Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“I’m not—”
“You are. You’re trying to hurt him. Because scaring me off, talking me into running away from him, would only hurt him.”
I plant my hands on the desk and stand, and she also rises out of her chair, glaring at me now.
You picked the wrong girl to fuck with, Fiona.
“Nothing you could say would make me leave him. I don’t give two fucks about his money. Oh, by the way, he didn’t buy me this blouse. I bought it. Me. If I want pretty things, I can buy them. I don’t need a billionaire boyfriend for that. I’m not sure where this jealousy is coming from.”
Fiona’s jaw drops, but she doesn’t say anything.
“From what I understand, you’re happily married with two children.”
“I’m simply looking out for a friend.”
“Right.” I snort and shake my head. “And I’m a flamingo. I’m in love with that man, and I will never sit back and let anyone speak about him the way you just did. He’s so much better than that. If you don’t like me or approve of me, or whatever, that’s okay. It honestly doesn’t bother me. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and at the end of the day, you don’t matter to me. But you walked in this room today with a huge chip on your shoulder, and that’s bullshit.”
Practically shaking, I straighten up and look Fiona up and down.
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
I have to get out of here. I’m so angry, I want to deck that bitch, so I march to the open door but stop and look back at her.
“And the next time you walk into this or any other of Connor’s spaces, you’ll fucking knock or you won’t come in at all.”
I stomp out, running into a hard chest, and when I look up, I find Connor, whose green eyes are on. Fucking. Fire.
“How much of that did you hear?” My voice is starting to shake from the adrenaline, and I hate it.
I can’t catch my fucking breath. My hands are in fists. I’m going to lose my shit, so I need to get somewhere private.
“From the minute she asked you what you do for a living. Angel, I—”
All of it.
He heard all of it.
“That’s some friend you have there.” I storm away, my heels clicking on the floor.
“Billie—”
“I need the ladies’ room,” I reply, without looking back at him and push through the door, walk to the sinks, and lean on the granite, staring at my reflection.
My cheeks are pink with anger. My eyes are flashing. My jaw is tight.
I look like I want to burn the world to the ground.
Because I do.
How dare she?
“She doesn’t know you,” I remind myself. “And she sure as fuck doesn’t know him.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
CONNOR
Iwant to run after Billie and make sure she’s all right.
Aye, her backbone is something to behold.
I’ve never seen her so angry, and as much as it’s a turn-on, I’m also worried that Fiona has pushed her beyond what she can bear.
Or is willing to tolerate.
And that would be unforgivable.
I cannot lose this woman. My heart. How many unwanted situations will Billie have to contend with by being in my life? I want to reassure her that nothing Fiona said was true. Not for us.
But before I can do any of that, I have to talk to my ex-wife.
Calmly, I stride into my office and close the door behind me. Fiona’s standing before my desk, breathing hard, but when she sees me, she pastes on a smile.
“You just missed Billie,” she says.
“I saw her,” I reply and stop ten feet from her, shove my hands in my pockets, and rock back on my heels, watching her. She stares me dead in the eyes. “She didn’t look happy.”
“Oh, you know how young people are,” she replies, waving me off as she strides toward the door. “So emotional.”
“Especially when their man’s ex-wife tries to warn them off the relationship.”
That has her coming up short, and she turns to stare at me with a frown. “Pardon?”
“You heard me, Fiona. I heard every bloody word you said to her.”
“It’s not like you to eavesdrop.”
“I didn’t realize it was like you to be a condescending, coldhearted bitch, but here we are.”
Fiona gasps, clutching at her very real pearls. “You can’t speak to me like that.”
“Oh, aye. I can. That woman did nothing to you. She’s not the reason our marriage failed. She’s not trying to take anything from you. So would you like to explain to me what in the actual feck your problem is?”
“I didn’t try to be cruel,” she says, her shoulders drooping in defeat. “I honestly wanted to make sure she understood what she’s getting herself into with you because I know from experience that the aftermath can be devastating. She’s so young, Connor. And she’s so desperately in love with you, she might as well be walking around with heart eyes, and we both know that you don’t do love.”