The Billion Dollar Playboy [#3]

Chapter 7

Serena couldn't bear to hear her cellphone constantly ringing anymore. She had to shut it off to avoid picking up whenever Theo called.

The worst part were the visits from her brother. She couldn't tell him she was hurting because of Theo. She couldn't tell her brother she had fucked his best friend and was now paying for it.

Kyle wouldn't understand. He would blame Theo for everything, and Serena didn't want that. She, too, had played a vital role in the situation.

"Are you going to eat your dinner?" Kyle asked, watching as his sister picked at the takeout on her plate.

Serena deeply sighed and set her fork down. "Can I ask you something, Kyle?"

"Of course."

"What was it like falling in love for the first time?"

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned over the table to better see his sister. "Honestly, it seemed like a good idea. And then things were over just as quickly as they started."

"Did you fight for her?" she wanted to know.

"Yeah," was the only word that managed to come out. The memory was painful, and Serena could see it was a touchy subject for her invincible older brother.

"I love Theo," she confessed in one breath.

Kyle hadn't even looked up from the imaginary stain on the table he was looking at. "I know you do. And he's in love with you, too."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You two had a fling or whatever eight years ago. I noticed, Rena. And even though I warned him not to mess with you, I didn't do anything to stop him." He looked up at her and offered her confused expression a smile. "I'm not completely oblivious to my sister's life. It wasn't hard to tell for Theo, either. He's as transparent about his feelings for you than he was that summer."

"His feelings?"

"He loves you."

She blinked hard at him, stuck in a mists of disbelief and a harsh reality. "You can't be certain. Why doesn't this bother you?"

"It does," he admitted. "Theo's gonna get a lot of shit from me about the story with Jewels and even more for seeing you behind my back. He's my friend, Rena. I don't want him to hurt you."

"He already has."

Kyle sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I know, but promise me you'll hear him out. He's genuinely a good guy."

• • • • •

Theo had fallen into an unhealthy routine - get up in the afternoon, pop into work to get enough done for the day, go home, shower then sleep just to do it again the next day.

It went on for days. He couldn't eat. He couldn't even think anymore. All he wanted to do was stay in bed - the bed he and Serena made love in.

His phone constantly rang, and he always checked to see if Serena had returned any of his calls. But it was always Tristan or Isaac calling to check in on him.

He woke up on a Saturday with a new plan to win Serena over. He would shower and put on proper clothes. Then he'd go into work to see if she showed just to catch a glimpse of her. And then he'd come up with a plan to crush any rumor that he was just a ruthless playboy who couldn't prioritize his business.

After spending a large amount of time convincing himself he could walk out into society, he got into his car and drove down to the office.

Kyle was standing in front of his office door when he made it to the executive floor, and for a moment he panicked.

But it was soon gone when he saw he was there to send Serena off with a goodbye. Holy crap, it had been so long since he'd seen the beautiful woman.

She looked just as torn up as he felt, and her hazel eyes were completely dead as if she had been miserable longer than the few days they'd been apart.

He opened his mouth to call out to her, but she was quick to disappear down the hall and into her office.

"Theo," Kyle said, obviously irritated as if he'd been trying to earn his attention for quite some time, "you alright?"

He had intended to say 'yes' and walk away unharmed, but all that came out was: "How is she?"

Kyle hadn't even seem fazed by his friend's question. "She's managing. But how are you?"

"Managing," he muttered. "You know?"

"Yeah," Kyle said almost in frustration. "I've known for a long time you two had something going on."

"I never meant to hurt her."

"I actually believe that."

Theo shoved his hands into his front pockets and briefly nodded in appreciation. "I don't want this to come between any of us."

"It won't," Kyle said. "You'll fix it so it doesn't."

"I'll fix it," Theo agreed.

No, he wouldn't just fix it. He would repair his relationship with Serena and strengthen it so she knew how dead serious he was about her.

• • • • •

"Are you heading home?"

Serena looked up from her computer and bit into her lip when she saw the handsome devil at her door.

The face that had once looked delicate with soft features had turned rough with tired eyes. He offered her a small smile and patiently waited for her to reply.

"I'm waiting for Kyle," she said, dragging her eyes away from him. She could still see his naked body in the back of her mind. "Why haven't you left yet?"

"I didn't want to leave you here alone," he confessed, his cheeks slightly reddening. "Let me give you a lift home."

"I'm fine here."

"Serena," he sternly said, "I won't take no for an answer."

"Give me a second," she said, gathering her purse behind her desk. "Theo?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

She wanted to moan at the sound of his voice. It was just as husky and sweet as it had been in the bedroom. "I'm going home for my birthday next weekend. Will you come with me?"

He swallowed hard. Was he imagining this? "You'd want me to go?"

"Of course. But I have to warn you that my dad won't approve of what we've done together."

"I can handle Lloyd," he said, offering her a smile.

"Can I come over?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

He was torn between letting her back into his bedroom and having his way with her, or declining her offer and risking regret when he was jerking off instead. "To sleep?"

"Sure," she said with a casual shrug, "if that's what you want."

"It's not what I want. You know that, sweetheart."

• • • • •

Theo had very vivid images in his mind when he saw Serena curled up in his bed.

He could still see her naked and panting into his skin as if she were doing it now. He could still feel her body melting into his as she came around him over and over again.

And he could still feel the familiar ache of wanting and wishing he were closer to her even when there was no breathing space between them.

"Come back to me," she whispered, smiling up at him. "I've lost you."

He blinked hard and immediately snapped back to his new reality. "I've really missed you, Serena."

"It can't be that way," she said with a sad smile. "I can't be with someone who has other women on their mind."

"You're all I ever think about, sweetheart."

Serena wanted to believe every word he said, every promise in his voice, but she was too hurt by the fact that he kept other women on his arm.

And she wanted to be the only woman in his life.