Lust Muscle: A Billionaire Revenge Romance

by Alexis Angel

  Now scrolling through my missing calls list, I spot Renee’s name in there. Without even thinking twice about it, I press down on her name and make the call - right now, all I want is to hear a familiar voice. This time, though, she doesn’t pick on the first one. I’m almost ready to give up when I hear her voice coming from the other side of the line.

  “What’s up, girl? Everything okay?” She asks me, and I have to focus to understand what she’s saying. Wherever she is, there’s loud music and chatter.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m good… Where are you? I can barely hear you.”

  “POOL PARTY!” She shouts happily. “It’s sunny and warm! Wanna join me?”

  “I can’t right now. I gotta head to work,” I tell her, even though an alcohol-fueled party might be exactly what I need to clear my head - or, at least, to forget about this trainwreck of a situation for a few hours. “But what do you say about lunch?”

  “Lunch it is then,” she chirps in that excited tone of hers. “I’ll swing by your office at noon.”

  “Done. See ya then,” I say, and then throw the phone onto the bed. I fall back, sprawling myself over the mattress, and stare at the ceiling for a long, long time. My mind drifts back to the way my naked body and Liam’s seemed so perfect for each other and, before I know it, there’s a smile on my face.

  Oh course, that smile dies quickly as I remember how close I am to ruining everything. I have a few options to consider, sure, but all of them seem to end in heartbreak.

  Ah, how the hell am I going to solve this situation?

  23

  Cara

  “I told you, Misty is batshit crazy,” Renee tells me with an all-knowing air, swirling her martini glass. Even though it’s still 1 pm, she couldn’t resist when the handsome (and definitely very cocky) bartender offered her a drink. He tried the same with me, but I’m not in the habit of getting drunk during a workday. Although, I gotta admit, it’s pretty tempting to do so. Specially when my work gets in the way of a normal love life.

  “Definitely…” I nod, thinking back to how Misty managed to make my phone overheat with all her damned messages. “I’ll probably have to drop her,” I continue, looking straight into Renee’s eyes to try and gauge her reaction.

  “Drop Misty?” She whistles, arching one eyebrow as she processes my words. “You do that and her craziness levels will definitely go through the roof. She isn’t the kind of girl that knows how to deal with rejection.”

  “Yeah, well… That’s exactly why I’m in this situation right now, isn’t it? She couldn’t handle being rejected by Liam.”

  “True. But it’s not like you can escape now, huh? But if you’re seriously thinking of dropping her, prepare for major drama.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, you know. When the studio cancelled her show, Misty kinda went into the CEO’s office and proceeded to throw everything she could get her hands on at his head. Lucky for him, she was too drunk to aim properly.”

  “Ah, crap,” I sigh, already imagining the kind of stunts Misty will pull once I give her the news. I hope she doesn’t try and thrash my office or come after me with an axe, although all these things seem likely.

  “Yeah. She also stole the CEO’s car and drove it straight into a lake,” Renee nods wisely, almost as if she admires the sheer level of insanity Misty is capable of achieving. “That girl is an hurricane.”

  “I can see that,” I sigh, leaning back against my seat and rubbing my temples, already feeling a headache brewing inside my head.

  “Hey, another martini!” Renee shouts out suddenly, waving her empty glass at the bartender. I look at him over my shoulder, and I notice a smile creeping up on his face as he looks at Renee.

  “Order me one,” I tell her, sighing. All this talk of Misty going on a rampage has made me change my mind on the benefits of getting wasted right after lunch.

  “And another one for my friend!” She adds in a hurry, and the bartender salutes her discretely. Yeah, there’s something going on between these two.

  “What?” I ask her, not bothering to beat around the bush. “Don’t tell me you’re interested.”

  “Interested?” She responds, cocking one eyebrow as if she expected more of me. “Please, Cara, I’m not interested. I’ve been sleeping with that guy for the past week. And, let me tell you, he knows how to get his freak on between the sheets. For instance, he --”

  “Okay, okay!” I cry out with a laugh. “I get it, I don’t need the details.”

