Stolen Chances (The Meikle Billionaire Triplets Book Two) Read online

  Copyright ©2020 by Empress Chang

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN (eBook): 978-1-7350300-2-9

  ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-7350300-3-6

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design: Bookin’ It Designs

  Formatting: Empress Chang

  Editor: Destiny Henry, Alexandria Literary

  Proofreader: Sara Miller, Pretty Little Book Promotion and PA Service

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher via email: [email protected]

  Author Notes

  This book contains mature content, adult language, graphic sexual content and emotional triggers. Reader’s discretion is advised.

  Contents

  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 EIGTHTEEN

  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

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Epilogue

  STOLEN PROMISES PREVIEW

  CHAPTER ONE

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also By Empress Chang

  Connect With The Author

  To Cyreca, this book is about second chances. Not just with love but at life as well. When I needed someone to bet on me, you gave me that chance. You became not just my boss, but my mentor and friend.

  You told me of your trials and tribulations and how you used them to never give up on your business and life. Thank you for those lessons. Thank you for taking a chance on me. You have been a blessing in my life.

  CHAPTER ONE

  GIANNA

  Full Name: Rolf J. Meikle

  Age: 27

  Height: 6’3

  Weight: 169

  Origin: 40% German, 40% Italian, 4% African descent and 2% Asian

  Languages: English, German, Arabic and Italian.

  Occupation: CEO and founder of Meikle Manufacturing (a company that develops advanced weapons) and heir to the vast Meikle and Koenig fortunes.

  Personal History: Joined the Army at age eighteen and was deployed four times, before being recruited into the Special Forces at age twenty–one.

  Family History: Unknown.

  Public Knowledge: Rolf is the second of the Meikle triplets. Each sibling was born three minutes apart. His brother Christoff J. Meikle the firstborn, their sister Maja J. Meikle coming out last. Each estimated to be worth $200.5 billion and counting. They are close personal friends to the Chicago Mancini crime family, which leads the world to believe that they are more than just business moguls and inheritors of old money. However, no one has ever been able to prove that to be true.

  “Now Rolf, that is the theory behind your family and the Mancinis but here you are engaged and set to marry, the gorgeous Gianna Mancini, in three days’ time.” Television’s sweetheart Gloria Wells, of channel sixteen Gossip Truths, gave a sly look as if to say she didn’t believe what was going on. “I don’t want to be political about the matter, but that’s unexpected. Is this a real love story, or is it maybe a business deal?”

  Rolf chuckled and shook his head at Gloria, who laughed along. “I can assure you, Gloria, this … we …” He inclined his head to me and smiled. “We are the real love story. I know what the world thinks of our two families just being friends, but Gianna and I have known each other since childhood. It was only ever natural that we ended up on this road, ready to commit to each other.”

  Gloria interjected. “Forgive me for repeating this, but this commitment was very unexpected. For three years supermodel Elizabeth Chamberlin had been the only woman on your arm and in your life. It wasn’t until a month ago you two broke up.” Gloria threw back her blonde hair from off her shoulders and prepared herself for another onslaught towards Rolf.

  Knowing it was time to intervene, I spoke up before Gloria got the chance. “Life has a funny way of changing things. Rolf and I, may not have been right for each other back then, but now we believe with all our hearts and soul that we are meant to be.” I reached for Rolf’s hand, and he took mine in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “I can only hope that the world will look past all the rumors and just see our love.”

  “Of course,” Gloria said with an honest smile on her face. “But I have to ask; it was rumored that you and the oldest Meikle billionaire, Christoff J. Meikle, were to be the ones getting married. Only he is married to network programmer Luelle Poole from Miami, who is currently pregnant with his child.” She clapped her hands together and then tilted her head towards us. “I want to know how you got mixed into that story! Do you have any idea why anyone out there would make up such a tale about you two?”

  I smiled, pretending not to know the answer to the question. “Gloria, why does anyone make up rumors about anyone? My answer is boredom, but I don’t want to judge. What I can tell you is that rumor is and was just that, a rumor. Nothing more. This is my first and only engagement, and I’m looking forward to finally being a wife.”

  Gloria’s smile widened, exposing her perfectly white teeth as she turned towards the camera to deliver her final comment. “Well, there you have it, everyone. Sadly, that’s all the time we have for today, but it wasn’t a waste. We here at Gossip Truths, got the first interview with billionaire, Rolf J. Meikle and his gorgeous fiancée Gianna Mancini, and we are happy to say we got it first, as you’ve just heard it.”

