However, when I hear him yell, I don’t think I can write anymore.
“Seriously? Again?” he says, crushing his phone in his hand. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“What’s the matter?” I ask.
He looks at me but doesn’t speak. Instead, he starts yelling into his phone again. “Fuck her. Fuck her and her wishes and her life.”
I frown, hearing that. It must be about that Marilyn woman. I wonder what she’s done now.
“She only wants to sign it if I meet those criteria? No, no, no, absolutely not. Tell her to go jump off a building for all I care. No, I am not kidding. She is screwing me over big time, and expecting that I’ll just fucking bow to her. Fuck her. No. Find something else. Do it, I don’t care what it takes. Just make her sign the fucking paper. I don’t care how. I want you to solve it. Now!”
He takes the phone from his ear, smashes the button, and then throws the phone so far it makes me squeal. Luckily for him, it lands on the couch.
“What happened?” I ask.
“That bitch,” he growls, letting out a roar. “I can’t believe she pulled that card.”
“Is it that bad?” I ask, frowning.
“She’s asking me to dump you.”
“What?” I sit up straight.
“Exactly my thoughts. She’s gone insane.” He starts pacing through the room.
“But why? What does the company have to do with me?”
“Nothing, she’s just jealous and wants you out of the way. Apparently, she found out what we have is more than purely professional.”
I swallow away the lump in my throat. “When? Oh, God, was it because I went to your house when we were …”
He nods. “She texted me in the morning, just after you left, that she had seen us coming out of the bar. Turns out, she even followed us to my home. That woman is crazy. I’d have her arrested for being a stalker if it wasn’t for the fact that I have no proof … and let’s not forget that I’m fucking married to her.” He lets out a long drawn-out sigh, rubbing his face. “She wants me to end it with you. It’s the only thing that’ll get her to sign the divorce papers.”
I make a face. “I can’t believe she’s trying to do that. I thought she was over you already.”
“Apparently not. It seems the company isn’t all she wants back from me.”
“She never had you in the first place,” I say, standing up. I don’t know if what I say is true, though. Maybe he did like her once. “Right?”
He cocks his head. “Well, I might have flirted with her, but I never made a move. I learned quickly that she wasn’t my type at all, so I never pushed further. I didn’t want to,” he says. He comes to me and holds my hand, pressing a kiss to the back. “I love you.”
“But she’s trying to drive a wedge between us, Leo. She won’t divorce you unless you do what she wants, and she wants me gone and you back in her claws. How can this ever be okay?”
“Don’t worry, I will handle it. If she doesn’t go one way, I’ll make her go the other way.”
“What about us? Is there even an us?”
“Of course, there is.” He leans his forehead against mine. “I don’t want anyone else but you. Nothing will change that fact. Not what she does, what I do, or even what you do.” He smiles. “I’ll make this work, I promise.”
“But you want to divorce her, right? More than anything?”
With his index finger, he tips up my chin. “No. What I want more than anything is you, and I’d do pretty much anything for you.”
I smile, my cheeks flushing with heat. “I … I don’t know what to say. I’m a bit shocked.”
He chuckles. “I know it’s hard to believe after everything I put you through, but it’s the truth. I’ve been trying to resist you for too long, and now I’ve given up.”
I laugh. “Well, I’m sure glad you didn’t give up the fight.”
“You are?” he asks, and somehow that little trickle of insecurity about my love for him sparks a fire in my heart.
I nod, and he comes close to press his lips on mine. Just the touch of his fingers on my cheeks, his lips on my lips, his body against my body … this is bliss.
Chapter 8
When he takes his mouth off mine, I can still taste him, and it makes me want to pull him close again. Staring into his eyes is equally mesmerizing, though.
“What were you doing on your laptop?” he asks, looking sideways over my shoulder at the couch I was sitting on.
“Oh, nothing. Just a few notes.”
He narrows his eyes. “You don’t want to tell me.”
My eyes widen, but then I laugh it off like there’s nothing going on. I don’t want him to read it. At least, not yet. Maybe in a couple of years. Maybe when we’re fifty. Or never.
“You’re lying …” he draws out, a sly smile appearing on his face.
“No,” I say.
“Your red cheeks give you away,” he says.
“Oh, fuck off,” I say, shoving his shoulder.
He cocks his head. “No, I want to know what you’re doing.”
“Why? Is it important to you?”
“Yes,” he says, smiling sweetly. “I want to know what keeps you busy. You know, what you like to do when you’re not working for me.”
“Well, not a lot, since I have so very little me-time anyway,” I scoff, trying to divert the conversation.
He narrows his eyes again. “If you want more me-time, all you had to do was ask.”
“You weren’t so keen on giving me anytime before, why now?”
He puts his hands in his pockets. “Because you deserve it.”
I snort. “Good one. Just like that money you still owe me.”
“Well, technically, I can deduct some money off that since you spent it on lingerie.”
“Oh, you’re pulling that card now?” I say. “Asshole.”
