LOGINShare
Sated
Last Updated:
2024-05-17 01:15:35Related chapters
Bright Lights Billionaire Day Of
RileyMy hands shook as I buttoned the front of my black dress. Something about funeral homes and caskets and tombstones left me unraveled. The fact that I was going to bury my mother in an hour was beyond comprehensible, but to know that she was going to be laid to rest next to my older brother..."Hey. You ready to go?" Charlotte poked her head into the bathroom where I stood."Yeah. Sure." I reached for a tube of pink lipstick and put a little on my lips, not wanting to overdo it too much. The dark circles under my eyes had been a bitch to cover up, but somehow between me and Char, we'd done it."I'm going to be right beside you, okay? Jace is too. He's meeting us there." She gave me a quick hug and reached up to reposition the gold charm necklace on my neck. "Let's get some ice cream after this. I think we're going to need it a lot over the next few months.""Me too." I moved around her and picked up my small black purse. Numbness had settled around me, and I wanted to question ev
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire The Funeral
RileyJace appeared beside me in the pew as the minister got up and walked to the front to begin his spiel. I turned and pressed my cheek against his shoulder, taking in how good he looked in a suit."Hey, baby." He leaned down and kissed the side of my forehead."You're almost late." I turned back to face the front and swallowed hard as various pictures of my mother moved across the screens above. Charlotte had to have turned the pictures into the funeral home. I'd been too emotionally lost to do anything. Either her or my Aunt Debbie. I'd spent a few minutes before taking my seat to reconnect with all of them. It was good to see them, though I figured this would be the last time. They were private people and incredibly religious. They didn't take too kindly to drugs, alcohol or wild women. My mom having been deeply invested in all three vices. She'd been kicked out of the family around the time I was two. I couldn't remember much about any of it, but after my dad left the picture, s
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire Something Stupid
EthanI glanced back one more time before ducking into the sanctuary. Some lady a little older than me was singing Amazing Grace. I stopped beside the pew where Frank and Deza sat. They moved over and I took a seat next to Frank.Deza leaned across him, her cheeks stained with tears, her eyes wide as if frightened. "Did you see Riley?""Yeah. She's going home." I brushed my fingers by my lips and sat back as the image of her losing her shit in the foyer washed over me. I'd arrived just in time to catch her as she hit the ground. Never in my life had I wanted to offer someone anything I had to bring them back from their misery. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that it should have been me taking her home instead of Jace.I should have scooped her up as she fell and jogged out to my car. We could have spent the afternoon sleeping in my big comfy bed in the darkness, holding each other and me letting her see a side of me that even I wasn't sure existed. Though I'd never shown that part of
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire Ten Again
Ethan"Hey buddy!" Liam opened the door to his elaborate mansion and moved back with a big smile on his face. "You look like shit.""You say that a little too often, asshole." I smiled and pulled him into a quick hug."It's the truth. I owe you that if nothing else." He patted my back and closed the door. His black hair and dark eyes left him looking nothing like me, but it was probably for the best. The last thing I needed in town was a doppelgänger, especially one that acted as poorly as my older brother did."You remember my best friend from school, Cole?""Matthenson?" I walked down the hall as the sound of the TV filled up the hallway."Yeah. He and his brother, Ian, own a security company in San Doggie. They're in the middle of some shit right now, but I told him to come up for a day to get away from everything. He's a hot mess. Headed toward divorce with Cindy.""Do I know Cindy?" I whispered back as we entered into the kitchen. Liam shook his head and walked toward the big guy
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire Greener Grass
Riley"Your family is hoping that we can go over to the luncheon in a couple of hours. Do you think you'll feel up to it?" Charlotte brushed her hand down my back as I stood in the kitchen with my hands on the counter and eyes focused on the view of the street below."Hmm? No, I'm good. I don't want to go over there. I can't." I shrugged, not really caring what anyone thought about me not making an appearance. My family was weird at best and now that I had found some semblance of success, they were a little too loving. It was fucked up, and I wasn't in the mood to pretend like it wasn't."No problem. I'll let your Aunt Debbie know." She rubbed my back for another few seconds before walking out of the kitchen and leaving me in my numbness.I couldn't seem to shake the image of Ethan watching me in the foyer of the funeral home. The longing on his face showed me the part of him that I wanted to pretend didn't exist. It made things easier. We were supposed to make movies together, not fa
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire He's Not Ethan
