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The Billionaire's World
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2024-11-08 13:31:22Saturday evening rolled in, and I stood in my mirror, preparing for what felt like the biggest night of my life. I was wearing an elegant cream colored strapless gown, the highest pair of heels I ever dared to walk in, and sported a small clutch that Bentley picked out to carry my recorder.
I felt beautiful. But I was scared and nervous because Rodger’s warning sat in the back of my mind. As I got ready to walk into the lion's den full of hungry billionaire’s and their prey, I prayed it wouldn’t be the biggest mistake of my life.
“Name?” A large bouncer standing at the door with a clipboard and checklist asked.
“J-Justine,” I stammered. “Justine Sky.”
The a****n of a man gave me a cold look from head to toe before saying, “Mr. Thomas’ VIP. He’s waiting for you inside.”
He removed the velvet rope from its golden post and stepped aside to let me in. My heart thudded in my chest as I walked the red carpet of the entrance. Although I was invited by the host himself, I still felt out of place, like I was doing something wrong by being there.
Looking around the room, I saw people I recognized from TV and people I had never seen a day in my life. I can honestly say I was starstruck by the people I knew. But when the reality set in, I wondered what their dealings were with the Mafia family.
“Ms. Sky?” Another large man approached me. He was wearing a black suit and an earpiece, so I knew he was security.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Thomas is waiting for you in the VIP lounge. Right this way, I’ll escort you.”
I smiled and shook my head as the man led the way. The mood was so rebellious and luxurious, I felt like I was the damsel in the center of a mob boss film. When he showed me to the VIP lounge, Bentley sat quietly, wearing a red and black suit and gold loafers that made him look like he was the king of the underworld. It was freightening, but exhilarating.
“Finally.” His voice was rugged and confident.
“What do you mean finally? I never said I was coming to the party to chill with you.”
He chuckled and made his way over to me. As he did the day before, he took me by the hand and pulled me into his space. Our bodies collided as he placed his hand on my lower back. My knees nearly buckled under his grip, but I fought away the temptation.
“What are you doing?” I placed my hand against his strong chest to put space in between us.
“Welcoming you,” he said.
“A handshake would have done just fine.”
When we sat down on the plush red couch, I noticed we were the only two in the VIP lounge. Everything was red. It reminded me of that TLC video, Red Light Special. I wanted to ask what the color red meant to him. But I made my own assumption. Murder.
“Is this what you imagined one of my parties to be like?”
Bentley rested his hand on my thigh as we sat, gazing into the crowd of people. I didn't push him away that time. His touch felt too good to miss out on.
“I don’t know what I imagined,” I said, “but this looks about right. Classy. Elegant. Rich.”
“Very rich,” he chuckled. “Almost too rich for me. My dad is the one who puts all of this together. I’m just here to make a good impression.”
Normally, I could tell when someone was bullshitting me or trying to pull the wool over my eyes. But Bentlye’s humble nature startled me. Even though we were in a crowded room full of celebrities and elite businessmen, he didn’t showboat his success. In fact, he shied away from it.
“Do you drink?” he asked.
“When I feel like it.”
“Do you always have to be so sassy?” he laughed. “Are you gonna have a drink with me or not?”
To intrigue him even more, I did the honors. The gold bucket of chilled champagne sat in front of us with two glasses near it. Leaning in to show my thigh through the slit in my dress, I placed the cups side by side and filled them halfway. Before offering him a glass, I took a sip and made sure to hand it to him on the same side my lips touched.
I didn’t expect him to accept my gift. Then again, he’d been undressing me with his eyes since the first day we met, so I knew I had him right where I needed him to be.
“So, what’s this party all about? Is it someone’s birthday, a business gathering, a networking event?”
“It might be all of that,” he said after taking a sip from the glass. “Everyone in this room is here for some reason or another. But, why are you here?”
His question was just as seductive as his stare into my eyes. My air got trapped in my throat before I could answer, and I let out an embarrassing cough and nearly spilled my champagne all over him.
