Bright Lights Billionaire

by Parker, Ali

  Excitement with the possibility of loss - again, or security with an old friend? Hell, I wasn't even sure if Jace was pushing toward us being more than the sex-buddies that we had been for years.

  "They say the best relationships are those built on friendships." She pulled down two coffee mugs from the cabinet above her head and handed me one of the mugs. "Maybe you should consider letting down your defenses and giving him a chance."

  "This coming from the woman that hated Jace Dillon since she met him." I took the cups and poured the coffee before working on mine to turn it into a dessert.

  "He's grown on me. It's been like eight years, Riley. He's not as bad as he used to be."

  "Right. He's worse." I took a tentative sip of my coffee and groaned. "Thank you."

  She glanced up from working to crack an egg into the frying pan in front of her. "Thank you for what? You made the coffee."

  "For going to the hospital to be with my mom, Char." I set my cup down as tears filled my eyes. "Did you get to see her before she died?"

  She turned back to the stove as her shoulders tightened. "Yeah. But she didn't know it was me."

  I moved up behind her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pressing my cheek to the back of her neck. "Did she say anything to you?"

  "She just kept mumbling that she was sorry and that she loved me." She let out a soft sob and covered her face. "I wanted you there so fucking bad. Those were your words to hear, not mine."

  I nodded and tightened my arms around her as my own tears flowed freely. "You think she meant them for me?"

  "Yeah. I know she did." Charlotte wiped her eyes and turned, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve any more loss in your life."

  I clung to her and tried to get my breathing under control. "No one deserves this type of hurt."

  "Agreed." She squeezed me and released. "Do you have something to wear to the funeral on Thursday?"

  "I think so. I'll check later today." I wiped my eyes and walked over to grab my coffee as my phone started to ring. "I'm betting that's Frank or Deza. I should probably get it."

  "Yeah. I'll work on breakfast. Go find out what they're up to and tell them how you are, but remember... you don't owe them or anyone else a goddamn thing. Keep whatever you want to yourself for only you." She glanced over her shoulder and gave me a stern look which didn't come off as well as she might have intended. Her face was blotchy and her eyes red-rimmed from crying.

  I smiled. "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl."

  She turned as I walked into the living room and picked up my phone. I waited until I was in my bedroom with the door shut to answer it.

  "Deza? Sorry I haven't returned your calls. I've been a little out of it." I put my coffee down and sat down on the edge of my bed. The only light in the room filtered in from the windows and left me feeling calm, peaceful.

  "Hi Riley. It's no problem at all. I just wanted you to know that we were thinking of you and praying for you. You've been heavy on our hearts." She cleared her throat. "It's funny how you just joined us, but we already feel your absence."

  "Thank you for that." I took a sip of my coffee. "How is everyone? Is filming still going on? Did you get an understudy to take my place?"

  "Whoa. One question at a time." She chuckled.

  I smiled, unable to help myself. "How is everyone?"

  "We're good, just missing you. We left super early this morning and are waiting for a connecting flight. It's going to be a long day, but hopefully everyone will head home for a few days when we get back in town. I know Ethan will be working in the studio on a few things this week, but that's just to keep us on schedule."

  "Is he-"

  "He's good. Don't worry about him. He's just concerned about you losing your mother. Would you mind giving me the information for the funeral? We're hoping to send flowers, and I know I'll be there to support you for sure. Frank should too."

  I wanted to ask if Ethan would, but it was childish of me to do so. My only concern shouldn't be about Ethan showing up and holding me while I cried. I didn't live in a movie, though it was starting to feel like it some days.

  "It's on Thursday at two p.m. at St. Mary's downtown." I brushed my hair back from my face. "Did you guys bring someone else in to help with the filming in Rio?"

  "No. We're going to reschedule. We did a little more work with Ethan, but we'll be fine. We're not replacing you or bringing in anyone. It's your part, and since you aren't playing nearly as much as he is, we can work around you being off as long as you need to."