Riley"Right, but he's not your romantic interest, Riley." She squeezed my hand and let out a soft sigh. "I told Jeff I couldn't see him anymore.""I thought you did that weeks ago.""I did, but I reneged on it. I thought maybe I could get past the fact that he's horrible in bed, but I can't. I love passion, and sex is part of that. I like the guy, but I could never really fall head over heels in love with him.""How about Jace?" I gave her a cheeky smile. "He's killer in bed.""And the fact that you're offering him up tells me once again... he's not your man. You don't care if he sleeps around, but here's the problem... he cares if you do. I overheard you guys in the kitchen. He's finally growing up, not that I ever thought that would happen, but he's going to want you to settle down. Are you really wanting to do that with him?""Do I have a better option?" I wanted to feel something - anything - but the same numbness that had been wrapped around my insides still sat there. The only
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire Don't Touch Her
EthanThe night of acting like a goof with my brother was exactly what I needed. Where my heart ached for Riley's loss, I was still suffocating in the fact that I'd missed out on the opportunity to take care of her. She'd chosen Jace which was a good thing for both of us. I kept telling myself that as I piddled around my large trailer at the back of the set the next morning. Frank wanted to run a few scenes that would need to happen in L.A., and I was grateful for the distraction. Getting up at eight in the morning was a bitch after drinking a little too much with my brother and Cole, but I was managing somehow.The sound of arguing just outside my trailer pulled me from my mental rehearsal of my lines and had me moving toward the window closest to me. I couldn't make out exactly what the couple was saying, but I could tell they were pissed."Deza?" I mumbled and moved the curtain back a little to peek out.The pretty Hispanic woman with caramel-colored skin, who usually looked calm n
Last Updated : 2024-05-17Bright Lights Billionaire Cover It Up
Ethan"Hey. No crying." I crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "There's no reason to get upset.""Yeah, there is." She pressed her face to my chest and wrapped her arms around me.To deny that it felt good to be held or to hold someone I loved would have been stupid, but I wanted to. I was too close to cracking and racing after my sexy co-star no matter what the world or anyone else thought about it. I felt like a fucking yo-yo, changing my mind every three seconds on what I wanted to do versus what I was expected to do."Why? He's a part of your past, D. You're a beautiful woman. Find someone else.""I can't." She pulled back and wiped at her tears. "Why am I crying over this idiot? He's not worth it.""Exactly." She needed me to dig into her pain, but I couldn't. I was still tripping over my own from seeing Jace be exactly who Riley needed him to be the day before."I'll see you inside." She turned and walked out without another word."Damn," I mumbled and grabbed my script a
Last Updated : 2024-05-17
Latest chapter
Bright Lights Billionaire Epilogue
Four Months LaterEthanNo matter how many times I went to the premier or opening night, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I was worried about my woman, but knowing her, she was handling it better than me. Deza had her in one of the dressing rooms at the large theater downtown where we did all of our opening nights."She needs to have some time to herself where you're not humping her damn leg like a Chihuahua in heat." Deza had been quite clear on why Riley wasn't coming with me to the premier."You want a turn?" I'd tried to hump her leg a few minutes earlier as she came in to check on me, but it hadn't gone over too well. Something about her big ugly boyfriend out front and him not liking me as it were.His loss. He's eating those words when the two of them finally retied the knot. It was me that got them back together, though neither one of them seemed to want to admit it.It was a thankless job."You know it's weird." Deza moved up in front of me and reached up, adjusting my tie.
Bright Lights Billionaire Out of Place
RileyWe walked into the wedding dress shop, and everything became real. All of the struggle and strife we'd been through to reach this point.I turned as tears blurred my gaze and reached for Ethan."Baby, what's wrong?" He leaned down and pulled me against his chest as a salesman spoke up behind us."How can I help you, Mr. Lewis?""Nothing. I'm just overwhelmed. I'm sorry." I pressed my hands to my face and leaned against him.He brushed his hair down the back of my head. "My girl and I want to see some wedding gowns. The best that you have. And I'll put down a thousand dollars to have you leave us be back in the dressing room for about an hour once we have a few of your best.""Done, Sir. I'll gather them now."He kissed the top of my head. "We can come back, Ri. We don't have to do this now.""No. I want to." I forced myself to look up at him. "I just feel out of place.""But you fit in at the mall?" He chuckled, but the sound fell flat. He got it. I was out of place there, but a
Bright Lights Billionaire Dresses
Ethan"This is Ethan," I mumbled into the phone, trying to keep my voice down, though there was no way in hell anyone could hear me over the noise at the mall."Ethan Lewis?" A woman stopped in front of me.Fuck me. I pointed to the phone and shook my head no, pulling it away and mouthing that I was a look alike."Oh. Never mind." She gave me a snarl and walked on."Deza?" I put the phone back to my ear. "I'm in the mall. Come get me before these crazy bitches tear the flesh from my bones."Deza's laugh filled up my ear, accompanied by Frank’s. "We have you on speaker. What the fuck are you doing at the mall on a Saturday? And a public mall at that.""Riley forced me to." I pouted and watched for signs of my girl in the windows of the store she was shopping in. "She's still wearing rose-colored glasses about this shit.""I'm taking it she didn't see those horrible pictures the Daily Star posted about her being-" Deza started.Frank finished it. "Pregnant with Ethan's alien twins?"The
Bright Lights Billionaire Blueberry?
