you to keep my secret.”

  “Yeah, right. Me, strong-armed by a hundred-and-forty pound girl?” He was six-four and twice Jillian’s weight. “Oh, before I forget, do you have an outfit for the producer’s party?”

  Jillian grimaced. “Do I have to go?”

  “Yes.” He shot her a look that said she had to be nuts. “You don’t miss a producer’s party, especially this one.”

  Yeah, the reclusive billionaire who’d saved this movie when the studio had planned to pull the plug.

  “Fine, worrywart,” Jillian said. “I’ll be there.”

  “Can you find a date?”

  Jillian made a face. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a decent date.

  “You can come with us,” he offered, reaching for gloves.

  “Oh, is that pity in your voice? I’m not going to be a third wheel. I can go with one of the gang.”

  “Not your cousins. They’ll empty the guests’ pockets and slip away before anyone realizes they’ve been robbed.”

  Jillian grimaced. “They never raided parties or paying customers. They were honest thieves.” When Chris rolled his eyes, Jill grinned. “You know what I mean. They robbed the rich and gave to the poor.”

  “And lined their pockets, too,” Chris retorted.

  “We weren’t exactly loaded. Besides, we gave free performances.” Of course, she’d known they were breaking the law, but at the time she hadn’t cared. They’d seemed invincible, like renegades or modern day Robin Hoods.

  “You’re going to spread yourself too thin working day and night. You need a life. I promised your mother I’d make sure you wouldn’t waste your youth working yourself to death.”

  Jillian went still. Her throat shriveled. Her Mom. She missed her. The pain was still there.

  “She worried about you. You were a teenager, and all you cared about was performing and hanging out with your cousins. You need to find something better than this.” He indicated the trailer with a wave.

  “I have.” And she couldn’t wait to do it again. She was at her best when she performed in front of adoring fans.

  “I’m not talking about a job, sweetie. You need someone to love you and put you first,” Chris continued. “And that someone is not Keith LeBlanc.”

  Jillian made a face. Keith was the lead actor in her new film. “What made you think of Keith?”

  “He’s been monopolizing your time since we started filming.” Chris studied her intently. “And he’s Hollywood’s latest Wonder Boy, which translates to a big ego.”

  “Keith is like a sponge, always wanting to learn stuff, and he thinks I’m witty.” She gave Chris another toothy smile.

  Chris snickered. “He’s not suitable for you.”

  Suitable? Sometimes Chris sounded so old-fashioned. It had been a while since he’d warned her against dating someone in show business. Her first Hollywood romance had burned hot and fizzled fast. Chris hadn’t approved. Twice after that, she’d opened herself to love, and each time the same thing had happened. Her conclusion? Hollywood men lacked romance, imagination, and skills. Or maybe she had high expectations and was easily bored.

  “Don’t worry about me.” She tucked her long hair under a wig cap, then pulled the wig on. “I have new rules. No more dating Hollywood bad boys with wicked smiles, cute butts, and shiny toys. They have the attention span of a cocker spaniel on Viagra. No more dealing with cocky attitudes and excusing bad habits,” she vowed.

  Chris laughed and threw the skydiving gloves to her. “I’ve heard that before.”

  “I’m serious this time. I’m done with show biz guys.”

  “I didn’t mean you should write off every man in show biz. Just don’t confuse troubled for interesting. Find someone with solid family values. Not all guys around here are bad.”

  “Yes, they are. You just got lucky.”

  She was in the process of slipping on the gloves when the masterful purr of a V-twin engine reached her ears. It drew closer, until the windows of the trailer vibrated. Chris looked out the window with an expression she’d only seen on his face when he stared at his life partner.

  “Is that Greg?” Jillian asked.

  Chris chuckled. “Are you kidding? He’d never be caught on anything that didn’t have a door. Even driving with a top down makes him uneasy. But you’d better take a long, hard look, Jill, because if you’re serious about those rules you just spouted, you are about to miss out.”

  “Who is it?” Jillian adjusted the straps of her gloves as she approached Chris.

  “The kind of bad boy you’ve sworn to never, ever date.”

  Jillian peered out the window, and her eyes widened. Holy shit! Had she just sworn off men with shiny toys? What a beauty. Her eyes followed the huge Leeds Road King with its two-tone sterling silver and vivid black lines. It was top of the line with custom-made heavy breathers and exhaust pipes. She knew enough stats on the motorcycle to know it had everything a modern rider could possibly want, from GPS navigation and AM-FM stereo to iPod plug-ins and voice recognition for phone calls. What she wouldn’t give to take it for a test drive.

  Then her gaze shifted to the owner of the bike as he switched off the engine and stood.

  “Fuck!”

  “Really, Jillian? I don’t understand how you keep using…”

  She tuned him out. Watching the biker d
ismount sent a thrill through her that had nothing to do with his bike. No sane woman would take that for a test drive. Everything about him said he was in charge. He did the driving.

  He was big with broad, masculine shoulders under a leather jacket, thighs molded by black jeans and scruffy boots that had seen better days. He removed his helmet and finger-combed his hair. The wavy hair flopped back on his forehead and curled at the base of his neck.

  Turn around, please. Pretty please.

  She grinned when the man shifted and gave her a side profile. Chiseled jaw line. A two-day-old shadow. Not fair. If only she could see his eyes. Eyes said a lot about a man. His were hidden behind aviator sunglasses.

  Jillian sighed, the sound close to a purr.

  “Now’s your chance.”

  She whipped around and faced Chris. “What?”

  “Show me you’re immune to all that.” He indicated the stranger with a wave.

  The floor shifted under Jillian. That man out there was too much for her to test her theory on—too big, too masculine, and too gorgeous. Who was he?

  Even though they were shooting at a location, the public wasn’t allowed to come this close to the crew’s trailers, which meant he had to be a studio exec. He didn’t look like the type to take orders from anyone, so he couldn’t be an actor.

  “Here you go.” Chris handed her goggles and a helmet.

  She wrinkled her nose, pushed the goggles up in her hair—though carefully so as not to dislodge her wig—and tucked the helmet under her armpit. The tempo of her heartbeat changed as she started for the door. Her stomach dipped.

  “Hurry,” Chris added. “Michaels wants us out there now. We should be in the air in the next thirty minutes.”

  “Oh. So no time to test theories,” Jillian said.

  “Scared? You?” Chris laughed. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

  Me neither. No man was turning her into a coward. No matter how hot he was.

  “Okay, Chris. Watch and learn. I’m going to have that gorgeous man eating out of the palm of my hand in ten seconds flat.”