  "I won't be off too long. I just need a week or so to get myself together. My exams are coming up at school and I need to pop in to rehearse a few times before the spring play for the drama department, but if you don't want me to still do that, I can-"

  "No. I want you to do everything we discussed. I know getting this role means a lot to you, but you've been working on your degree for a long time. Finish it. I know that would help make you feel more stable. You've signed a contract with Eon, but remember... they signed one with you too. They can't replace you without due cause, and you've not given them anything near that. Take the time you need and we'll all be waiting for you with bated breath to return to us."

  "That means so much to me." I stood up and set my coffee down on my dresser. "I know it's silly, but how is Ethan? I honestly expected him to call and check on me. He was so upset the night I left when you guys wouldn't let him come with me. I-"

  There was no way I could finish the sentence. I needed him? I miss him? I want to hear his voice? All of those things were fairy tales living in the heart of a little girl that needed to grow up. Life wasn't made of glass slippers and dancing until midnight. It was hard and it fucking hurt most days of the week. Why get involved with someone that would never be the man I needed him to be. As unfair as I was being about it all, it was necessary. I had to protect myself. My brother was dead. My mother too. Who was next?

  "He's doing good. His same moody self."

  I was grateful that she took back over the conversation and saved me from letting my emotions run all over the place. I was hurting because of losing my mom, which opened me up to be more honest and straight forward about Ethan than was healthy.

  "That's good." I pursed my lips and dropped back down on the side of my bed. "Did Frank tell you that he found us together the other night?"

  "Yeah. He's not nearly as worried about the two of you spending time together, and where I think you would be the perfect woman in Ethan's life, this isn't his life we're talking about. It's your life and both of your careers. He's got some serious growing up to do, and if something were to happen between the two of you, something bad, where would we be?"

  "I don't know." I pressed my face against my free hand and closed my eyes. "When I'm with him, I'm... lost."

  "I get that. I promise. When I'm around Darren it's hard to breathe. Everything about the man turns me on. I can see our future together like someone painted the various scenes in an art gallery, but life isn't going to follow that path just because I yearn for it. We were good when we were good, but now... it's painful. I don't want that for you guys. It's not just your hearts that would be broken, Riley. It's your careers, and that's all the two of you have right now. You need to invest yourself fully in becoming the Riley Phillips. You know what I'm saying, right?"

  "Yeah." I forced myself to sound more content than I was. "I understand completely, and I agree. I'll start focusing on the only constant in my life... my talent."

  "There's my girl! I'll see you on Thursday. If you need anything at all, just call me. I'm here one hundred percent for you."

  "Thanks, D." I hung up the phone and laid back on the bed. Was she there for me, or for my talent? Did I really care which? No. Having a friend in the midst of my loss was more important than mulling over why she was my friend in the first place.

  And friends told the truth most of the time. Even when the shit hurt. Ethan was perfect for me... in another life,
but not in this one. Time to try and pull back a little and reestablish the boundaries between us. I just hoped like hell I had the strength to do it. Something told me I didn't, nor would I ever.

  "I mean really... he is the Ethan Lewis."

  Chapter 43

  Ethan

  I was itching for release. It was selfish and stupid considering all that Riley was going through, but after taking the pretty Brazilian girl back to my room the night before, I couldn't go through with it. We drank the whole bottle of Jack, and I'd kissed her a few times, but fuck if I couldn't go through with having sex with her. She was breathtaking and yet I felt nothing. Not a damn thing.

  Deza almost seemed relieved earlier that morning to get rid of me, but I couldn't blame her. I was in cock-head mode, or so she called it. Nothing mattered and everything agitated me. I'd barked in her face more than once that I would be great if they would just butt out of my freaking private life. It was none of her damn business who I was sleeping with.

