Her Billionaires_ Boxed Set(105)

“Thank you. Thank you! Because it is, isn’t it?”

Bzzzz.

“Don’t you answer that! He had his chance. One. I gave him one. And that’s more than he and Mike deserve.”

“OK. Whatever you want.” Thank God for Josie, because right now she was rising to the occasion in a way Laura had never thought possible. Of course, they’d been there for each other over the years, through heart breaks and break ups, through angry, gritted-teeth conversations where they’d tried to convince each other to DTMFA, as Dan Savage would say. Dumping the motherfucker already, though, was easier said than done in most cases, and this was another one of those, ahem, complicated situations.

Not really, she argued with herself. Its simple. DTMFA. Both of them. Because the lack of respect they’d shown her told her everything she needed to know, even if that feeling of “fuck you” went against everything her heart was crying out right now, its words pleading with her to give them at least a quick meeting to hear why they hid this from her.

Why she had to learn about it at work, in a lobby, on a cheap television while two women who knew more about anal bleaching than world affairs got to prattle on and drool over Dylan and make comments that made her feel tiny and small and—

Ashamed. God, that really was a huge part of this, wasn’t it? It had taken so much effort to overcome her feeling of discomfort at owning her own desire for both men, and here she was tentatively growing and accepting who she was and what her authentic self really needed and wanted. And it was Dylan and Mike, together as a trio that would make everyone so happy.

Her shame, now, was overflowing. Shame at thinking she could really have it all. Shame at wanting something so unconventional. Shame that they couldn’t trust her.

Shame that she had trusted them.

And, worst of all, shame that she had something inside her that made her feel so much shame! She couldn’t win.

She just couldn’t win.

“You’ve got Netflix, right?” she asked Josie.

“Yup.” Josie’s face changed, shifted to something softer. “Ooo, I know what you want to watch.”

Laura sighed. “Let’s do it.”



“Oh, my God! It’s the billionaire bachelor!” the receptionist screeched as the elevator doors parted and Dylan stepped out onto Laura’s floor. The lobby at Laura’s work was more crowded than it had been when he’d delivered flowers to her last month and heads turned. Then more heads.

Then every.single.head.

Oh, geez. The last thing he needed. “You remember me, right?” the receptionist crooned, walking over and extending her hand. “Debbie. I was here the day you delivered flowers to Laura.” Wink.

The absolutely last thing he needed. He didn’t shake her hand. “Where is Laura?” he asked, not caring that he was being blunt, pointedly ignoring all the eyes on him.

“She went home sick.” A deep male voice answered, to Dylan’s left. The man was middle-aged, greying temples, a bit of a paunch. Nice suit. Her boss? He nodded to Debbie, who skittered over to her station and began answering phone calls, eyes glued on the two men.

“Oh. Is she OK?” He frowned, concerned.

“I won’t comment on that, but after she watched the news report featuring you, she clearly wasn’t doing well.” Ah. This guy was a straight shooter. A little angry on Laura’s behalf. Dylan could understand that.

And respect it. Even if it pained him deeply to have caused her pain.

“Thanks. I’ll try to catch her at home.” Debbie’s eyes widened and she reached for a smart phone, texting furiously. Gossip. Great. Poor Laura.

Poor Laura? He was the cause of what made her poor Laura. Holy fuck. He’d never considered that the fallout could do this to her.

A hand on his arm. Firm. Unyielding. His hackles went up and a thin thread of fight grew in him. The boss’s eyes were cold steel, pointed directly at Dylan like a weapon. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. If she wants to see you, she can contact you.” This wasn’t advice.

This was a veiled threat. Or, at least, that’s how it sounded to Dylan’s hypersensitive ears. Who was this tool to tell him how to handle Laura? He shook the man’s hand off him roughly and got right in his face.

“I’ll talk to her if I want to.” His face was inches from the boss, who stood up and matched Dylan on height. This guy was twenty years older and probably out of shape, but he was a fierce dude who wasn’t backing down, even in the presence of a very muscled fire fighter.

“If she wants to talk to you. Otherwise, you’re just an angry stalker.”