Two Months LaterEthan"Why did we decide to do this?" I narrowed my eyes and the pretty girl that sat across from me. The one that had my heart racing and body purring every time she walked into the room."Because." She lifted her eyebrow. I knew that look. "You said that we would get to where we could go out in public and do normal things for our age. We're in our early twenties. We're eating at the food court. Period.""At a public mall." I glanced around and realized every-fucking-body was staring and pointing. I groaned and turned back to her. "If it's not bad enough that every tabloid has taken pictures of you and swollen your stomach for you with photoshop. It makes you look like you're pregnant with my alien twins. What more do you want?"She laughed, and I forced myself to sit back and chill out. "Nothing, baby. I wanted noodles at the mall. I'm tired of being in the house or at private parties. I want to live where everyone else does. I want to shop at Old Navy!""They have
Bright Lights Billionaire The Ring
Riley"Bumpy?" The little boy's blue eyes sparkled as he wiped at Ethan's hands over his legs. "Bumpy?""Oh jeez. Thank you so much." The mother jogged up and scooped the little guy up in her arms. "I'm so sorry." She paused as her eyes went wide. "Oh my God. You're Ethan Lewis and Riley Phillips. I love your movies," she pointed over to me, "and you were beautiful in the Spring play at UCLA. You're in the next Eon movie together, right?""Yeah, we are." I smiled over at Ethan, but he was too busy watching the little boy. Did he want kids? We'd had a short conversation about it, but I couldn't remember his response. His own upbringing had been as bad as mine, if not worse.Poverty sucked. Not being loved was way worse."Baby." I tugged on his hand."Oh. Sorry. I got lost there in my head for a minute." He reached out and patted the little guy on the head. "Take care, hmm?""Thank you again." The woman turned as the little boy chirped the word, 'bumpy' a handful of times."You want bab
Bright Lights Billionaire Huge Surprise
RileyButterflies danced in my stomach as we drove along the coast and finally pulled up to a white castle that overlooked the water. A maroon Lexus convertible sat in the driveway.I glanced down at my clothes and gave Ethan a look. "Really? Why didn't you tell me to dress up? Whose house is this?"He laughed and pulled behind another large moving truck. "Ours, baby.""What?" Shock raced through me as he got out of the van and left me sitting there. "Ours?"Did he buy a house on the beach? I'd just mentioned wanting one the day before. Late in the day on the day before.I got out and jogged to catch up to him as a bunch of guys I didn't know walked out of the house."Alright. Just bring everything in from the garage, and Riley will tell you where it's going." He reached back and took my hand, half-pulling me into the house. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. I was majestic. Huge. White."Ethan." I was breathless, and my heart hurt in my chest. "Did you buy this place yesterd
Bright Lights Billionaire Moving Day
EthanI knocked on Charlotte and Riley's apartment door and moved back, the red flowers in my hands holding one white rose.Riley opened the door rubbing her eyes. "Baby? What are you doing? It's before ten."I handed her the flowers and pulled her into my arms, laying a few kisses on her lips and smiling down at her. "Get dressed. We got shit to do.""This early?" She blinked and looked around as if confused. I'd never seen anything more perfect in my whole life."Yeah." I moved away and pointed to the moving truck. "Our trucks waiting right there. Let's get your stuff and get moving. This day isn't going to wait much longer for us."Her eyes widened, and she turned her attention back to me. "Wait. I'm moving in today?""Yep." I walked past her and winked at Charlotte. "Jace coming to help?""Already here, man." He walked out from the kitchen and extended his hand to me. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd help someone steal Riley from me, but I guess it's come, hm?"Charlotte
Bright Lights Billionaire When It Blows Up
EthanRiley wasn't too thrilled when I took her back to her apartment after we got sloshed at the party, but I told her my stomach was upset and I would see her the next morning. Not a good thing to do with a possessive woman in love.I turned off my phone an hour after getting home and took a long shower as excitement bubbled up inside of me. I had big plans for the next day and had been texting on my phone all fucking night to get it all set up for her.She was going to be blown the fuck away. Just knowing that it would be my fault had me giddy as I rolled out of bed the next morning. It was still early, but I was good with it. I wanted everything to be perfect.I pulled out my phone and texted my brother, Deza and Riley’s best friend, Charlotte to make sure everyone knew where they needed to be and what part they were playing."And here you thought I was just sitting on my hands." I glanced down at my phone. The picture of us eating ice cream like two little kids always made me smi
Bright Lights Billionaire One More Try
RileyI laughed and got dressed quickly as excitement bubbled in my stomach. I'd never been to an end of production wrap up party. Obviously, because I'd never wrapped up a movie before. It sounded like fun, and if we were going to be drinking and dancing with all of our friends, how could it not?Darren is coming.Worry raced through the center of my chest as I thought through how that could be good or bad. It seemed that there were a lot more chances for things to get messed up than go well.I forced myself to stop thinking about all of it and went back to feeling grateful. Ethan and I were spending almost every night together at his place, and he was dropping hints all the time about us getting married or having kids, or at the very least, moving in together.It was going to happen soon. I could feel it in my bones.I checked my hair and lipstick one more time before walking out of my dressing room and taking the long way over to studio six. I passed by the practice rooms where Cla
