A Deal With The Ruthless Billionaire

AI

g lot, my car sitting in t

hell and back, a few dents here, a scratched bumper th

nd as much as I ha

ing wheel, and forced myself to start the engine. Th

uldn't give ou

at the nursing home had ended earlier than expected, and while mos

ing forward t

and, sprawled out on the couch, a half-empty bottle of something cheap

ing the same clothes I'd seen him in this m

never had a

orking myself to the bone to keep the roof over our heads, the lights on, and food

ears. It was always the same cycle-wake up before the sun, work myself to ex

uld pay them. I couldn't remember the last time I'd b

part was t

was my fault. Like I wasn't doing enough. Like

d, it was never enough to get

A life I'd wanted to get out of f

sically, emotionally, mentally. There were days I thought about quitting

d the thought of startin

over a pothole. I'd been stuck in this life for so lo

ike this, scraping by, giving everything I h

e. I just didn't know

o lazy to turn it off during the day. I let out a breath, climbed out o

into the living room. It was dark, but I didn't n

at's sh

eer bottles tipped over, no dirty socks litter

lief I felt-so

er into the ho

ot

ryw

hot pink thing I wouldn't be caught dead in were scattered acro

art d

ck

breaths coming sharp and uneven. I didn

I ha

d for the bedroom door ha

my g

ed in front of him, her face buried in the mattress

ped her hair so hard his knuckles were white, and

'd been punch

acked throu

u KIDDI

oze mid-

o cover herself. Devin turned his head to look at me, his expression blank, as if

r

, as if he had the ri

s audacit

y voice low, shaking with fury

gy drained out of me, leaving b

Didn't even look ashamed. He just stood there, completely bare-assed, s

like," Devin muttered,

vibrating off the walls. "Oh, so you're not railin

k into the mattress, let out a tiny squ

, and hurled it across the room. It hit

barked, stumbl

n't c

went flying toward the girl, missing her by a foot,

apped, my voice

air and wide, deer-in-headlights eyes fumbled for the sheets as s

she doesn't get

th all the grace of a newborn deer. I spotted h

her. The lacy thing smacked her sh

the room, clutching her clothes to

ging on a pair of boxer shorts like the

ind," he muttered under his

're the one fucking a stranger in my bed while I'm o

down. You're o

in like a knife, slicing through th

reac

home exhausted every single day while you remain sprawled on the couch, drunk like a fool! I've been breaking my back t

scoffed, running a hand through his unkempt hai

him, my ch

time

g inside me snapping into

to the closet, yanking open the door

ed, watching as I grabbed my duffel bag and

tuffing jeans, shirts, and anything else I could g

, he actually laughed as if I'd just told

ripping a sweater so tightl

you get a say in this? Beca

expressio

ain

oo long. I worked while you drank. I stayed while you did nothing. And I gave you

away, zipping up my bag with finality. Slinging it over my

ne," he muttered bitterly

ust enough to glanc

thing I regret is not

lked out, slamming

y. I didn't

time in year