Billionaire Temptations: Rich, Ruthless & Obsessed

Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Chloe

Connor, Ellery, and I arrived at the restaurant at the same time. After promptly being seated, Connor ordered a bottle of wine. Once the glasses were filled, Connor held his up.

“To a very successful opening night and to the woman who made it happen.” He smiled.

“I second that.” Ellery held up her glass.

“Thank you. But this wasn’t necessary. You already know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

“It was necessary, and we appreciate everything you’ve done for us and the gallery.” Ellery smiled.

After looking over our menus, we placed our dinner order, and I looked around the restaurant.

“This place is so—” I stopped midsentence and stared across the room.

“What’s wrong?” Connor asked.

“Umm.” My eyes wouldn’t leave the table where Sebastian and a woman were sitting.

Connor and Ellery both turned around and then turned back and looked at me.

“Damn him,” Connor spewed.

“No. No. It’s fine. Trust me.” I gave a fake smile. “I was just a little surprised. I’m okay.”

“We can leave. Right, Connor?” Ellery asked.

“Of course.”

“No. We’re staying and enjoying a wonderful dinner.”

“Are you sure? Do you want me to claw his eyes out?” Ellery pouted.

“Oh, God, Ellery. Please don’t make a scene.” Connor shook his head.

“Thanks for the offer, Ellery, but I’m fine. It’s not like we were a couple or anything. He told me that relationships were off the table. So he can see anybody he wants.”

Hurt coursed through my body, and when it reached my heart, it hurt pretty bad. I wanted to cry, but I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t shed a tear for a man who could do what he did.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” Connor spoke as he got up from the table.

Ellery held up her hand and signaled our waiter. “Four shots of Jack Daniels, please.”

“Coming right up, Mrs. Black.”

“When you’re hurting, Jack is the one man you can count on that will always be there for you. He’ll listen and then he’ll make you feel oh so good.” She smiled.

I couldn’t help but laugh. When I looked across the room, I saw Connor stop at Sebastian’s table before returning to ours.

“Shit.” I looked down. “Connor stopped at their table.”

“Of course, he did because he knew I would eventually make it over there.”

Connor came back to the table, and when I looked across the room, Sebastian was staring at me. Like an idiot, I gave him a small smile and wave.

“Did you just smile and wave at him?” Ellery whispered as she leaned across the table.

“Yes.”

“Good job.” She held up her hand for a high five.

“What did you say to him?” I asked.

“Nothing. I just told him it was nice to see him and that you were here with us celebrating the success of the opening night. You should have seen the look on his face when he looked over and saw you sitting here.”

“Yeah, because he got caught. The sorry son of a bitch,” Ellery spoke.

“He didn’t get caught at anything. We aren’t dating. So let’s enjoy our dinner and talk about something else.”

The waiter brought our shots of whiskey and set them in the middle of the table.

“Are those what I think they are?” Connor asked Ellery.

“Yes.”

“Elle, this isn’t the kind of restaurant where you do shots.”

“Connor, sweetheart. As long as a place has a bar and serves alcohol, shots can be done anywhere.”

He sighed and shifted in his chair. I laughed. After doing the first shot, I set the glass down and closed my eyes. The burn felt so good. Picking up the second glass, I brought it to my lips just as Sebastian approached our table.

“Hello, Chloe. Ellery.” He nodded.

“Hello, Sebastian.” I smiled and gulped at the same time. I needed to hold it together despite my heart racing and my legs shaking under the table.

“I hope you’re enjoying your dinner.”

“We are, Sebastian. How was Vegas?” Ellery grinned.

I looked over at Connor and he placed his hand over his face.

“Vegas was good.” Sebastian looked at me.

“Good. Good to hear. Connor and I love Vegas. Where did you and Chloe stay? You know, in Vegas, together for an entire weekend?”

“The Palazzo Hotel.”

“Nice. We usually stay at the Bellagio.”

“Well, I’ll let you get back to your dinner. It was nice seeing the three of you.”

He gave me a small smile as he walked away. His lips might have been smiling, but his eyes told a different story.

“Why did you bring up Vegas?” Connor asked as he glared at Ellery.

“Why not? He’s wrong and he knows it. Someone had to call him out on his bullshit.”

“But—”

“No buts, Connor.”

I simply sat there across from this adorable couple and smiled. After we finished eating, we said our goodbyes.

“Call me if you want to talk.” Ellery hugged me.

“I’m fine, Ellery. But I promise I will.”

“I’ll be in touch, Chloe,” Connor spoke as he hugged me. “Have a good night. I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Don’t be. Maybe it’s the universe sending me a sign.” I smiled.

Sebastian

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I ran my hands through my hair as Serena and I exited the restaurant.

“Let’s go back to my place,” Serena whispered in my ear.

Yeah. That was what I needed. I needed to fuck her and release this tension that had been brewing inside me for the last few days.

“Let’s go.” I hooked my arm around her, and we walked to the limo.

