Chasing Love: A Billionaire Love Triangle (Dark Love Series Book 1)

by Kat T. Masen

  With a straight face, I use the tactics I learned in law school. Never show emotion nor let your opponent see your weakness.

  Julian pulls my hand toward him, examining the ring. After a few moments, he intertwines his fingers with mine and draws me closer to him. Placing his lips on me, he kisses me deeply, rushed, and with force. I allow him to do so, sucking on his lip gently to ward him off the trail he has been way too close to.

  “Gorgeous, I love you. Let’s skip this whole wedding thing and take off to Vegas tonight. You and me.”

  “Julian, don’t be ridiculous. We can’t just run off and get married tonight.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because we aren’t ready. Our friends and family will want to be there. Please just calm down.”

  “Well, this weekend I want to take you to Vermont. Just you and me.”

  “I can’t, Julian. I have plans.”

  He withdraws his body, creating a distance as anger smolders across his normally beautiful face. With his jaw clenched and fists tighten into balls, so much so I can almost see his body jittering.

  “With Lex?”

  “No, he won’t be there. I’ll be at The Hamptons. How about next weekend?”

  He continues to stare at me, waiting for me to crack under the pressure. I spent years learning how not to crack, and it’s paying off right now.

  With a tight grip on my arm, I’m slightly taken aback by his possessive nature. “I believe you, but you listen to me, Charlie… Lex isn’t who you think he is. He’s a ruthless man. You don’t get where he is today by playing nice. This fifty-million-dollar deal he is wrapped up in right now, there’s plenty of strings attached. You think he is the Alex you knew back in high school? Think again, Charlie. I have no doubt he won’t stop till he has you, but if you choose him, don’t expect to be the only woman in his life.”

  With that said, he releases his grip on my arm and walks out the door.

  ***

  Elijah and I are sitting at a coffee shop waiting for Adriana who claims she needs to grab some stuff for our weekend away. I remind her there are shops in The Hamptons, but she’s adamant she can only find what she needs in the city. I don’t ask any more questions, it’s probably some sex toy.

  Nikki, Rocky, and Will drove up with a friend of theirs who’s staying a few houses away from us, early this morning. Nikki texted me saying the place is gorgeous, and so is the weather considering it’s mid-September.

  I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend away, especially after what Julian said to me. I decide to push those thoughts and his threats aside. He’s jealous and wants to scare me. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. To give myself a mental break, and choose to leave my engagement ring at home. I don’t need a reminder of Julian every single time I look at my hand.

  “So, basically, children from the Bronx area, the ones who normally won’t be able to afford a class, come by every Friday night. We go through the basics, but I tell you they are extremely talented kids,” Elijah mentions.

  “I admire you, Elijah, for following your dreams and passion for helping others.”

  “But you do that as well, Charlie. Don’t you love what you do?”

  “I do. Family law is hard and emotionally draining, though. It’s difficult not to allow emotions to cloud my judgment.”

  We talk a little while longer, checking our phones to see the time. It’s a little after seven, and Adriana has been gone for forty-five minutes. Her lack of consideration for time drives me insane. Some things will never change.

  “What on earth is taking your fiancée so long?”

  “Me.”

  The voice sends shivers down my spine but finds its way back up to my heart.

  It’s him.

  We haven’t made eye contact, but already I can’t hide my happiness. I slowly turn around, and there he stands in front of me, looking as perfect as ever. His eyes soften when he sees me, and I do the most unexpected thing by jumping up and hugging him tight.

  “I can’t believe you came.”

  He runs his thumb down my cheek, very un-friend-like, but I don’t push him away. I’ve missed him, and watching the smile grace his beautiful lips I know he feels the same way.

  “Let’s get this show on the road. Lead the way, Char. Where did you park?”

  “You have a car?” Lex asks, confused.

  I ignore his question on purpose.

  “Behind my building is the parking garage entrance. I’m lucky to get a car spot, but that was a bonus to my apartment,” I ramble on then stop myself as Lex gazes at me strangely.

