Psycho Billionaire: A Dark Romance

by Kashmira Kamat

  When the door closed behind me, I was fired with a question. “Who was that man?” Jasper asked, taking a swig of his drink.

  I didn’t think lying was a good start if I wanted a good married life. “Mason was my ex-boyfriend.”

  Jasper turned his icy-blue eyes at me and stared. “So what was it like?”

  I blinked. “What was what like?”

  Jasper had an expression that I didn’t recognize. “Sex with Mason. Was it better than what you have with me?”

  My face caught fire. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  “Answer me, Kiara.” His voice was deadpan. “I want to listen to what you have to say.” He leaned against the island bar, regarding me over the rim of a glass of scotch.

  I clenched my fists in anger. “You’re being very disrespectful.”

  Jasper snorted. “It would be disrespectful, honey, if I asked you if his cock was bigger, and if you enjoyed taking him as much as you do me. But, I didn’t ask you that. I just want to know how the sex was.”

  “Go to hell!” I snarled.

  In one quick stride, he was hovering above me, his fingers digging into my jaw. Hard. “When I ask a question, you give me an answer.”

  With my cheeks still in a death-grip, I whimpered. Tears trickled down my face. “It wasn’t great. It was average.”

  “And how is it with me compared to that?”

  “Lovely,” I said. “I can’t get enough of it.”

  Which wasn’t a lie.

  Jasper grinned with that response. “Good. And baby, please don’t talk back to me again. I really don’t like to be angry at you. Okay?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  “You’re supposed to say okay, when I say okay, okay? You know, like Fault in our Stars and all,” he joked.

  “Okay.”

  “I have some work pending in the office, but when I get back, I want to see you in our bed wearing the sexiest fucking lingerie that you can find and your sweet little cunt wet and ready for me because I’m not gonna waste my time in foreplay. Get it?”

  And then Jasper stormed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. I heard the lock turn. So he was going to make sure I wasn’t leaving the room. I slid down onto the carpeted floor, the feeling of shame washing over me.

  For the first time in a week, I wondered if I’d married the same person.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The next morning Jasper acted like the previous night never happened; like he hadn’t embarrassed me with questions about my past relationships. He was acting like he hadn’t walked in drunk as a sailor way past midnight, woken me up from my sleep, and thrust inside of me until he was satisfied, making me feel utterly hopeless and used.

  I thought marriages were more than that. I thought marriages were about sharing and caring for the other, but the definition of marriage for Jasper seemed completely different. It was like he owned me.

  Body, soul, and it was legally on paper.

  “Kathy had called this morning,” I informed Jasper when we were having breakfast at the kitchen table.

  He glanced up from his iPad. “Yes?”

  I thought I was going to lose my appetite if he refused.

  I casually took a bite of my eggs and avocado toast with blueberries, and continued. “She wanted to know if I could catch up with her today. For lunch and some shopping. So, I was wondering if I can…”

  Jasper stared at me for a minute, his blue eyes glinting in the sunlight. “It’s going to be just you and Kathy?”

  “Yes.”

  Jasper smiled sweetly. “Of course, precious, you can. She is your friend.”

  “Thank you, Jasper.”

  Funny, how he calls me precious all the time, and then calls me a dirty little whore in the bedroom.

  Jasper handed me the keys to a Porsche convertible and his debit card, and then kissed my forehead. “Have fun, Kiara. After yesterday, I guess it’s the least I could do.”

  At twelve p.m., I picked up Kathy from her apartment which took me thirty minutes to reach. She whistled when she settled into the passenger seat of the car.

  “Perks of marrying a rich man.” She laughed, and I laughed with her.

  We decided to go to a movie, a romantic comedy. We were laughing throughout the movie, and Kathy ate most of my popcorn, but I didn’t protest. I enjoyed the girl time, and I really wanted to forget about what happened yesterday. And I hoped to never get on Jasper’s bad side. If I managed to keep him happy, there weren’t going to be any problems. He even let me take one of his cars and allowed me to take his debit card and that was proof that I meant a great deal to him.

