Bought By The Billionaire novel Chapter 29

I spend the rest of the week in a dreamy haze. After a couple of days in bed, I feel fine and am bored rigid. Against my Master’s protests, I return to work.

But I am thinking hard.

I know my Master loves me. I can see it in his face, and he is showing it by his actions if not his words.

I continue my work with the Thornton deal, familiarizing myself with as much of it as I can. Jaye and Alex Thornton both seem to like me, and my Master, ‘Richard’ at these meetings, always brings me along, saying that my presence makes the negotiations go more smoothly.

My sun is shining, and my skies are blue.

Turning the key in the lock, I click open the door to my Master’s apartment and walk in, calling as I enter. “Hi, it’s only me….” Then I freeze at the tableau I see before me.

My Master is there, in the lounge and Adele, his ‘ex’, is with him. She is wearing a very short scarlet dress with deeply plunging neckline. Her long dark hair is swinging loosely around her and she is pressed up close to my Master, arms around his neck, kissing him.

As I stand there, gaping, she turns her face to me, almost sneering, a sneer that turns to triumph as she sees me.

My Master calls out. “Elizabeth….” but I turn and run, sick to the pit of my stomach, trying to keep back the tears until I can cry in private. Taking the lift down to the lobby, I keep my face down as I make for the door. The phone rings in my pocket, but I ignore it.

A minute later there is the bing of a text arriving, and then another. I ignore both, instead hailing a taxi to take me to my own apartment.

Slamming the door closed behind me, I finally allow myself to collapse into tears, letting the sobs rack me as I grieve. How could he have done that to me? I trusted him. He even encouraged me to live with him. And then to have her there….

My phone rings again. Checking the screen, it is Richard calling me, and this time I decide to answer.

“Elizabeth. We have to talk. That wasn’t what….”

I decide that I don’t want to hear it, and I hang up.

Miserably, I wonder what to do with myself and settle for pouring myself a drink, a large drink. It will make me tipsy, but that’s probably not a bad idea right now. I gulp it down, pour myself another and then, cradling the glass, I stand by the window, staring out over the cityscape far below, feeling wretched. The tears have stopped flowing and for some time I stand there; just stand.

The intercom buzzes. “Elizabeth. It’s Richard. Let me in.”

I do not answer. I don’t want to talk to him.

“Elizabeth. Open this door. We need to talk.”

I don’t reply.

“Elizabeth. I know you’re in there. The concierge told me you are here. Now let me in.”

Still, I say nothing.

For a moment there is silence and then, with a crash, the door bursts open as my Master kicks it in.

Startled, I jump backwards, pressing myself against the wall. He strides into the room, looking volcanically angry.

I wave a finger at the door, lock broken and wood splintered. “The door….”

“I own this building. It’s my fucking door. I’ll replace it.” he snarls. Striding over, he jabs a finger towards me. “I know you’re upset, Elizabeth, but there are some things you don’t do, and one of them is to hang up on me.”

He snatches the glass from my hand and puts it on the coffee table. Seizing me by the shoulders, he pushes me against the wall. Never have I seen him like this before. This is a side of my Master I did not even suspect existed. Still holding me by the shoulders, he shakes me.

“Don’t you ever do that again! If you have something to say, then say it. But do not put the phone down on me. Do we understand each other?”

He continues. “I’m sorry you saw what you did, but I told you weeks ago that Adele is out of my life….”

“You were kissing her……”