Page 35 of My Fake Billionaire Damaged Boyfriend

“I have stability with him.”

“Oh, sweetheart. You have a façade with him.”

I wince, hearing his words and feeling them prick my soul like a single needle against the world’s largest balloon. I fall onto my palms, panting in agony that far exceeds physical pain. Emotional turmoil is like fire in my throat, and ice in my veins.

The saddest part is that Alek is right.

This is all a façade with Dimitri.

Hisnot yetcould meannot ever, and the thought of that is terrible.

Speaking so low that I almost wish I couldn’t hear my voice, I reply with, “Fine. As long as you don’t use my code to hurt anyone, Alek.”

His voice is more chipper than before. “Of course, sweetheart. I promise. Now, get up, calm down, and get to work, okay? I want this to be your top priority.”

His steps kick past me, and the creaking of his office door is stifled by his voice when he adds offhandedly, “You’re doing the right thing, Ms. Bellerose. I promise. Dimitri Wilde is a reckless bull in a world of glass, and you’re nothing but a vase in his way, waiting to be shattered like the rest of us.”

He leaves, and I assume his goons follow, allowing me to fully—and finally—break down in peace.

CHAPTER15

Dimitri

Iwait outside my rival’s workplace, waiting for those light eyes and that tight skirt to come prancing out of the elevator in the lobby. Instead, I watch droves of people come out of the lobby door without much to say or do with me. Still, I wait, tapping my foot slightly impatiently.

Alek comes outside eventually, his smile a little wider than normal. “Hello, friend. What’s going on?”

“Just waiting for Izzy,” I mutter, wishing to avoid him at all costs right now.

He comes over to my car, his arms crossed in a similar pattern as mine are. “Well, I thought she called you, Dimitri.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, she’s just taken on a new project, and she’ll be working late. I assumed she would at least text you that. A little weird that she didn’t mention it. She knew since this morning she would be working late tonight. A personal project from her boss, you know what a stickler he can be.”

I roll my eyes at the humorous light he seems to see himself in. “Yes, well I would prefer if you would just move on with your evening, Alek. I don’t take relationship pointers from you.”

“No, of course not. I’m no one to be giving advice but I will tell you this,” he adds, leaning in closer to the point that I consider slamming my fist into his jaw, “I think your little Miss is upset about something.”

My heart quivers at the thought, “About what? Did you threaten her again?”

He sneers, and I realize I’m under his skin almost as much as he’s under mine. “I don’t know the details, boy. I would just tread lightly. She’s under a lot of pressure at work and moving to the city alone. She’s been through a lot.”

“I know everything she’s been through,” I bite.

His eyes widen like I’ve just told a lie to his smug face. “Oh, okay. Then I guess this doesn’t mean anything to you,” he adds, pulling a note card out of his pocket.

I take the folded sheet of paper and watch him prance off down the sidewalk while waving at me in an afterthought over his head. Either way, I ignore his tantalizing mocking of me and Izzy. He thinks we’re in some kind of relationship and he wants to break that apart.

But on some levels, we kind of are together. I know I told her I wanted to take her on a date first, but that’s just to get the semantics out of the way. I really just want to hold her in my arms and get to know her mind and heart. From what I’ve heard from both already, including her body, it’s been fucking amazing.

I want more, and I want her to know she can fall gracefully in my arms without the threat of her boss ruining everything between us. But he’s the reason we are spending so much time together. Maybe that’s turning her off now.

Maybe I should just go home.

I clutch the sheet in my hands, eyeing the elevator inside. The security guard is lazy, never seems to care when I come to meet with Alek unannounced. I decide at last and hurry inside the building. The guard doesn’t get up from behind his desk, giving me a short smile as I make my way to the elevator. I’ve already been home and changed out of my suit, my fingertips looking to toy with my cufflinks, but instead, I’m in a dark shirt-shirt and some slacks.

I thought about taking her to the club tonight, but I then decided to just let her pick.

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