“Hi, Mr. Lockhart. How are you today?” She sat in front of me with a smile on her face and her notebook in hand. I watched as she opened it and wrote something down. She looked back up at me, confused as to why I was staring at her, but I just chuckled and leaned back in my chair.
“I’m doing great, Lola. How are you?” I stood and walked to the front of my desk, leaning against it. I looked down at her in her chair and finished before she could speak. “Let me guess … ‘I’m doing well Lockhart, and I’m looking very beautiful as well.’” I mimicked her voice and laughed.
She cleared her throat uncomfortably and shifted in her seat. “Good. Um. Actually, Mr. Lockhart, I was going to say I’m doing fine.” She looked me directly in the eyes with a straight face.
I laughed. She couldn’t possibly be serious right now. Who knew she couldn’t take a joke? Scoffing, I grabbed a cigar from my desk and lit it. “Well, what are your questions?”
“For one, I wanted to know what inspired you to become a novelist.” She looked down at her book, ready to write. Her nails were painted beige and her hands looked soothing and slightly glossed from the lotion she had used.
“Since I was young, I’ve loved reading, so by the time I was seventeen, I had written my first book. It was never published, but since then, I’ve been extremely passionate about writing. It’s really all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life, so I decided to turn it into a career. Now look at me—a billionaire!” I laughed and took a drag from my cigar. I loved talking about myself. It’s not so much of a ‘cocky’ thing to do. I’m just very confident, and talking about myself helps remind me of how I made it to the top on my own.
“Great,” She spoke, writing down what I’d just said in her notes. “And how long have you been writing, Mr. Lockhart?”
“Twenty years.” I returned back to my seat. “Published my first book when I was twenty-two years old”
I saw her eyes widen slightly, but she continued to write. Her bracelets clanked together softly and her hair fell on her face. She was so beautiful. I really wanted her in my life. There was a silence in the room and the air grew thick. I decided to lighten the mood a bit.
“How old are you, Lola?”
“‘I’m twenty-one, Mr. Lockhart” She kept her eyes on her notes, but I could see her face turning red.
“Do you want to be a novelist?” I asked and she nodded.
She finally looked up at me and spoke. “I do, Mr. Lockhart”
“Call me Arsen,” I told her “How badly do you want to be a novelist? How hard are you willing to work for it? It’s not as easy as you may think. You can’t just write a book and get it published. It’s much more than that. It’s hard to catch the reader’s eye these days, and this field is competitive, since most people read on their electronics. To get to the top, you have to be the best and don’t stop working, ever, until you get what you want.”
She sat there in shock, not doing anything. She had completely stopped writing and just stared at me. She was startled and I could see it all over her face.
“Let me mentor you, Lola.” I smiled and leaned forward on my desk.
“O-okay, Mr. Lock—Arsen.” She shifted in her chair once more and wrote something down in her book. I could see her begin to turn red in the face again.
“Every Tuesday, same time.” I stood up and fixed my tie. “I’ll show you out”
She looked at me, confused, and stood up, following me toward the door. Before she could fully exit, I grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on it. She furrowed her eyebrows and continued walking.
I couldn’t afford to be around her too long or I might just grab her and kiss her. She was so gorgeous, standing at 5’6 with a perfect curvy figure and long, black hair. Her freckles were like constellations and her lips were pouty and desirable. There was no doubt in my mind that she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen in my life, and I had to have her. I didn’t mean to come on to her too strongly. I guessed that she just needed time to get comfortable around me. She seemed stubborn about who she gave her attention to and that’s what attracted me the most. I’d be a fool to let her slip through my fingertips.
Lola
He did it again! Cutting our meetings off short, as if there wasn´t work that needed to be done. I rolled my eyes at the thought of it and got in my car. I didn’t understand him. The interview was going well until he just went on a rampage about what’s it was like being a novelist. I appreciated the advice, I really did, but I didn’t expect all of that in that very moment. I definitely didn’t expect the kiss he left on my hand before I left. Although that was a very interesting experience, I am happy that he asked to be my mentor. I needed someone like him to help me get where I need to be. The only problem with that plan will be trying to focus on my work with him breathing down the side of my neck. I felt like I was going to melt right in his office, but showing extreme amounts of affection too early with a guy can turn him off or give him the leverage to use you.
When I made it back to my suite, I thought of ways to avoid Anabella, but luckily, she wasn’t there. All I could do was lie in bed and think of Arsen. I hadn’t felt the weight of a crush in years and it made me feel like an irresponsible schoolgirl again. There was just something about the way he talked. His voice almost struck fear into my heart. Those bold eyes and pink lips. That slender body in that dark suit. I felt myself getting hot and breathing heavily, so I had to quickly take my mind off of the thought of him. I rolled over on my side and pulled my laptop onto my bed. I opened it and the last piece of writing I was working on appeared on the screen.
