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The Billionaire’s Pet 32.
Aiden's POVThat very night draped itself around me like a suffocating cloak, refusing to grant me the solace of sleep. I lay in my bed, the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, casting haunting shadows across the room. Yet, the darkness within me seemed to cover everything around me.I groaned and turned around on the bed, remembering Lily's persistent inquiries. I knew she was determined to unravel the mysteries of my past, to pry open doors I'd long sealed shut. The mere thought of her delving into my history stirred a fear within me.I didn't want her to see these darker parts of me. I certainly did not want her to know the man I had been before her.A surge of protectiveness surged through my veins, an inexplicable need to shield Lily from the demons that lurked in my past. She was innocent amidst the chaos, a fragile flower in the midst of a tempest, and I couldn't bear the thought of her being tainted by the darkness that seemed to be a part of my life.And all of this
The Billionaire’s Pet 33.
Aiden's POVThe drive to Ricardo's office took a mere ten minutes—I counted every single second with my heart in my mouth.My car pulled up to a towering skyscraper, a monolith of steel and glass that loomed over the cityscape. Ricardo's office and suite were nestled at the very top, a realm befitting a man of his stature, I suppose. In the mafia world, Ricardo ruled from that very pinnacle.The Gambino Suite, it was called. Passed down through each generation of male Gambinos, the office and suite were a hallmark of downtown New York.I felt a hand on my arm, and I turned to see Joe, who had followed me. "You do know how important this is, boss?""I know, I know." I gritted my teeth and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Might as well do this and get it over with, no?"Joe sighed. "Alright. Do you mind if I followed you in?""There will be no need for that," I replied hastily. "I will be fine."Then, without another word, I waited for the chauffeur to move around the car and open the do
The Billionaire’s Pet 34.
Aiden's POVThe entire office seemed heavy with the tension and distaste we had for each other. Ricardo kept staring at me with the certainty in his eyes, the assurance that he would win this battle."I won't let you have Lily," I retorted, my voice edged with defiance. "She's off-limits to scum like you."Silence loomed in the room, thick and charged with an unspoken challenge, our mutual dislike simmering beneath the surface, waiting to erupt.Ricardo's next words hit me like a ton of bricks—a surprise that sent flurries of anger to my heart. "You know, your father tried to be as stubborn as you are now," he said, that calm expression never leaving his face. "Look where it got him. Like I said, you should really learn from me, as far as I am concerned."I growled; the mention of my late father was a sore spot. "Don't you dare drag my father into this," I snapped, barely holding back the anger simmering within me.Memories flooded my mind—of my father, slaving under the thumb of the
The Billionaire’s Pet 35.
Lily's POV"I'll keep you safe, Lily." That was the very last thing I heard before Aiden turned and walked towards the door, and Joe's frame shuddered with laughter.The sound seemed to fade into the distance as I stood there, and only one thing echoed in my head.That letter! I had to see that letter!Standing at the bottom of the staircase, I watched Aiden's departure with held breath. As his figure disappeared through the doors, a rush of relief swept over me, and I finally exhaled, feeling the tightness in my chest ease away.But the letter I had seen with Aiden still stayed fixated in my head, and it continued to haunt my thoughts. It had been the sole reason I couldn't sleep last night. Questions surged within me about what Gambino might have written to Aiden in that letter.Deep inside, I sensed the urgency to uncover more about it. I knew I would not find rest until I knew what was in it. And Aiden's face when I had tried to grab the letter had spoken more volumes than his wor
The Billionaire’s Pet 36.
Lily's POVI got to the door of my room and opened it, closing it behind me with a careful click. It felt as though I was walking in sharp silence, as jagged and as deadly as icicles. Aiden Blackwood's grim disapproval and his cutting words still rang in my head like a bell.As I sat on the edge of my bed, I felt a storm of emotion inside me. Guilt nibbled at my conscience for delving into Aiden Blackwood's study. Perhaps all of that was too forward of me. I was, after all, just a visitor here.Fear tiptoed in as I continued thinking. The study had been like a sanctum for him. Entering there and raiding the entire place felt like I was intruding on something private and intimate, all for a single letter that provided as little information as possible. Was it all worth it to see that look in his eyes?Would he send me out of his house now? I kept imagining his inevitable reaction upon his discovery of me.But among these conflicting emotions, anger surged within me. I groaned and lurch
The Billionaire’s Pet 37.
Aiden's POVI left Lily's room with my thoughts in shambles. I was angry, worried, and scared, all at the same time. Leaning against the wall opposite her door, I paused to catch my breath. There was the irrational urge to throw my hands against the wall, to scream and roar and channel my emotions, somehow.It felt as though the harder I tried, the more my world teetered on a dangerous edge. I was on the verge of losing Lily, and the thought of Ricardo's triumphant smile almost drove me nuts. Try as I might to ignore it, Lily meant more to me than just another woman meant to warm my bed.My mind was a scattered mess of conflicting thoughts. Lily's persistence about the letter from Ricardo Gambino had stirred up a storm of emotions within me. I knew my protective measures were extreme, but I believed they were necessary in these circumstances. If I didn't ensure her safety by keeping her in the house, Ricardo would keep coming and coming until he finally had her. At least, in the wa
The Billionaire’s Pet 38.
Aiden's POVI narrowed my eyes, staring at this man. "And what's your name again?""Mitch, my boss." He replied. "Mitch McCaulkin. I've been a guard around here for well over twenty years now.""Ah," I whispered, letting go of his hand. "That is a very long time, do you not agree, Joe?"I turned to Joe, eyebrows raised. He caught the message quickly. "Yes, boss, I agree. I think Mr. Mitch here has to let go of this job. He's getting too old for it."Mitch's mismatched eyes widened. "You're kidding, aren't you? Do you want to lay me off, boy?" He sneered. "I'd started walking at HQ when you were still nothing more than a ten-year-old, you idiot!"The entire HQ immediately fell silent, as Joe's bomb of words dropped in our midst. All eyes were on us now, I could feel them, pressing against my back and my shoulders, and my face, waiting for the other shoe to fall and hell to break loose.I knew what they thought would happen, that I would lose my temper and throw some hands at this man.
The Billionaire’s Pet 39.
Aiden's POV"You bastard!" I roared. Swiveling on my feet, I turned to face Mitch again. My anger was no longer teetering on any edge—it was ready to blow out of proportion.Mitch stood there, arms swinging by his sides like scary, beefy pendulums. His chest was rising and falling rapidly with every breath he inhaled and exhaled. His clothes looked as though they were ready to burst apart at the seams, and his face was the picture of terrifying.I didn't care that this middle-aged man was older than me. I didn't care that he was twice my weight, or that he was towering above me with several inches to an entire foot.I did not care about all of that. The fact that he had chosen to call Lily names did not and will never sit well with me."What, boy?" Mitch roared. When I said nothing, he grinned widely. "What are you going to do to me? Come on, boy! Attack me!"I growled loudly and fisted my hands. Storming across the basement, I reached the man and landed a resounding blow on his face
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