  She turned to Rolf and me and continued. “Thank you both for joining us and we here at the Gossip Truths, wish you both nothing but happiness and joy in your journey together.”

  “Thank you for having us.” Rolf and I said in sync, smiling and holding each other’s hand, like the loving couple we were meant to be.

  “And we’re off–air!” Shouted a man a few minutes after they had switched to a commercial.

  After thanking Gloria again, a few of the stage crew assisted Rolf and I with the removal of our microphones and escorted us through the building and out the back door to Rolf’s dark red Cadillac. Helping me into my winter coat, Rolf threw on his and led the way out the door.

  My gloved hand in his, I watched him from behind as I followed his footsteps through the snow, as it crushed under him. Tall, with broad shoulders, and muscles larger than the average man, the well–dressed man cleared his throat.

  He turned and looked at me briefly, checking on me as we got closer
to the car. His face was long, his brown eyes dark and his nose was straight as were his lips. The midday snow fell on top of his short brown hair, which grew down the side of his face and formed his fully-grown beard.

  Rolf J. Meikle, billionaire playboy, looked like a handsome bear more than a man of great importance. His silence towards me was stifling, not that I minded so much, but the charm I had heard and read about was completely lacking since the day I was introduced to him. Rolf was still the ugly, distasteful boy I had hated since I was a teenager.

  He was nothing like his brother.

  Nothing!

  Everything Christoff had, Rolf lacked.

  Rolf opened the door to the back seat and stepped aside so I could get in. Once in he slammed the door behind me and circled the car getting in next to me. His driver, Jake greeted us and started the car.

  “Maja called Boss; she asks that you give her a call as soon as you can.” he said, looking into the rearview mirror at Rolf.

  Rolf nodded as he pulled out his phone and started texting. A few words across the screen and a button pushed, then he glanced at me from the corner of his eye and sighed as he sank into his seat.

  “Jake, excuse us for a bit, please.” he spoke to Jake who nodded, and a window between Jake and us started to close and separate us.

  Knowing it meant Rolf wanted to talk, I shifted in my seat and faced the window. Watching as we drove through the snowy streets of upper Manhattan, New York. I didn’t want to talk to him. I would be married to him for the rest of my life in a few days, but it didn’t mean I had to ever speak with him. At least not when we didn’t have to. I wanted nothing to do with this man.

  “We leave in the morning for Chicago. You can go home to your father or stay at my place in the Towers. I’m assuming you will be on your best behaviour towards my sister‒in‒law, if or when you see her.” Rolf took his gloves off and brushed some snow off his knee, on to the floor of the car.

  Rolling my eyes, I used the window of the car to fix my well pinned hair. Unlike my husband to be, my looks mattered to me.

  “Gianna,” Rolf called out casually. “Gianna?” Then he called my name as a question.

  He wanted me to acknowledge him, but I refused to. He was my worst nightmare coming to life. My life was ruled by the iron fist of my father, and this was what I got for being so stupid.

  The consolation prize of a secondhand Meikle.

  A homeless looking, no good bastard, who has for every moment of my life, disrespected and taunted me. Now I am to be his wife, by my father’s orders!

  The thought made me feel sick.

  Wife to Rolf J. Meikle. Not wife to Christoff J. Meikle.

  I looked at his reflection through the window and rolled my eyes again. He was a nightmare, indeed.

  Billionaire or not, he was not this girl’s dream come true.

  “Your concern for her is touching,” I drawled out sarcastically. “But I’ll say my vows and keep only to my family. As for where I’ll be when we get home I’ll be at my father’s mansion.” Appearing exasperated at my answer, Rolf reached out to touch me, but I swatted his hand away as soon as I saw it through the window.

  He gazed at me with his dark dead eyes, then sighed in frustration and shook his head.

  “After they marry us, where do you plan to live?” he asked. Dropping what he had really wanted to say.

  “Why are you suddenly interested in where I’ll be living?” I snarled at him. “As long as we stay out of each other’s way, this marriage will be perfect. The less I see of you, the happier I’ll be.”

  “It’s my interest should your father call and ask me where you are. I couldn’t care less where you want to live. The Towers in Chicago, my penthouse in Manhattan, or the family estate in Germany.” Rolf scratched his beard. “As long as Angelica or I know where you are, I agree with you that we should stay out of each other’s way.”

  “Good. Happy you agree.” I snapped and turned back to face the window and fought back the tears of anger. “Our marriage changes nothing between us, Rolf. I still do and will always hate you.”

  “The feeling is mutual, Gianna. If your father hadn’t insisted on marrying you to either my brother or me, we wouldn’t be sitting here together right now.”

