Holden Sterling: The Sterling Brothers Billionaire Saga BWWM Book 1

Episode 31: Eriola

Ever since he arrived in town, Jonathan has been a constant thorn in my side. I was in the middle of a business meeting with Holden Sterling when he started blowing up my phone, claiming he was in some sort of crisis. He should know better by now; our relationship is strictly professional.

Glancing at my watch, I see that it's only 4 pm, so I have time to get ready for our date tonight. But of course, Jonathan insists on seeing his daughter right away and claims to be waiting at my condo. As I pull up to my building and hand my keys to the valet, I can't help but roll my eyes when I spot him standing by the elevator.

"What now?" I ask as we step into the lift, accompanied by Jonathan's two guards. He moves closer to me and runs his fingers through my hair before whispering in my ear, "Where were you earlier? You weren't at your office."

Exasperated, I tell him that I was at a lunch meeting with Holden Sterling, the same man whose meeting he interrupted yesterday. Finally reaching the lobby of my condo, I go to retrieve my keys from my purse but before I can even grab them, Jonathan pins me against the wall. His men turn away to give us privacy.

"You belong to me and no one else," he growls possessively before kissing me roughly. Panicked and in pain from his aggressive kiss, I plead for him to stop.

"Why are you so jealous over someone I just met yesterday?" I ask him as tears stream down my face. Not waiting for an answer, I quickly unlock the door and rush inside to check on our baby girl, Anya. My nanny Miriam informs me that she isn't feeling well and offers to stay the night to take care of her. In that moment, all of my frustration towards Jonathan fades away as I focus on my sick child.

I thanked Miriam and told her she had done enough, expressing my love for her before she left the room. She reminded me to call my parents, who were worried about me. I didn't want to speak with them, but I knew she was right. After a few minutes, I heard the front door close as Miriam left. I picked up Anya and went into the living room where Jonathan was sitting without his jacket on.

"What's wrong with our little girl?" he asked as I handed Anya to him. She tugged on his tie and looked at him with her big purple eyes. I could see the love he had for her, but why couldn't he show that same genuine love towards me instead of being possessive and jealous?

"Miriam said she's been whining all day and thinks she might be teething. She gave her some children's motrin. Can we just stay in tonight and order takeout?" I asked him as I collapsed onto the couch, kicking off my heels. I was exhausted.

"Of course, anything for my girls," he said, kissing me on the forehead. He held our daughter close as I went to change into some sweats.

As I walked back into the living room, I saw that he had already changed Anya in her into her pajamas. These are the moments when my love for him overflows. When he is both a caring partner and a loving father.

"What do you feel like eating, sweetie?" He asked me.

"I'm not sure. Why didn't you put her in the crib?" I inquired as Anya clung tightly to him. She adored her daddy. She was sound asleep on his chest.

"Because, my sweet girl, I missed my baby girl. But she wouldn't let go, so I ended up holding her instead. How about Chinese food? I'll text Dave, our driver, and have him go pick it up." He suggested as he kicked off his shoes.

"Chinese sounds good. Thank you, honey. I'm going to take a quick shower. Order something spicy for me, okay?" I asked him as I kissed his cheek and went to the bathroom.

As the water cascaded over my skin, I couldn't stop thinking about Jonathan's possessive behavior and his jealousy. I hoped that he would change because I truly love him. On the other hand, there was Holden Sterling, someone with whom I had a clear connection. But I couldn't pursue anything with him while I was still in a relationship that I wasn't sure about.

I finished my shower, turned off the water, and stepped out to dry myself off. After applying coco butter and other products, I walked to my walk-in closet to grab a nightgown and robe. I returned to the living room, I saw Jonathan putting Anya to bed and setting up the baby monitor.

After what felt like an eternity, Dave, his driver, had finally arrived with our food. Jonathan was carefully arranging it on plates so we could finally sit down and enjoy a meal together.

No interruptions, just us two. "I got your spicy food," he said with a wink as he handed me a plate of Kung Pao Chicken and fried rice.

"Thank you, baby. This looks delicious!" I replied, taking a bite. The spicy sauce danced on my tongue as the chicken melted in my mouth.

"I'm glad you like it. So, how was your day?" He asked, digging into his own meal.

Jonathan's demeanor has changed significantly. Only moments ago, as we were about to enter the condo, he was possessive and acting like I was his property. But now, he's asking about my day. His possessive nature had faded away.

"It was a typical day, nothing special. How about yours?" I responded.

"Ever since I moved to Evergreen Valley, things have been going pretty well for me. I've already secured the land and paid it off in full for the hotel project; now we just have to wait for some zoning permits before construction can begin. They said it'll take about six months, so I'll need to bring in my crew from New York. That's why I came here, Eriola. I wasn't trying to bother you. I didn't even know where you were until I saw your profile on your company's website. But since I'm here, I want us to be a family. I want to marry you," Jonathan says, setting his plate down on the coffee table between us.

He wants to marry me, but right now I can't trust him completely. I put my plate next to his and look him in the eyes. "Jonathan, are you serious? If so, we have a lot of work to do on this relationship. One major issue is your possessive and jealous nature. I don't want to start a marriage with those problems still present," I say, leaning back on the couch.

Jonathan takes a deep breath and nods. "You're right, love. My first marriage ended because we fell out of love with each other. But now, I am finally with a woman who I truly love and who is the mother of my daughter. Let's go to counseling together, okay? I want to become the man that you need and the father that our children deserve." He whispers as he pulls me onto his lap and holds me close.

I knew that this was too good to be true, but I am willing to give him a chance for Anya's sake. As I straddle Jonathan's lap, our lips meet in a passionate kiss. If this is what the future holds for us, then I'm in for a wild ride. Jonathan's hands began to wander up under my gown and I moaned into the kiss. I knew tonight was going to be a night neither of us would forget.

Hello Readers,

Jonathan has proposed to Eriola, but he struggles with feelings of jealousy and possessiveness. Eriola is hesitant about trusting him, so should she say yes to marriage? Meanwhile, Holden Sterling reveals his own feelings for Eriola. In this complex love triangle, two men compete for the attention and affection of one woman, tangled in a web of emotions such as love, desire, envy, and possessiveness. Stay tuned for the next installment to see what unfolds.

Happy Reading!

Pagine D'Oro