  “Are you sure? Because they’re the good kind of details, if you know what I mean.”

  “I know exactly what you mean,” I continue, turning around on my seat to take a better look at the bartender. “What’s his name?” I ask her as I watch him prepare our drinks. He seems to be in his early twenties, but his youthful face seems to have a hint of danger hidden in there; he’s wearing a white button up shirt, and it’s tight enough for me to see that he’s the kind of guy that loves to spend time at the gym. Renee knows how to choose guys, that’s for sure; even though she’s isn’t exactly picky, she always seem to go for the hottest guy in the room.

  “Michael… Or John. I’m not entirely sure.”

  “You’re crazy,” I laugh, trying to act discreetly as Michael/John brings us our martinis. This time, I notice him brushing his fingers against Renee’s hands as he gives her the martini.

  “No, you’re the one dealing with a crazy person,” she nods, taking a sip out of her martini. I do the same, allowing the alcohol to burn its way down my throat. “But, really… Why do you want to drop Misty? This is the first time I hear you talking of dropping a major client.”

  “Liam isn’t the kind of guy I was expecting, Renee. Despite what the whole world seems to think of him, he’s actually a nice guy, you know? He doesn’t deserve to have his heart broken just because Misty’s bitter.”

  “Uh-oh. You know what that sounds like, don’t you?” She asks me, and I just sigh. Yeah, I know exactly what it sounds like. “You’re falling for him, aren’t you?”

  “I.... Oh, screw it. Yes, I am. But it’s not like things can work out between the two of us, you know? Our relationship started because Misty wanted me to break his heart, and I seriously doubt things will be the same after he finds out,” I tell her, that familiar desperation creeping in once more: I can’t imagine how it’ll be like without having Liam in my life. God, I sound just like a teenager, don’t I?

  “You think too much, Cara,” Renee whispers softly. “That’s your problem. You should try and follow your heart on this one.”

  “That’s how people end up on my client list,” I scoff, feeling more miserable than I have ever felt, and that’s when I feel my phone vibrating. I pick it up from the table, and there’s a text from my assistant in there: Come ASAP, it reads, Misty’s here.

  “Oh, crap, Misty’s at the office,” I tell Renee, finishing my martini and then standing up. I grab my wallet to pay, but Renee just waves me down.

  “I got this,” she says, and I stuff my wallet inside my purse again. “Just… go do what you have to do.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “You’ll figure it out,” she replies, looking into my eyes and smiling softly. “You always figure it out.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper, even though this time I’m not sure if I can find a solution for this mess.

  Either way, it’s time to face Misty.

  24

  Cara

  “She’s already inside,” my assistant says, pointing at my office’s door and shrugging. “I tried to stop her, but…” She shrugs again, and I just nod at her, fully knowing that there’s no stopping a maniac like Misty.

  “Alright, I’ll handle her,” I say, more to myself than to my assistant. I walk toward the door, place my hand on the handle, and take a deep breath before turning it.

  “Misty?” I call her as I step inside the office, carefully closing the door behind me. The office’s lights are turned off, and I go fo
r the switch and flick it up. The moment the light floods the room, my eyes find Misty immediately - she’s sitting in my chair, her legs up on my desk, and her small Yorkie, Cupcake, is sitting on her lap with a bored expression. Her lips are a straight line of contempt, desperation, and rage… and all that at the same time.

  “Why haven’t you answered my calls?” She asks me right away, her voice soft but already cracking. She’s seconds away from crying or screaming - or probably these two at the same time.

  “I’ve been busy with --”

  “Why did you ignore me?” She continues, almost as if she hadn’t heard me, and takes her legs off my desk. Jumping up to her feet, she closes the distance between me and her, and I feel the scent of alcohol hanging in the air. Yeah, more than just angry, she’s also drunk. But that was to be expected, right? “WHY DOES EVERYONE IGNORE ME?!” She shouts out loud, throwing both her hands up in the air and closing her eyes for a long moment. “THIS ISN’T FAIR!”