“You okay?” His hand cupped my waist as he leaned in closer. "Do I need to do CPR?”
“Yeah,” I cleared my throat. "I mean no. I'm fine.”
Bentley leaned back on the couch as if his mission of seducing me had been accomplished. I hesitated to look at him, knowing I would turn and see a confident grin on his lips that would make me want to kiss him even more than I already did.
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The Billionaire's Lure Dancing with the Devil
“Lets dance.”“Dance?” I looked around nervously. “I don’t dance. Not in front of this many people.”“Who cares about them? I don’t dance either, but we’re here to have fun, right?. Just act like we’re the only ones in the room.”Bentley stood in front of me with his hand extended. He was such a gentle gangster. I would have called him a gentleman, but I was still on the fence about him.“Alright, Mr. Thomas.” I took his hand and squeezed it as hard as I could. “Since you insist.”He laughed and led me to an empty spot on the dance floor. There was a slow groove playing and a few lovers holding each other closely while laughing and swaying to the music. The minute Bentley placed his hand on my lower back and pulled me close to him, a gasp escaped my lips because the joy of dancing with the devil of Westlake felt like a fairytale.“Excited?” he asked as we swayed along with the lovers.“Nervous,” I lied. “This is my first time dancing with the stars.”“It doesn't have to be your last,”
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-09The Billionaire's Lure Rodger's Bold Move
When I pulled into my driveway, I was startled to see an expensive sports car parked in my spot. I was positive the tints were a few shades darker than what was aloud, and the engine revved so loudly that I almost went deaf. I was angry at first because of all the noise. But then I got excited, thinking that maybe Bentley had beat me home.I grabbed my heels that were sitting on my passenger seat, my clutch, and headed for the ride. Just as I got to its door, it swung open to reveal a large cloud of smoke, loud music, and someone I never expected to see.“Rodger!?” I frowned and folded my arms across my chest. “Hey! Turn that down! I have neighbors!”“Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry!”His large, lanky frame leaned into the car and shut off the engine. He took one last puff of his cigarette before smashing it into the ashtray, then removed the keys from the ignition. He turned to me, flaunting a large smile as if he were drunk and happy to see me, and it instantly turned my stomach.“Rodger, w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-09The Billionaire's Lure Roses and Receipts
I prepared for an awkward day at work the next morning. In my experience, men don’t like being rejected. So hurting Rodger’s feelings was all I thought about up until I saw a huge bouquet of roses sitting on my desk. I smiled instantly. The last time a guy had gotten me flowers, I was on my way to some cheesy high school dance.Even though receiving the flowers brightened my day the minute I saw them, I thought it was a bit much. I didn’t want Rodger getting his hopes up any more than they already were, so I took them to his office to return them.“Rodger, you didn’t have to bring me flowers.”He looked up from his laptop and, at the same time, removed his earbuds from his ears. “What was that?”“I said you didn’t have to bring me flowers. Last night was awkward, but no need to apologize. Everyone misreads the room at least once in their life.”Rodger turned off his music and leaned back against his chair. He seemed amused by my assumption. His eyes were squinty, and his smirk was ful
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-09The Billionaire's Lure Love, Lessons, and Jealous Eyes
My love life was as dull as an old butter knife. Getting flowers from Bentley was the most romance I’d experienced in years. In my last relationship, I was bound to a cheater who wasn’t romantic at all.We met in college. My dad really liked him. But Mom, she saw right through his veil that was oh-so thin. For five years I endured the endless trauma of nurturing, nourishing, coddling, and taking care of him.He was verbally abusive. He drank a lot, and he never gave me any say so. And as someone who wanted to be an investigative journalist, staying quiet didn’t much align with me.I’m an outspoken woman. I like to have fun. I love trying new foods and getting my nails done. I like a lot of things that all women like, but most of all, I like being treated like a lady.My life changed after my relationship with Bret. I became a distant workaholic, sworn off men for the rest of my life. I said I would never get into another relationship, entanglement, or situationship. I wanted to be fre
