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Chapter 6
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The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 7
Aubrey sat patiently before me, but the annoyance rolled off of her in waves. I wondered if it was directed at me, and I wouldn’t blame her because our last conversation hadn’t been the nicest.“I…” she started, but paused and breathed deeply, “I stopped seeing him.”“Is it okay if I ask why?”She seemed nervous, fiddling with her thumbs as if she had a secret too big to bear. Her eyes were red, nose puffy, and cheeks bright with freckles. Aubrey was not okay.“I’m so tired, Lilith,” she whispered while staring blankly at her hands. “So, so tired of not feeling what I want to. What I should.”“And what should you feel?” I tried to sound kind. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect besides more recklessness and demand on her part. I was only here because she paid me for this meeting. As sad as that sounded, that’s just how business worked.At least that’s how I worked.Maybe I had deep-set issues related to money that I should’ve been looking into. Either way, I had to try to care abou
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 8
It was a cold Tuesday evening, but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. Emily. Silky brown hair throwing off gold light, center parted, slicked down over the scalp, and clipped back with a pretty brooch. Lips too pink, and eyes too warm for someone who’d let me suffer for years under her son’s thumb. She sat down before me, her skin paler than I remembered. The deep purple dress stood out starkly against her complexion.Oh, no fake tan today.“The ring’s nice,” I commented with a sip of my wine.“His name’s George,” she said carelessly. “He has great taste, doesn’t he?”“Acquired?” I said, boring my eyes into hers.Her gaze was sharp. “You’ve gotten brave.”“Better than being desperate.” I set my wine down gently. “Don’t want anything ruining your big day, I assume?”“It’s been years, Lilian.”She sounded so casual and dismissive.“You think invalidating my pain will get you anywhere?”The waiter arrived, asking for our orders. Emily didn’t have the chance to stare me down as she turne
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 9
The keys jingled as I unlocked the door.“I don’t know why but I was expecting a huge place.” Marcus chuckled as we stepped inside. I shed my coat and tossed it onto the stand.“It’s just me.” I sighed and kicked my heels off. “So it doesn’t make sense to have too large a place.”“The interior’s impeccable, though.”“I definitely made a big investment in it,” I agreed. “Make yourself at home. Do you like mint lemonade?”“Sure.”I went into the kitchen quickly without another word, really needing to be away from Marcus. My social battery felt like it would die out completely if I spent another second around him. It would’ve been nice to know he was such a talker. Not that it was a problem, honestly, but there was only so much I could handle after everything that had happened tonight.My gaze dropped to the brown file on the island and I almost groaned. Emily’s profile. Snatching it off the marble surface, I pulled open the trash drawer and stuffed it in. Sliding it shut, I breathed dee
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 10
“Lilith!” came Aubrey’s excited squeal as she ran into my office and plopped down onto the seat before my desk. Normally, I’d be quite annoyed, but today I felt all right. “You’ll never guess what happened!”“Not until you tell me, no,” I agreed as I typed away and scanned the data for issues. “Make it quick, though. I have to leave for an appointment in ten minutes.”“I got invited to Fashion Week in South Korea!” she shrieked, jumping around in her seat“Oh, wow, that’s wonderful.” I smiled at her. “The getaway you’ve been looking for, right?”She smacked her hands on the table. “Yes, and I’m taking all my friends with me.”“That sounds like a lot of fun!”“It will be!” she cheered. “You’re coming with me!”I blinked at her, trying to register what she said.“Aubrey, I’m not—”“Please?” She rose from her seat and reached across my desk to grab my hands. “You never take a break from work except on the weekends. It’ll be fun. And South Korea’s amazing with so many other conventions ha
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 11
I hadn’t felt so excited for anything in my life. I couldn’t sleep, and I felt a surge of relief flowing through me. No Mom, no Emily, no Marcus. And no Cristo. I could finally catch a break. Aubrey had sent me a list of essentials. Apparently, we’d be heading to a resort there with our very own open pool, which didn’t make sense considering how cold it was starting to get. But I went with it and searched for any bikinis I had. Hmm, I’ll have to buy some, I realized while scanning my wardrobe. I hadn’t visited the beach in ages. I was surprised she was only taking three other people along. I thought Aubrey was the super-social kind. But then again, I didn’t know much about her personal life outside her love life. My phone rang on top of a pile of clothes, and I noticed it was already 4:30 a.m. Aubrey wanted breakfast at the airport before we boarded the private jet, so we could all get acquainted with each other. "Do you want me to pick you up?" read her message. "We’re all carpoo
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 12
The glitz and glamor of it all, as beautiful and mesmerizing as it was, gave me a headache. Too many photographers, music too loud and it was too cold. It smelled like paint and smoke. Artificial. The jewelry glinted into my eyes, and the whispers tickled my ears and made it unbearable to even be there.I’d made a mistake. Fashion shows were absolutely not for me.I felt Jenna’s hand on mine, gentle and concerned. I looked at her and she nodded in understanding, turning to whisper to Aubrey and taking me away to the bathroom. I followed her without hesitation and looked in the mirror, a little shocked. My neck and cheeks were flushed, making my freckles pop.“Are you feeling okay?”“I don’t know.” I laughed and shook my head. “Guess I’m not a fan of crowded spaces.”“It was noisy, too,” she agreed with a solemn nod. I splashed some cold water on my face, hoping my mascara wouldn’t run down even though it was waterproof. I’d kept makeup on me anyway but didn’t want to take the time to
