The Billionaire's Twins Play Matchmaker novel Chapter 22

“Daddy!” Aria squealed as soon as she threw open the door.

She ran toward him with her arms wide. Julius didn’t hesitate to drop his bag and scooped her into his arms blowing raspberries against her cheek. Aria giggled hugging him tight.

“Dad!” Caden followed her out the door. He ran forward to hug his father’s leg. Caden was never one to be clingy but now he desperately wanted the attention of the father he only just met.

Julius patted the boy’s head as their greeting finally clicked and he asked, “What did you call me?”

“Mommy said you’re our daddy!” Aria announced. “Is it okay to call you that?”

Julius sucked in a breath before dropping to his knee to hug both of them. He was shaking but his voice was husky and calm, “I would love for my babies to call me daddy.”

They hugged him tight. Perhaps they had been waiting for this moment longer than even him; after all most children are curious about their parents. It warmed him to know they wanted him in their lives despite being absent for so long.

“Aria! Caden! You know better than to open the door for strangers!” Macey rushed to the door but stopped when she saw the trio on the doorstep.

“It’s okay, mommy!” Aria said happily. “Daddy’s home!”

Macey’s face reddened but Julius chuckled. Standing he stepped up to her pulling her into his arms. Capturing his mouth he kissed her long and slow, savoring her taste. Her arms hesitantly circled him holding him close and prolonging their kiss.

He bowed his head to nibble her ear and whispered, “You heard her…daddy’s home.”

Macey blushed leaning against him to hide her embarrassment. His embrace tightened keeping her close less she tried to escape. Her body felt so good against his. It took everything he had not to start stripping her right then and there so he could touch her skin.

“Daddy, are we going to stay here all night?” Aria asked.

“Dinner will burn,” Caden complained.

Julius chuckled finally releasing Macey and allowing her to retreat inside he reclaimed his bag and herded the children in ahead of him. He was already imaging what it would be like to return home like this every night, to be greeted by his children…and his beautiful wife.

Macey returned to the kitchen unwilling to face him again while the kids circled him as he removed his shoes. Caden was the first to ask about the bag, “What’s in there?”

“Well, some of my clothes,” Julius said.

“Does that mean you’re going to stay!” Aria bounced excitedly.

“If your mom let’s me.”

“She will,” Aria said confidently.

“You think so?” Julius studied his children’s happy faces.

“Ah-huh,” Caden agreed. “She missed you a lot!”

Julius swallowed back his eagerness glancing at the woman making herself busy in the kitchen. His heartbeat echoed in his ears. With the way her body responded to him he knew it couldn’t be coincidence. She missed him. That had to mean her feelings hadn’t completely cooled. If she had feelings for him then there was hope. His mind went to the velvet lined box he had grabbed from his desk and packed in his bag. He still had a chance.

“Are you going to wear your suit all night?” Aria asked.

“How about I change and then we can play a game before we eat?”

“Yeah!” Aria and Caden cheered.

* * *

Katherine pulled up across the street from the villa and parked. Julius’s car remained in the driveway. She wasn’t sure if she should be grateful for that or not. With a sigh she picked up her phone and paged through the articles she managed to find. It took some time but eventually she found an exposé about Julius’s wedding eight years ago. Apparently it had been a private affair and media had not been invited which was why only a few newspapers even covered the story.

The images accompanying the articles were official wedding photos released by the DaLairs. Julius stood smiling with his blushing bride. They were nearly ten years younger in the photo but she was definitely the same redhead. She really was his wife. Katherine would be lying if she said the redhead wasn’t pretty in her mermaid-style gown with a sweat heart neckline.

Katherine chewed her lip as she continued through the articles. The marriage didn’t last long and she disappeared quietly after two years. As the cab driver said there was plenty of speculation about the separation from the beginning since the DaLairs made no official announcement. Apparently she had not been a socialite; in fact, her family had been quite poor.

Rumors circulated about how she even managed to attract Julius’s attention. Some claimed she purposely sought him out to entrap him in a marriage since she didn’t have the social standing anywhere equal to his.

Macey Grayson was the daughter of a painter and a nurse. Her father, Carl Grayson, was a Vietnam vet and his paintings always depicted soldiers. Somehow he managed to gain Augustus as a patron. Most speculated it was because Augustus himself was a veteran and was known to be a vocal supporter of other veterans that attracted him to Carl’s work.

Now that Katherine thought about it during her occasional visits to the DaLair estate she had seen several paintings of soldiers scattered throughout the mansion. Could all of those paintings be Carl Grayson’s work? Even without knowing the story behind them she thought them distasteful and determined to burn them once she and Julius inherited the estate.

Macey disappeared without a trace so why was she suddenly back? And the children. They couldn’t be more than five which meant Macey had been pregnant when she disappeared. Were they the reason she left? Katherine wasn’t the only one speculating. She looked again at the recent articles of Julius and Macey and the kids. It wasn’t the articles that caught her attention this time but the comments posted underneath.

Who is that woman with Julius DaLair?

She’s so hot! Man, the rich get all the goods.

I thought he was engaged.

Looks like everyone here forgot he was married. (This comment was accompanied by an image of the wedding photo.)

Those kids are so cute! Are they related?