Page 63 of Billionaire's Second Chance

She sat down without arguing. “What’s the matter, Damon?”

“I want you to be completely honest with me, Ava,” I began in a low, serious voice.

“Sure, Damon. Haven't I always been?” She said, leaning toward me over the table.

“Were you with Lily yesterday?” I cut through the crap.

Her eyes bulged. She looked away. My heart sank.

“I trusted you, Ava.” I stood up and threw my hands in the air. “How could you?”

“So you’re stalking me now?” She shot up from her seat.

“Don’t change the topic, Ava.” I leaned in, her perfume filling my nostrils with desire.

“Remind me what the topic is again. Do you have people watching me? And reporting to you, like you own me?” She raised her voice and crossed her arms over her breasts.

“I never sent anyone to watch you," I assured her. "And don’t turn this on me. You’re the one having secret meetings with the enemy behind my back!"

“Why are you being so dramatic, Damon?" Ava placed her hands on her hips. "Yes, I met with Lily. But not everything revolves around you.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it to me?” I paced around her.

“Maybe, because I knew you would react this way,” she shot back at me. "Like it was all about you."

Her chest rose and fell. The sparks in her eyes were unlike the kind I had seen before, burning, simmering beneath the surface.

“I forbid you from seeing her again, ever!" I yelled, towering over her.

She raised a brow and closed in on me. “Listen, Damon Alexander, Mr. Big-shot movie producer, unless it concerns the film, I don’t take orders from you!”

With that, she stormed off, slamming the door behind her.

I sank into my chair. Harry peered at me from the other end of the room, petrified.

It was all Lily’s fault. Why wouldn’t she leave Ava out of it? She was getting her millions, what more did she want? I drummed my fingers on the desk and stared at my phone.

“What do you want, Damon?” the voice on the other end greeted me coldly.

“Stay away from Ava, Lily!" I raised my voice and punched the desk. "You're getting your cut. Now let her do her job instead of distracting her with your never-ending drama.”

“Damon? You really—”

“I don’t have time for your bickering, Lily. Stay away from Ava!” I hung up and reached for a half-empty bottle of scotch, gulping its contents until my throat burned.

19

Ava

Itoweredovermybathroom counter, eyes closed, breath on pause. The next few seconds would either change my life entirely or soothe me back into the ordinary everyday reality. However, an internal battle was setting my mind ablaze, and I wasn't going to open my eyes until I solved it.

The perpetual question of life stood before me.Yes or no?

Which answer did I want to see? A 'yes' meant change, new beginnings, new life, hope, and eternal love. A 'no' meant that I'd be back in my comfort zone, my routine, nothing new, nothing life-changing. As much as a 'no' would relax my shoulders and return air to my lungs, a part of me longed for the 'yes.'

The wait had been around five minutes, but it felt like fifty years. An excruciating mix of 'could be' and 'would be', 'what iffs' and 'why nots' swam in my mind.

The eyelid of my left eye slowly peeled open. One hand remained over my right eye as if to prevent me from seeing too much, too fast.

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