Hang Em' Up: A Bad Boy Sports Pregnancy Romance

by Ashley Stewart

  "Can't you just fire the girl for not showing up to work?" she asked.

  "Not exactly. This is a special case. You know how that goes. Sometimes there are gray areas in business."

  "Mmhmm. Okay. When is the best time to grab a cup of coffee and who is the best person to talk to?"

  I gave her all the details and instructions that she needed in order to do the dirty work for me. I had just signed the divorce papers, and it was essential that I went public with my relationship with Alexis. I couldn’t screw things up now! I got off the phone with Julie and waited patiently.

  Four hours later, there was a knock on the door. It was Janet. "Sir, the accountant is here to see you. I tried to tell her that you were tied up today but she said that you knew she was coming?"

  "Yes, send her in, please. Thank you, Janet," I responded professionally and politely.

  Julie walked in with a huge grin on her face and a cup of coffee in her right hand. "Please, take a seat," I smiled, pointing to the chair in front of my desk. She kept smiling.

  "What did you find out?" I asked eagerly. She seemed to know something juicy, which made me nervous.

  "I think your little assistant has been hit by the love bug. It's really sweet, if anything. Although, I’m not sure what it has to do with her skipping out on work."

  "Is she dating someone?" I almost let my guard down. Damn, I needed to be more careful. Obviously, this woman was trying to hit on me while delivering this information. She was getting the wrong impression or getting false hope. Or possibly both.

  "According to the barista in there, she and a guy named Seth have quite the affair going on. Maybe you need to just let her go so she can fly away with her love bird."

  I was irate. So, Alexis was hooking up with someone else. That explained why she was able to be so stern with me. I wondered how long it had been going on. Regardless, it was about to destroy everything since she was clearly starting to separate herself from me.

  "Well, that explains a lot, Julie. I apologize for having to put you up to that, but it helps me to discern what I should do. Thank you," I said as professionally as possible. It was important that she didn't see the strain and anger deep inside.

  "Anytime, Ashton. Anytime," she posed like a Playboy model. She was trying really hard. Deep down, I wondered if she suspected my affair with Alexis and thought that she now had a chance. If Julie only knew the whole story. If she only knew.

  "Well, I hate to rush you off, but I have a busy afternoon with meetings," I stood up and extended my arm for a handshake. "Thank you again, and I will see you later. Please, have Janet show you the door. Take care," I spoke kindly but forcefully.

  She shook my hand slowly. "I understand. I will see you later. Thank you." She left quickly.

  As soon as she exited my office, I plopped back into my swivel chair and mulled over what to do next.

  The Billionaire’s Release Book 8

  Bella Rayne

  Chapter 1

  The heavy rain was beating the window relentlessly. I was sitting on my bed and watching the raindrop trails that climbed up and down my window. Whenever I found myself in a personal crisis, I would write in my journal. Sometimes, it was the only way to process my thoughts and discover my true inner feelings. Ashton was twice my age. I imagined what he would look like ten years down the road. I would still be youthful and young at thirty-five. Ashton would be sixty. Could I handle that? Was there truly love there? I didn’t think so.

  But there was something there. I wrote on paper. What was it? Clearly, it was unhealthy. Could it be fixed? Could the toxic part of our relationship simply be a sign that we were out of balance but that we were meant to last once we found that balance? We were both passionate about Yoga and teachings. Surely we could discover balance. We taught it to people every week!

  Then there was Seth, the calm, patient and kind man that was always there for me in a pinch. There had to be a reason that I felt drawn to him. We were the same age and instantly clicked. I especially liked the fact that we could be friends above anything else.

  Seth is the perfect gentleman. I wrote on the next line. I was truly torn. Guilt flooded my soul. Ashton had given me every single reason as to why I should’ve been over him. No matter how much I denied it, there was a part of me that wasn’t over him. I wanted to be over him.

  A knock on the front door pulled me out of deep thought. Looking at the clock, I knew it was Seth. I had lost track of time.