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-09The Billionaire's Lure Shadows in the Garage
I spent most of my day cold-calling people who were at Club Lure the night Ivy’s body was found. Each person I talked to gave a statement of what they remembered, then pointed me in the direction of someone else—Ivy’s friend. I hadn’t been able to contact her at all since the incident. She was like a ghost. A no-name. A drifter. Or someone who only came out at night. To me, that was suspicious, but I didn’t jump the gun.It was after midnight when I decided to call it a night. Late nights at the office were pretty standard for me. I got my best work done when there was no one there to bother me or get in my ear with their jealous nonsense. After packing my bag and disconnecting my laptop, I grabbed my keys and headed for the elevator.When I got to the parking garage, there was an eerie feeling in the air. I took precaution before exiting the elevator, making sure there was no one waiting for me in the shadows. When I felt like the coast was clear, I quickly headed for my car. Everythi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-10The Billionaire's Lure Behind Closed Doors
Instead of arguing with me, Bentley texted me the address to his penthouse and left it up to me to decide whether I wanted to come over or not. I was hesitant. Because being alone with a man I barely knew was a big no-no. But when it came to Bentley, so many things had me conflicted.I realized I had forgotten my pocket knife when I got to the elevator. By then, the doors had closed me in, and I was already on my way up. I was sure there was a camera somewhere watching me, so I kept my composure and waited for my stop.The door chimed and slid open, revealing Bentley standing at his personal bar with no shirt. His body was rippled with muscles and so many tattoos that he looked like a completely different person.“She came.” He glanced at me while pouring himself a drink. “If I had known you were coming, I would’ve put on a shirt.”My mouth watered at the sight of him. I had no complaints about him being shirtless. I enjoyed the view.“This is your home,” I said, walking in nonchalant
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-10The Billionaire's Lure Footage and Fears
Rodger’s car was on the footage. There was a dark figure standing beside it, but I couldn’t tell if it was him. Whoever it was just stood there, glaring in the direction of the lobby doors.Why would Rodger be tailing Bentley?My instincts made me think he was secretly trying to steal my story and apply for the anchor position himself. He didn’t even seem interested in Ivy’s case, so it was strange. Then suddenly, an even stranger thought popped into my head. What if Rodger is working for Bentley!?"Did I leave at all?”Bentley’s voice snapped me back to reality. It was silky and smooth, but still deep and strong. By then, the bubbles from the champagne had made their way into my bloodstream and made me feel just as nice.“Not yet,” I tried to hide my smile. “You are so arrogant, you know?”“I’m arrogant?” He laughed like an almighty king, and I was his peasant. “I don’t think I am. Confident, maybe.”I looked over to him, canvassing his art work as if he were looking for any imperfec
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-12The Billionaire's Lure Like Old Lovers
Being in Bentley’s presence gave me a feeling I had never felt before. So, I agreed to one last drink if he agreed to tell me what he knew about Ivy. He insisted he didn't know anything about her, but I knew different. I knew that his company had asked to buy her plant shop a week before she was killed. What I didn't know was why he wanted to hide it.“Tell me about this job of yours,” he said as he refilled our glasses. “Are you on the news or documentaries? Or are you just the information mule?”“Eh,” I wavered. “A little of both. My goal is to become an anchor and eventually start hosting my very own true crime special.”“Ahh, so that’s why you’re working on this story.”“Not entirely. Ivy was an old friend of mine, and we look out for our own around here.”My tone was stern. I wanted to make a statement without having to spell it out to him, and he caught my drift. The police in Westlake weren’t always reliable, and he knew why. His family knew why. We all knew why.“Do you really
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-12
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The Billionaire's Lure Dinner For Two
