Read Online Red Hot Revenge (Erotic Romance) (Dominated by the Billionaire) by Adriana Hunter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Adriana Hunter
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his, trying for a small smile. “Wow, it’s been a long time,”
she paused, unsure as to what to say. “I guess considering our history, I
should reschedule the meeting with someone else?”
He quirked a thick, black eyebrow at her. “There’s
no need for that, Bella,” he replied, a light, easy smile on his face, “It’s
been years since all of that happened. Surely long enough for both of us to
have moved on, I hope?”
Bella couldn’t hide the relief that washed across
her face. “Of course, Jason. My thoughts, exactly.”
“Good! So, take a seat and we can begin,” he
smiled.
Bella sank into it, watching Jason’s every move as
he made his way back to the desk.
Who would have thought, she wondered in amazement,
her eyes trailing over him.
The Jason she remembered had been good looking
yes, and she had found his attentions flattering for the few months he had
pursued her before graduation. They had met at a party thrown by one of her
friends, and he’d seemed to fall instantly for her.
Bella, who would be first to admit she had been
somewhat of the shallow type during her senior years – thanks to the male
attention she drew in. She had liked him – and had even considered dating
him, but then things had unfolded in the following months that had caused her
to, in no uncertain terms, let him know she could never be his.
“These figures,” he said thoughtfully, nodding to
the papers in front of him. “Astounding. What could have happened to turn your
business into the mess it is now?”
Bella grimaced. “I guess I was…careless. Trusted
the wrong people.” She shrugged, a faint smile slanting her lips. “My partner
was nothing short of criminal in garnering much of my earnings for himself.”
“It looks like he had been trimming profit for
quite some time,” he commented, quirking a brow up at her. “You mean to tell me
you never suspected any foul play? From the sloppy bookkeeping, you should have
easily noticed the discrepancies.”
“I told you, I trusted him implicitly,” she
replied, feeling her teeth grit. His mocking tone hadn’t been lost on her and
Bella felt a wash of anger and frustration swell within her chest. She sighed
heavily, knowing that she had no choice but to endure his torment. If this was
his revenge for her having turned him down many years ago, it was a small price
to pay if it meant she would be able to save her business. “He was my
boyfriend,” she whispered, wishing he would change the subject. “I would never have
thought that he would betray me this way.”
Jason smiled, huffing slightly. “I see,” he
murmured. “From what I remember, you never really were a good judge of
character.”
This time she flinched, the gesture one she could
not hide. His true meaning was strikingly obvious…considering that she’d turned
him down, only to date the popular college jock, Roy – a guy known around
campus to be a relentless womanizer. However, even as her lips parted, as if to
defend herself, she suddenly realized the futility of it. What would it matter?
It was so long ago – and like he’d said earlier, they’d both moved on. Hadn’t
they?
She looked up at him, tried to gauge his thoughts
– but it was impossible. His expression was unreadable much like a professional
poker player intent on winning the round. As she analyzed him, she realized
there were so many differences from the Jason she’d known in college, and the
one seated before her. The former Jason had been kind, adoring, if not a bit
unsure of himself. He’d have done anything to help her or to make her happy.
But the man she faced now…there was a hard veneer to his handsomeness, a chill
even in his smile. It would be hard indeed to trust her memory that this was
the same Jason who had been so in love with her that he’d written her poetry,
followed her everywhere she went…How her friends – and his, had teased
him. In time she’d come to welcome his attentions, and had
she paused, unsure as to what to say. “I guess considering our history, I
should reschedule the meeting with someone else?”
He quirked a thick, black eyebrow at her. “There’s
no need for that, Bella,” he replied, a light, easy smile on his face, “It’s
been years since all of that happened. Surely long enough for both of us to
have moved on, I hope?”
Bella couldn’t hide the relief that washed across
her face. “Of course, Jason. My thoughts, exactly.”
“Good! So, take a seat and we can begin,” he
smiled.
Bella sank into it, watching Jason’s every move as
he made his way back to the desk.
Who would have thought, she wondered in amazement,
her eyes trailing over him.
The Jason she remembered had been good looking
yes, and she had found his attentions flattering for the few months he had
pursued her before graduation. They had met at a party thrown by one of her
friends, and he’d seemed to fall instantly for her.
Bella, who would be first to admit she had been
somewhat of the shallow type during her senior years – thanks to the male
attention she drew in. She had liked him – and had even considered dating
him, but then things had unfolded in the following months that had caused her
to, in no uncertain terms, let him know she could never be his.
“These figures,” he said thoughtfully, nodding to
the papers in front of him. “Astounding. What could have happened to turn your
business into the mess it is now?”
Bella grimaced. “I guess I was…careless. Trusted
the wrong people.” She shrugged, a faint smile slanting her lips. “My partner
was nothing short of criminal in garnering much of my earnings for himself.”
“It looks like he had been trimming profit for
quite some time,” he commented, quirking a brow up at her. “You mean to tell me
you never suspected any foul play? From the sloppy bookkeeping, you should have
easily noticed the discrepancies.”
“I told you, I trusted him implicitly,” she
replied, feeling her teeth grit. His mocking tone hadn’t been lost on her and
Bella felt a wash of anger and frustration swell within her chest. She sighed
heavily, knowing that she had no choice but to endure his torment. If this was
his revenge for her having turned him down many years ago, it was a small price
to pay if it meant she would be able to save her business. “He was my
boyfriend,” she whispered, wishing he would change the subject. “I would never have
thought that he would betray me this way.”
Jason smiled, huffing slightly. “I see,” he
murmured. “From what I remember, you never really were a good judge of
character.”
This time she flinched, the gesture one she could
not hide. His true meaning was strikingly obvious…considering that she’d turned
him down, only to date the popular college jock, Roy – a guy known around
campus to be a relentless womanizer. However, even as her lips parted, as if to
defend herself, she suddenly realized the futility of it. What would it matter?
It was so long ago – and like he’d said earlier, they’d both moved on. Hadn’t
they?
She looked up at him, tried to gauge his thoughts
– but it was impossible. His expression was unreadable much like a professional
poker player intent on winning the round. As she analyzed him, she realized
there were so many differences from the Jason she’d known in college, and the
one seated before her. The former Jason had been kind, adoring, if not a bit
unsure of himself. He’d have done anything to help her or to make her happy.
But the man she faced now…there was a hard veneer to his handsomeness, a chill
even in his smile. It would be hard indeed to trust her memory that this was
the same Jason who had been so in love with her that he’d written her poetry,
followed her everywhere she went…How her friends – and his, had teased
him. In time she’d come to welcome his attentions, and had
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