  We argued the whole sixteen hours home off and on. She would finally bury her face in a magazine or talk to Frank or sleep a little. It was the only break I gave her, and though I hated myself for being a jerk about it, I had no choice. It was my life and they were acting like Eon fucking owned me. I'd overheard her talking to Riley earlier in the day and wanted to yank the phone from her ear, but decided not to resort to being a five-year-old spoiled brat. Seven years old was my limit.

  Paul's voice caught my attention as we stood beside the last gate we'd have to go through for the day. Our final flight was delayed.

  "So you want me in the studio later this week? Are we expecting Riley to be back or is she-"

  "She's out for the rest of the week. I'm hoping she'll feel up to coming in next week, but we'll see." Deza glanced over at Frank as I stood there awkwardly. "Are you going with me tomorrow?"

  "To the funeral?" he asked, glancing up from his phone.

  "Yeah. It's tomorrow at St. Mary's. I'll look up the other details when we get back into Los Angeles. I want to send her flowers from Eon and me too."

  "That sounds nice. I'd like to chip in." Paul lifted his hand as if to catch their attention.

  "Me too," I mumbled and glanced over my shoulder at the sound of my name being called over and over. A group of women were jogging toward us. "Oh for fuck’s sake. This is why I hate taking commercial airplanes."

  "I understand." Deza moved out in front of me to stop the women. "We didn't have much of a choice. Frank."

  "She's right. The private jet was being used by an Eon executive." He walked past me and put his phone up. "You sure you don't have it in you to at least smile and shake a few hands?"

  "And hug a few necks and sign a few tits. No. I'm tired and want to get my ass home." I walked past Paul, who had a look of sympathy on his face. It was hidden behind his scruffy beard, but I'd seen it multiple times from the guy over the years. He seemed more connected with how shitty the life of a movie star could be. Far more than anyone else I'd ever met. I'd have to find out why that was when I was up to talking. No one deserved the punishment of having to converse with me seeing that I was in a horrible mood.

  I pulled out my phone and checked for a call or text from Riley, getting nothing of course. It was me who was supposed to call, but I couldn't muster the courage. She didn't need to hear from me. She had Jace and Jade or Charlotte, whatever the cute blond was going by now. A smile lifted my lip at the thought of her introducing her best friend to me. Charlotte had been a bundle of nerves, a class-A stalker, but Riley... she'd been cool, calm, collected. She hadn't seem bothered by me in the slightest.

  And yet she was wet. Each time she let me near her to touch her beautiful body... she was wet. She needed me like I needed her. Maybe her reasons were different, but we were so fucking close the other night. I wanted to call. To offer myself to her. Maybe all she needed was someone to drown her in pleasure, to hear that she was beautiful and loved.

  "Liked. That you like her," I barked at the emptiness around me. I wasn't in love with her, but the idea of one day being there left my hands clammy, my insides tight and mind racing in a million directions. She was far too much woman for me outside of the bedroom. Inside of it, I could hold my own and show her a few things that might make her pretty head spin, but outside of it? She was mature, educated and knew how to get what she wanted in life.

  I was the same as I'd always been. Pretending to be whoever they wanted me to be at the time they wanted it. After glancing up at the departing time above me, I pulled out my phone and called my brother, Liam. I had twenty minutes before we boarded for our last leg of the trip, and I wasn't going to sit and stew in my own shit while we waited. My brother was an idiot and a half and could pull me out of almost any funk. It was his superpower. That and tricking beautiful women into loving him. Why, I had no clue. He was a dick and a half, and used women like most people used Kleenex.

  "Brosky!" Liam's voice filled up the phone, the sound of it causing warmth to spread through me.

  "Sup, man?" I sat down in the chair next to me and glanced around.

  "Nothing much man. Just still at the fucking office. Where are you? Still in Rio?"

  "Nope. We're headed home. Something came up with Riley's mom. She had to run back to L.A., so we wrapped up what we could and are about to get on our last flight this afternoon."

  "Awww... that sucks. How much longer you got?"