  “You have a car here in the city?”

  “Yes, Lex. Why is that so hard to believe? It’s a twenty-first birthday gift to myself, although I bought it two years ago for my twenty-sixth birthday plus, it’s a tax write-off. I have many clients in Long Island, Jersey, and a few in The Hamptons as well, so I often travel out to see them.”

  He chuckles like a private joke is inside his head. Well, the joke’s on him, assuming like every other man, he expects I drive some little pink hatchback with Hello Kitty stickers on the bumper or some shit like that.

  As we leave the café with our belongings, we walk to the parking garage. I press the remote to the main door and motion for them to follow me.

  “Bullshit,” Lex mouths.

  “Oh, Char, super awesomeness. Love, love, love it!”

  Adriana jumps up and down, clapping her hands.

  Elijah whistles as he runs his hand along the paint job, rambling on about car stats which I already know.

  “Cat got your tongue, Lex?” I tease.

  “This isn’t yours,” he says adamantly.

  “Would you like to check my license and registration, Officer Edwards?”

  “Charlotte, how on earth did you get this car? There was only a limited number of them, and not even I could get one.”

  “I don’t know… batted my eyelashes a little, showed a bit of leg. You know, the usual,” I answer, playing dumb.

  Okay, I did flirt with the dealer, but nothing happened. He was a naïve, middle-aged man probably going through a mid-life crisis, and so when I worked my magic, my name was bumped to the top of the waiting list.

  “But it’s a Maserati?”

  “Yes, I’m well aware of what brand of car it is.”

  “Give me the keys. I’m driving.” Lex holds out his hand like he expects me just to hand them over.

  “Sorry, dude, no one drives my car but me,” I tell him, brushing him off.

  This is fun. I play it cool, not showing how much I enjoy taunting him.

  “Charlotte, come on.”

  “Charlie, do you want me to move your bike?” Elijah asks.

  “Wait! Back the fuck up. That’s your bike?” Lex’s eyes widen, stunned.

  “Yes, Lex, these are both my toys. Now, can we please go? Elijah, do you want to take the bike?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” Elijah’s eyes light up, and immediately he places the helmet on and grabs a jacket.

  “What’s wrong? You wanna play with my toys, too?” I joke as Lex stands beside me, speechless.

  He breaks out of his trance, trying to snatch the keys from me.

  “I’ll let you drive on one condition?”

  His eyes gaze at me, amused. “What’s that?”

  My heart is racing, wondering if I even have the confidence to say how I truly feel.

  What the hell am I doing? I have no idea.

  I’m taking the biggest leap of fucking faith, free-falling again, and praying that down below the safety net is waiting for me, or maybe I won’t need one. Maybe this is what it’s like to rely on fate.

  “This weekend, you and me…” I whisper in his ear. “Nothing’s off-limits.”

  His eyes sparkle as the corner of his lips curve upward into a satisfied smile. Leaning in, he places his lips on mine, soft and loving, making my stomach flutter crazily.

  “I missed you,” he murmur
s.

  I dangle my keys before him and watch him take them from me.

  It’s a symbol—I’m trusting him, not just with my car, but with my heart.

  Letting out a sigh, I know there’s no turning back

  And when I return to the city, I know exactly what I need to do.

  I will have to end things with Julian, once and for all.

  LEX

  The warm breeze filters through the car as we open the windows, enjoying the drive down the Long Island Expressway.

  Charlotte’s display of toys leaves me absolutely fucking speechless. When she said she has a car, I expected a little bright colored girly piece of plastic with fluffy dice hanging from the rear-view mirror. But no, parked in front of me is a Maserati, the exact model I was trying to get my hands on a year ago but was told it was no longer available. Not that I needed another car for my garage, but I wanted this one.

  And to add to that, I’m still trying to register what she said.

  “This weekend, you and me. Nothing’s off-limits.”

  Bringing her lips to mine, I kiss her as softly as I can, holding back my desperation of wanting more. Aside from our audience, including a misty-eyed Adriana, I don’t want Charlotte to think sex is the only thing on my mind. Your dick will argue that point in a heartbeat.

