The Billionaire's Contract

A little impromptu {16}

Lucian's POV
"I'm going on a trip to Rome for a photo shoot." Ales said suddenly over dinner, she placed her fork down on her plate and looked up at me. "The producer wants you there also for the photo shoot."

I cleared my throat and put down my fork, tilting my head to the side absently. "When is this happening?"

Ales smiled widely and took my hands in hers. "Tomorrow. We need to be on our private jet by tomorrow." She squealed. "We going to be printed in magazines as one of the richest couples in the world!"

I haven't seen much of Ales these days. She's always off somewhere Winter and her new group of friends, or busy with photo shoots for one magazine or the other but this was one of the most impromptu shoots she's ever scheduled. "I'm not coming."

Ales's eyebrows collided in frustration before she pulled her hands away from mine. "What do you mean you're not coming?" She choked out through gritted teeth. A maid took up our barely-touched dinners and refilled our wine glasses before wheeling away the cart with the dishes.

I sighed and took a sip of the rich red wine. "I have work to take care of. I cannot leave my office to shoot petty pictures in Rome."

She opened and closed her mouth, a red flush of irritation coloring her chest and neck. "We have so much to do in Rome besides just taking pictures! This could be a good opportunity to gain better publicity and attend all the events our friends have invited us to." Ales countered.

I scoffed. When did my friends become hers? These days it seems like publicity is all that matters to her.

"Lucian. Just think about it."

I tossed my monogrammed napkin onto the mahogany dinner table and stood up. "Ales, this conversation is over. I am not going, but feel free to do so on your own."

Ales glared but I didn't acknowledge it.

***

Third Person POV(I'm trying something different here)

They moved closer together, her hands intertwined with his and her head balanced evenly on his broad, muscular chest. He breathed in, her head followed the small movements of his breathing. She sniffled, he wiped her tears.

Her body shook with sobs, he pulled her as close to himself as possible. She felt like collapsing in pain and despair and he felt like collapsing because the only ray of sunshine in his life was in the lowest point of her life. Every inch of pain she felt, he felt also and he wanted to do anything to stop it. Anything. Even if it meant giving up the one thing that had meant the most to him.

Malea's POV

"You're going to Rome alone?" I asked, my words coming out muffled through the pizza in my mouth. I shifted my phone from one ear to the other and paused the show on the TV.

"Yeah. Apparently Lucian isn't interested. I don't even understand why. He loves events like this!" Ales exclaimed.

I lip my lower lip hesitantly. "Lucian hates publicity stunts that interfere with his work."

"When did you start knowing what Lucian likes and dislikes?" Ales spat, her voice coated in irritation.

I realized then how my statement sounded: Like I knew more about Lucian than she did. "No, Ales. That's not what I mean. I meant that Lucian seems like the type of person who wouldn't like going to things like that. He has work." I backtracked.

"So what you're saying is that you know more about Lucian than I do?" Ales asked, anger slowly making its way into her tone.

I sighed in exasperation. "Nevermind. That doesn't even matter anymore, Ales. Just have fun in Rome."