  Kathy and I were doing some window shopping for clothing when she pointed at my jawline. “Kiara, what’s this mark?”

  Crap! I forgot to hide the red fingerprint mark that he’d given me when he’d pressed too hard. “Um, it’s some kind of allergy I guess.” I lied.

  Kathy passed me her ‘I-don’t-believe-you’ look. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” I gave her a tight smile.

  Quickly, I managed to steer the conversation into a safer territory. I asked her about her life and her new job, and that did the trick. Kathy liked talking about herself. Although she was a great friend, I wasn’t comfortable talking to her about my marital issues. She suggested a restaurant nearby that served great seafood. I wasn’t a huge seafood fan, but Kathy seemed really excited about it, so I thought why the hell not give it a try.

  The restaurant had a nice ambiance with some chic décor and cute lights suspended from the ceiling. Kathy was a sneaky woman and had already made a reservation, so the waitress led us to a secluded table in the corner. When we approached the booth, I was surprised to find two more men already waiting for us in the booth. One was a lean blond man with long shoulder length hair and serious eyes, and the other one was chubby with dark hair and striking topaz eyes. I threw a look at Kathy, but she seemed oblivious to my gesture. Lunch with strangers was not on my to-do list.

  “Kiara, I want you to meet my friend, Ethan.” She pointed at the lean blond guy. The way she was smiling told me he was more than just a “friend.” She was eccentric and bizarre. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was doing some friends-with-benefits kind of thing. She continued further with the introduction. “And this is Ethan’s friend, Michael. They are going to join us today for lunch. It was a last minute kind of plan. I hope you don’t mind.”

  I shrugged. “I guess I don’t.”

  It wouldn’t hurt. Plus, it was just lunch. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

  This seemed more like a double date than a girl’s lunch. I was so mad at Kathy for dragging me into this. If she’d planned on bringing other men, she should have at least informed me first. I didn’t think Jasper would like this. Michael was pushed right beside me. So far, we were making small talk. I’d tried to avoid talking about myself and gathered more information about him. Michael was almost the same age as me, and he worked at a nearby store as a manager. He went as far as to tell me how Ethan and he were such good friends and blabbered about their stories from high school.

  The waitress approached our table and took our orders. We decided on mixed seafood pizza, mozzarella sticks, and salad. She served our drinks while we waited for the food.

  “So, what do you do for a living, Kiara?” Michael inquired. He had slipped right beside me in the booth, while Ethan kept Kathy busy. She was on a giggling spree, and that proved that the two had something going on.

  Before I could answer his question, Kathy chimed in. “Michael, a woman doesn’t need to make a living if her husband is the owner of supermarket and hotel chains. Unless, of course, she thinks going back to the waitressing job is better.” She laughed at her own joke.

  Michael’s brows arched up as he took a sip from his drink. “Really? Your husband is a wealthy man?”

  “I don’t like to brag.”

  “What’s your name again?”

  “Kiara Lockhart,” I replied.<
br />
  “Your husband is Jasper Lockhart?”

  His name sent a bolt of fear through my body. “Yes.”

  Michael appeared surprised. He chuckled. “Well, at first glance, I did think you were wealthy, but to think that you’re the owner of Lockhart Legacy Hotel, Lockhart Resort & Spa and Crystal Plaza malls… Wow.”

  “He owns everything. I’m just his wife.”

  He laughed. “You seem down to earth than most rich wives.”

  “Thanks,” I said awkwardly, circling the ring on my left hand.

  Michael smiled. “I must say you’re an interesting person. And I’m not saying that just to flatter you.”

  I thought my face was reddening, not because I was attracted to him, but because I was not used to anyone flirting with me so openly.

  All of a sudden, he grazed my cheek with his finger and leaned in. “I hear rich husbands like to take short work tours, and they are mostly unable to give much time to their wives. Does that happen with you too?”

