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Chapter 131
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THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR 131.1
“I just want – ”“You said you wanted me to come with you, but what does that mean? For how long?”“I don’t know how long – ”“Well, give me something – a day? A week? A month?”“I don’t know!” he barked. “We’ll see how it goes!”The ice was growing inside me now, the crystals branching off like the limbs of a tree, filling me slowly. “Oh… I see. I’m just supposed to be convenient, until you get tired of me.”He was really angry now. “I don’t know how long – I just know that, right now, I don’t want ‘forever,’ okay?”If my heart was frozen before, it shattered into pieces when he said that.He must have seen it on my face, because I heard desperation creep into his voice. “That didn’t come out right.”“I think it came out exactly the way you meant it.”“All I’m saying is…”He breathed out hard, then regrouped.“You knew what I was asking Friday night! I said, ‘come with me this weekend.’ Not ‘let’s get married,’ not ‘let’s move in together’ – come with me for this weekend.”“I know th
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 132
By the time Anh rushed in, I was wailing like a wounded animal. I was doubled over, holding my stomach, like somebody had stabbed me.It really felt like he had – but in my heart.“Oh my God, Lily, what’s wrong?!” Anh cried out. She sank down beside me on the bed and put her arms around me, and pulled my head onto her shoulder.“He – he – ”But I couldn’t go on. I just sobbed for a minute as she stroked my hair and rocked me gently, like a mother with her child.Finally I could speak. “He… he asked me to quit my job and go with him.”“Um… okay, that’s kinda weird…”“And he offered to pay me. Like a prostitute or something.”I looked at Anh to see her reaction.“Eww,” she said, curling up her lip a little.“I know!” I sobbed. “Like, I don’t know, like I’m a hooker or something!”“Um… this might not be the best question right now… but… he, like, didn’t give you any money for this weekend or anything, did he?”“NO! How could you even think that?!”She looked around at the bags of expensi
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 133
Anh gave me a ride the next morning, and the whole time I felt like a prisoner on Death Row, headed for the execution chamber.Add to that I hadn’t slept but maybe an hour or two. Mostly I just cried all night, in fits and starts, until I finally dropped off to sleep from sheer exhaustion.And the alarm blared five minutes later, it seemed.I’d forced myself through my normal routine – shower, getting dressed, light makeup – but I felt like a zombie the entire time. The only thing that kept me going was the routine itself.It was better than lying there in bed, thinking of Connor. And my possible firing gave me something to worry about besides him.About what I’d lost last night.On the way to the office in Anh’s car, I sat there trying to come up with excuses I could give Klaus, but I couldn’t think of any. My mind, already numb and overloaded, was of no use to me. The only thing it could do was force my feet forward, one after the other… make my hands open and close car doors… tell
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 133
Connor stood about fifty feet away, his arms open wide, like, What UP, bro?Klaus whipped around, a look of stark terror on his face.He obviously remembered the voice, too… and the humiliations he’d suffered because of its owner.Toss in the fact that he’d been speaking ill of Connor just a few seconds before, and Klaus was not a happy camper.Me?I was not a happy camper at ALL.Connor strolled over, gorgeous and every inch the billionaire. He wore a tailored, grey pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, and maroon silk tie studded with a gold pin.I thought he looked a little tired around the eyes… but then I convinced myself I just saw that because I wanted to see it.I didn’t want to believe he could have dumped me and slept like a baby afterward.Although that was probably what happened.I did notice one thing, though, that was undeniable: He didn’t look at me once.He kept his eyes laser-focused on Klaus.Inside, I felt like crying.You can’t even LOOK at me?!But I quickly forgot
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 134
I almost went crazy as I sat at my desk, wringing my hands, obsessing about what was going on up in the boardroom.Not least of all because I wondered if anybody noticed a stain on the plush carpet, or if they could detect the lingering scent of sex in the air.“Oh God,” I whispered to myself, and put my head in my hands.Emails went unanswered. I let calls go straight to voicemail.I was a nervous wreck.I played out a dozen scenarios in my head, all of them different in the particulars, but all boiling down to the same inescapable outcome:Connor letting them know that the buyoff was off.Would he tell them that the Teramore job was fake, designed to test the exec comp division?Would he repeat the lie that Klaus had shown him all the files on Friday night?And if he did, what could Klaus do but sit there and take it? Especially after he had lied right to the face of the CEO?And if Klaus sat there, the scapegoat for the failure… just how mad was he going to be when he came out of t
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 135
