The Billionaire's Challenge

by Elizabeth Lennox

  She was a different person now and she would never cower as she had in college. She would stand tall and proud. No more tears! At least…glancing at the clock, she realized that she didn’t need to dress for another several hours. The media and models weren’t scheduled to arrive until five o’clock tonight.

  In the meantime, this was her opportunity to do something she should have done weeks ago.

  She grabbed an old pair of shorts and a tee shirt. Slipping on a pair of sneakers, she hesitated. Her purse and keys were in Reid’s house. She’d dumped them right by the front door where she normally put them.

  Not a problem, she thought with determination as she pulled her still-wet hair into a messy bun, unconcerned with the bumps and ripples since she hadn’t combed it out first. She didn’t care about makeup either. She had things to do and not a lot of time to get them accomplished.

  Stepping out into the bright sunshine, she wiped her eyes again, wishing she had a few slices of cucumber to take the redness away. But no matter. She wasn’t stopping. Reid and Brant were probably out of the house anyway, off doing whatever it was that horrible men do when someone else was cleaning their house. God forbid the man actually clean his own toilet! He probably didn’t even know how!

  Why it was so important that the man learn to clean a toilet…well, she wasn’t sure why it was important. Perhaps it was simply another example of how the man had an entitlement complex. He felt he was entitled to seduce any woman, even if she didn’t want to be seduced!

  Okay, that wasn’t fair. Selena knew she’d gone into this relationship with her eyes open. She knew exactly what she was doing. If she hadn’t wanted to be seduced, then it wouldn’t have happened.

  Take responsibility for her own desires, she thought with finality. She’d wanted sex with Reid. She’d wanted to fall in love with him. It was just the right time in her life for a romance.

  She’d gotten it. In spades! But now that his true colors were showing, she wasn’t interested. He was a demeaning, disgusting jerk who thought it was okay to share her, to objectify her and treat her like…like a piece of meat.

  No more!

  “Good swim?” he called when she slipped by his office.

  “It was great!” she called out, smiling stiffly in his general direction as she turned and headed up the stairs. Two hours ago, she’d felt like this was her home. She’d started to feel comfortable here. Now it felt odd to walk up the stairs without his permission even though more than half of her clothing was in his bedroom and her cosmetics were in a drawer in his bathroom.

  She’d get everything later. Once she had a place to put them, she reminded herself. And even if she couldn’t find a place, she’d move into a hotel before spending another night here.

  Something else occurred to her. Revenge dress, she thought with relish as soon as she spotted her purse and keys. Grabbing both, she hurried back out of the bedroom, not even glancing towards the bed for fear of the memories causing her tears to start flowing again.

  It was over. Nice while it lasted, but over!

  Hurrying out, she raced down the stairs, gripping the bannister so she wouldn’t trip and fall. That would be the ultimate indignity, she told herself.

  “Hey, Selena…?”

  “I have to go,” she called. He was still standing in the doorway to his office, looking amazing and virile. He was all of that, she knew. And a petty, juvenile jerk.

  “Wait…”

  “Can’t wait!” she called with a wave.

  “Selena!” he yelled.

  She cringed slightly, hearing his anger. And there had been confusion in his eyes a moment ago as well. Bracing herself against such a look, she hurried out the door, ignoring him. She couldn’t stop. Couldn’t slow down. If she did, there was a high possibility that she would yell at him, reveal what she’d overheard, and she couldn’t let him know how much he’d hurt her! No way!

  That would be her secret to deal with. Her wounds to heal.

  And the next man she trusted…if she ever trusted a man again…he wouldn’t be an ass! He wouldn’t think of a woman as “a piece of meat”!

  Slipping into her Miata, she revved the engine and backed out. It shocked her to realize how much time she’d spent with Reid. They’d been driving to and from work together every day and, since his car was nicer and Reid preferred to drive, they always took one of his vehicles.

  Now, driving away in her sporty car, she remembered how much she loved to drive. She’d really missed this over the past several weeks.

  She drove down the driveway, ignoring Reid standing on the front sidewalk, his hands fisted on his lean hips frowning. Why in the world would he be angry?! The man had no right to be angry! Of course, he didn’t know that she’d overheard his demeaning conversation with his brother. Reid had no idea that the truth of his disgusting personality had finally reared its ugly head.

  Well, no more! She’d extricate herself from his clutches and move on with her life. Step by step. The first thing she needed to do was get out of his house. She wouldn’t allow herself to live in his guest house. She was finding her own place to live, doing it on her terms.

  Driving through the streets of Denver, another thought occurred to her. She’d lived here for several weeks now, but since Reid did most of the driving, she hadn’t learned how to get around town.

  Didn’t matter, she told herself as she made another U turn before spotting the sign to get onto Highway Twenty-Five North. Speeding onto the ramp, she joined the mass of traffic heading out of the city. Heading north. Most of these people were probably heading towards the mountains and she gazed longingly at them in the distance. Beautiful, she thought. The snow-capped mountains were elegant and rugged, never letting a person down with their magnificence.

  Unlike other people that she’d thought were so solid and trustworthy!

