Romance: Marriage of Convenience Romance: Billionaire's Inheritance Bride ( Billionaire Bad Boy BBW Romance)

by Horton, Amanda

  Besides Holly, Alec had been the person that had been there the most for her. Whenever her father would start in on her, and Holly was at work, Lily would climb out her window and would run to Alec’s home. It blew her mind how different their worlds were. His mother and stepfather had loved and supported him no matter what. They never screamed at him or got drunk and took their day out on him or his younger sister. They had dinner each and every night, and expressed their love for them constantly.

  The fight hadn’t exactly come out of nowhere. It had been the fifth time that Lily had come home from working a five-hour shift at the Cookie Hut, just to find Alec lounging on the couch, playing video games. Lily had gone to school full time, worked part time, and had to study for finals. All the while, Alec had yet to find a decent job. He had yet to even look.

  Lily threw down her book bag, and the screams just came rolling from her mouth.

  “Alec what the hell!?” Her words made him jump.

  “Hey baby. What’s wrong? Bad day?” He asked in a warm voice.

  Lily looked around. The apartment was a mess, and it had all been his. She had left it clean when she left before dawn.

  “It wasn’t until I came home! Alec, what the hell is all this? Why is the sink full, why are you just sitting on your ass?” Her words were bitter and acidic, but she couldn’t stop herself.

  Her feet were killing her, she was exhausted and she was irritated.

  “Babe, I’ll clean it up, I just haven’t had time.”

  Lily ran to their room and locked the door as she slammed it. She yelled while she beat her fists into a pillow. The tears came rolling from her eyes, and her stomach hurt.

  She leaned down onto the mattress and allowed the anger to wash over her. Eventually, the exhaustion took her over, and she fell asleep.

  As a few hours passed, she woke up, groggy and feeling pitiful. She knew what she had to do, and she knew that she had to do it now.

  Lily liked to have her life planned out to perfection. She had always wanted to own a bookshop and was focused on that goal. She needed someone who felt the same sense of purpose. She was looking for drive that would motivate her. Unfortunately she did not find it in Alec.

  As she made her way out of the room, the smell of cleaner rushed her. The apartment had been spotless, and Alec stood doing the dishes. Lily bit her lip as she looked at the man that she loved as she shook her head.

  “Alec, we need to talk.” She mumbled as she made her way to their couch.

  Lily felt like there was a hot wrought iron in her throat. This was the last thing that she wanted, but she had had enough, and there was no end to this in sight. How many times had she asked him to change? How many chances had she given him? Too many to count, that was for sure.

  Her sister had told her so many times to respect herself, and she felt that by staying with Alec, she would be doing the exact opposite. She looked into Alec’s deep eyes.

  They had had so many wonderful years together. Alec took a deep breath as he realized what was happening.

  “Alec, I can’t do this anymore.” Said Lily said as she looked down at her hands that were a sweaty mess.

  “Lil, don’t.”

  “Alec, I’ve given you so many chances. You keep disappointing me.” Lily bit at her lip. “I just don’t think that we go together anymore.”

  Alec was taken aback, but still kept his cool demeanor.

  “What in the hell is this about Lil?” Alec asked, his voice raw.

  “Ambition, Alec. You have none.”

  “Lil, you assume that just because I don’t have every moment of my day sorted and spoken for that I don’t have a future. That’s not true Lily ”

  “There’s no going with it when it comes to the future Alec! You have to mold it, make it happen!” Lily heard the harshness, but didn’t mind it.

  “You’re way is not the only way Lily.”

  There was a strange emotion in Alec’s eyes, one that Lily ignored, no matter how much they begged her not to.

  “I’ve made up my mind, Alec. I’m done.”

  “There has to be something I can do Lil,” Alec said, choking back his emotions as he spoke.

  “You already had the chance. I’m going to Holly’s, I want all your things gone by the time I get back.” Lily said heartlessly as she stood and left the house, feeling both relief and regret.

  “Fine Lil, if that’s the way you want it. The only thing you give a damn about is that book store any way!” Alec yelled in anger behind her as she left the apartment.

