Page 92 of The Billionaire

Ignoring her, I went on.

“And I realized, that’s what my issue was. It got so intense, so pleasurable, that I felt if I felt any more goodness, happiness—that it would all be taken away. The higher I would climb, the harder the fall would be. And I was afraid to climb any higher. I am afraid to climb any higher.” I took another sip of my drink.

“You’re afraid?”

I nodded slowly.

“I’m…afraid.”

“Well, what does that do to anyone? Fear?”

“Well, I was just afraid that it was too good to be true. I mean, what happens when he’s tired of me?”

“I don’t know. He seemed pretty into you.” I just sat there, unmoved, off in another dimension. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Her soft hand trailed along my face, carefully smoothing my sweaty locks.

“It’s….”

I couldn’t tell her about the club. I was sworn to secrecy, and I never wanted to put her in danger.

“Listen…I was thinking, why don’t you just call him right now? Just call him. Explain what you’re feeling. Explain that you’re just overwhelmed by his wealthy status and you’ve never met a guy like him before and you’re afraid of getting your heart broken. It’s as simple as that.”

A dramatic sigh escaped my tight pondering lips.

“If only it were that simple.”

“It is that simple, girl.”

I shook my head no.

“It isn’t? Then…I’m confused. Do you just…not like him?”

“It’s…the opposite.”

“What? Come on. Get it out. Don’t let it block your thoughts and emotions. You need all the brainpower you have for med school.”

“I can’t help but to think about all the other girls…I mean, women he’s been with.”

Her face softened as if she understood where I was coming from.

“You know, I mean, I’m sure he’s had hundreds.…”

Shelly let out a motherly sigh and curled up next to me, “Ohhh…sweetie…I understand. A powerful guy like that…I mean, it’s like rock star syndrome, you know? It’s the natural King syndrome who gets women left and right. But the important thing is…did you connect with him? Did he express his interest in you? Or was this merely play and you couldn’t take it?”

Play?

I thought about the hip necklace…the things he showed me. The hike in Maui…his talks of confessing who he was and his twin brother and his father…feeling like he knew me. The sexual fantasies he opened me up to. And then that device on the terrace out in the open windy air.

Other women.

I felt sick to my stomach thinking about it.

Just don’t Google me.

I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before!

“And he said not to Google him. What if he’s this horrible person and I’m just saving myself from more hurt?”

---