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 13
I woke up in the middle of the night, a little confused and somewhat panicked. I wasn’t sure why, I knew I’d just had a nightmare, but I couldn’t remember any of the details. The lights in the room were off, but there was a dim light from the outside spilling in under the door.It outlined Cristo’s silhouette. He sat on the stool, arms crossed on the bed, leaning forward and his head resting on them as he snored away softly. I felt so bad for him.Tentatively, I reached out for him, unsure if what I was doing was appropriate. I just wanted him to sleep okay and not be too tired to drive back home.“Cristo,” I whispered with a gentle hand on his shoulder. I nudged him just enough for him to open his eyes. He blinked sleepily and lifted his head, yawning wide.“Hi.” He grunted tiredly, and oh, my fucking goodness—what was his voice doing to me?I felt so embarrassed at the very sensual reaction my body had to it that I pulled the comforter over my chest. Not that he would be able to see
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 14
My bed was too warm when I woke up, and so was I. Slowly regaining consciousness, I blinked the sleep away.The memories rushed in and I froze in place, realizing that I wasn’t alone. My back was pressed against Cristo’s strong chest, his hand draped over my stomach. His breath brushed over my collarbone and I realized his head was in my neck, lips pressed unconsciously to my jaw.I was going to be turned on and ready for round two if I didn’t get out of his hold quickly. My face flushed as I remembered the way he flipped me onto my side to fuck me from behind, grabbing my waist to hold me in place and caressing my breasts. He’d made me orgasm so violently that I fell asleep as soon as I came down from my high.How loud was I last night?Cristo grunted softly in my ear as he shuffled a bit. I closed my eyes immediately and pretended to sleep, deepening my breath to make sure he couldn’t tell.His head lifted off my skin, his hand moving to rest on my hip for a moment. He didn’t move,
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The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 68
One year laterThe bi-annual matchmaker’s party was in full swing as the newest members of the club mingled about with the olders ones. Most were interns looking for mentorship oppurtunities, and some had just broken into the world of the elite looking for guidance. There were also some wedding planners roaming about, getting their exposure and making connections.The Billionaire’s Matchmaking Club was an instant success, more so than Hugo and I had ever anticipated. The two of us stood at the balcony of the HQ’s mansion, looking down into the garden with rose champagne in our hands.“Does any of this seem real to you?” I breathed.Hugo shook his head, smiling from ear to ear, “Not at all. Did you see our charts? Our profits are through the roof!”“I’m assuming your attempts to break into the middle class market went well?”“We’re trying for an app now,” he announced excitedly. “Just an idea, but it will get some traction once you attend the next meeting.”“It would definitely free up
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 67
Cristo and I were now a few hours away from New York on the road. The car was parked beside a familiar house in the early morning. The frost from the night drive turned into dew against the warmth of the slowly rising sun that was just peeking from behind the clouds.I didn’t want to leave the warmth of Cristo’s hand in mine. My mother’s house would always tug at a cold spot in my heart, and even the summers couldn’t soothe it. There was no comfort there. NOo love, no joy, and certainly no redemption.Second thoughts. Why was I taking on the burden of making things right? Why did she never try?Of course, she would never acknowledge her own wrong-doings. What parent ever did? I wasn’t sure if it would matter, me going in there and trying to fix things to be amicable. I knew my mother would manipulate her way into my life one way or another.She was the kind of person I wouldn’t want around my own child. Certainly not the kid I would’ve had if Mark and his mother hadn’t killed them.“L
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 66
The last few days in Paris with Cristo made me a different person, although not completely. I felt a lot calmer than I usually was, which was almost none at all. My head was much clearer and I didn’t feel like a nervous wreck waiting for something bad to happen all the time.Most of all, I was ready to really face Hugo. I was anticipating the difficulty of it, but I knew that I was quick enough to find a way around it all.The balcony had been reserved for lunch, and I sat in wait for him. There was only one table and two seats, so there was plenty of privacy to ensure a comfortable talk, but I still wore my usual professional gear so he didn’t get the wrong impression. I knew that if I was going to make headway with Hugo, I needed to acknowledge the things that happened in the past.Hugo and I had some kind of history regardless of how far we had or hadn’t gone. I couldn’t pretend it had never happened.It wasn’t long before he walked through the balcony doors. He looked quite surpri
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 65
