“Oh whatever! He totally knew! It’s just like he told you that he had never been married before, but he was going through a divorce! That dude is all kinds of sketchy.” She sat back, shaking her head. “What more do you need, Alexis? It’s clear that he’s a con artist. I think he has other intentions for you, and it’s starting to really concern me. I’m half-tempted to discuss my concerns with your dad.”
“Don’t!” I reacted loudly. “I totally see where your concern is coming from, but a part of me thinks that he genuinely didn’t know about this. Jessica, he looked pale as a ghost!”
She laughed sarcastically. “The next time he walks the red carpet, be sure to tell them that he’s earned his Academy Award.” I didn’t know if I wanted to share anything else with her on the subject. Her reaction was enough to shut me down. Although, I had the same concerns as she did, I didn’t want to admit them to her. Sometimes, I preferred to deal with things on my own.
“Is that all the details?” she asked curiously.
“Pretty much. Her name is Rebecca, and her mother is his first love.”
“The woman he was engaged to?”
“Yes.”
“Did you figure out Rebecca’s last name?” she asked.
“Nope. I didn’t want to flat out ask him because I knew that he would be suspicious of my intent,” I chuckled.
“That figures,” she said in deep thought. “I have a feeling that it’s not really his daughter. I don’t know what his scheme is, but I smell a rat.” Jessica was very protective. With everything that Ashton had already done, she didn’t trust a single thing he did or said.
“I wish that I could talk to Seth,” I whined.
“You could if you decided to completely dump Mr. Skeezy Billionaire!” I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. In the beginning, she thought he was quite the handsome charmer, but things changed shortly after. “I wasn’t going to tell you at first, but you will eventually find out. There have been camera dudes hanging outside the apartment. One of them tried to ask me questions about you. If they find out that you had anything to do with Seth, they will likely jump all over that. My advice? Keep your distance from Seth until you decide on what you truly want. That type of constant, negative attention can destroy relationships if you’re not strong enough.”
Fear bolted through my skin like a flash of lightning. What if Ashton said something to the media about Seth? All it would take was one argument, and he could possibly do it. I was suddenly terrified.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I exclaimed.
Jessica shrugged. “What can you do? Once the public gains an interest in a person, they follow you around everywhere.”
“Jessica, I don’t like this fame game. It’s for the birds. I’ve noticed that Ashton flaunts me just to get more attention.”
“And you’re now the new face of his marketing campaign. I bet sales have skyrocketed since your newfound fame.”
She hit the nail on the head. “Yeah, it has,” I answered in thought. What if there was a scheme behind Ashton romancing me? I didn’t want to believe that.
“When you were in London, you were the talk of the town. Your face was popping up on one tabloid after another. I wonder if he bought you that new wardrobe for his marketing campaign. I don’t trust the guy as far as I can throw him.” Her words struck me deeply. I knew that I was trying to give our relationship one last chance, but I never imagined the possibility of becoming a marketing campaign.
“Oh Jess, I know it seems very sketchy but he has enough money.” I tried to defend him.
She shook her head. “Sometimes, people like him can never have enough money. They will never be satisfied with their success. Not all people are like that, but he seems to be that way.”
“What made you come to that conclusion?” I was curious.
“When he had difficulty in giving his estranged wife five million dollars when he has billions. To him, five million dollars would barely put a dent in his wallet. That seems a bit stingy to me,” she said. Her words gave me something to think about. However, it was something very hard for me to accept. I had expected our relationship to disintegrate for emotional reasons, not for bad business reasons. Then again, it was just her opinion. No one ever said that opinions were fact. I reminded myself to not jump to these conclusions and to be weary of them.
I sighed. “You do make some valid points. I think I will just take it day-by-day and see what happens. He said that she is coming out to visit him.”
“Well, although my advice to you is to run the other way, maybe you can figure some stuff out after meeting her. Just imagine, if she is truly his daughter and you two get married, you will be a stepmother to someone that’s five years older than you,” she laughed. The thought of marriage terrified me! Things had been so rocky with Ashton and me that marriage was the last thing on my mind!