  She spotted her turnoff, remembering it from the last time and turned left. Five minutes later, she pulled into the parking space right in front of the rental office. Getting out, she didn’t care that she looked a mess.

  “Hi there. Remember me?” she asked of the salesperson.

  Obviously, the woman did. The wary expression in her eyes spoke volumes.

  “Don’t worry,” Selena soothed her. “My…friend isn’t here and I’m ready to rent. I don’t care about his issues.”

  The woman’s mouth opened and closed. “I’m sorry, we don’t have any two bedroom apartments currently available. I rented the last one last weekend. We have studios and one bedrooms.”

  Selena’s smile widened and she wondered if she looked a bit crazed since the saleswoman stepped back slightly, as if she were cringing in fear. “Perfect,” she replied, ignoring the woman’s reaction. “I want a one bedroom, with a washer and dryer in the unit.”

  The salesperson typed in a few things on her keyboard, her eyes moving over the monitor before she nodded. “I have two available. One looks out to the mountains, but it’s a bit more expensive. The other looks down onto the courtyard. It might be a bit noisier on the weekends,” she warned.

  Selena thought about those options for a long moment. She briefly considered taking the apartment by the courtyard, just to irritate Reid since he was so adamant about the pool parties and happy hours being a hookup event. But in the end, she knew that she’d be happier with a mountain view apartment. It would be glorious to wake up every morning and see the mountains off in the distance.

  Another good thing about Colorado. One could actually see in the distance, even during the summer months. The humidity and pollution in Virginia diminished the view of the Shenandoah National Park, a part of the Appalachian Mountains. There was also a great deal of light pollution, so even at dusk, it was sometimes hard to see with the city lights making the distance fade away.

  But she was here now. And she loved it! Colorado seemed to feed her soul in ways she hadn’t thought possible.

  Although, she’d thought that about Reid just this morning.


  More fool her.

  Selena walked behind the now-bubbly salesperson who discussed a litany of the various stores and conveniences that were close by. Once in the apartment, Selena was surprised at how small the apartment felt, but perhaps that was to be expected after living in a twenty-five hundred square foot guest house, or Reid’s six thousand square foot house. Going from that grandeur to an eight hundred square foot apartment was…well, it would just be a change. Everything in life changes, she reminded herself. This was simply another change. Another challenge.

  Looking around, the white walls and oak cabinets weren’t much to fall in love with, but she’d figure out how to make this into a home. Something cozy, warm, and welcoming.

  Then again, she had been working long hours over the past several weeks while planning all of the details for the marketing campaign. And things were going to get crazy again once this campaign got underway. The press was going to love her ideas and all of the social media blitz that would come along with this type of change in advertising would be a welcome distraction from dealing with Reid.

  The salesperson was standing in the apartment, awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other, not sure what to say next.

  “I’ll take it,” she told the woman.

  Thirty minutes later, she’d signed the one year contract on the apartment, accepted her parking sticker and keys, then walked out. Taking a deep breath, she tried to feel good about this move. She should feel empowered and in control.

  But deep down inside, in that place she didn’t want to open up yet because she knew it would hurt too much, she could feel the pain just waiting to break out.

  Not yet, she told her previously-scarred heart. “One more thing to do,” she whispered. Getting back into her car, she drove back into the city. Luckily, she found a parking space not too far from her destination. When she stepped into the store, Selena was immediately greeted by Grace and her warm smile.

  “Hi again! Back for more?” she asked, moving to shake Selena’s hand.

  Selena blinked back more tears. “Yes. I need something special for an event tonight. I don’t want to wear the plain strapless bra I’d originally purchased to go with the dress. I want something spectacular,” she explained.

  Grace smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “I have something that would be perfect,” she said and walked towards the back of the store. Selena followed, feeling exhilarated. Princess Diana had stepped out in public in a daring, strapless black dress on the same day her husband admitted to an affair. This would be Selena’s grand event in the same way.

  Grace lifted a bustier into the air, holding the silver lace piece of art up for Selena’s inspection. “How about this?” she offered.

  Selena looked at the bustier, her smile increasing as she imagined what she would look like, and feel like, in the gorgeous piece. What was better, Reid would never see it. Oh, he’d know she was wearing something different, something enticing. But he’d never get even a peek. It would be her secret.

  Her own “revenge dress”.

  “Why don’t you try it on?” Grace suggested.

  Selena agreed and moved into the plush dressing room, refusing to remember the last time she’d been here. When Reid accompanied her.

  Taking a deep breath, she pulled her tee shirt and bra off, and slipped the bustier on. As soon as she secured the small hooks in the back and turned to face the mirror, she knew it was perfect! The deep V of the top would allow her to wear the sundress lower than she’d originally planned. And the boning in the construction would push her breasts up higher. She could just imagine Reid looking at her breasts.

  “Yeah, I’ve got quite a rack,” she whispered in satisfaction to her reflection in the mirror.

  With a shake of her head, she pulled it off and dressed once more. Stepping out, she caught Grace’s raised eyebrows and nodded. “I’ll take it,” she told the woman.

  At the cash register, she cringed only slightly at the three hundred and fifty dollar price tag as she handed her credit card over to Grace. Revenge was expensive, she realized.

