Tied to the Billionaire(81)

Dante sighed, dropping his head into his hand. “You’re an idiot. You know that, right?”


Richard glared up at his best friend, clenching the porcelain cup tight in his hand. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to.

“Did she say anything to you after that proposal?” Dante continued on, his words muffled in his palm. “Did she give you any indication how she felt about being asked?”

Richard thought for a second, replaying the interaction over again in his mind. “She asked about her job. I told her she didn’t have to worry. I’d take care of her.”

“Moron,” Dante cursed again. “She’s the lead engineer at one of the biggest airlines in the country, if not the world. You think that’s a job she just happened upon to pay the bills. She cares about it. She loves it.”

Richard paused. He knew she cared about her job. She was determined and hard-working. Was that why she’d turned him down? Because he didn’t think his wife should work for him? If so, why wouldn’t she just say it? They’d talked through every other aspect of their relationship, finding the best fit for both of them, why wouldn’t she speak up about this one?

“I bet you thought after a few years you’d toss her aside. Maybe give her a nice house or a large allowance, and you wouldn’t have to worry about her.”

Richard shifted in his seat, trying to keep his face impassive, even as his friend’s accurate perceptions shocked him to his socks.

“Did you say anything romantic at all?”

Richard shrugged his shoulders. “Why would I do that? It’s just a business arrangement.” One that came with a lot of sexy perks he’d already started to look forward to. No more counting down the days until their next meeting. No more avoiding the building where she worked for fear he couldn’t control himself that close to her.

“If you really believe that, then why did you even ask Ms Carter? Surely you could find another woman who would be more willing to partake in your deal.”

He took a deep breath. His fingers paused on the scrap of paper, unsure how to respond. It hadn’t crossed his mind to ask anyone else, but Dante was right, there probably were scores of women more than willing to submit to his needs for a few years for the kind of payday he’d provide. There was probably a whole site devoted to it somewhere on the Internet.

Yet the idea of dominating any of them left him cold. He didn’t want to pay for a woman’s submission. He wanted her to give it freely, lovingly. The way Serena did with every breath. He didn’t want just any sub. He wanted Serena.

“Because you don’t want anyone but her,” Dante filled in, smiling down at him with the arrogant smile he’d developed sometime in high school after Missy Linder had picked him to attend the homecoming dance with instead of Richard.

Richard shook his head, refusing to believe his friend was right. “I’ve dated other women since I started playing with Serena.” He turned the corners of the paper in again, before folding it lengthwise a second time.

Dante shook his head. “You took them to events, fancy parties, hell, maybe you even f*cked a few of them. But none of them gave you want you wanted. Not like that little programming princess does.”

Richard folded the wings of the plane out flat. Dante was right. He had dated many women over the past few years, but even the memories of them couldn’t hold a candle to his time with Serena. They’d been socialites, social climbers, more interested in seeing their pictures in magazines than him. Sure, a few of them had found their way into his bed, and some had even managed to hold up their side of the conversation, but none of them had left him feeling half of what Serena did. None of them had looked up at him with the trust she did, the kind of trust that allowed him to push her to the brink, knowing he’d safely bring her back.

Dante leaned over and grabbed the paper aeroplane from off the table. He crumpled the freshly made toy in his hand, dropping the ball of paper to the ground. “Damn it, Rick, not every woman is out to take advantage of you. Serena doesn’t want your money. She doesn’t want anything from you but your dominance, and maybe your emotions. She deserves more than this. She deserves the truth.”

Surprised, Richard stared up at his friend. Dante rarely interceded in his personal business, and Richard offered him the same courtesy. Some didn’t care for how Dante treated his subs, but Richard knew his friend would never hurt the women he took to his bed, and what happened beyond that wasn’t his business. Just like his relationship with Serena wasn’t Dante’s business.

“That’s not your concern.”

“Like hell it’s not. When you put everything we’ve worked for since we were sixteen years old in jeopardy, it becomes my concern.” Dante glared back at him. If it were possible, steam would have puffed from his nostrils. “Do you want that little kitten back in your bed?”

It shocked Richard how much he still wanted his fiery little pet. Not just in his bed, but in his life, with his ring on her finger and his collar around her neck. Even after she had rejected him, she was still the only woman he wanted. She was the only woman he could even think about.

“Do you want to complete this deal with Argonaut?”

Richard nodded his head, grateful for the much easier question. “You know I do.”

“Then you’ve got to convince that sweetie to accept your proposal. You’ve got to offer her more. You’ve got to give her a reason to stay.”