The Billionaire's Heart (His Submissive, Part Four) Read Free Page B

Va bene . It will be okay.”
    I had to stop myself from glaring at her. None of this was her fault. But the fact remained that I was being expelled from Jacob’s life, and everything that I’d fought tooth and nail for—my job, some semblance of respect and control, what we could have been—it was all over. Things couldn’t be further from okay.
    “You believe me, yes?” she asked gently.
    I didn’t have the energy to pretend her attempts at making me feel better were doing any good. “No, I don’t believe you.”
    As soon as I felt her hand on my shoulder, I lost it. I didn't bother with words, instead, letting my sobs fill the awkward silence. Allegra stood there and took it, stroking my back like my mother used to when I was a kid. Back then I’d ball my eyes out, complaining about the other girls picking on me for some reason or another. She’d tell me they were just jealous of me, that they had to bring me down to make themselves feel better. She’d kiss my forehead and say that someday I’d meet someone amazing. Some rich businessman or prince. Even then I knew she was living vicariously through me. Wishing for a life that didn’t include living from paycheck to paycheck.
    If she could only see me now , I thought bitterly, a fresh wave of sadness washing over me. There’d be no back stroking or trying to make me feel better— just yelling that I screwed up my ticket to the good life.
    When the well was dry, I gave Allegra a bleary smile. I knew Jacob well enough to know he didn't tell her much more than to pick me up and take me to the airport. Anyone else would have been chomping at the bit to find out what went down. Not Allegra.
    "I really screwed up," I said hoarsely, grabbing a wad of tissue. One swipe and it was a soggy clump. “I’ve ruined everything.”
    "We all make mistakes, Leila."
    "Not like this." I shook my head from side to side. "And after we were so close...so close."
    The quiet rushed back in and I swept a bunch of clothes to the floor and plopped onto the bed. Allegra stood like a sentry a few feet away, waiting for me to talk, to cry, to do whatever I needed.
    "Things were so good with us," I said after a minute. "Like we were finally building something together."
    "You were building something,” Allegra said quietly. “When Jacob called me a few days ago, I just knew. I hadn't heard that—something—in his voice in a long time. He was happy." She gave my hand a pat. "And that is because of you."
    "Not anymore," I said weakly. I picked at invisible lint on my skirt. I'd barely taken the tags off it. Not even wrinkles and teardrops could sully the high quality fabric. I glanced at the couture dresses and blouses strewn on the floor and bed, thinking over the lavishness of my beautiful room in this beautiful country. Now that I was losing all of it, it all seemed so pointless. I didn't care about the jets, the clothes, the five star hotel...I cared about him. Losing him felt like I was being split in half. A part of me would do what he wanted and go my way, but the other part would remain, haunting the dream of what we were meant to be.
    A fresh stream of tears unhitched from my eyes and I swept them away, swallowing so I could recount how I’d gotten here.
    "We went to the museum this morning and everything was perfect…right up until Rachel appeared."
    "Oh dear," Allegra groaned, ruffling her dark, choppy hair. "I should have known she was at the center of this."
    It wasn’t quite that simple, but Jacob already hated me. I didn’t want to add Allegra to the list. "She threatened to go public with information that could ruin Jacob, unless I gave her five minutes with him.”
    Allegra frowned. “She has no problem intruding upon Jacob. Why would she-” She stopped, her eyes narrowing as Rachel’s true motives dawned on her. It was funny—if only I’d taken a moment and thought about it myself, I’d be trotting around Venice instead of about to board a jet back