It was titled “Daisies & Apricot.” It was a short story I had written about my past lover who always brought me daisies and apricot-scented body scrubs. As I read over it, I thought that I would come across some similarities between my ex-boyfriend and Arsen, to give me a little hint as to why I was so attracted to him, but that wasn’t the case. Arsen was the exact opposite. He was challenging. All of my past boyfriends were very sweet and submissive. Their personalities fit so well with my dominate behavior. They all fell to my knees the moment they saw me, but Arsen Lockhart was different. He saw me and felt attracted, but he didn’t fall to my knees like the rest of them. He remained strong and determined. That’s what attracted me the most about him.
I was so used to being around childish little boys that thought being over the age of eighteen made them “real men,” but Arsen was a real man. Strong, hardworking, dedicated, and stern, all while being confident. He had everything he wanted in the palm of his hand and he could control people however he pleased. Except for me, of course. I liked him too, but I wasn’t that easy. I was a tough cookie who took a while to be cracked, so if he thought he could have me falling to my knees in a couple of days, he had another thing coming. I smiled, closing my laptop and putting it on my bedside table. I had a man who had my dream job and also had a thing for me. Why not use this to my advantage?
I took one red rose and one white rose from the vase on my desk and carried them to the bathroom with me. I needed some time to relax and to also care for my skin, so I ran a warm bath and added the petals from the roses, pink salt, and a few drops of lavender oil. When I first put a foot in, I felt the warm water kiss my skin and it automatically put me to ease. I played my favorite album on my phone and just relaxed. This was everything that I needed.
I was about three songs in when my phone began to ring. I dried off my hands on a small towel and picked up my phone to see who it was. My eyes widened at the name on the screen. Arsen Lockhart. What was he doing calling me after our meeting? Hopefully it was to tell me why he ended our session so quickly. I hesitated a little, then answered. For some reason, it felt really good to hear his deep voice on the other line.
“Hello, Lola,” he spoke, not saying anything else.
“Hello, Arsen. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“I’m trying out this new restaurant tonight and I want you to come with me.”
<
br /> “Well, Mr. Lockhart, I-”
He cut me off. “I’ll pay for everything and you can ask me any of the other questions you were going to ask earlier today.”
“I guess dinner wouldn’t hurt …” I trailed off and sat up in the tub.
“It wouldn’t, so I’ll pick you up at 7:30. I’m wearing a navy blue suit, so work around that.” And before I could even get a word out, he hung up. I guessed I was going on a date. I sat there genuinely confused and sort of turned on, but I quickly shook off the thought and began to wash off.
When I got back to my room, I looked in my closet and thought to myself, “What do you wear on a date with a billionaire?”
I had to look like arm candy. Arsen Lockhart wouldn’t just go out with any girl. It was 6:30, so I just laid out my clothes and started on something else to pass the time. I decided on a simple black dress that hugged my curves, with a pair of heels. I straightened my hair and put on light makeup, but I made sure to wear a bold red lip.
“Where are you going tonight?” I heard Anabella speak from the door.
“Out,” I replied simply.
“Yeah, sure, Lola. Have fun with Mr. Billionaire.” She chuckled and walked away. I didn’t know what upset her so much about my going out with an older man, but I was a grown woman. If I wanted to date someone much older, I had every right to.
I rolled my eyes at her remark and walked over to the bed to slip on my dress. I felt so beautiful with it on. I never wore it because my mind was too focused on my studies to go on dates. To go anywhere at that. All my life consisted of was writing. I remembered that when I was around eighteen or nineteen, I knew how to balance being a party girl and still getting everything done that I needed to do. That sadly wasn’t enough for me, though. I wasn’t reaching as much success as I wanted, so I completely cut out partying and having fun at the age of twenty, and here I am today.
I was twenty-one years old and had butterflies before going on a date. There was nothing wrong with that. I just always thought life would turn out differently for me. Maybe that was why I was so open with Arsen. It might not seem like it on his end, but I didn’t usually even give guys the time of day, so he was lucky. I felt that he could be that missing excitement that I needed in my life. I was just so used to being by myself without any distractions. I wasn’t sure if a relationship was what I needed right now, but I was willing to try it out.
My phone lit up, showing a text from Arsen. It said that he was outside and that his driver was waiting for me. I laughed a little and slid on my shoes. I didn’t even know why I expected for a billionaire to drive himself to a restaurant. I made it outside and saw the driver open the back door. I kindly thanked him and got inside. Arsen sat, watching me get in the car with a smile on his face. His teeth were the whitest I’d ever seen. All of his teeth were so perfectly straight that it was mesmerizing.
“You look absolutely stunning,” he spoke.
“Thank you. You look good as well, Arsen.” I blushed slightly at the nickname he gave me.
The ride there was lovely. I got to see the view of downtown at night, while music played softly in the background. The air was fresh while blowing through my hair. I felt like my nineteen-year-old self again. I heard a chuckle and turned to see Arsen watching me.
“Having fun there?” He smiled.
And for the first time, I actually smiled back. “I am, actually. I’m feeling a bit nostalgic”
“I understand.” He nodded. “Go out with me more often and you could feel this all of the time”
The smirk on his face made my stomach drop. “As pleasing as that offer sounds, I’ll have to see how the rest of the night goes before I make a decision”
He shrugged with a smirk on his face and turned to face the window as we pulled up at the front of the restaurant. I waited for the driver to open my door and thanked him after. I looked up at the big, white letters.