  For a Saturday night, the traffic is flowing with not too many cars on the road. We’ll make it there in an hour and a half, especially the way I’m driving. Adriana and Elijah are taking their time, something about the scenic route. I refuse to ask questions. When anyone takes the ‘scenic route,’ it’s because they are stopping off somewhere to get laid.

  “So, Mr. Edwards, how’s the drive?” Charlotte teases, connecting her phone to the car while playing Bon Jovi, one of my favorite bands. If that doesn’t bring back memories.

  “Smooth,” I say, grinning. I muster up the courage and ask her the question which has been nagging me since we were in the garage. “So, tell me something, Miss Mason, how did you really get this car?”

  She hesitates, sending a wave of jealousy to my over-imaginative brain. Charlotte has never been that type of woman. Get a grip, will you, Edwards?

  “Lex, I’m a lawyer. I argue for a living. I went to the dealer knowing it was a limited production. I did my research, and the salesman tried to take me for a ride. I told him I knew there was a black one left in the Beverly Hills’ showroom. I was willing to pay all shipping costs, and full payment for the car. He kept going back and forth to his manager with lame excuses when I demanded to speak to him personally. I read the disclosure to him that where a car remains in another showroom, the dealer has full rights to sell that car to a customer provided all payments are received upfront. Basically, he didn’t think I was good for the money.”

  “But how on earth were you good for the money? I know how much this car is worth?”

  I’m hoping I don’t offend her. Her silent pauses are dragging out, and I feel myself constantly on edge around her.

  She laughs, resting back into her seat with a sigh. “Well, I do make a nice living, but I guess I learned how to invest well. I inherited some property and money from my grandmother when she passed away. I paid off my Yale tuition and put a deposit on my apartment.”

  “Smart move,” I tell her.

  “Yes, I agree. I became a bit obsessed with the stock market a few years back, and it paid off. Nikki and I went halves to open the law firm and business has not stopped since we opened. The car came as my present to myself. I never really had a twenty-first birthday, you know, with studying and stuff…” trailing off, she stops mid-sentence. “Anyway, I don’t have time to go on vacation, so I don’t spend much money. I guess it’s there for a rainy day.”

  There’s so much more to Charlotte I don’t know. She has always been smart and intelligent, which is a massive turn-on when talking to her. Now, I’m hearing she’s into stocks, bonds, and investing, God couldn’t have cloned any more of a perfect woman for me.

  This weekend, I’m hoping to get to know her better as well as getting my hands on her. I adjust uncomfortably in my seat as mental images of her naked on the hood of this car flash before me. I contemplate reaching over and fingering her tight pussy while I drive, but the car is so precious, plus she’s wearing jeans which makes it more difficult.

  We spend the rest of the drive talking about the stock market. She knows her stuff, and my dick gets harder the more she speaks.

  It’s a little after nine when we arrive at the house, and the residence is nothing short of a luxurious Hamptons real estate. Luscious green lawns surround the house, and they’re manicured to perfection. The beach sits in front of the property, and toward the back is a massive Olympic-size pool. Hidden in the corner amongst some ferns is a Jacuzzi. Well, I’ll be damned.

  We park toward the rear of the property and grab our bags. The lights are on, so I assume the others are still up. As we pass the pool area, I can’t help but point it out.

  “Nice Jacuzzi. I hope you brought your bikini, Miss Mason.”

  Lingering by the door, I pull her into me and take her mouth. All I want to do this weekend is kiss these beautiful lips. Oh, who am I kidding, I want to taste her pussy, fuck her in the pool, on the beach, up the ass, make her blow me… the list goes on and on.

  “I didn’t think we need it in there.”

  She pulls away laughing as she enters the front door.

  Fuck, if that didn’t kill me.

  As I close the door behind me, I say hello to Rocky and offer the friendliest greeting I can conjure up for Nikki. She does her usual grunt back which is nothing surprising. I turn to look away, my attention focusing on Will and Charlotte. I understand why Charlotte is so in love with him, he’s such a great kid, but it’s the sight of her with him that captures my attention in an odd way.