  I inspected his face to see if I could depict some kind of hidden invitation to his question but came up empty. I was saved from answering that question when the waitress arrived with our food. True to Kathy’s word, the food was delicious. And I made a mental note to bring Jasper here next time.

  Before the pizza slices could disappear, I reached for another slice and took a bite. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Michael’s gaze fixed on me, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

  Michael’s gaze then shifted towards my ring finger. “So, how did you guys meet?”

  This was my cue to stare blankly at him. I tried to come up with an excuse to avoid explaining to him. What was I supposed to say to him anyway? That I was almost raped in an alley when Jasper saved me? Or should I mention that my mother insisted on getting our debts cleared in exchange for a luxurious life?

  “It was…it was love at first sight. I used to be a waitress before. Jasper met me at the restaurant, and we fell in love,” I said as if I’d rehearsed those lines before. I climbed to my feet before he could think of any more questions. “Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  I made a beeline for the ladies restroom. When I walked out of the cubicle, I stared at myself in the mirror and barely recognized myself. Below all those layers of designer clothing and expensive jewelry was a suppressed woman. I was still the same old Kiara Reeves, only restructured and molded into a different lifestyle.

  When I was about to exit the restroom, my phone buzzed in my handbag. The iPhone was a gift from Jasper. I wasn’t really surprised to see his name flash on the screen.

  I answered the phone.

  “Hey precious, miss me already?” Jasper spoke from the other end.

  I laughed. “Always.”

  He seemed pleased to hear that. “How’s your lunch going with Kathy?”

  “It’s going fine,” I said, trying very hard to appear calm.

  A pause later he asked, “Is it just you and Kathy?”

  “Yeah.” I lied.

  “Enjoy your time. Tell Kathy I said hi,” he said, “I’ll see you in a few hours. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  As soon as I hung up, I huffed a breath of relief. It seemed like a normal phone call, but for all I knew, Jasper could be checking up on me, and I believed that I hadn’t given him any reason to think that I was doing anything suspicious. And I really wasn’t. I could have told him the truth and said that Kathy had already invited two other men, but that would have caused some unnecessary questions and more drama.

  I splashed some water over my face, reapplied some makeup, and walked out of the restroom to find Michael at the bar.

  He smiled when he saw me approach. “Can I order you a drink?”

  I sneaked a glance at Kathy, and it seemed like it was getting steamier in that booth. No wonder Michael was out here hanging out alone, all by himself. He openly tried to flirt with me with his corny one-liners even though he knew I was married. Before I could protest further, he ordered a Bloody Mary.

  Then, I thought, what the hell. It’s been a while since I last visited a bar. One drink wouldn’t kill me.

  Michael inched closer, and I felt a little uncomfortable. “So you didn’t tell me.”

  “Tell you what?”

  He passed me the kind of cocky smile I didn’t like. “Let me be very straightforward. A lot of times, wives of wealthy business tycoons get lonely and tired of the same shit. You know; charity functions, social gatherings, looking after the children, etc, and then they start looking for entertainment outside of their marriage. They need someone who can hold them in bed at night, cuddle with them, and show them a good time. I can be that someone. Nobody would know.”

  I frowned. Was he being serious?

  For emphasis, he placed his hand on mine. I pulled it back abruptly.

  “I’m not that kind of a woman,” I said.

  “You’re not really happy with your marriage, are you?”

  His question caught me off guard, and I glared at him. “Why wouldn’t I be happy? I love my husband, and he provides me with everything that I want. You seem to misunderstand. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  I didn’t even take a sip of the drink that he had ordered and made my way out of the bar. I would text Kathy later that I was never going to hang out with her again if she was going to bring men that I didn’t know, and she could take a ride home with one of those idiots for all I cared.