  Didn’t matter. Stepping out into the sunshine, she lifted her face, absorbing the warmth. What had started off as a wonderful victory had become nothing more than hours to endure until she could escape. Glancing at her watch, she realized it was later than she’d thought. She’d skipped breakfast and lunch, and her stomach grumbled. She thought about just not eating, but knew that wasn’t a good option. Not with her history. Skipping meals lead to hunger and hunger led to either binge eating or…a more devastating reaction. No, she’d never go down that route again.

  Instead, she stopped by a sandwich shop and grabbed a bite to eat, but was only able to stomach about half of it. Better, but she still grabbed a banana and nibbled on it as she drove back to Reid’s house. She’d have to pack before the party. And somehow get her suitcase into her car without Reid seeing her. She wanted to be ready to hit the road by the time the party ended.

  Possibly, she owed Reid an explanation, but she wasn’t feeling benevolent at the moment. She wanted to hurt him. Not that it was truly possible, she realized. Hurting Reid was difficult since he didn’t have a soul. No man who treated women the way he had earlier today could have a soul.

  So, why were tears streaming down her cheeks as she pulled into the driveway? Parking her car behind the garage, she walked as quickly as she could into the guest house. Reid must have been watching for her though because as soon as she rounded the corner of the garage, he called out to her.

  “Selena! Where have you been all day?”

  She lifted the silver, tissue stuffed bag into the air, rushing to the guest house. Away from him. “I’m going to get ready. I’ll see you later!”

  He stopped, his eyes moving to the bag, then to her face. When he saw the redness around her eyes, he started towards her again. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing!” she called back.

  “Then why are your cheeks red?”

  A hand came up to her cheeks and she cursed herself. So much for looking cool and composed. “I guess I got a bit too much sun while running errands,” she told him. “I really need to get ready. I’ll see you in less than an hour,” she called back.

  Thankfully, he didn’t follow her into the guest house. Once she was inside, she hurried to the back, hiding from him. When she didn’t hear the door open and close, indicating that he really was giving her a bit of privacy, she leaned her head against the wall and tried hard to pull herself together again.

  “Time to get this ‘gorgeous rack’ in gear,” she whispered to herself.

  When she opened her eyes, she was startled by her appearance. Her cheeks were definitely red and blotchy. Plus, her hair looked like a rat’s nest! It was dry now but, since it hadn’t seen a brush yet today, the strands were going every which way.

  Shower. Makeup. Dress. Get over Reid. In that order.

  She could do this, she told herself as she pushed away from the wall.

  An hour later, she put the finishing touches on her makeup and reviewed her look in the mirror. She’d chosen to go ultra-romantic for this night’s events. The floral dress and the soft, pink lipstick, the subtle eye shadow and smoky liner did the trick.

  With a nod of satisfaction, she turned around and…

  “You look beautiful,” Reid was leaning against one of the wooden armoires.

  Selena’s determination quivered slightly as she surveyed him in the well-worn jeans and casual shirt. It was tucked in this time, showing off his lean waist and what she knew to be rock hard abs.

  “What happened earlier today?” he asked softly, moving towards her.

  Selena panicked, lifting her hands to stop him. “No!” she gasped. At the startled look in his eyes, she softened. “Please, I don’t want to ruin my makeup.”

  He moved closer, his large, strong hands resting on her hips. “That never bothered you before,” he commented.

  She pulled out of his arms before the sweet embr
ace broke down her newly built defenses. “I’ve never had a string of journalists, models, and others all ready to listen to the new pitch either.”

  He grabbed her wrist when she tried to walk around him. “Selena, something is wrong. And it’s more than just nervousness about tonight, isn’t it?”

  She looked up into his eyes, astonished that a man as insecure and horrible as to refer to a woman as “a piece of meat”, could be so shockingly sensitive.

  Perhaps he was just a sociopath underneath all of those muscles, she thought. A sociopath knew how to mimic emotions, but never truly feel them.

  “I need to get ready for tonight,” she repeated, staring at him, silently telling him that he needed to leave.

  Reid stared at her lovely features, red and swollen with tears. What had happened? Was she angry about the morning? No, he was sure that she’d enjoyed their morning just as much as he had. Was she upset that he’d kept her in bed too long?

  No, that couldn’t be it. He might have initiated their morning activities, but she’d been an enthusiastic participant. Besides, she’d gone for a swim afterwards. He knew how important exercise was to her and admired her for that. Hell, he enjoyed a good workout everyday too. But no, this wasn’t about exercising. She was assertive enough to tell him what she needed in that area.

  No, this was different. The way she held herself, almost as if she might shatter if she moved…!

  “Selena,” he said softly, “tell me what happened, please?”

  “I just have a few more things that I need to do to get ready,” she told him. And with that, she turned away and slipped into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her.

  Reid stared at the door for a long moment, wanting to open it and demand that she talk to him, party be damned. He couldn’t lose her! Not now! Not when he’d finally realized how important she was to him. Hell, he was looking forward to having her on his arm tonight, to showing the world that he was her man. She was so incredibly beautiful and charming and…and vulnerable. He’d forgotten that part because she hid her vulnerabilities so well.