I got home from work that evening, and the billionaire himself was waiting at my doorstep.I thought he was done with me for good. I thought if I wanted to contact him again, I had to go through his lawyer.However, we both thought wrong. Our passion and desire for one another wouldn’t let either of us stay away. The lure was too strong, and the lust was too addicting.“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought your lawyer would be taking my calls from now on.”He ignored me, took my keys and bag from my hand, and opened my front door as if he lived there. I followed him inside and locked us in, while he held on tight to the silent treatment.I hated being ignored. I hated it being so quiet when there was so much to say. Yet Bentley made the game fun. It was interesting and intense. Sexy and tempting. But it was a game I didn’t want to play all night.“Are you gonna say anything?” I asked. “If not, you can leave. I’ll get ready for bed so that I can get an early start on my invest
The Billionaire's Lure Another Reason To Walk Away
Another victim. Another story. Another reason to walk away.I called Bentley immediately after leaving Silvia’s home. He said he had already heard because her parents called him, pointing fingers. They felt he was the one to blame because she worked for him, and honestly, I felt the same way.It made sense. She talked to me about what she knew, which wasn’t much, but he didn’t know that.My immediate thoughts were that Bentley had eyes on every single one of his employees, so he knew that I had talked to her, and he wanted to silence her before she said too much.He swore he didn’t. He swore he was nowhere near Silvia’s home or had anyone else take care of his dirty work. I wanted to believe him so badly. I wanted to trust him. But my decision shifted from one side to the other.“You have to know something,” I said. “There’s no way two people who are tied to your club lose their lives so close to each other and you don’t know a thing about it. Why? Huh? Why Silvia? Were you afraid she
The Billionaire's Lure The Price of Knowing
“I take it your visit went as planned?”Fredrick stood near his SUV smoking a cigarette, eyeballing my ruffled shirt and messy hair when I returned.I felt a little embarrassed that I was figured out. But I owned it.“It went fine,” I said as he opened the door for me to get inside. “Do you feel like being my chauffeur for one more stop?”He extended his hand with a mischievous grin on his face and said, “Where to Mrs. Thomas?”I had never envisioned myself as a wife. Especially not to a man who wasn’t even my boyfriend.Yet, the name had a nice ring to it. Mrs. Thomas. But it was much too soon for marriage talk. Although I did picture Bentley and me standing at an alter, ready to say our I-do's, and got butterflies.“Just drive the car," I laughed. "I’ll tell you where to go.”I put my sunglasses on and rode my chariot all the way to Silvia’s place.I wanted to talk to her alone, without Rodger, and see if she’d elaborate more on what she said about him.He had a very distinctive look
The Billionaire's Lure The Meeting Can Wait
I left work early that day.When I called Bentley to see if he wanted to sit down and talk more about the article, he ignored my calls.With good reason, I guess.I was pretty mean to him in my office when he was only trying to help. But I didn't see it that way at the time. I thought he was looking for another reason to do something reckless, as the reckless billionaire does.I called him twice more before I decided to give Fredrick a call and make my own move on Bentley. To my surprise, he answered with cheer in his voice and was more than willing to help me out.“You know this is crazy, right?” he said as he drove me to one of Bentley’s establishments. “He doesn’t like his meetings being interrupted. I’ve seen people get dusted for that.”Dusted was something I had no desire to know the meaning of. My focus was on the man in charge. For some reason, I craved him more when he ignored me. Or when he was busy, I should say. Because I wasn't sure that he was ignoring me, I just assumed
The Billionaire's Lure Playing With Fire
Bentley stormed out on me. He was angry and disappointed.He wanted me to stand up for myself and him because he swore he was innocent. But I couldn't make that call so soon.He questioned why I ever slept with him if I didn't trust him, and I asked myself the same thing. I don’t know why I did it. Did I enjoy it? Very much so. But he and Rodger were right. I was playing with fire.“What was that all about?” Marcia entered my office with concern on her face. “Things looked pretty heated between you two.”I sighed and lowered my head.Telling her about my night with Bentley was out of the question because I knew how much she gossiped, but somehow she pieced it together on her own.“Is that who had you in such a good mood earlier!?” she gasped. “OMG! No way, Justine! You did not sleep with the very man you’re investigating!”“Shh!” I hissed. “Lower your voice before someone hears you.”Her eyes were as wide as her smile, and her thirst to know every single detail was even wider.“Wow, yo