  I rummaged my Louis Vuitton handbag for the car keys while walking and bumped into someone. “Ohhh…I’m so sorry…I didn’t…”

  My ability of speech was lost when I saw who was standing before me. He was all dressed up in a navy suit, and not a hair out of place. It looked like he walked right out of a set in Hollywood. Although his body seemed poised, his stare gave me the chills. I was scared, and by the looks of it, I knew this could go to shit right this moment.

  “Jasper…I…”

  “Who was that man?”

  “Kathy’s friend.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. Morgan summoned himself out of nowhere. Jasper and he exchanged some signal, and Morgan nodded.

  Before he could say anything, I said. “I’m sorry, Jasper.”

  “Sorry about what, Kiara?”

  “About lying to you,” I said. “I just thought it wasn’t a big deal.”

  He raised his hand towards me, and I flinched, expecting a blow this time, but he pulled me close and placed a quick kiss on my lips. “It’s alright, sweetheart. I know you were scared.”

  I stared at him incredulously. What just happened?

  Jasper outstretched his palm towards me and asked me for the car keys which I handed him. He drove the Porsche home while I was seated in the passenger seat. The clouds were turning gray, indicating a downpour. The wipers slashed at the windshield, wiping off the water droplets. I turned on the radio only to hear a weather forecast and something about a truck skidding off the road. Jasper was silent most of the way and that made me anxious.

  When we reached home, he made a beeline for his office, leaving me confused. That evening, I didn’t see Jasper at all. In fact, I was seated alone at the dining table downstairs, eating creamy burrito casserole and Greek salad. I knew he was upset, but he was acting like it didn’t affect him.

  I prepared a plate with food, and decided to visit him upstairs. I knocked on the door, and Jasper asked me to come inside. I placed the tray of food on the coffee table. He was seated behind the mahogany desk, looking out towards the dark woods.

  “You didn’t come downstairs for dinner, so I brought you food here.”

  “You’re a good wife, Kiara.”

  Out of all of the things, that was something I least expected to hear. “Uh…Thanks.”

  He smiled. “It’s nice to know that your wife would never cheat on you even if you’re traveling or can’t give her much time. I’m really pleased about your loyalty towards me, but I hate liars as much as I hate politicians.”


  My blood turned to ice. As if to answer my unvoiced question, he picked up the Porsche keys, and pressed a button on the keychain. The room filled with the familiar conversation.

  “You’re not really happy with your marriage, are you?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be happy? I love my husband, and he provides me with everything that I want. You seem to misunderstand. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Jasper pressed rewind and played some of our previous conversations. I was boiling with rage.

  “You were spying on me. Why did you bug the car keys with an audio surveillance?”

  Jasper chuckled. “Actually, I didn’t. The key was bugged way before you took it. I’d installed the audio surveillance when I lent the car to a friend whom I assumed was getting into illegal activities. I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get into trouble for it. I told Morgan to get rid of the audio surveillance, but I guess he forgot all about it.”

  “Oh,” I said. “I see.”

  Jasper walked slowly towards me and placed his hands over my shoulders. “I love you so much, baby. You’re my precious little cupcake. Why would you think I would even consider getting your car keys bugged?”

  I sighed with relief. “I’m sorry I said you were spying on me.”

  Jasper pressed his warm lips against mine. “It’s okay. We’re good. Although, I really don’t appreciate how you lied to me on the phone, and said it was just you and Kathy. I’m really disappointed you did that, Kiara.”

  “Let me explain,” I pleaded.

  “You don’t need to explain anything. I said we’re good.”

  Once the conversation was over for Jasper, it was absolutely done. That subject wasn’t open for discussion, and I knew whatever I wanted to say would just be a waste of breath.

  Jasper took off his jacket, and let it fall on the bed. He then he straightened his shirt, and ran his hand through his hair. “I will stay here in the office to work for a while. If you need anything, call me on my cell phone.”

  “We should talk about this, Jasper. Work can wait,” I insisted.

  He kissed my forehead. “I won’t be gone for long.”