“Oh Jessica, please don’t mention marriage yet! That hasn’t even crossed my mind.”
“Well, why else do you date? Just to hang out and have a good ole time?” she laughed.
“You’re trying very hard to talk me out of this relationship, and you’re doing a great job,” I nervously shot back.
In the back of my mind, I imagined walking down the aisle to Seth, and the thought didn’t make me cringe. What was wrong with me? How come I couldn’t decide between the two? I decided that when the time came, I would meet Rebecca and go from there. I knew that I didn’t have all of the details yet, and since this was my last try with Ashton, it deserved to have my full attention until I knew if things were meant to be. Seth deserved my full attention if I were to call it quits with Ashton and the whole fame thing.
“Jessica, if I call it quits with Ashton, I may just have to leave town and find some remote place in Montana.”
“What on earth for?” she looked confused.
“Because I don’t want the cameras and paparazzi to follow me everywhere afterwards,” I honestly answered.
She thought for a moment. “Well, if you don’t give them anything to find interesting, they may back off. Then again, maybe the fame can be good.”
“I really don’t know,” I replied. “Maybe I should try and be positive about that.” She patted me on the back and walked away. I sat on the couch and stared out the window. I wondered what to expect. Ashton said that he would call or text me the next day so I gave myself permission to relax and not worry about Rebecca.
Ashton’s story continued to get stranger by the day.
The Billionaire’s Release Book 9
Bella Rayne
Chapter 1
I sat nervously in the foyer. Many conflicted feelings and emotions crowded my mind. Was I ready to meet my rich boyfriend’s daughter who was older than me? I was giving Ashton the benefit of the doubt, but I still had my suspicions. Jessica had a chance at being right about him.
I heard voices echoing down the hallway. He was coming and she was with him. I vigorously rubbed my clammy palms together. As they rounded the corner, my jaw nearly dropped. His daughter was beautiful! She had long, blonde hair that extended down the length of her back and her makeup was applied flawlessly. I stood as they approached me.
“Charlotte, this is my lovely Alexis. Alexis, this is my daughter, Charlotte,” Ashton grinned from ear to ear. I held out my hand for her to shake. She looked slightly hesitant and snobby. Nonetheless, she gently shook my hand in greeting.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” I was still befuddled by the entire situation. I wanted answers but didn’t know how to ask the questions.
“Well, now that we’ve introduced the two of you, let’s have some lunch. The chef has prepared a grand meal for us,” Ashton’s tone was more elite than normal. He was behaving more like a rich man than a laid back charmer. Then again, he was likely trying to give his daughter a proper greeting. I followed them quietly to the veranda. The staff had decorated the area with large pots o
f colorful petunias and hydrangeas. Fruit trays and sandwiches were arranged on dainty plates on the white wicker table. It was a beautiful scene for lunch, but, it didn’t ease my nerves. I watched as Ashton politely pulled out Charlotte’s seat. He seemed more relaxed around her than I initially imagined. Then he pulled out my chair.
“Thank you,” I said softly. He sat in between us. Charlotte sat silently, studying my every inch. To say that it was weird would be an understatement.
Ashton cleared his throat. “So, Charlotte is from Arizona, where the sun never stops shining.”
“Ah, I’ve never been there,” I replied kindly. I remembered that his first fiancée had moved to Arizona when she left him. That must’ve been her mother. I tried to do the math in my head.
“I’ve never been out of the West until now,” Charlotte added. She spoke with a mildly snobbish tone. It was clear that she was trying to be meek but was failing miserably. Ashton studied my expression.
“Perhaps you two will get along and can do girl things together sometime,” Ashton proposed. I forced a smile.
“I’ve always wanted to meet my father. Momma never talked much about him,” Charlotte continued. The more she talked, the less that I had to.
