Page 40 of Bad Boy Billionaire and the Single Mom

“What is it?” she asks.

I hate how worried she looks.

“Can we just leave?” I ask. “I know we’re on a date, but I think we should talk in private.”

Matthew is staring between us, glad that he’s ruining our evening and I don’t want him here for this conversation.

“Okay, don’t worry,” she agrees. “Let’s go.”

Lily glares at him. “Don’t you have anything better to do?” she snaps at Matthew as she stands.

She grabs my hand, and we leave, my heart palpitating at the conversation we’re about to have.

Chapter 27

Lily

Istepintotheluxurious hotel room, the soft lighting and elegant decor creating an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy. Blake follows closely behind me, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Blake decided to come here tonight, and I can’t help but feel a mix of nervousness and curiosity as to why. Why did Blake insist on a hotel instead of having our conversation at Olivia’s place? We could have gone home or to my apartment—Though I’m secretly glad he didn’t want to go to mine. I’ve never had him over because my place is tiny and honestly, I’m embarrassed to call it home.

I accept that there must be something important he wants to discuss, and the thought fills me with a sense of unease. There is something that Matthew has discovered about Blake before I could. I’m not sure how to feel about that. We had a fight over me hiding Matthew showing back up in our life, all the while, Blake had his own secret.

As I glance around the room, taking in the plush furnishings and the exquisite view from the window, my mind races with questions. What could be so pressing that he felt we needed to be alone in this lavish setting?

I turn to Blake, trying to mask my worries behind a small smile. “This room is beautiful,” I say, my voice carrying a hint of uncertainty. “But why didn’t we just talk at Olivia’s? What’s so important that we had to come here?”

Blake takes a step closer to me, his eyes filled with nerves. He reaches out and gently takes my hand, his touch seeking reassurance.

“I wanted us to have a private space where we can focus on our conversation,” he explains, his voice calm and steady. “I didn’t want the kids to overhear.”

Overhear? His cryptic words bring an unease that lingers within me. I trust Blake, but the gravity of his choice to bring us here makes me wonder what he’s about to reveal.

I take a deep breath, mustering the courage to voice my concerns. “Blake, you know you can tell me anything, right?” I say, my voice soft. I feel like we’ve come so far. I’m not sure there’s anything that I can’t deal with as long as he is honest with me. “I just…I can’t help it. I’m worried about what you’re going to tell me.”

He squeezes my hand gently, his touch grounding me. “Lily,” he says earnestly. “I want to be completely honest with you. So, let’s…let’s just sit down.”

“Okay,” I reply, a touch of vulnerability seeping into my voice. “Let’s talk. I’m here, ready to listen.”

Blake’s gaze softens, his eyes filled with gratitude and a touch of vulnerability that mirrors my own. He pulls me into a warm embrace, holding me close for a moment.

“Thank you, Lily,” he whispers, his voice filled with sincerity.

We sit down on the bed, both taking our shoes off and turning to face each other. We look silly, all dressed up fancy, crossed-legged on the bed. I’m sad that our date was ruined but I’m happy we can still spend the night together.

“I haven’t been completely honest with you,” he begins, his voice filled with a mix of regret and determination. “Today isn’t the first time that Matthew has shown up like that. He turned up at Ethan’s school on the first day.”

“What?!” I gasp out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I can’t believe that Blake didn’t tell me. Matthew stalking my boyfriend and his son is serious.

“I think he’s been following me for some time now,” Blake continues. “And the reason he’s so angry, the reason he believes I’m unfit to be in Emma’s life, is because he found out about something from my past.”

My eyes widen with surprise and worry coursing through me. “What are you talking about?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Suddenly, I’m thinking of a thousand things that he might not have told me. It’s probably worse in my head, so I try not to overreact. After all, if it was something terrible then Olivia wouldn’t have let me get into a relationship with Blake. Nor would she be so supportive of him. She’s always had a strong sense of justice. But even knowing this, I feel on edge as I wait for him to come clean.

Blake takes a deep breath, his gaze fixed on mine. “After Sarah died, I didn’t handle it well,” he confesses, his voice tinged with remorse. “I spiraled into a dark place, drowning my sorrows in alcohol and that’s when I had all those one-night stands.” He gulps thickly. “It escalated one night, and I ended up getting into a fight. It was messy and a terrible mistake. I deeply regret it.” He looks down, ashamed. He looks pained and pale like he might be sick.

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