  “Misty, calm down. Why don’t you --”

  “CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN?! My heart is broken, Cara! I demand retribution!” She continues hysterically, waving one fist into the air. She gestures wildly as she speaks, clutching Cupcake against her chest and almost suffocating him with her huge breasts.

  Pacing around my office, her heels clicking ominously against the floor, she looks like a tiger looking for a way out of his cage.

  “Please, Misty, sit down,” I try, waving at the couch at the end of the room, but that just makes her pace faster now.

  “I can’t! I can’t sit down… I can’t eat or sleep! I can’t do anything until Liam’s crushed!” She continues, talking so fast that I can barely understand anything she’s saying.

  I need to do something before she goes berserk.

  Walking up to my desk, I grab her purse and open it. I rummage through it, and it doesn’t take me more than two seconds to find her flask of vodka. Grabbing it, I then walk up to Misty and grab her arm; I force her to sit down on the couch, and then I open the flask and shove it into her hands.

  Still ranting about the fire and brimstone that’s her daily life, she finally quiets down as she brings the flask to her lips, drinking heartily. Just like a baby - if babies drank vodka, that is.

  Cupcake has slipped out from her embrace and has already fallen asleep next to her, curled into a tiny ball of fur. I have no idea how the dog does it - I’d go insane if I had to be around Misty 24/7.

  “Misty, listen,” I start, taking a deep breath as I try to find the right words. “You can’t be my client anymore,” I tell her, deciding to get real right from the start.

  Taking the flask out from her lips, she looks at me with her wide bloodshot eyes.

  “What?”

  “I can’t find anything on Liam,” I tell her softly, feeling as if I’m trying to disarm a nuclear bomb that’s about to go off. “I just can’t do what you’ve asked me. I’m sorry, Misty, I failed,” I continue, choosing the safest route available.

  “No,” she whispers, going up to her feet as her eyes keep on widening menacingly. “NO! NO! NO!” She wails, throwing her head back and yanking on her own hair.

  Alright, get on board - crazy train has arrived into town.

  “Misty, please, sit down so that we --”

  “NOOOO!” She continues, gritting her teeth as tears stream down her face. Then, as if something snapped inside her head, she narrows her eyes and turns her gaze to me, her demeanor going from wild and loose to cool and controlled in a fraction of a second. “Quit thinking with your pussy, Cara,” she tells me, her words hitting me like a brick.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Stop thinking with your pussy. You’re probably just blinded by his eight-pack and huge cock, aren’t you? I can see it in your eyes,” she whispers, taking one step toward me and narrowing her eyes into slits. She’s so close that the smell of vodka in her breath is probably enough to get me drunk.

  “You’re mistaken, Misty, it’s nothing like that. I simply can’t find--”

  “Oh, please. Don’t try to fool me. It’s as clear as vodka to me - you’re protecting him! Well, you better start doing your job, or else I’m going to expose you online and on TV. How would you like to see Lust Muscle going up in flames? I bet all those broken hearted guys that you crushed and humiliated would bandy up together to destroy you, wouldn’t they? I bet they can sue you for emotional distress.”

  “Misty, stop. You’re crazy.”

  “Crazy? You might be doing well, but I doubt that even you would be able to survive if Lust Muscle were to be exposed. The cost of surviving in court would bury you,” she tells me with a grin, toying me like a cat would do to a mouse.

  I stare into her eyes, rage welling up inside of me, but Misty just keeps on grinning wildly.

  “I want results, Cara. Or else,” she finishes off and then grabs her purse from my desk and bolts out of my office like a hurricane. Then, a few seconds later, she’s back in the doorway. “Cupcake, cutie! Come on with mommy!” She chirps happily, almost as if she is a different woman now, and her Yorkie jumps out of the couch and trots after her.

  “Fuck,” I whisper, sinking down into the couch as she slams my office door. Noticing her open flask forgotten on the couch, I grab it and take a few sips, closing my eyes as the vodka spills into my bloodstream.

  How the hell am I going to get out of this mess?

