Page 433 of Billionaire Temptations

“Because I don’t.” His voice was authoritative and harsh. “If you can’t respect that, then maybe you should leave.”

“You can talk to me, Sebastian.”

As I went to place my hand on his arm, he backed away.

“No, Chloe, I can’t, and I won’t.”

“How am I supposed to get to know you if you won’t open up to me?”

“You know enough. Leave it at that. It’s not like you need to know anymore.”

“You’re right.” I looked down. “I know enough. You have so much hatred in your heart, and I feel sorry for you. But I know somewhere in there you have more good. I’ve seen it, and I’ve experienced it.” I grabbed my purse, and as I was about to walk out the door, I turned and looked at him. “Life is lost without love, Sebastian, and I hope someday you find it.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sebastian

Standing there, I watched the door close. She was gone, and suddenly, my place felt empty, or was it my life? An empty feeling had always resided in me from when I could remember being a small child. Her words replayed over and over in my head. “Life is lost without love.” I didn’t know what love was. How could I? I’d never received it, and I never gave it. I had once again hurt her. Just like I knew I would. I should’ve stayed away, but when I saw her playing the guitar on the street and her sweet voice singing that song, everything I thought I had pushed away came rushing back. Just like it did the first time I saw her after our one night together.

Two weeks passed. I didn’t contact her, and she didn’t try to contact me. Anger made itself a comfortable place inside me. I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t think, and I certainly couldn’t have sex. I didn’t want to have sex with anyone but her. She somehow left her mark on me, like an imprint on my soul. Sitting at the bar with Eli, we kicked back some drinks. He was the only person in the world who truly knew me, and that was because we had been friends since we were ten years old.

“I think it’s time we had a talk, Sebastian.”

“About what?”

“These past couple of weeks, you’ve been different. Different than I’ve ever seen you before.”

“How?” I shot him a look.

“You haven’t been going into the office as much. You’ve been sleeping in later than you ever have. You don’t listen when people talk to you. It’s like you’re in another world, and you’re way more of an asshole now than before. Damien told me that he asked you the other day what was wrong, and you nearly castrated him.”

I threw back my bourbon. “I’m tired of people asking me what the hell is wrong. Nothing is wrong!”

“Chloe is what’s wrong. Man, come on. I know you’re thinking she could be the one, and it scares the fuck out of you.”

Rolling my eyes, I signaled the bartender for another drink.

“I don’t believe in ‘the one.’”

“Really? You’ve dated countless women over the years, and not one has ever gotten to you like Chloe. If you want to see her again, you’re going to have to open up to her.”

“I don’t have to do anything. I make my own rules about my life, and you know it.” I pointed my finger at him.

“I know, but maybe now it’s time to let the fucking rules go. Damnit, Sebastian, you’re thirty years old. Are you really going to live the rest of your life like this? Shit, even Maura is worried about you.”

“You can tell Maura that I’m fine.”

“You say you don’t believe in the one, yet you wouldn’t sign a multi-million-dollar deal because of some Venus thing, which you got from Chloe. All I’m saying is that you need to let go of the past. You beat it. We beat it. The only reason I’m working for your dumb ass is because someone needs to look after you.”

“You’re working for me because I pay you incredibly well.”

“That too.” He smiled. “Listen, man, you’re happy when she’s around. Why can’t you, for once in your life, accept some happiness? Don’t you think it’s about time?”

I glanced over at him for a moment and then looked straight ahead as I finished my drink.

“She’s good for you.”

“Really? And you know what’s good for me? She’s different, and she lives in another world. Do you know that she talks to a homeless man and buys him food? She knows his damn life story.”

---