“Well, honey, I didn’t know of your existence until last week. I would’ve been there from the start had I known. It saddens me deeply that I wasn’t told. I really loved your mother.” Ashton placed his hand over hers and stared longingly into her eyes. It was almost creepy. My phone beeped. Ashton quickly looked up. I chose to look at it regardless of his reaction.
“It’s my Mom,” I replied. “Sorry, I can’t ignore her.” I explained in an equally snobby tone. It was out of character for me, but considering the situation, I almost didn’t care.
“Of course,” Ashton said. I worried how this would look in the media. Would this taint my life forever? Would I have my own Wikipedia page that only talked about being known for being tied up in Ashton Jackson’s scandals? Fear began to creep into my mind. Why did I have such a hard time walking away from all of this nonsense? Ashton had some type of sick control over my mind and heart. I didn’t like it. I had always heard of mental prison with relationships and swore that I would never be a victim or instigator. A few pretty words and lavish vacations, though, and Voila! Ashton had succeeded in luring me into his trap. I could honestly say that it wasn’t for the money and riches. Although I knew that would be what people thought, it wasn’t true. There was something deeper between the two of us that I could not walk away from.
I watched closely throughout the meal. Charlotte didn’t have much interest in me. She talked to Ashton about her life in Arizona but never mentioned her mother. I thought that was strange. Perhaps she was merely trying to spare him the emotional pain? Then I began to imagine crazy things. What if I were to become her stepmother? She was five years older than me and talked about early childhood memories that were slightly before my time.
“What’s wrong, Alexis?” Ashton asked me randomly. I hadn’t realized that I was shaking my head in disbelief due to the thoughts in my head. I embarrassed myself.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought of something amusing. That’s all,” I stuttered in an attempt to find an excuse for my behavior. I couldn’t quite tell if he believed it or not. Either way, I wanted to hide in a corner and pretend that he didn’t have a thirty-year-old daughter. It almost would’ve been easier if she were a past lover. I didn’t know how to handle it.
Chapter 2
Her skin was soft against mine. The silk sheets were nothing in comparison to her silky skin. I leaned in to nibble on her ear and engulfed myself in her floral scent. Unfortunately, she seemed disturbed and lost in her thoughts.
“Come on, kiss me,” I nudged Alexis.
She squinted her eyes in deep thought. “Ashton, the age difference between your daughter and I is bizarre. She is five years older than me. Does that not seem awkward to you?”
I wanted to ignore her question. How many times was she going to revisit the whole age thing?
“Please stop worrying about the age. You know that I believe that love has no boundaries. Age included,” I tried to console her. My erection was getting harder by the minute, and my body was nearly screaming with passion. I wanted her badly. How could she not forget about her worries when I was laying there beside her shirtless? My carefully chiseled muscles always turned ladies on. In fact, it usually distracted them from any worries or concerns. Why was Alexis not falling under my spell?
“Where is she staying again?” I asked him.
“She is staying in a hotel room in downtown Hillsboro,” I answered as patiently as I could. I had already answered these questions at least twice. “Come on, kiss me,” I insisted. I leaned over her and tried to push my tongue through her lips.
“Stop it, Ashton!” she blurted out, gently pushing me away. I didn’t get it. I sat back, sullen and perturbed. I wasn’t about to rape the poor girl. “I have to figure this out.”
“Is it PMS week?” I said sourly. I was getting annoyed.
“No, it’s actually not.”
“Well, I’m turning on the television until you decide you want me,” I said pitifully. Secretly, I hoped it would manipulate her emotions and cause her to cave in to my seduction.
“Please don’t. I’m not ready to see if the media has created a new story about your daughter being older than me.”
“You don’t like being famous?” I asked. Most women dream of becoming famous and dating a billionaire who looks like a Hollywood star.
She glared at me. “It’s not exactly what I thought it would be,” she answered, her tone becoming ornery. Her moods sometimes irritated me. How much longer could I stand her ridiculous outbursts, demands and moodiness? I had to remind myself of the benefits it would bring. Patience was definitely a virtue.