I woke up enveloped in warmth. There were spaces between our limbs where the cool air slid in between, but nothing too bothersome. My body insitinctively closed in against Cristo’s, his large frame blocking out the sunlight behind him. It was very convenient, and I was glad the sun wasn’t glaring into my face for once.His chest rose and fell against mine slowly, lulling me back into oblivion. A strong arm lay under my head that he wrapped around to my shoulder, hand resting lightly on my arm. He sleepily stroked my skin, indicating he was stirring into wakefulness.I lifted my head slightly, pushing myself onto the pillow to let his poor arm breathe a little. He hadn’t moved all night to keep me from waking, and I was a ridiculously light sleeper. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I squinted at him and the way the soft light wrapped around him like a halo. I couldn’t believe he’d stayed, and that last night had really happened. He would usually try to disappear before I woke up.Key
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 64
My eyes were glued to my phone, confused and nervous on what to do. I had rarely ever called or texted Cristo before on my own, it felt too weird. Perhaps I was worried about coming off desperate, which was strange seeing as how it was obvious that we both wanted each other. Cristo must be getting tired of always initiating any kind of contact with me.It was time I took the leap.My thumb hovered over his caller ID, held back by the pride in my throat. But it really shouldn’t matter anymore. I missed him, and I wanted to see him. I just wanted to see him, maybe hear his voice, nothing more.He might be busy, my mind suggested.He would let me know.What if he’s tired?Again, he could let me know.In case he’s in the middle of an important mee–I let my thumb fall over the call button and watched as my phone buzzed in my hand, ringing him up. My heart sped up in my chest, thinking of how he would sound when he finally picked up. I put the screen to my ear, thinking what if he didn’t p
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 63
Estelle’s place was a quaint little villa in a picturesque little town just outside of the urban landscape. Set on a hill, she was surrounded by a river, fields of crops and flowers, and little cottages and houses at the foot.“It’s a nice place for spring break for the college kids,” Estelle explained excitedly with a flick of her brown hair as I stepped into her abode. A homey place with tones of green, mustard, and brown. Stone and wood accents, very personalized furniture, and wacky pieces of art that fit right into the atmosphere. “It gets so pleasant here, and I get a good view on the people to observe their chemistry with each other.”“Wait, isn’t that stalking?” I asked, a little shocked.“Something their parents pay me for,” she shrugged, large blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “I don’t report back to them on anything, I only observe who works well with who and see if it’s sustainable long term.”“Ever been a situation where the person’s brought in an outsider?”“French peop
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 62
I wish I could’ve been more present in that moment as I sat before Raya Ansari, but all I could think about was Cristo and how much I missed him. I wanted to be back home in his arms just so I could get a peaceful breath in my body.All I felt in that moment was anxiety and dread. It had only heightened after my talk with John yesterday because my time with Cristo felt so much more limited now. It didn’t help that Cristo himself was so busy with his own business and family matters, but I knew what was happening now. It as obvious after his cousin, Jenna, called me up to ask if things were okay between him and I.“Things are fine,” I’d said as I looked at my watch to check how soon my flight would be. “Is everything okay on your end?”“Yeah, it’s just that Cristo is having a talk with my parents…” she sounded confused.“He’s in Paris?”“He didn’t tell you?”“Not like he owes me any explanation at the moment, to be honest,” I said, but it sounded more like I was trying to convince mysel
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 61
My office was cleaner than it had ever been since the years I’d started working there. No papers, no ink, I only had to scroll around on my computer and tap a few buttons.It was too relaxing. Not something I was used to.I’d gone through the profiles of the matchmakers that Lyra had prepared for me, trying to memorize their names and faces. I had some weeks before the welcoming party took place, and I wondered if it would be appropriate to meet them in person before it took place to at least be better acquainted with them to avoid awkwardness.Planning ahead again as always, I reprimanded myself and shook my head. But it couldn’t hurt. There was barely anything to do.The glass table buzzed under my elbows and I patted around for my phone, answering it promptly. I should’ve checked who it was, though. The voice took me by surprise.“Is this Lilith Mendez?”“Yes?” I answered uncertainly.There was a short huff of breath before the man on the other end responded shakily, “I’m John Caro
The Billionaire Matchmaking Club Book 1 Chapter 60
Blair and I sat across from each other, surrounded by fancy people in a fancy restaurant with food before us that didn’t look appetizing enough to try. It was still the only place I could confront her without her possibly killing me. Would be an accident? Couldn’t be sure with Blair.She acted pretty oblivious, but it was possible she was just happy with the current turn of events. Her fingers scrolled across the screen of her tablet, eyes skimming with glee over the news.“Does this count as a blow to your career?” she feigned curiosity with a glance at me. I gave her a sarcastic smile, scrunching my nose in contempt and stabbing a fork into the ravioli on my plate. Of course, it didn’t, failed engagements didn’t count. She raised her brows at me and went back to reading the article, no doubt about Cristo’s and Suzan’s failed engagement. Her eyes narrowed onto something so violently that it even piqued my interest. “Has his family lost his mind?”My hand froze before the ravioli coul
