A marriage deal with billionaire stone (Ivy and Silas)

Chapter 164

"Hey man, I just landed in California," Bailey said, giggling into her phone as she waited for her girlfriend.

"Oh, that's great," her brother, Logan, replied. "How was the journey? Have you seen Mom?"

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She strained her neck, scanning the airport. Aaliyah shouldn't be hard to spot, she was supposed to arrive with her parents.

"Not yet," Bailey replied. "I'm still waiting for Aaliyah. We're having dinner at her parents' house first, then I'll go see Mom.

"Oh, cool," Logan said. "When you get there, let me know so Alice and I can talk to her."

“Alright, man. Talk to you later. Say hi to Alice."

"Bye," Logan said, ending the call.

Bailey tucked her phone into the pocket of her baggy pants. She had been at the arrivals terminal for over forty minutes now, waiting to be picked up.

The last time she called Aaliyah, she said she was close and that had been fifteen minutes ago.

Glancing at her wristwatch, Bailey sighed, "You better have a good reason for being late," she muttered, her eyes darting across the crowd.

She had no idea what car Aaliyah would be driving, so she gave up trying to guess. Just then, her eyes landed on a small flower shop across the road.

A smile spread on her lips as she set her bags against the wall. Nobody would steal her luggage; she was just stepping across the street and she had a Glock. Not that she would use it unless absolutely necessary, but still.

"Hey, how much for this?" she asked the vendor, pointing to a small bouquet of

roses.

"Thirty dollars," the seller smiled.

Perfect. Just exactly what she had left. She took the money from her backpack and handed it over. "Thank you."

The vendor nodded and packed the bouquet. Moments later, Bailey returned to her spot, flowers in hand, her luggage untouched.

San Francisco.

It felt good to be back home. It wasn't exactly home, but she and Logan had spent most of their childhood here. After their father died and their mother threw herself into work, accepting the transfer to Colombia just made sense.

Though she flew in now and then-which was how she had met Aaliyah-she had never thought of San Francisco as permanent.

Except now it was different. She would be here for at least three months. Maybe less, if by some miracle she solved the case faster.

Not that she wasn't happy being back, her mother was here, her girlfriend was here. She was just going to miss Colombia

more.

Her mind drifted to Aaliyah and her stomach churned. Was Aaliyah going to come? How would she react when she met her

parents?

Meeting the parents meant stability, next-level shit. Not that she was scared of commitment; she loved Aaliyah deeply. It was just... a lot.

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Chapter 164

she began to feel uncomfortable standing at

"Bai!"

reacted instinctively to Aaliyah's voice, and when she stepped out, dressed in a hot black gown, Bailey

weeks ago when Aaliyah flew to

Aaliyah approached her. But instead of a hug and a kiss like they always did in

arms still

walking to the car before Bailey

as the realization hit. Aaliyah still

tell them?"

acted like she hadn't heard her, and Bailey repeated her

fixed on the road. "You know it's not

"But it is. You

said nothing, she just

been a year, Aaliyah. A year of hiding. When I pick you up in Colombia, I kiss you, I don't hide you. When

And I hate it. I begged my chief for this assignment just so I could be close to you. I can't believe

Bailey noticed how

annoyance dissolving into

said, her voice soft. "I'm working on something big. I promise, I just

Why did you lie about your parents

know you're tired of this, but I promise I'll fix it."

softened Bailey's

You know that," Aaliyah

know," Bailey replied. "I love you

briefly before Aaliyah turned her attention back

your chief you landed?"

I'll call when we

but she had managed to convince her chief to let her fly commercial.

2/4

Wed, 21 May

Chapter 164

mission.

the outside world, she was just a regular girl being picked up by her girlfriend and not an undercover

are here," Aaliyah said in a singsong voice, snapping her out

"Cool."

Bailey got out and grabbed

help with the luggage, it was as if she was

hurt that Aaliyah was treating her like

luggage in, one

the street.

Aaliyah you

just a friend," Aaliyah said quickly,

her lip, the pain tightening her

the code.

knew the code to her girlfriend's house, yet

spiral, her phone rang. She reached for it in her bag and