My Protector | His Angel

Chapter 30: Trillions

As we flew over the island back to San Diego I looked down at the only building on the island. People were still eating at their tables but the crowd had diminished, though nobody else seemed to be leaving the island.

"Can you show me the old Casino?" I asked Killian as we ascended into the air. He looked over at me and smiled as if he was happily surprised by my request.

"Of course."

We didn't have to fly that far to get to it, in a matter of just a few seconds he was turning on the bright and powerful spotlight, illuminating the old and worn down building just beside the marina, nestled inside of the cove. The faint memories of the prohibition, and a small piece of history, weathered down to its simple stone foundation. If Killian hadn't told me what was there I wouldn't have even noticed it.

"Wow" I whispered into the headset.

"It's surreal." He responded and nodded before turning the spotlight off and flying away.

I looked back down at the restaurant as we flew over it, thinking about what Killian had told me. People were no longer eating at their tables but rather sat on the couches by the fireplace or swam in the pool. If I had looked really closely, I'd have noticed that the people in the pool were completely undressed.

As we flew away, we left the occupants and the rest of the nights activities behind us, leaving the various odd encounters to be a piece of the past.

I stared down at the endless black ocean with nothing but the white caps of the waves reflecting against the moonlight. The flight was silent, leaving me to nothing but my own thoughts. I replayed the night in my head. As I reimagining everyone faces, I realized that I hadn't recognized a single person there. Not that I would have known any of them personally, but for people who were extremely wealthy I would have expected to recognize somebody from Forbes or from the news.

I hesitated to ask Killian, not wanting to interrupt his focus, but I did anyways.

"For people as rich as you say they are, why haven't I seen any of them before? Like in the news"

"They don't want to be known. Theres a handful of billionaires who want to be seen and to be known. There's a lot more who live behind closed doors. Every now and then you'll see somebody that an average Joe would recognize but most of the time they stay out of the public eye."

"Wow, and us common folk are just sitting around thinking that the inventor of the electric car is the richest guy in the world."

Killian chuckled. "Yeah, there's a lot more money in the world than even the most powerful governments know about."

I didn't know what to say, it seemed unbelievable that nobody really knew the extent of the worlds worth.

"It's better to stay away from it if you can." Killian added.

"So why bring me there then? Just for a piece of overpriced steak and lobster?"

"You ask too many questions" He chuckled quietly and grabbed my hand. "They can be dangerous people, but not dangerous to you. They know that if they do anything such as put a finger on you, they will not step foot off of that island."

"Hm" I thought, hesitating to ask the question that was on my mind all night. "How much... how much money do you have? If these billionaires are scared of you?"

"Their fear of me has nothing to do with my money, Doll."

"Please just answer my question"

Killian sighed. We were approaching San Diego now.

"Trillions."

I leaned back in my seat and stared straight ahead, unable to even repeat the amount he had just given. Not even a specific amount, a general amount. But it was enough for me to know that it was A LOT. It didn't matter if he had one trillion or one hundred trillion. Honestly was there even a difference between one trillion and two trillion? I couldn't wrap my mind around this.

Before I knew it we were back on the helicopter pad. Killian had already shut down the helicopter and had walked around to open my door. His coat still laid over my legs. I continued to stare ahead at the twinkling lights. San Diego was no New York City. It wasn't even close. But the city lights still gave me a sense of home, a sense of comfort.

"Doll" Killian interrupted me from my thoughts.

"Hm?"

"Let's get you out of the cold" He spoke as he unbuckled me from the seat and pulled the coat off of my legs, offering me a hand.

I no longer felt cold after remembering New York, whose winters showed snow fall and frost bitten cheeks. San Diego felt like a tropical escape compared to the harsh winter that was to come in New York. Even compared to Seattle, San Diego was an escape from the cold.

I grabbed Killian's hand and lowered myself from the black aircraft that had loaned its wings for the night. Not another word was spoke from the elevator ride or the car ride back to the hotel. We sat in complete silence as I continued to digest this. What should be every woman's dream come true didn't do the same for me, and it was confusing, I think both to myself and Killian.

"You're upset" He spoke as he poured us a drink.

"Not upset, I'm just... shocked I guess you could say."

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be sorry, it's just a lot for me to take in. I live in a world that thinks that the Normandy family is living a life of luxury, a life where they will never run out of money. I live in a world that thinks that somebody like Ronald Weatherby could give each person a thousand dollars and still be the richest man in the world. And then you're coming in, telling me that you're richer than the richest man in the world. That there's many people richer than him who don't want to be seen?? To be known by the public??"

"I know it's a lot Loren. It took me a while to understand it. I had no idea about any of this the last time I saw you." He stopped speaking as he carried the drinks to the table beside the balcony door where I sat. "Does it change how you feel about me?"

I thought for a second before responding. Killian's shoulders rose as he anxiously anticipated my response.

"No" I shook my head. "Of course not!" I offered him a reassuring smile and he graciously accepted. "But it will if you don't use some of those trillions to buy me a new purse every once in a while!" I joked, trying to ease the tensed situation.

"I will buy you the entire world if I have to" He smiled under his breath and handed me a glass. I took a sip of the sweet amber liquid that burned as it slipped down my throat. Killian was always a whiskey lover. As much as I hated it. I never had the heart to tell him.

We sat together listening to the distant waves crash against the sand. Leaning back in my seat, I shut my eyes and soaked up the calming sound as much as I could. As much as I loved New York, the crashing waves was a nice change from the sirens, horns, and garbage trucks slamming dumpsters in the alleys during the late hours of the night.

Killian stood from the seat across from me and I opened my eyes, watching as he pulled the gun out of his holster and placed it on the nightstand. It was small and black, hard to notice against his all black attire. I watched as his head turned towards the shopping bag that sat beside the nightstand. Inside of it was the white lingerie I had carelessly tossed in. I had forgotten to put it with the other bags as I rushed to get dressed for the night a few hours earlier. His back was against me but I knew exactly how his face looked at this moment. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"Let's get back to LA, I have something I need to tend to." His voice didn't quiver or crack. He was confident and knew exactly what he needed to do. And so did I.

"Sure" I finished the final sip and set the glass down.

I didn't want to fuck on the hotel bed either.