  “Hey,” I smiled, letting him in. “Oh, you’re so wet! Let me take that jacket so it can dry.” I helped him removed his jacket and hung it on the coat rack to dry.

  “Thank you,” he grinned. “It’s pouring buckets out there. I hope you weren’t planning on taking a nice evening stroll through the park,” he chuckled. “But, I mean, if that’s what you would like to do, we can use umbrellas, I guess.” Without knowing it, his kindness twisted my heart even more; he carefully guarded his words for fear of disappointing me.

  “You’re really sweet, Seth. I’m not that difficult to please. I was actually thinking that we could hang out here; order Chinese takeout and watch movies or make music or something,” I said. “As you can see, I’m still wearing my fuzzy, house socks.”

  “Oooo, make music,” he joked. It wasn’t like him to make sexual jokes.

  “I guess I asked for that one,” I chuckled. I pointed to my guitar that stood in the corner. “I know that we both enjoy playing music.”

  “I was only being silly,” he smiled warmly.

  The last time that we hung out, we slept together. It was the first time that we had ventured that far into our complicated relationship. Not to mention, I felt tremendous guilt for having been with him so quickly after Ashton. There was something special about Seth. I needed to figure out my life. Fast.

  He followed me to my bedroom where he saw my journal open. I hoped that he wouldn’t see the words, but it was probably too late. Walking around him, I quickly closed the journal and placed it on my desk. He just smiled kindly and waited for me to talk.

  “Want to play guitar?”

  “Sure.”

  I grabbed the guitar and crawled onto my bed again. He sat cross-legged next to me. With the guitar in my lap, I strummed a chord or two. He listened intently. His interest in my talents turned me on so much. It made me feel confident and special.

  “You’re so creative.” he complimented me in a low, soft voice.

  I grinned coyly. Something about his tenderness made me feel very shy. Even though we had already been intimate, he made me tingle with nerves.

  “I love making you blush,” he added while softly caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers. “You’re so pretty, Alexis. Never let anyone tell you any different.”

  That was it. My heart was melting all over again. I slowly turned my face to look at him. We were inches apart. He was studying me as intently as I was studying him. In that moment, the spark between us flared so brightly I almost gasped. It was real, and it was alive.

  “May I?” he asked with longing eyes.

  “Yes,” I whispered. His hand cupped my face gently and drew me into his lips. The feel of his breath on my skin was empowering and magical. We couldn’t help but kiss. It was inevitable.

  Abruptly he paused. “I...I…” he struggled to say. He stopped and continued to kiss me more. Together, we drifted back into the bed sheets, kissing passionately and effortlessly. He was quickly becoming very special to me. “Alexis…” he breathlessly whispered.

  “Yes?” I muttered softly through kissing lips.

  “This will be my last time to do this until you figure out what you want.”

  I stopped and eyed him seriously while he was resting on top of me. “What do you mean?” I almost panicked.

  “I want you to give it one more try with Ashton. You need closure with him. I know deep down that you aren’t over him. I am falling in love with you and can’t give myself completely until I know that you are completel
y available to me.” Tears welled in his eyes. I didn’t want his words to be true, but I knew that they were.

  “But-” I started to argue.

  “What’s meant to be will be. If you decide that he isn’t the one for you, I will be here. It’s the only way you will figure out what you want. Please, just kiss me,” he spoke tenderly. I was speechless. I had never met such a selfless man.

  “I wish that I didn’t have this to figure out,” I said quietly.

  “Shh... you will sort things out. Just remember this moment when you do,” he smiled gently. In that moment, we made love like it was the first time all over again.

  Chapter 2

  Jessica was disappointed in me for my decision, but I knew I needed to take Seth’s advice. I had to give it one last, real try with Ashton before I completely walked away. Since the roadblocks were seemingly out of the way, it was time to get closure or succeed. If he had already changed his mind, then I knew what was meant to be.