  Snapping my head around towards Rolf, my eyes opened, widened at his confirmation. “My father had it planned that I was to marry your brother! Never you! It’s that damn bitch that stole Christoff from me’s fault!” I cursed and continued. “You were never a part of the plan! You offered yourself, knowing Daddy couldn’t care less what I wanted! And why? So, you can save your sister from marrying my brother?”

  “Christoff and I would have done anything to keep Maja away from your brother.” he answered with as much prejudice in his voice as I had in mine. “Marrying you was never a part of our plans, but your father forced it, and I stepped up to save my siblings. Christoff marrying you would have been a chore for him.

  “Whereas I being your husband means nothing to me, but making sure the cat is well fed, housed and alive at the end of every night. As for my sister-in-law, the bitch as you so-called her – at least she knows how to survive without a man, and also make one happy and loved.”

  Fuming at his words, I pushed myself forward and stretched my arm out, with my hand wide open ready to slap him across the face. Instead of meeting flesh, Rolf caught my wrist in midair and squeezed me hard enough to give me a warning.

  “Christoff may have allowed you to slap him whenever you wanted, but you won’t be doing the same with me. Try it again, and you won’t like what happens after.” His eyes sharp and his words sharper, he released my wrist and watched me.

  Smirking with malice, I ignored his threat. “You touch me, and my five brothers will have a thing or two to say to you, you beast. You’re not the only one protective of their baby sister.”

  Before he could say anything more, there was a sharp tap on the glass window from Jake. Looking out the window next to me, I saw that we had stopped and were parked in front of the hotel I had been staying at for the past three days.

  Happy for the small blessing of getting away from Rolf, I opened my door before the hotel’s doorman on the outside could open it for me.

  “Jake will call you when he is on his way tomorrow,” Rolf said as I got out. “Gianna!”

  “What?” I shouted and glanced back into the car.

  “If you’re late, I’ll leave without you.”

  Slamming the door of the custom made Cadillac, I walked off towards the hotel.

  Ignoring the elderly doorman on my way in, as he welcomed me back to the hotel.

  Infuriated with Rolf and our situation, I stomped into the breathtaking five star hotel’s lobby, freeing my hands of the ivory white winter gloves I had on. Passing the staff on my way to the elevators as they said ‘hi’ and ‘welcome’, I rolled my eyes at the other guests as they stopped and watched me stride past them, muttering to each other.

  Everywhere I went, it was the same. Everyone knew my face and name, and everyone stopped to mutter, ‘that’s the daughter of the mobster, Joey Mancini of Chicago’. They judged me based on my father and brothers, and Rolf judged me based on my curvaceous physique and extravagant personality.

  It didn’t matter that we knew each other since our childhood. When Rolf saw me, he saw only the body I had grown into and mastered, and the fashion I loved and covered myself in. He saw a girl protected by her father every step of her life, and a woman who learned to get what she wanted in a man’s world.

  He saw me differently compared to his sister when, in reality, we were the same. He and his brother both protected her after their father died. She knew how to get what she wanted in this world, as much as I did. Our methods may be different, but in the end, we got what we wanted.

  Yes, I was outspoken, bitchy and just downright mean, but I grew up in a family of five older brothers and my father who made our lives miserable and made sure his sons knew how to survive a
nd protect their sister. While the only thing I learned was how to stand up for myself against all five brothers and a father who ran my life anyway he saw fit.

  Only with Rolf… I wasn’t doing much of that. Instead, I ignored him like a child and got mad over every word that came out his arrogant mouth.

  Pressing the up button on the elevator, the lights shimmered off the rock stud spikes as I pushed my gloves into my small ivory, Valentino Garavani shoulder bag. When the elevator doors opened, I stepped in and gave the young elevator operator my floor. As the soft music played in the background, I eased myself out of the Tom Ford coat and pulled my cell phone out from one of the pockets.

  There was a text message from one of my brothers’, Dario, and one from Rolf and a missed call from an unknown number. Glancing at the younger boy, I read Rolf’s text first before checking in with my unknown caller.

  Opening the message, it read…

  Rolf: I will leave you, Gianna. I have things to do and places to be. I don’t have time for you and your drama! Make sure you’re ready when Jake calls. If you’re late, call your father to get you a ticket home. I mean it.

  Grinding my perfect teeth together, I squeezed the phone in my hand and deleted the message.

  I hate that man!

  Who did he think he was?! Ordering me around and threatening to leave me behind! That irritating caveman bastard! Did he think I enjoy being around him, much less getting married to him?! He was as much of a problem for me as I clearly was for him.