The Billionaire's Lure Caught In The Spotlight
My office door flung open unexpectedly.I thought I would look up from my report and see Rodger huffing and puffing a second time about my own personal choices. But it was Bentley.He stood there, half smirking as he watched me close my notebook to attend to him. There were no flowers in his hand or any fancy gifts that time, but that didn’t stop me from thinking he had stopped by as a sweet gesture.Tina, Marcia, and Mandy were all standing outside my window peering in, making googly eyed faces, and fanning themselves.I playfully shooed them away to no avail, while Bentley made himself comfortable in the seat in front of my desk.For a moment, he sat there, staring at me through piercing eyes. I thought he would tell me he was done answering my questions and to never contact him again.Until he finally spoke and put me out of my misery.“So, this is it, huh? Where all the magic happens and crimes are solved.”I put down my pen and rested back against my chair.“Yeah. This is it,” I
The Billionaire's Lure The Stalker's game
The night was young. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would have. Many times more.Waking up in bed next to the richest man in Westlake felt surreal. So much so, I stared at him while he slept, taking it all in. A bit of guilt crept into my consciousness, though. I felt like I had done something wrong by sleeping with him. Even though my soul mission was to prove his involvement in Ivy’s murder by any means, I felt guilty.“Hey,” I said softly as I caressed his head. “I have to get to work.”He groaned as he rolled over and opened his eyes to the morning sun. A large smile lifted his cheeks when he saw that I was still there and last night wasn’t a dream. I couldn’t help but smile too. His joy was infectious.“Good morning,” he said. “How’d you sleep?”“Like a baby. I hate to leave so early, but I gotta get back into the city.”“I understand.” He kissed my cheek. “I’ll have Fredrick get you there. By the way, what’d you say to him last night? He texted me and said that y
The Billionaire's Lure To His Doorstep
I was never good with emotions or apologizing. But I felt like I owed it to Bentley.Rodger had stormed off and found his own way home, and I was left to settle into my thoughts about what he said. Bentley and I would never work. He was a gangster, and I helped put men like him away. If he continued, there would come a day that I had to help put him away. But how would I if we were attached?I got into the backseat of his driver’s SUV and took my phone from my clutch. My finger rested over the call button for his number, but I was hesitant to press send. Rodger’s words were stuck in my head. I wanted to be angry with him for it, but I knew he was right. So, I put my phone away.To my surprise, though, Bentley’s driver called out to me from behind the wheel and said the words that I so desperately wanted to hear.“Ma’am, Mr. Thomas is requesting you tonight.”Butterflies took flight in my gut. I was ecstatic—desperate to be near him. To apologize for bringing Rodger with me and whateve
The Billionaire's Lure Rivals in Rhythm
“I don’t know why I let you drag me out tonight. I hate clubs.”"Oh, stop complaining, Rodger. Once you get a few drinks in your system, you’ll be just fine.”Rodger griped from the time I picked him up until the time we got inside the club. All of that changed when we were greeted by a couple of bottle girls who were already expecting me. At first, they side-eyed Rodger. But everything was cool once I let them know he was with me.When we got to the section Bentley had waiting for me, there was a chilled bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice. A bouquet of flowers, a gift bag, and a note from him. Rodger wasn’t happy to see me being pampered by another man, but he ignored it when one of the girls made eye contact with him.“Ooo, someone’s getting some attention.” I teased.“Yeah. Right,” he blushed. “You’re lucky I like you. I never come to clubs.”I believed him. As nerdy and uptight as Rodger was most days, I couldn't imagine him being in a crowded room full of sweaty people who we