He laughs. “That’s me. Always an asshole at your service.”
“Do me a favor and don’t be at my service,” I retort.
“I wish I could do that, but unfortunately, this asshole has his eyes set on you.” He raises his brows playfully, making me shake my head.
I sit down on the couch again. “Oh, you’re such a weirdo.”
“Yep, and you know you want it.” He comes closer as I start typing away again. “So, what are you doing?”
I look up from my laptop and then close the damn thing. “None of your business.”
“Oh, c’mon. You’re not even going to tell me a little bit?” He sighs. “How am I supposed to work with this, huh?”
“I don’t know. Ask something else.”
“There’s plenty of time for that. I want to know why you’re typing so quickly. Is it something important?” he asks, sitting down right behind my laptop.
I quickly grab it and put it on the table behind me before he can snatch it away. “I just like to write.”
“Hmm … so you write often?” he asks. There’s a hint of curiosity in his eyes that make me believe it’s not all just fun and games with him. Maybe he is actually interested.
“Yeah. I mostly write down my thoughts. I like writing things down. Gets the thoughts out of my head and onto the paper. I used to dream about writing articles for a newspaper or a magazine, but that was long ago, when I was still in high school.” I smile, thinking about all the memories. “I used to write some articles for the high school newspaper. God, that was fun.”
“Why don’t you write more and submit them then?”
“What? You mean like for real?” I ask with furrowed brows.
“Yeah.” He shrugs. “Why not?”
“I don’t know … ”
“Well, you should,” he says. “If you love it, you go for it. Nothing’s stopping you except you. Just try it sometime. It’s worth a shot.”
For a moment, I’m flabbergasted. It’s just amazing how easy it all is to him, how he just loves to jump into things and doesn’t have a care in the world. Except f
or me. He cares about me, worries about me and his chances with me. Only now do I realize that means a lot coming from him.
Then his buzzing phone distracts me. He takes it out of his pocket and reads a text before jumping off the couch.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
He walks off and grabs his coat. “I have to go to the office. Have to solve this shitty crisis right now.”
“You mean Marilyn?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he says, pressing a peck to my forehead. “I want to nip this in the bud before she starts a fire I can’t extinguish.”
“Let me help you,” I say.
“No.” He furrows his brows. “I don’t want you to get involved more than you already are.”
“Why not? I can help.”
“I appreciate the thought, Sam.” He caresses my cheek with his thumb. “But I don’t want you to get hurt. She’s rather vicious. If she catches onto the fact that you’re trying to help, who knows what more she’ll ask from us. From you. She’s trying to hurt you, and I won’t let her.”
“But she’ll hurt you, too,” I say as he walks to the door.
“I don’t care. I’m a big boy.” He gives me a wink and a sly smile that makes my heart beat faster. “I can take it.”
And then he closes the door behind him, leaving me with a dreadful feeling. I know this isn’t going to end well. She won’t give him anything unless he gives up on me or his company completely. I won’t make him choose. I have to do something.
But what?
What can I do to fix this impossible situation?
The only thing I can think of that might work is to ruin her chances to even get the company. That’s the only thing she wants, next to Leo, whom she obviously can’t have. The only way to do that is to make her seem like a terrible replacement CEO. And the way to do that is …
Public exposure!
I suck in a big breath and immediately jump behind my laptop again. There aren’t a lot of things I can do to help Leo, but there is one thing. I know how to write. And I know how to create a story worth reading. How about a story about a man who had his assistant play his fake wife because his real wife wouldn’t divorce him due to his money after his whole family found out he got married?
A big grin spreads on my face. The media will eat this up.
I just hope Leo can forgive me.
Chapter 9
A few days later
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Leo is Mr. Awesome, but it’s getting better every day. He’s right; it is the perfect solution because Mr. Awesome gave me what I needed sexually, but not emotionally and physically. Now that Leo is he, those two problems are solved. The only one left is the fact that he’s still a giant asshole sometimes, but I think I can live with it … after all, if I’m as feisty as he proclaims, we do indeed make a good couple.
Just thinking about it gets me all flushed and giggly. I don’t know why. Maybe I actually do believe we have a shot at this. That I could be more to him than just a girl … his girl.
These past few days I’ve been helping Leo with making appearances as his fake wife for the few business associates of him who asked about it. Sometimes I made a fool out of myself, but Leo never seemed embarrassed. On the contrary, there was a huge smug smile on his face the entire time I was with him, and I couldn’t help but feel flattered, even though he still wanted me to hold up the façade. Luckily, there aren’t many that we need to visit. I just hope the deal with his real wife ends soon.
After having finally received the money Leo owed me, I’m back to working for him as his assistant. Nobody on the work floor knows about our ‘relationship’ (it hasn’t been defined yet), which is perfect because there would probably be a riot if they knew. They’d want to get raises, too. No, if they are ever to find out, which I’m sure they will, it’ll have to be after I no longer work for him. And I don’t expect that to be anytime soon. After all the shit that went down between us, we’re finally in a good spot. I could even say I’m in the best spot I’ve been in a long time, so I don’t want to spoil it.