  His tiny arms wrap around her neck as she holds onto him tight. My mind begins conjuring up our future, imagining her with our child, what that would be like. She’s so good with him, and wait! Shit! Did I say with ‘our’ child? I shake my head trying to clear the thought, jumping the gun when she isn’t even my girlfriend yet.

  “Will, we allowed you to wait for Charlie and Lex, but now it’s bedtime,” Nikki scolds in a soft tone.

  “Aww, Mom…” He pouts. “Okay. But Cha Cha, can you please read this awesome new book I got? It’s about a dinosaur that invades New York City,” he pleads, grabbing the book and showing Charlotte.

  “Sounds… um… promising.”

  Charlotte puts her arm around him as Will waves goodnight before they disappear up the stairs.

  Twenty minutes later, she emerges from Will’s room as we meet in the hallway. She places her fingers to her lips, and low and behold, there’s a sound-asleep child holding onto his precious dinosaur book.

  “You’re really great with him, Charlotte,” I whisper, taking in the sight of a contented and peaceful child.

  “He makes it easy.” Her eyes fall downward, only momentarily, before she lifts them with a smile. “So, what’s going on downstairs?

  “Rocky is organizing poker.”

  “Well, prepare to get your butt kicked by a girl, Edwards.”

  I pull her back into me as she attempts to walk away. “Speaking of butts… I can’t wait to get my hands on yours. Actually, not just my hands, but to have my cock slide inside your pretty little ass again.”

  She grinds her ass against my cock, the throbbing becoming increasingly unbearable. “Patience, Mr. Edwards, that cock of yours is going to get a nice little workout this

  weekend.”

  Pressing into her, I’m ready to pull her into the room, have my way with her all night long until Rocky, who’s standing behind us, clears his throat.

  “Strip poker time!”

  He failed to mention earlier it would be strip poker.

  “Rocky, come on, you always end up losing. So, what’s the point?” Charlotte whines, still stuck in my embrace. Thankfully, it gives me a mo
ment to try to calm my situation down below.

  We make our way to the dining area, settling around the table.

  “Rocky thinks he’s the poker king after a few sessions with some poker hot-shots in Harlem,” Nikki moans, grabbing the bottle of tequila and four shot glasses. “Let’s at least make this interesting.”

  An hour later, Rocky is sitting in his underwear.

  Why he didn’t wear boxers is beyond me.

  I’ve lost my shirt, something which doesn’t bother me. Nikki is also shirtless, sitting across from me in her bra and exposing a nice pair of tits.

  Then there’s Charlotte, looking all smug because she has the highest chip count and is still wearing a tank top and jeans. It’s our fourth round of shots, and somehow the game has turned into strip poker combined with truth-or-dare, except it’s all truth.

  “Okay, my turn. Truth or dare, Lex?” Rocky asks loudly.

  “Truth.”

  Nobody trusts Rocky’s dares which is why we always pick truth.

  “Age? Who? And where you first fucked a chick.”

  I nearly choke on a peanut I just threw in my mouth. I don’t want to anger Charlotte, but she appears amused by the question, quite possibly because we’ve never had this conversation when we first started seeing each other.

  “I uh… hold on… I was sixteen and the chick, Brittany, I think was her name, was at a party one night. Not much to report. It was the first time I got drunk, and there wasn’t much to it. She was some senior from another school, and she got a kick out of preying on the inexperienced.”

  “Dude, sounds like you were a dud. Did she at least give you head?”

  “Yes, she did. I don’t know… am I, Charlotte?”

  Putting her on the spot, she laughs then purses her lips, remaining silent. We have already smashed the first bottle of tequila, and Nikki’s just pulled out the vodka. I can’t recall the last time I drank for fun. With my mind already slightly fuzzy, the only times I drink is to escape the sorrow when it overwhelms me.

  “Mmm, you’ll have to remind me again,” she murmurs.