The Lamborghini roared through the parking deck outside my former workplace.I’d never been in a Lamborghini before. I might have enjoyed the experience more if it didn’t feel like somebody had put my brain in a blender and hit frappé.I settled back wearily into the leather seat and lolled my head towards the driver.Connor Templeton.Gorgeous Adonis. Billionaire businessman. Scion of one of the wealthiest families in America.“You’re a real asshole sometimes,” I murmured.He gave a tight little smile. Not one of his usual cocky grins; more like grim agreement.“Yeah, I know,” he said in a low voice.He reached one arm across the center console of the car and took my hand in his.The warmth of his skin on mine melted the tension in my body.The sweetness of the gesture melted my heart.I couldn’t help myself: I broke down in tears.Funny… after the last few hours, I didn’t think I had any left.He slammed on the brakes, pulled off his sunglasses, and stared at me with those gorgeou
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 136
Johnny was piiiiiissed.I couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying, but whatever it was, he said it loudly enough for Connor to make a face and hold the cell phone away from his ear.It sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher’s wah-wah-wah-WAAAH crossed with a fire-and-brimstone preacher.Connor let him vent for a few seconds, then said, “I’m getting on 10 East… you can find me, I’ll be the maroon Lamborghini Aventador.”More wah-wah-wah-WAAAAH.“Yes, fine, okay, I’ll drive under the speed limit so you can get to me… jeez, man, I don’t know who’s worse, you or Lily.”Things quieted down on the other end as Johnny asked something in a lower tone of voice.Connor smiled. “Because she’s with me.”Silence. Then Johnny said something else, and Connor pulled the cell away from his ear and hit a button for speakerphone.“Lily?”I smiled. “Hi, Johnny.”“You made him call me, didn’t you?”“Yes.”“Thank you. At least SOMEBODY’S brain is working right.”“Hey,” Connor warned.“Where’d you get th
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Chapter 136
I experienced vague flashes of the trip as I dozed. Whispered phone calls… the purr of the engine… patterns of sunlight and shadow…Once or twice I woke long enough to take swigs from a bottle of water, but then I lapsed back into semi-consciousness.Until I felt someone’s arms circling around me and lifting me out of my seat.I looked over blearily. “…wha… where…”I tried to force myself awake, but I was still so tired, it was like I was drugged.“We’re here,” Connor said as he held me against his massive chest. Even through his suit, I could feel his hard muscles pressed against my body.The sun was beating down with scorching heat against my skin. I saw the blurry outline of a gigantic white and glass building, much taller than the Dubai Hotel.I winced against the bright light. “…what are you doing…?”“I’m carrying you,” he said, and then we were moving. The bright light ended and shadow enveloped me. There was the sound of an automatic door, and cold air swept over me. The light
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THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The only part that was slightly sad was that Connor’s mother and brother didn’t attend. His mother was still under heavy psychiatric care. She wouldn’t have even known what was going on, according to Connor. As much as I disliked Lenora Templeton, that news saddened me. I only wanted her out of my life. I didn’t want her to end up like this.His brother had checked himself into rehab. Though he sent his congratulations, Vincent told Connor that he didn’t think he could attend, knowing what Miranda had done and how she had met her end. He felt he was still in too precarious a situation emotionally to leave the safety of the rehab center.I know that Connor still bore a lot of anger and hurt towards his mother and brother, but he would have liked to have had them there – as long as they behaved themselves.Things were improving, though. His mother was gradually getting better, and Connor had worked out a deal to take over as interim CEO of the Templeton Group while his brother was in r
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
But as far as wedding days go, it wasn’t the only one.Come on, I’d gotten married in sopping wet clothes, on a deserted island in the Caribbean, with only four people total in attendance.Did you really think I wasn’t going to have a billionaire-style shindig, with all my family and friends?Connor and I decided on it spontaneously, as soon as we got back home. But rather than hold it in New York City, with all its bad memories from the last couple of weeks, we held it two weeks later in Lake Cuomo, Italy. Have you ever seen pictures of Lake Cuomo? It’s like an Italian Renaissance fairytale. George Clooney bought a residence there, with good reason – it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. And that’s where we had our wedding.There was only one shadow hanging over the entire day.After we were escorted back to St. Vincent by the policemen, Connor immediately hired a team of divers to go down to inspect the yacht’s wreckage. There was one body in particular he wanted found.B
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
It turns out Johnny was right: we didn’t see a single shark the entire way.That doesn’t mean it was a piece of cake. What with Johnny and Connor’s wounds, and my needing to rely on their help when I was tired, it took us almost an hour. By the time we got to the island, we were exhausted. But Sebastian was there to greet us. As we approached where the waves started to break, he saw us and started yelling and waving ecstatically from the beach.“A little help!” Johnny shouted at him. Sebastian immediately raced out into the waves and dragged me to shore. “Thank God, thank God,” he kept sobbing as he helped me lie down on the sand. Then he went back out and helped Johnny and Connor limp their way onto the beach.We all collapsed next to each other. Connor and I held hands as we stared up into the blue sky, too weary to speak.“I thought I’d never see you again,” Sebastian said, wiping tears from his face.I was touched; it was the most vulnerable I’d ever seen him.“No such luck,” Co
