Page 3 of Taming the Elusive Billionaire

She covered her face as she wept while I sat there, unsure how to calm her down. For as many years I have known her, I have tried as much as possible to avoid her family issues even though I know how influential they are.

And on each occasion, she tried to get me to meet her family I had always created a perfect excuse for her until she got tired of asking.

I watched her move to the wall, her face still covered with her hands as she continued to cry, a soul-wrenching cry that tore at my heart wildly.

Slowly, I got up and began to move toward her again, counting my steps while praying the erratic decision I wanted to make now wouldn’t come to haunt me in the future.

I touched her shoulder gently and brought her into my embrace. “How about I go with you? Will that make it easier?”

I felt her body ease as she moved away and removed the strands of hair covering her eyes. “You can’t mean it, what about your art school . . .”

“It can wait. I think I can find a good enough reason for them.” I shrugged, “Maybe tell them I am going to be with my sister as she goes through one of her torturous mini adventures.”

Her eyes sparkled as her scared face changed into a smile. “That’s too much to ask of you, Lucy,” she said.

“No, no, not at all, that’s what best friends are for.” Lucy said. “I am sure I could do some of my classes virtual or something. I will figure it out. Besides, we can torture your brother together!” I said, with an evil smirk on my face.

“God, thank you very much, Lucy. I swear I don’t know how I could have survived without you in my life.”

“I would bet that you would be doing great,” I muttered as I led her back to the bed, my heart beating so fast I feared it might break.

We sat, and she began to wipe her tears with enthusiasm. “Damn, you don’t know just how good your words have made me feel this minute. I had decided to either fake my death or run away from this part of the world.”

“Thank goodness we didn’t have to resort to that yet.”

Ella chuckled and laid back on the bed, looking at the ceiling. “I am really, really grateful.”

“That’s okay. I am happy to help my bestie,” I muttered, waving her off while placing my left leg on the bed and turning toward her. “So, tell me, what will I expect when I get there? I know how you have told me this a million times, but I just want to be certain what I am getting myself into.”

She sat up and shrugged. “Well, you already know my mom, the traveler. I never seem to be able to keep tabs on where she is on any given moment. I am hoping she will make her way back home, so that you can meet her in person. And then there is my brother, Mason. You have had the pleasure of hearing us on the phone. He’s annoying and everything you hate in a man except the rich part.”

“Care to explain a little

“Well, he’s grumpy, arrogant, spiteful, conversational, hateful, misogynist, thick-headed, snobbish, ra—”

“Isn’t that too much for just one person to have as qualities?” I asked, cutting her off.

“I wasn’t done yet. Let’s just say he is the last man you want to deal with or be with.”

“What does he like?”

“Only if you nod and say ‘yes, Sir’ to every order he’s about to give you.”

“Thought we all have moved into the era of first name basis in workplaces. Not to mention, you are his sister. There will be no ‘yes, Sir’ coming from either of us. That’s ridiculous.”

“Then you haven’t met Mason Blackwood, who is stuck in the eighteen hundreds. I am truly sorry for any girl that wishes to date or marry him. It would be the worst mistake she will ever make in her freaking life.”

“Yeah?” I asked worriedly as I tried to picture her brother as she had just described him.

“Yes,” She stood as she reached for my hand. “Come on, enough about him! Let’s go shopping. It always makes me feel better to go shopping.”

Swallowing a hard lump, I stood and followed her toward the door.

***********

I moved toward the large bed and collapsed on it, tired and spent. Ella wasn’t joking when she said this house was enormous. This was beyond big, and I was running out of breath.

It had been three days since we came here, and it already felt like ages ago.

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