Read Online Mad for the Billionaire by Charlotte DeCorte - Free Book Online
Authors: Charlotte DeCorte
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cried out in a last attempt to head off the inevitable.
“I told you—I’m not going to let you go.”
A low, feral cry of surrender escaped me. “Alexander, I want you but—” My voice sputtered out like a candle gone dead.
I’m so afraid.
He moved until we were both up on our knees. Alexander encircled his fingers about my slim wrists, holding them tight in his hands. “Do you want to be with me?”
“Yes, but—”
He broke in sharply. “I don’t want to hear from your head, Sophia. Do you want to be with me? Yes or no.”
My heart slammed with sickening thuds against my ribcage. I felt as if the ground was falling out from beneath me. The obsession which had carried me well over half my life, which had brought me so much joy and misery, screamed for me to answer Alexander true.
If I really loved Alexander more than me I would lie. I’d say, “No, I don’t. I don’t love you and I don’t want to see you again.”
Instead, I took the damned, selfish way out. I looked the love of my life in the eyes and whispered, “Yes, I want to be with you.”
“Good girl.”
6
Present Day
One Hour Before
The cubicles were empty. So were the offices. I shut my computer off and tidied up my desk. The clock above the door ticked along, cheerfully reminding me that it was time to take the elevator up three floors and see Alexander.
This is really happening. We’re talking again and everything is fine. Better than fine.
I had come to work this morning terrified and expecting Alexander to look right through me. Although I’d been resigned to seeing the emptiness in his eyes, I knew it would be the moment that executed any lingering hope of ever finding a happily-ever-after with Alexander.
Silly girl. What makes you think that it still exists?
My thoughts jeered at me exactly because it exposed the hope that had never, truly left. Some part of me always hoped that one day, even if it wasn’t until we were wrinkled up and moved with external aid, we would be able to sit together and shine.
Sad, wasn’t it?
I gathered my things and locked my door behind me. I made it to the elevator when I heard my name.
“Sophia!”
Startled, I looked over my shoulder. “Mark, what are you still doing here?”
He strode down the beige hallway at a fast clip, jacket on but left unbuttoned. Mark didn’t know how to stroll anywhere. His speed was fast or faster. I dispassionately acknowledged he was a handsome beast, all masculine lines and aggressive, bulging muscles—especially when he barreled down the halls.
If we didn’t work together, and I met him somewhere on the outside, I could see going on a few dates with Mark.
“I didn’t see you after lunch.”
“You weren’t in your office.”
“I was down in IT, going over prelims for the upcoming system upgrades. You could’ve found me if you looked or asked.” Mark didn’t bother to hide his annoyance that I had done neither.
Irritation scratched. Did Mark seriously think I was going to scour the building just so I could talk about my lunch with Alexander? Besides, it was personal and had nothing to do with MLM.
“I’ve been in my office all afternoon,” I pointed out lightly. His personality always managed to rub me the wrong way at least once a day. That’s why I’m convinced that even if we had met on the outside, we wouldn’t have lasted more than a couple of dates. He wanted too much of me and I wasn’t willing to give it to him.
“Be that as it may, how did it go with Draven?”
“Fine. Just two friends catching up.”
“Friends, huh? Anything else?”
Although this was par for the course with Mark, his interrogation aggravated more than it usually did. “Nope.”
Mark eyed me, eventually shrugging when I didn’t lower my gaze or mumble anything else to appease his probing stare.
“Where are you off to? Any special plans?”
I really regretted not leaving a minute earlier. I wasn’t in the mood for Mark’s
“I told you—I’m not going to let you go.”
A low, feral cry of surrender escaped me. “Alexander, I want you but—” My voice sputtered out like a candle gone dead.
I’m so afraid.
He moved until we were both up on our knees. Alexander encircled his fingers about my slim wrists, holding them tight in his hands. “Do you want to be with me?”
“Yes, but—”
He broke in sharply. “I don’t want to hear from your head, Sophia. Do you want to be with me? Yes or no.”
My heart slammed with sickening thuds against my ribcage. I felt as if the ground was falling out from beneath me. The obsession which had carried me well over half my life, which had brought me so much joy and misery, screamed for me to answer Alexander true.
If I really loved Alexander more than me I would lie. I’d say, “No, I don’t. I don’t love you and I don’t want to see you again.”
Instead, I took the damned, selfish way out. I looked the love of my life in the eyes and whispered, “Yes, I want to be with you.”
“Good girl.”
6
Present Day
One Hour Before
The cubicles were empty. So were the offices. I shut my computer off and tidied up my desk. The clock above the door ticked along, cheerfully reminding me that it was time to take the elevator up three floors and see Alexander.
This is really happening. We’re talking again and everything is fine. Better than fine.
I had come to work this morning terrified and expecting Alexander to look right through me. Although I’d been resigned to seeing the emptiness in his eyes, I knew it would be the moment that executed any lingering hope of ever finding a happily-ever-after with Alexander.
Silly girl. What makes you think that it still exists?
My thoughts jeered at me exactly because it exposed the hope that had never, truly left. Some part of me always hoped that one day, even if it wasn’t until we were wrinkled up and moved with external aid, we would be able to sit together and shine.
Sad, wasn’t it?
I gathered my things and locked my door behind me. I made it to the elevator when I heard my name.
“Sophia!”
Startled, I looked over my shoulder. “Mark, what are you still doing here?”
He strode down the beige hallway at a fast clip, jacket on but left unbuttoned. Mark didn’t know how to stroll anywhere. His speed was fast or faster. I dispassionately acknowledged he was a handsome beast, all masculine lines and aggressive, bulging muscles—especially when he barreled down the halls.
If we didn’t work together, and I met him somewhere on the outside, I could see going on a few dates with Mark.
“I didn’t see you after lunch.”
“You weren’t in your office.”
“I was down in IT, going over prelims for the upcoming system upgrades. You could’ve found me if you looked or asked.” Mark didn’t bother to hide his annoyance that I had done neither.
Irritation scratched. Did Mark seriously think I was going to scour the building just so I could talk about my lunch with Alexander? Besides, it was personal and had nothing to do with MLM.
“I’ve been in my office all afternoon,” I pointed out lightly. His personality always managed to rub me the wrong way at least once a day. That’s why I’m convinced that even if we had met on the outside, we wouldn’t have lasted more than a couple of dates. He wanted too much of me and I wasn’t willing to give it to him.
“Be that as it may, how did it go with Draven?”
“Fine. Just two friends catching up.”
“Friends, huh? Anything else?”
Although this was par for the course with Mark, his interrogation aggravated more than it usually did. “Nope.”
Mark eyed me, eventually shrugging when I didn’t lower my gaze or mumble anything else to appease his probing stare.
“Where are you off to? Any special plans?”
I really regretted not leaving a minute earlier. I wasn’t in the mood for Mark’s
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