  25

  Cara

  “I’m so fucked,” I mutter under my breath again, leaning back against the couch. I throw my head back and close my eyes, allowing the darkness to take over my mind. Taking Misty’s flask back to my lips, I take an hearty sip… and then another. It’s so much easier to deal with all this with a slight buzz going on.

  Even though Misty has just threatened me, there’s no way I can keep on fooling Liam. Not after knowing him like I do. I might not be the most righteous woman on Earth, but even I have limits.

  Of course, that’s easier to think than to do - I don’t want to break his heart, but if I don’t do it… Everything I worked so long and hard for will be at risk. And I sure as hell don’t want to throw it all away on a whim. I mean, I’ve sacrificed all of my adult life to Lust Muscle, trying to grow it as a respectable company. I can’t abandon my company this easily.

  But how the hell am I supposed to do it, when saving my business means breaking two hearts at once - mine and Liam’s? God, I can’t believe that after so many years of mocking those women that fall in love, I’ve became one of them. Karma really is a screwed up thing, isn’t it?

  Ah, I can’t even think right now.

  Rubbing my temples with my thumbs, I take deep breathes and finally open my eyes again. I look at my wristwatch and, even though it’s barely 3 pm, I make a decision: I’m going to get out of here and go home.

  Yeah, maybe I’m hiding from the world, but so what? It’s not like I’m doing any good here, in the office. If I remain here, soon enough my brain will melt inside my skull and that’d definitely be the end of Lust Muscle.

  Forcing myself to stand up, I drag my feet across my office and step outside, already feeling the vodka wrapping itself around my brain like a heavy blanket.

  “I’m going home for the day,” I tell my assistant, and she looks at me, surprised. This is the first time in years that I’m leaving the office earlier just so I can go home - whenever I leave early, I do it because there’s a job I’m working on. “You can take the rest of the day off,” I tell her, and then the surprise in her face is replaced by an exultant expression. Everybody loves to take the afternoon off.

  “Thank you! But, uhm, are you okay?” She adds, and I just force myself to smile at her.

  “I’m fine! But we deserve a few hours off, don’t we? Let’s enjoy the rest of the day,” I tell her, even though I know for a certainty that I won’t be enjoying my afternoon off - unless ‘enjoying the afternoon’ means getting drunk and depressed while watching romantic comedies from the 90s.

&nbs
p; Walking out of my office floor, I step into the elevator and press the button that’ll carry me all the way down; meanwhile, I grab my phone and call for an Uber. Lucky for me, there’s a free car just around the block, and it’s already waiting for me the moment I step one foot outside the building.

  Thirty minutes later and I’m already home, a deep sadness taking over me, wrapping itself around my heart and brain like one of these snakes that crush you before it finally decides to devour you, bones and all.

  Taking my dress off, my limbs suddenly feeling as heavy as concrete, I take my old college pajamas out of my wardrobe and slip inside them. I grab a blanket and then drag it after me to the living room; there, I just collapse on my couch and grab the remote.

  I put The Biggest Licker on, and prepare to forget about the real world for the duration of the show - there’s something about watching billionaires fighting for their chance at deflowering a virgin while your own life is in disarray. There’s just something about that show that makes you believe that, maybe, you also have a shot at an happily ever after. Although, right now, I doubt that’s how this story will end for me.

  It’s hard to accept that I’m on the verge of losing Liam. I don’t know how it happened, but somewhere along the way I started to believe that things would work out in the end. Oh, I was so naive.

  But it was bound to happen - no man has ever made me feel like he does… And I just can’t stand the thought of being apart from him. But what did I expect would happen? I deserve this. After all, I fooled him just so I could break his heart… And I did it for money.

  Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? I spent my whole adult life crushing men’s hearts and ruining their lives without breaking a sweat, and all for what? Just so I could buy myself expensive clothes and live in a modern apartment? I always told myself that Lust Muscle was about empowering women and going after bad men… But now I can’t help but wonder: maybe I’m as bad as the men I’ve destroyed.