“The Crystal Room,” Arsen spoke, reading my mind. He grabbed my hand, causing me to tense up and pull my hand away. “It’s okay, Lola. I don’t bite.”
I nodded and he grabbed my hand. “At least not too hard,” I heard him mumble as we walked in.
Arsen
I watched as her body moved swiftly in that dress. She was the most gorgeous girl I’d ever laid eyes on. I liked a woman with curves, long hair, and an attitude. I was determined to make her mine.
“Hello, Mr. Lockhart. Your table is this way”
We followed the waitress to our secluded table, upstairs on the balcony and took our seats. I ordered us some wine and watched as she looked over the menu.
“See anything you like?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not really …” She closed her menu and sat back in her seat. “Order for me.”
I smirked and looked over at the waitress, who had begun to pour our wine into our glasses. “Are you ready to order, sir?” She smiled down at me.
“We are,” Lola stated loudly. The waitress jumped a bit from how stern Lola’s voice was and I chuckled. She clearly wasn’t expecting for her to be that bold. Lola seemed a bit protective over me, but I liked it.
I scanned my eyes over the menu and decided on what we were having. “We’ll both have the steak and lobster dinner with mashed potatoes on the side.”
“C-coming right up.” The waitress spoke as she collected our menus and walked away.
“Jealous?” I asked Lola as I took a sip of my wine.
“I could never be jealous, sweetheart. Look at me.” She smiled and took a sip of her wine as well. “I just don’t like being disrespected. I deserve just as much of respect as you do”
That turned me on—the way she thought so highly of herself. I just wanted to tear that little piece of fabric right off, but I had respect for her. A strong, beautiful woman like herself took time and patience, but I was sure I’d get her to crack soon.
“I want to know more about you, Lola. Have you always wanted to be a novelist?” I folded both hands together and leaned back in my seat.
“Since I was about seven, I knew I wanted to write. Every other day I’d try to write a new story or start reading a new book to get inspired. My life literally revolved around it.” She took another sip of her wine and licked a drop of it off of her bottom lip.
“There was never anything else you wanted to do?” I raised an eyebrow.
She nodded. “There were, and I did them. I took ballet for a couple of years, I used to sketch, and I’m a pretty amazing cook. I used to want to be a chef as well, but over the years those just became hobbies. I knew I wanted writing to be my career.”
“Ballet, huh?” I smiled. “Explains why you have such strong and beautiful legs. I’d love you taste your cooking one day, since you’ve bragged about your talents”
“You’d be amazed.” She smiled and ran her finger around the brim of her glass. “This wine is amazing. So smooth and opulent.”
“You want a bottle to take home?” I asked.
“I sure do.” She smiled widely. “Thank you”
Just then the waitress came back with our plates. The food looked absolutely delicious—almost as delicious as Lola. Usually the girls I dated would light up at the expensive meal before them, but it was like she was completely used to this. Has she dated rich, older men before?
I shook the thought and asked the waitress for another bottle to take back home. She politely told me that she’d wrap it up and put it in a bag for us. I nodded and turned my attention back to Lola, who was cutting into her steak. Seeing the fork slide in between her lips after taking a bite made me hot.
“Is the night going well for you?” I asked, staring into her eyes.
“Wonderful,” she stated with a smile and continued to eat.
“Maybe we could do this again tomorrow night?”
“Sounds lovely, Arsen, but I’d really like the next time we see each other to be at our next meeting.” She poured herself another glass of wine. “I have a lot of work to do an
d I would love to be undistracted.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat. I’d never been turned down. I was starting to wonder if she even liked me. I began eating my food.
“I would like to do this again, though. She smiled and continued eating.
“Then we shall.” I wiped my mouth clean and smirked.
“Arsen Lockhart, I am going to murder you!” a woman screamed as she ran towards me. She began hitting me, yelling that I had killed her husband and ruined her family. Lola was shocked, but managed to pull the lady off while workers rushed over to see what all the commotion was. I dialed my driver’s number and told him to be out front of the restaurant immediately.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Lockhart!” A random woman said to me as she tried to clean off the food that the woman had spilled on my clothes while going crazy. “I’m the manager and I’m not sure why this would happen”
“You should really work on your establishment if you’re going to let crazy people like that inside of a place like this.” I looked at her, then over at Lola, who was taking the extra bottle of wine from the waitress. I quickly grabbed her free hand and dragged her out of there. We quickly got inside of the car and the driver sped off.
“Um, what was all of that about?” Lola asked.
“I have no idea. I’ve never seen that woman a day in my life.” I shrugged and turned to look out of the window. I knew exactly who that woman and her husband were, but that was none of her business.
I heard her sigh deeply and adjust herself to face the window. She probably didn’t want to go out with me again, but I would make sure that she did.
Lola
That was one of the weirdest things I’d ever encountered, and the fact that Arsen knew absolutely nothing about the situation seemed very fishy to me. I really loved the feeling of being taken out and shown off, but not if things like that were going to be happening. I wondered if he was hiding something.
His Beautiful Revenge: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 51