  ***

  Lily sat with a knot in her stomach as she watched the clock tick by. It was agony to sit and wait. She was more than uncomfortable, sitting there helplessly as her world was endangered.

  Blue Technologies was the world’s largest technological companies, and Holly had managed to set Lily up with a secretary position with the CEO. It was just another thing to add to her list of reasons why she would never be able to repay her sister.

  It had been a couple of years since Lily had been to a job interview, and she was suddenly reminded as to why she was so intent on being her own boss. She hated the feelings of inadequacy that came along with begging for a job.

  She couldn’t help but to compare her to all of the other women that had appeared for the interview. They were all beautiful women. All dressed in suits and dresses that she wasn’t able to pronounce the designers of. She gnawed at her lip, wishing that she had dressed better. She wore the same old skirt that she had worn to apply for her business license, with a fitted white shirt, again a couple of years old.

  “Brandi Goss,” A woman that sat at a round desk called in her valley girl accent.

  A tall blonde followed the woman back. She strutted with a stride that asserted strength. She looked like a woman that showed up on covers of New York Magazines with the title, “How Does She Do It?” Lily couldn’t even imagine the confidence that she would have radiated during her interview.

  Less than ten minutes passed before Brandi came pouring out of the back office. She wore a mask of aggravation and harsh disappointment. She slammed her Jimmy Choo heels on the tile with loud clicks that made a point. A point that she was done with whatever she had left behind her. It made Lily even more nervous for what lay behind the doors to that office.

  “Lily Day,” the valley girl accent called like a demon calling Satan’s next subject.

  Lily stood and followed the woman to an office that screamed prestige. Glass and stainless steel sat all around her, intimidating her with their gleam. Respected awards lined the walls, along with the company logo, letting Lily know that she was lucky to be sitting where she was. She thought about leaving the office, about running from the intimidation that she felt, but she shook it off and focused by counting the clicks on the clock.

  After a few uncomfortable moments alone, she began to wonder if the CEO had simply given up on finding a secretary. She wondered if they had found someone already? She imagined her bookshop going up for sale.

  As the thought passed through her mind, so did some designer cologne that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was vaguely familiar, but there was something different about it. It was familiar in the way that flowers are in the spring.

  Lily listened as heels came clacking onto the tile that lined the office. Lily turned to look over her shoulder.

  He stood about six foot three and had a muscular build. His skin was a deep brown, and looked bronze in the strong daylight that the office windows let in. His eyes were what sparked the memory the quickest in Lily’s mind. They were a light smoked topaz, and were unlike any Lily had seen before. He had strong facial features that were hard to ignore. The word that came to her mind the fastest was handsome. And then the rush of memories that were still blurry.

  Even being familiar with the features, Lily had to take a few moments to place the face. When she had last seen it, it had been younger. She saw the same emotion of trying to figure it out, on his face.
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  The man that stood in front of her had once been a boy, a boy that she had known inside and out, in the most intimate of ways. The name came creeping up to her mouth, where it lingered for more than a moment. It had been years since the name had left her lips, or traced her mind.

  “Alec Cross?” She asked, her voice sounding unfamiliar to her own ears.

  “Lily?” He asked, his voice imitating hers as he looked down to the paper that he held in his hand.

  A part of her wanted to stand and to hug the person whom had been her first love. Another part wanted to recoil away from the awkward situation. The two parts pulled at her, making her freeze and stay still, unwilling to move or to say a word.

  She was thankful that Alec had taken the first move. He stepped to her and embraced her.

  His scent rushed her. His muscles encompassed her, and his voice lulled her. She was brought back all those years ago when a young girl had loved a young boy. Where the two of them spent every waking moment in each other’s arms.

  Lily was overcome with too many emotions to count, embarrassment being the most prominent. She was guilt to have broken up with him.

  Here she stood, interviewing her ex for a job. The same ex that she had insisted wouldn’t become anything. She felt her face flush, but she doubted that Alec had noticed the betrayal.