“Alright. How about some music then?” I tried to compromise with her.
“Sure,” she muttered under her breath. In that moment, I could see the age difference. Her pouting stirred my irritable emotions. I suppressed it well. I spoke to my phone and asked it to play a sexy song list. Let’s Get It On flowed through the speakers. Satisfied, I settled back down into the bed and nestled on my side, resting my head on her bosom. She didn’t do or say anything. I listened to her beating heart and the inhale and exhale of each breath. She reminded me so much of my first love. In fact, she was close to the same age that my first love was when we were together. Tons of memories flooded my mind. I traced my fingers down her abdomen and softly caressed her bare skin. She reacted slightly. I felt a surge of triumph; I knew that it was working. I didn’t say a word but continued to feel her with my hand. Steadily but slowly, I massaged her inner thighs with great precision and soft passion. Her breathing began to speed slightly. She was getting turned on. I started to softly press my lips on her bare chest. I loved the smell of her skin. It instantly gave me a hard on.
“I don’t know if I want to do this,” she spoke lowly.
“Shh,” I replied, continuing to kiss her chest. “Just relax.” She started to participate. She took my hand and placed it in between her legs. I knew what she wanted. Looking up at her beautiful face, I kissed her soft lips. Quickly, it turned into hot, steamy passion. I rolled over and mounted her gently. Together, we went into a place of steamy pleasure.
Chapter 3
I left Ashton’s mansion before dawn. The last thing I wanted to deal with was crazy paparazzi and their nagging questions. I couldn’t believe that I had allowed him to seduce me again. Yes, he was my boyfriend, but deep down, I felt that the responsible thing would be to ensure our relationship was more sound and secure before I continued to engage in sexual behavior with him. Charlotte was supposed to spend the day with him again. I didn’t know what to think about all of it.
I didn’t see any sign of photographers, reporters or cameras at five in the morning, so I took a chance and cruised through the McDonald’s drive-thru for a cup of hot chocol
ate. The cashier was still very groggy and clearly hadn’t been awake for very long. She yawned as she handed me my change, which made me yawn and yearn to get home to my bed. Maybe hot chocolate isn’t the best drink if I want to get home and nap for another hour or two. She closed the window, and I waited. Flipping through the radio stations, I heard Ashton’s name. Did I really want to listen? Curiosity overwhelmed me.
As for entertainment news, Ashton Jackson’s girlfriend is five years younger than his daughter. Yes, you heard that right. He just found out that he has a thirty-year-old daughter. We are sure that will cause a stir in his relationship with Alexis King. Can you imagine how awkward that must be? What do you think, Jerry?
I quickly turned the dial, changing the station to steady alternative rock. The groggy cashier opened the window and handed me the hot chocolate.
“Wait a minute, you’re Alexis King! Ashton J’s girlfriend!” she exclaimed, wide-eyed. Suddenly, her grogginess flew out the window. The girl looked wide awake!
I didn’t know what to say. I stuttered, “Yeah, I’m Alexis. Thank you for the hot chocolate.” I smiled awkwardly and fled the drive-thru as calmly but quickly as possible.
The sun was starting to creep above the eastern horizon. Glowing embers were slowly illuminating the night sky. That was my cue to get home. I knew that I couldn’t stay hidden forever. I just didn’t like the idea of my face being constantly plastered over the tabloids. Fame wasn’t what I thought it to be, especially when it was in Ashton’s shadow. He had given me so many opportunities, but so much stress accompanied it.
Jessica was still asleep when I walked through the door. I walked to the couch, curled up with my hot chocolate and favorite blanket. I slept a few hours at Ashton’s so if I didn’t fall back to sleep, I knew that I would be okay. The sunlight started to spill through the balcony blinds. It was a calming to see the sunrise.
At seven o’clock, my eyes started to feel heavy with sleep. I wasn’t fighting it until my phone rang. It was my Mom.
Hang Em' Up: A Bad Boy Sports Pregnancy Romance Page 149