As I slid in next to her, Eli shot me a look. I turned and looked out the passenger window to avoid any further eye contact with him. He didn’t know shit. When we stepped inside Serena’s apartment, she asked me to unzip her dress. Taking off my suit coat, my fingers deftly grasped her zipper and slowly pulled it down. My lips traveled to her shoulder as I slipped off her dress and let it fall to the ground. She turned to face me, and our lips locked tightly together. She moaned. My hands cupped her bare breasts, kneading them and tugging at her hardened nipples.

“God, I’ve missed this, Sebastian,” she moaned as my lips traveled to her neck.

Thoughts of Chloe went off in my head like a slide show. Me fucking her. Her smile. Her laugh. Her incredibly sexy body and her beautiful green eyes. Eyes that could light up a dark room. Eyes that smiled at me every time I looked into them. Pulling away, I put my hand up.

“I’m sorry, Serena. I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t? Come on, baby.” She smiled as her lips brushed against mine.

“I can’t.” I pulled away and paced around the room.

“What the fuck is the matter with you?” she shouted rather loudly.

“I have to go.”

Grabbing my jacket, I left her apartment and climbed into the limo.

“That sure as hell didn’t take very long,” Eli spoke.

“That’s because nothing happened. Just drive.”

When I arrived home, I poured myself a drink and took it out on the patio. What the hell was happening to me? I needed to call her and make sure she was okay. Her phone rang and then went straight to voicemail. She ignored my call. Great. I sent her a text message.

“Chloe, I think we need to talk about tonight.”

I waited for a response, and nothing. Slamming my glass down on the table, I flew out the door and hailed a cab to her apartment. As I was walking up the steps, a couple came walking out. I ran, held the door open for them, and then headed up the stairs to Chloe’s apartment. I softly knocked and waited. No answer. I knocked again. No answer. Pulling out my phone, I sent her a text message.

“Damn it, Chloe! Answer the fucking door!”

I heard her voice down the hallway as I hit the send button.

“Sebastian? What are you doing here?” She cocked her head while holding a large brown bag in her hands.

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is I don’t appreciate my calls or text messages being ignored,” I spoke in an abrupt tone.

“Huh? I didn’t get any calls or text messages from you.” She handed me the large paper bag as she slid her key into the lock.

“Don’t lie to me, Chloe.” I followed her inside.

She pulled her phone from her purse. “It’s dead. That’s why I didn’t get anything from you. See for yourself.” She held up her phone.

She took it into the kitchen and plugged the charger into it. Then, she turned and narrowed her eyes at me.

“Just ignore that last text,” I said. “Why are you going to Whole Foods so late? Do you know how dangerous that is?”

She started removing the groceries from the bag and set them on the counter.

“I needed a few things, and on my way home, I stopped and talked to Willie. We had a nice conversation, and then I gave him some apples. Actually, I gave him all the apples I bought, so I guess I’ll have to go back tomorrow and get some more.”

“Who the hell is Willie?” I stood there in confusion at the fact that she gave him apples.

“The nice homeless man that resides on the next block. During the day, he camps out in front of Barnes and Noble, and at night, he moves to the alley. But he was still at Barnes and Noble when I walked by.”

“May I ask why you talk to him?”

“Why wouldn’t I talk to him? He’s an interesting person. He served in the military for thirty years, fought in two wars, and received the Medal of Honor.”

“Then why is he homeless?”

“When his kids grew up, his wife left him. He started drinking heavily, lost his job, and couldn’t afford his house, so the bank took it, and now he’s on the street. It’s sad that he’s been living like that for five years.”

“It’s his own fault. He could do something, but he chooses not to. So he has no one to blame but himself.”

“Wow, Sebastian, that’s really cold-hearted.”

“It’s the truth, Chloe. You know it, and the fact that you even talk to him.”

She sighed. “He’s a human being just like you and me. Is there a reason you came over? Because I’m really tired and would like to go to bed?”

“I think we need to talk about tonight.”

“What about it?”

“I wanted to explain about Serena.”

“I don’t care about her. You obviously had your reasons for going to dinner with her. It’s none of my business.” She placed her hands on the counter.

“It was just dinner. I wouldn’t be standing here in your apartment if there were more.”

“Like I said, it’s none of my business.”

Walking over to her, I placed my hand on her cheek.

“Good night, Sebastian,” she spoke as she stared into my eyes.

“Do you really want me to leave, Chloe?”

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate to answer.

Removing my hand from her cheek, I lightly kissed her forehead.

“I’ll be in touch,” I spoke as I began to walk away.

“Please don’t,” she said in a low voice.

With my back turned to her, I stopped and looked down. Taking in a deep breath, I walked out of her apartment and hailed a cab back home. The pain I had buried so long ago was back. I felt it in my chest. I felt it when I looked at her. She claimed she didn’t care, but she did. Her eyes, which were always full of light, were now filled with sadness.