Page 59 of The Sexy Billionaire

“You’re right. We haven’t had a Gio and Nat trip before, so I promise I’ll make time for you.”

Her face lights up with a big smile and my cold heart flickers to life and starts to thud in my chest.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I quickly pull it out and stare down at the screen.

Callie: What are your intentions with my friend?

What does that mean? I don’t have any intentions toward Paige other than being a friend.Liar.What? No, I’m not. We are old friends getting reacquainted. Before we were lovers, we were friends, and that is all we are now, nothing more.Liar.Just because I think she’s beautiful doesn’t mean I want anything with her; the poor woman is being stalked by her ex-husband, she does not need her childhood ex-boyfriend sniffing around. What she needs is an old friend for support.Liar.Most friends don’t hop on a plane and fly halfway across the world.A good one does.

I think I’m going insane because I’m now arguing with myself.

Shaking off my thoughts, I type out a message back to Callie.

Giorgio: I have no intentions with Paige other than being friends.

Giorgio: My life is complicated. I’m a workaholic, and my engagement has imploded.

Giorgio: No one knows it’s over, so I’m keeping this huge secret from everyone except my family. While my ex-fiancée is sunbathing her way through Europe with my sister.

Giorgio: It’s been nice talking to someone who doesn’t want anything from me other than my ears.

Callie: Well, I’m glad we’ve cleared that up.

Her friend thinks I’m insane.

Callie: You broke her heart last time, just didn’t want you to do it again.

Giorgio: We were kids, and I was a fool. She had her life ahead of her, all her hopes and dreams, I never wanted to get in the way of that.

Callie: Admirable, but maybe you could have told her that instead of fucking her enemy.

She’s right. I should have been a man about how I felt, which was that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with her, but we were so young. And I knew she would have put everything aside for me. I didn’t want that for her. I didn’t think I deserved that sacrifice.

Giorgio: Think it was inevitable that I was going to break her heart, but like I said, I was a fool and thought I was doing the right thing.

Callie: So, you’re saying that you dated her nemesis so she would move on from you?

Giorgio: In my eighteen-year-old mind, it made sense.

Callie: Did you ever tell her that?

Giorgio: No, I thought that would hurt more.

Callie: You’re probably right.

Callie: She’s asleep now, the night catching up with her. I’ll keep you updated if you’d like.

Giorgio: I’d like that, thanks.

Callie asked some tough questions. I’m no saint. Did I think Paige deserved to live her life without being attached to me and the scrutiny it brought? Yes. But I was always swayed by boobs and blow jobs, I’m no hero.

We’ve landed and are heading to my apartment in Tribeca, which has great views of the Hudson and the city. It’s been a while since I’ve been back in the city, but I’ve always enjoyed it.

Giorgio: Hey, I’m in New York, had a last-minute meeting. Was wanting to see her or is that too much?

Callie: You’re in New York?

Oh shit. I fucked up, didn’t I? Now I’m being the stalker.

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