  The ladies stared at me coldly as I walked through the office. I knew what they were thinking. I smiled and continued on. Ashton had his office door closed, and I wondered if he was in there. I knocked anyway.

  “Who is it?” I heard his muffled voice through the door.

  “It’s Alexis,” I answered steadily. I waited for several seconds until he opened the door.

  “I wasn’t expecting you. Come on in. Just leave the door open, please,” he said politely. After everything that had happened, I didn’t want to close the door anyway!

  He returned to his desk and sat down with a sigh. “What can I do for you?” he asked.

  “I wanted to know where you stood with me. I am happy to return to work if you haven’t decided to fire me. If you have decided to terminate me, I understand.”

  He watched at me with studious eyes. He knew something. “What about your boyfriend?” His tone was envious.

  “I don’t have a boyfriend. Why would you think that I did?” Anger started to rise deep within again. Had he been spying on me? That was behavior I could no longer condone.

  “People talk,” he replied coldly.

  “Look, I’m here to see if you still want to work things out. You told me that you wanted to take our relationship public. If you still want to do that, let me know now. If not, I will walk out of here and never bother you again. I’m done with games, Ashton. It’s as simple as that.” I spoke confidently. I was tired of the drama.

  “Well, you’re feisty, aren’t you?” he smirked. “I like it.”

  I stood there breathing heavily from irritation. “It is what it is, Ashton. So, are we done?” I asked coldly. He stood, placing his hands in his pockets and walked toward me.

  “I’m not going to kiss you in here, but you can read it in my eyes. We can step out today and go public about our relationship. Are you prepared for the repercussions? The media may jump all over it since you’re much younger than I am.”

  I didn’t know that I wanted to this. Seth kept coming to mind. Then again, every time I was with Seth, Ashton sat idly in the background of my heart. Seth was right. I needed to give it one last try and see what would happen. Seth deserved all of me.

  “Yes, I can hold my own,” I said, more confident than I felt. There wasn’t much romance in the air. The mood was tense and felt more like a business negotiation than love and attraction.

  “Alexis, will you be my girlfriend?” he asked me quietly, his eyes dreamy. That question sent a chill down my spine. Maybe I was in love with him?

  “Okay, let’s give it a try,” I replied. He grinned like he had just sealed a business deal. I wondered what was going to come of everything.

  “May I take you out to lunch as my girlfriend?” he had slipped into his charming tone. It was difficult to tell him no.

  “Where would you like to go?”

  “Anywhere public,” he grinned.

  “What about the women in the office?” I asked.

  “We will tell them if they ask.” He looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly noon. “In fact, we can go to lunch now, if you would like,” he offered.

  “Sure,” I grinned. I noticed that he was anxious to leave the office with me. Together, we left the office and walked to the dainty bakery around the block.

  “A table for two please,” he proudly told the hostess. Everyone was staring at us. Sure, we had eaten dinner together before, many times. However, we had never eaten together in such a small cafe. This was a place where everyone would talk. The hostess took us to our table. Ashton politely pulled the chair out for me, and I discreetly observed everyone around me. It was awkward.

  “I think I became used to hiding,” I told Ashton.

  His smile beamed from ear to ear. “I want them to look. The more stares, the better. I want everyone to know that you are mine.” He took a sip from his water glass and winked at me. I wasn’t sure that I liked his words and tone; they seemed a bit possessive.

  “So, how have you been?” I changed the subject quickly.

  Before he could answer my question, I was taken off guard when an intrusive man with a camera took several photos of us without our permission. He was standing on the other side of the window, taking photos of us rapidly. I watched as Ashton lifted his hand in a gentle wave.

  “What are you doing? Don’t encourage him! What a creep!” I exclaimed.

  “He’s paparazzi. You might as well smile, darling, because we will likely be on the news tonight.”

  I was flabbergasted! I wasn’t ready for my personal business to be spread all over the television and newspapers. Ashton delicately grabbed my hand and kissed it for the camera guy.