  "Couple of hours." I ran my fingers through my hair and leaned back in the chair. "I need to forget this chick, but every time I close my eyes, she's there. It's like she's the one woman in the world Deza and Frank don't want me with, which leaves me wanting to fuck the world and take her to the top of a tall building."

  "Like fucking King-Kong. I love that. You could have them create your next blockbuster hit. King-dong." He snorted as I rolled my eyes.

  "Awesome. I knew talking to you would make me feel better. Later, ass-clown." I started to hang up as he yelled into the phone.

  "Ethan. Come on, dude. Don't be sensitive. You know I'm fucking around."

  "Yeah, whatever. I'm not in the mood."

  "Well what are you in the mood for? I got this girl over who's just your type. Dark hair and big tits. She's a friend of a friend. I've not slept with her yet because she's applying for a job at my company, but I think you and her could make some magic."

  "What's her name?" I didn't give a shit about her or her name. I needed to break the pattern of returning back to Riley in my mind every chance I got, but other than that, I couldn't pass up the idea of a release.

  "Izabella." He emphasized the l's in the girl’s name.

  I chuckled. "I could use some magic in my life. How old is she? The last time you set me up with someone, she was a cougar."

  "I can't help that you're still ten in your head. She wasn't that old, and you enjoyed her anyway, didn't you?"

  "I can't deny that." I brushed my fingers by my mouth, half expecting my cock to twitch over the images running through my head, but nothing. Frustration pumped through me.

  I was determined to get over Riley and to stop acting like a horny schoolboy around her. It wasn't worth my career. She wasn't worth my career. Fuck, nothing was. It defined me. It was me.

  "You want me to run her over to your place and hang out until you get there? I'm sure she would be more than willing to spread her pretty bronze-colored thighs for you and let you dip your stick into her honey pot."

  I glanced up as Deza motioned for me to come and join them. I was antsy over having to ride on a commercial plane where every one of the passengers, the flight attendants and even the fucking pilots knew my name.

  "You're such an idiot." I shook my head as I stood up. "Yeah, bring her over. I'll text you if I change my mind."

  "Good. Don't change it. You need this. She's exactly what turns you on."

  "And you know this how?"

  "I grew up with you. Those fucking posters are in the attic, remember?" He chuckled.

&
nbsp; "I want them back. Those girls were my childhood." I walked toward Deza. "Gotta go. See you later."

  "Be safe, Bro. I'll have a treat waiting on you later tonight."

  "Awesome." I hung up and walked toward the group of familiar faces.

  Frank reached out and wrapped his big arm around my shoulders. "You planning your return tonight?"

  "Always, man. I'm young, dumb and full of hormones. We can't leave anything up to chance."

  I didn't even want to know what Deza's snort was about as she turned and boarded the plane. She should have been thrilled that I was planning on acting up later. It would help her cause and keep me away from Riley.

  Maybe. Doubtful. Nope, not a fucking chance.

  * * *

  "What's your name again, baby?" I pressed the pretty dark-skinned girl to the wall of my bedroom as she tore at my shirt. I'd gone from thinking I couldn't get turned on by anyone but Riley to drinking myself into believing I could do anything.

  "Izabella." She emphasized the l's in her name too.

  "Hot," I licked the side of her neck and ground my cock against her stomach.

  "So big," she whispered and glanced down to work on my jeans.

  "Yeah, good luck with that." I ran my fingers through her hair and rocked against her as she freed the monster from its cage. The soft gasp that left her delighted me, though I knew she would soon realize what all women did... size wasn't everything. Sometimes it was a fucking nightmare and left all parties involved unfulfilled and pissy.

  "Wow." She moved down to her knees and leaned forward, taking my dick into her mouth like a pro. I pressed my hands to the wall and rolled my hips, fucking her pretty face while she tugged my pants off the curve of my ass and ran her nails all over the parts of me that her mouth wasn't covering.