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The happiest moment of my life was when Connor proposed to me.The second was when he burst through that door.And the third was seeing the look of surprise on Miranda’s face when she realized what I had done to her.While Connor kept her talking, I picked the lock and undid the handcuffs from my right wrist. (Bobby pins to the rescue!) Then I grabbed Miranda’s arm and slapped the cuffs on her.Anytime I’m ever depressed about anything from now on for the rest of my life, I’m just going to remember the look of surprise on that murderous bitch’s face, and everything will be better. Instant anti-depressant.Miranda yanked her arm up with a clank! of the chain, but she was locked to the metal armrest of the chair – which was bolted to the floor.She screamed in fury, and pulled the gun’s trigger.BLAM!But I’d purposefully bumped her aim away from Connor – so all that happened was one of the creepy glass spider cases shattered into tiny shards.The gunshot hurt my ears, but I’d been expe
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I couldn’t take the shot. I wasn’t Johnny; my aim was good, but not stellar, and the floor was already at a 20 degree tilt. Miranda had her gun at point blank range to Lily’s head. If she pulled the trigger before I got her – I slowly held my .45 away from my body and let it fall to the floor.All the ugliness I knew was inside Miranda revealed itself on her face. It was the evil leer of a serial killer, the grin of a Great White Shark.“I win,” she gloated.My heart sank.It was over. I had failed.I looked at Lily, both sorrow and love welling up at once. She was seated in some sort of chair bolted to the floor, and was handcuffed to the metal armrest.Lily’s eyes were frantic, but her lips were moving. She was mouthing something…Keep her talking.I couldn’t tell for the life of me what she had in store, but I complied. I looked up at Miranda. “You win. You can do with me whatever you want, but please – let Lily go.”“Don’t waste your breath,” Miranda snarled. “Walk towards me w
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
The door suddenly burst open, and there stood Connor with a gun in his hand, just like the star of an action movie.My heart soared with love – and fear. Because Miranda was standing behind my chair, just like the villain in an action movie.I was between them – Miranda’s human shield.I felt the barrel of Miranda’s pistol jam against the back of my head.“Drop it,” she commanded, “or I kill her.”Connor looked at me helplessly.“Don’t worry about me – shoot her!” I begged him.But he wouldn’t take the chance. He held the gun slowly away from him and let it fall to the floor. CLUNK.I felt Miranda’s pistol stop pressing against my scalp, then saw it appear next to me as it pointed at Connor.“I win,” she said, and I could hear the sneering triumph in her voice.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I rushed over to Leo’s body, staggering in the tilting hallway as I ran.He was lying face-up on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out beneath him on the floor.He saw me coming. Tried weakly to lift his AR-15 – I put two more rounds in him with my .45.BLAM BLAM.He lay still after that.Adrenaline coursed through me like a drug, sharpening my senses while making everything unreal.I felt sick. I had just killed a man. I had just taken a life. He was a traitor, yes, and someone who was planning to hand me over to be killed – but still, I felt queasy.Lily.She was all that mattered. I pulled myself together.“Nice shooting,” Eve said in my ear. “Oh ye of little faith.”“What?” At first I thought she meant something about me doubting my abilities to shoot someone, which didn’t make any sense.“You thought I was a turncoat? AGAIN?”“Oh,” I said sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”“Hmph. We’ll talk later. Go down the hallway the way you were originally heading – there’s a half-dozen g
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Lily
BOOM.There was a massive explosion somewhere on the ship. Every glass pane in the spider terrariums rattled, and a couple cracked.“What the hell?” Miranda said, and stumbled to her feet as the yacht began to tilt to one side.After my initial shock from the blast, I watched Miranda’s face. She was reacting with more fear – in fact, with more emotion – than I’d ever seen her display before.She looked back at me, her eyes wide with surprise.After all the indignities the bitch had put me through, I couldn’t resist. “Guess my fiancé’s here,” I said, and gave her a little smile.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S AFFAIR Connor
I was halfway down the deck when Eve spoke in my ear. “Connor, there’s a problem.”“What?” I whispered.“Juan and Leo are on the other side of the yacht, but I’m not getting any video feeds of them.”There was a dull WHUP in the distance, then another one a few seconds later.Not like gunshots, exactly. But they did sound like a heavy book being dropped on a wood floor.I ducked into an alcove with a door in it, and hunkered down into a squatting position. “Juan? Leo?”“We separated, and Juan ran into a guard,” Leo’s voice said. “Juan’s dead, but I got the other guy before he could sound the alarm.”SHIT. Already things were going to hell, and we’d barely engaged the enemy yet.But… something didn’t make sense…I frowned. “I heard two silenced shots. How come I didn’t hear any regular gunfire?”“They’ve got suppressors, too. The first one was the guy shooting Juan, the second was me shooting the guard.”I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something seemed off. I just chalked it up to