Except, right when I’m working on a statement for him, I hear some noise coming from his office. When I glance over my shoulder, Leo shoots up from his chair, throws his phone on the table, and barges toward the door.
Oh, shit.
Oh, fucking hell.
The livid look on his face and the thunder in his eyes are enough for me to want to pack my bag and run out of the door.
I know why he’s mad.
He knows what I’ve done.
“Samantha …”
“Yes?”
“In my office. Now.” The way he says it, with that grated growling undertone, has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
I tiptoe behind him as he storms back into his office, waiting for me to enter before slamming the door shut behind me and walking back to his desk in complete silence. I stay put near the door, not moving an inch as he sits down in his chair, collecting his calm by blowing out long, hard breaths. His entwined fingers rest on his desk as he stares me down, but I’m not opening my mouth first.
I’ve been dreading this moment for weeks because I knew it was coming. Once I submitted the article to a prominent tabloid and promised them exclusivity on my story, I knew shit would hit the fan when he found out. I guess that day is now.
On his desk is today’s newspaper, and the page it’s opened to clearly shows his photo with the headline “W magazine’s CEO King’s secret marriage.” My eyes widen and I suck in a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Leo. Let me explain, please,” I say, gazing back and forth between his penetrating stare and the crucifying newspaper. “I did it so they could see what a wicked bitch she is. I didn’t do it to hurt you, you have to believe me.”
He frowns, parting his lips, but nothing comes out. Instead, he just sits there quietly, listening to me.
“I put the focus on her so she’d get all the blame. This way the media will side with you, and then she won’t be able to steal W magazine from under your feet. They hate her now; she’ll never be accepted as CEO, let alone in a high position anywhere else. This’ll ruin her chances. And I have more where that came from. I doubt she wants it out there in the world. She’ll probably want to hide now so I expect her to sign the papers soon.” I take a few breaths. “Please, you have to believe me. I did it for you.”
When it’s quiet for a few seconds, I don’t know what else to say. I had my reasons, and I hope he understands they came from a good heart.
“Are you done?” he asks.
I’m taken aback by his cold-heartedness. “Say something …”
I’m not sure I want to hear it because I know he’s pissed off, and rightfully so. It’s just hard to swallow, knowing that I did it for him, for us, but it hurt him. I don’t want to hurt him. I wanted to get rid of her so we could be together, and this was the only way. It can’t get any worse than this, right?
Wrong.
“You’re fired.”
My jaw drops and my eyes almost bulge out of my skull. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “What?”
“You heard me,” he says with furrowed brows, his eyes glistening.
Tears well up in my eyes. “Is this some kind of cruel joke?”
“No joke. Please just … pack your things,” he says, looking down at his desk. “I’ll make sure any stuff left will be sent to your home.”
My lips quiver as I fight the urge to let the tears run loose. “You can’t even look at me when you say it.”
“Please … don’t make this harder than it already is.”
“Is this it? Is this my punishment for trying to help?”
He doesn’t respond as he keeps his eyes on the desk, his fingers twiddling with each other to the point of turning red. His inability to deal with this like a man makes me so angry.
“Fine.” I turn around and barge out of his door. “Good-bye.”
Chapter 10
; A few days later
My supply of chocolate never went down the gutter quicker than now. Or rather, down my stomach and onto my fat ass. I’ve been drowning myself in it, as well as Doritos, coffee, and the occasional martini while sobbing with Stephanie. Every sip was another sentence to tell, and every time it got too much, I just took another sip to quell my anger and sadness.
These past few days I’ve been camping out in Stephanie’s house, not able to sleep in my own bed because it smells like him. Everything in my house reminds me of him; the laptop he snooped at, the couch he sat on, the coffee mug he drunk from, the carpet he walked on … even the fucking air smells of him. I can’t take it.
I hate him.
I hate that I love him.
I hate that he pushed me out, just like that. As if it didn’t mean a thing to him.
I crush another pencil with my hand. “Goddammit.”
“Sam … you gotta try to calm yourself down,” Steph says as she grabs the laundry basket.
“I can’t. Every time I try to write a single word, that asshole crosses my mind and he screws everything up.” I get up and throw the pencil in the garbage so I can grab a new one.
“Then stop writing,” she says.
“I can’t. I need to write something. This is going to be my new job. I don’t care how hard I have to work for it, but I will goddamn make it work.”
I grab a new paper and start penciling down a few keywords for my next idea. I refuse to use a laptop because it’ll only tempt me to check my email, which is filled with emails from him. I’ve gathered many since I started working for him, so much that I don’t know where to start to clean up this mess and ban him from my life forever. It’s like spiders; you can never fully get rid of them. Better to just burn your house to the ground.
Possessed - The Complete Series: Part One, Part Two & Part Three (BBW Erotic Billionaire Romance) Page 20