All Chapters of Bright Lights Billionaire: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

EthanI slept like shit the night before, reading over the simple text about the press conference and reading into it more than I should have. She was shutting me down before we ever got started, but what did I expect? I was a dick to her the day before, rude and condescending. The problem was that I wasn't sure how to be anything but that.After shaving and fixing myself up to look presentable in public, I left to head to my brother's place. He was at the house fixing up the backyard, and I figured if nothing else, I could point out where he missed a spot in cutting his grass. I was still his little brother no matter that our combined wealth was enough to buy anything that our hearts might desire.I rolled the windows down in my Mercedes convertible and pulled my sunglasses from the console beside me."Ethan!" someone screamed as I pulled up to a light on Rodeo Drive.I waved and smiled as a huge gaggle of women in pretty dresses walked quickly toward the car. "Hi girls.""Sign this

Riley"Maybe I should just cancel." I walked into the living room and paced in front of the couch as Charlotte glanced up from her studying."No way. This is your chance to really ask him the hard questions. If it would make you feel better, I could go with you though. I could intervene if things get awkward?" She gave me a cheeky grin."No, but thank you. I know your offer is completely self-sacrificing." I stopped and put my hands on my hips, giving her a look."I just love you." She tapped her pen on her notebook and stared at me for a minute. "Speaking of loving you, where is your mom? I haven't heard anything from her in a few days.""She's with her old friends." I shrugged. "I need to get her to come back here, but it's a little more difficult telling your mom what to do than you might think.""You’re preaching to the choir. I wouldn't tell my mom what to do if you paid me. She'd grill me for an hour on the importance of respecting one’s parents." She smirked, and I laughed befo

Ethan"Fuck." I paced around in the kitchen as my body ached for the girl outside on the patio. That she had lifted up to kiss me left me breathless, confused. I wasn't in a fucking movie. I was standing in real life faced with a hard decision. It was the type of situation that I kept myself out of, and always had. I never slept with my co-workers, never.Some girl on the set, a pretty whore from the crowd, a slut from a fan club? Absolutely. But the beautiful woman that I would have to see every day for ten months? Never. Besides... what would she think when we got hot and heavy, and..."And I didn't fit?" I pressed my hands to my face, growling softly as hard emotion ripped through me. I hadn't wanted a woman in years as badly as I wanted Riley.And I'd embarrassed her, no doubt. She had it written all over her face. She was mortified that I denied her the kiss. Why did she go for it? She had made it quite clear that she wasn't interested in anything more than a professional relatio

Ethan"Get up." Deza's voice wasn't nearly as annoying as her smacking me on the back of the head over and over."Fuck," I groaned and rolled over, cupping my hand over my face as she pulled open the curtains to let the sun in. "Get out.""No. You get up. You and I are having a come to Jesus meeting. Now!" She pulled hard on my feet, surprising me with her strength. She half pulled me off the bed. "Get the fuck up.""Don't curse in front of Jesus, D. It's rude." I rolled over and fell off the bed, hitting the floor hard. "I think I drank too much.""I'd say that's true." She stepped on the back of my head with her heel, pushing a little. "I'm so fucking pissed at you right now. I swear there are very few times in our lives together that I've wanted to kill you, but now is one of them. Get up!""All right. Shit." I swatted her foot off of me, ready to throw her down and choke her out if she didn't let up a little. I'd been pulled from a deep sleep into a full-on bitch session mixed wit

RileyI drove to the studio in silence, trying to decide if my dreams of being someone important were great enough to overcome the truth that I wasn't important at all. I didn’t know if I could handle that truth, much less have it shoved in my face for the next year. After parking and sitting in the lot for a few minutes, I gathered my courage and opened the door, pulling my jacket from the backseat and wrapping it around myself. My long gray skirt danced around my legs, whipping me around as if I weighed nothing."Slip into character. You're a young film student with a handsome boyfriend who loves you like you can't imagine a man loving a woman. Your dreams are finally coming true, and you've been offered the starring role in the biggest movie of the year. You're not passing this up. Just hold your head high and make them believe that you're okay. That you're strong. Sexy. Sassy as fuck." I forced myself into the part though tears burned my gaze.Deza moved up beside me and smiled.