  What did I just get myself into? I thought.

  Chapter 3

  It had been two weeks since we decided to come out publicly as a couple. I sat nervously on the airplane waiting for the captain to turn off the fasten seatbelt light. Surely, we would be protected from the paparazzi while in London.

  “How are you doing sweetheart?” Ashton leaned over and whispered.

  “I’m fine, just trying to wake up. That was a long flight,” I replied. We were in London to open his new office. I didn’t feel as secure as I did during the last trip to London. However, I believed it had something to do with all of the public attention. I had avoided the news channels and tabloids when I realized my face was all over them. My parents were calling me day and night, wondering what on earth I had stumbled into. They finally cooled their jets and accepted that the billionaire was my boyfriend. The worst thing? Seth had literally fallen off the face of the earth. I would text him but get nothing in return. Jessica told me that he would reply the moment I told him I was single. I worried that, even then, he wouldn’t. What had I done? I knew that Seth was right—I needed to try one last time. There was a connection between me and Ashton and the only way it would be severed was if I knew that I had given it my all.

  “You may all exit through the side door. Thank you for flying Columbus Airlines,” the stewardess announced politely and professionally. Ashton grabbed my carry on bag, and I followed closely behind him. Heathrow Airport was swarming with travelers and sappy family members sending their loved ones along. I was thankful to not see any tabloid reporters. It was nothing new for them to congregate around international airports.

  “I have bought a luxurious flat in downtown London. I think that you will be very pleased with it,” Ashton told me. He held my hand with pride. When people stared as we passed, I felt like a trophy wife. Shortly before I left the States, I was in the grocery store and found one tabloid magazine that accused him of divorcing his wife for a much younger woman. I cringed.

  “That’s wonderful,” I answered shortly.

  “You don’t seem too excited,” he responded promptly. Was I supposed to sound a certain way?

  “A house is a house to me. Perhaps I’m too simple for your taste,” I snapped, surprising myself. I didn’t mean to say it that way!

  “I think you need a good meal and
a nap. The long flight has made you a little grumpy,” he smiled. “I can massage your feet if you’d like.” He gave me a sensual smirk. I knew what he was thinking.

  “That would be nice, thank you,” I replied, in hopes of it keeping peace. We wound our way through the crowds and climbed into the limo that was waiting for us outside the airport. .

  As we traveled through the winding streets of London, I stared out the window and appreciated all of the sights that were distinctly British. The double decker buses were a sight to see! Finally, after about twenty minutes of limousine travel, we stopped at a posh building. It had intricate carvings and heavy gold doorknobs.

  “I paid a hefty sum of 1.2 million pounds for this tiny flat. The marble floors are exquisite. You will love it,” Ashton boasted yet again. He was beginning to act like we were going to be a married couple. I went along with it to keep the peace but wasn’t sure how I felt about it.

  “Let’s take a look at it then,” I smiled. I was jet lagged and wanted sleep. The limo driver kindly brought in our luggage as we explored the place. It had a small parlor, kitchen, study, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Everything appeared to be fit for a king and queen.

  “I like this,” he told me huskily. We were standing in the bedroom, unpacking our luggage. “Here we are, in London, at a flat I’ve just bought and with the most beautiful women in the world. I’m so happy to show you off to the world.”

  I blushed.

  “That’s why I bought you a brand new Louis Vuitton handbag. This is my way of showing you how pleased I am with everything,” he grinned widely. The handbag was beautiful. Designed in the typical pattern of brown leather and gold lettering, I was shocked, to say the least.

  “Oh Ashton. You really shouldn’t have! This is a five thousand dollar handbag!”

  “Five thousand is nothing to me. You deserve the best. I want you to change your things to this handbag before we go out next. I want the whole world to see how luxurious you are. We paint a beautiful picture for the world to see. I also want you to be the new face for my marketing campaign. How would you like to be the next girl posing on the billboards and magazines for Ashton J?”