How to Hunt a Billionaire ✔️

Step 44: PROTECT him

"They're going bankrupt," Ethan reminded me as we were arguing on whether he should invest in a company that was looking for a sponsor.

"And with your generous amount of money, they wouldn't be."

"Do you know how many loans they've taken?"

"Three?" I guessed.

"Nope. Eleven and all under different names."

"And they're still bankrupt? Sh*t," I said amazed. "Never mind. Don't give them anything."

He laughed and rolled up him sleeves then grabbed a file from one of the cabinets. Sliding them towards me, he pointed at the label. "We're waiting for them to sell."

I looked at him. "You want them to self destruct?"

"The quicker the better."

Flicking through the pages, I realized that their profit was zero to none. It was inevitable that they would have to sell. "What a shame."

"Their loss is my gain," he said shrugging.

"That is why you're heartless," I muttered.

"True." Ethan poured some wine into my cup. "But it's also why you have a job here and I can buy whatever I want."

I sighed. "I'm supposed to be working."

"I've told Seth that you're with me. You can stay."

The sound of his phone said otherwise. "I should go," I said hesitantly but Ethan shook his head.

"Give me a minute." He put the phone to his ear. "Hello?" The high pitched wail of the one and only Ivy responded, loud enough for me to hear and glare.

"Ethan, you cancelled on me without giving me a reason," she complained.

"Do you want me to give you one?"

"If you want. I don't min-"

"I'm with Ashley," he told her, his face expressionless.

"What? Why?"

"She was hungry."

"So am I!" She yelled back. And she said I was childish. She should listen to herself.

"Come to the office," he offered after a long pause.

"Aww. Thank you. I'll be there in ten."

Ethan hung up and flung his phone, looking tired. "This has been fun but I have reports to read," I mumbled, wanting to leave before Ivy could find me.

"Ashley-"

"Bye."

I strode out without waiting for his answer then remembered the food. Walking back into his office, I grabbed a box of pizza and left again as he watched silently.

"F*cking Ivy," I muttered, getting annoyed that she always seemed to make an appearance in my life.

"Ashley!" Ethan called. I turned and frowned as people began staring at both of of us.

"What?" I replied, my cheeks red.

"Be ready at nine," he said then walked back into his office. My teeth clenched. So he wants to see me after meeting with Ivy? I'll show him what I thought about that.

*****

"Get the f*ck out!" I cursed, trying to close my front door as Ethan stood on the other side preventing me from doing so.

"You either let me in willingly or I will knock down your door. Your choice."

He sounded serious and I didn't want to go to my landlord to explain why my door was on the floor. I exhaled and flung it open. "I don't want to talk to you."

"But I want to talk to you," he said, entering my house regardless to my protests. Finally, he caught sight of what I was wearing. "I thought I told you to be ready by nine."

I crossed my arms defiantly. "I didn't agree to anything."

Ethan cornered me and stared hard at me. "We have a meeting to go to and you're just being difficult. So get dressed."

"No."

His hazel eyes seemed to flicker with an emotion that possibly was anger. "Ashley, now is not the time to be petty over me having lunch with Ivy. So grow up."

"I should grow up? Me? Ethan, you need to grow up. Do you actually know how to have a relationship?" I was getting p*ssed.

"And of course you bring this up," he muttered.

"Do you want me to stab you? My dad's a lawyer so a couple of years don't mean a thing."

"Meaningless threats."

I stomped to the kitchen and opened the cabinet of knives. "Meaningless? Are you sure?"

"For f*ck sake," Ethan growled then moved to grabbed my wrists before I could grab one. "Ashley, look at me." I narrowed my eyes as they met his. "There is nothing going on between Ivy and I so get over it. I'm not stupid enough to start an affair when I'm about to propose to someone."

"Fake propose," I reminded him.

He simply scowled. "That's not the point."

"But it is. I asked you to 'date' me because you were single and if you and Barbie like each other, then we can end this all now."

"We're not ending anything."

I searched his face for something that would tell me that he was lying but came up with nothing. I shrugged. "The year's almost over then you can go back to your precious-"

The hands on my wrist moved - one on my hip and the other covering my mouth. "Be careful of what you say, Ashley. You've wasted enough of my time."

Moving his hand away, I continued taunting him. "You don't want to call her your precious Ivy? Does she have a different name? Darling? Sweetheart? Ba-"

His mouth crashed onto mine, cutting me off. The kiss was hard, almost angry, and my arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. F*ck. my body seemed to heat up as he ran his hands down my hips, bringing our bodies flushed against each other.

He broke off the kiss and looked at me hard. "She doesn't mean anything to me," he said huskily.

"Okay," I answered quickly, wanting his lips back. He seemed to get the message and resumed kissing me. The need to get his clothes off grew and his hands slid under my top, causing his fingers to brush my skin. I gasped, giving him an invitation to deepen the kiss. Suddenly, he pulled my top off and his mouth was back on mine without taking a break.

And in that moment, I knew I was f*cked because the lines were starting to blur and something in me didn't want it to end. But the scariest part was

I didn't care.

#

I've eaten guys XD thank you for the comments supporting me to find food.
So Canada is still cold. I'm up at 7 AM writing because I have nothing to do.
And Ashley and Ethan *heart eyes* the ship is taking passengers.
I really need to finish this book *sigh* I'm so bad at updating which is why it's been taking so long. And I have 5 books waiting to be written...
XO Nyx