  “It’s been a long time,” he said excitedly as he pulled away from her arms and took his seat at his desk.

  Lily followed suit.

  “Yes, I would say that it has.” Lily contributed.

  An awkward silence hung between the two of them. Lily swallowed hard, wondering why this was happening to her. It all felt very unnecessary. Did they need to cross paths now, after 15 years of keeping no contact with each other?

  Lily looked at the man that she had made the decision to leave. He was a vision of power, confidence and sex appeal, and she was a heap of regret.

  The cocktail of emotions and thoughts that ran through Lily’s mind confused her. Jealousy and embarrassment hit her hard. She also couldn’t deny the fact that she was still attracted to Alec in a very special way. Unlike the other men she had dated and been with in all these years.

  Alec, unsure of what else to say and with a head full of tasks he had to get to, went straight to business. “So, you’re applying to the secretary job?” he asked coolly.

  “Yes, I am.” Lily tried to say with confidence, but failed.

  “ That’s great. Hey, I am in desperate need. Its been crazy here for the last few months and I need someone to manage my schedule and make sure I get my shit done” he said smiling.

  “ Alec, its so great to see you. And look at this you’re the owner of XYZ. I am so happy for you. How did all this happen?”

  “ Thanks Lily. Well, it’s been an interesting journey, but I would not want to bore you, plus it will take a long time.” Alec wanted to keep the interview professional.

  “Is there a particular reason you are interested in this job, Lily?” Alec asked, as he politely remodeled his usual interview question why do you want this job?

  “Yes. It’s primarily to save my life’s dream and its kind of a desperate situation” Lily felt there was no reason to lie. It had been more than 15 years since they broke up.

  For a moment, her emotions were taken over by thoughts of the bookshop.

  Alec looked at Lily for a minute and then nodded.

  “Are you talking about the book shop, Lily?”

  “Yes.”

  “ Are things not ok over there” Alec inquired.

  “ Not really, we need cash to stay open and the books are not really selling. So I need to get work until we figure it all out”

  “ I am happy to hear you achieved your dream, Lily. Good job!”

  “ Thanks” Lily was happy to connect with Alec

  “ You know, in business things are never stable. So don’t worry about it. I am sure you will figure this out with time”. The chips were down and Lily welcomed the encouragement.

  “And, if that’s the motive, then I’m sure you will work hard” He smiled at her, a smile that sent chills down her spine.

  “Yes, I will.”

  “Also, I know you can write, and I need a ton of proposals written, so we could use your skills. Remember that English paper?” He smiled and winked at her.

  A wave of accomplishment washed over her. She had in fact remembered that paper. It was their freshmen year in school and Alec had come to her with a very large English paper on a book that he had failed to read. It was always like Alec to put away the important things until they came back to bite him. They had spent the entire night going over the book, one of Lily’s favorites, and writing the paper. He had gotten an A on it, and neither of them could have been happier.

  Lily stared at the man across from her. She wished that she knew what was going through his mind, but she could only guess. Alec had a few more questions that he needed to ask to officially complete the interview.

  Between interview questions, Lily would catch Alec's strong gaze. She would meet his stare back, but it would be broken soon enough as the tension set in. Both tried to remain professional and cool, but each had their own failing moments as they took in each other’s view.

  Lily had to fight the desire to ask him all of the questions that came to her mind, none of them involving any work as a secretary. Suddenly, she had craved to know the man that she had left so long ago. She wanted to learn about the person that he had become after she said her goodbyes.

  "Do you think our past will affect your job performance?" Alec asked, the question stunning her. She had to stagger her answer as she spoke.

  "Of course not." She said, not willing to flutter around the question.

  She focused her eyes onto his lapel, and the way that it kissed his muscular neck. She wished that she could be the one stealing kisses, and coaxing goose bumps from him. She found little encouragement to subdue her desires, yet she still managed to as she brushed her hand against her milky thigh.

  "I would be happy to give you the job." He said, forcing her to crash from her mental caress into reality.

  "Excuse me?" Lily asked, feeling her own eyes sweep his face for a hint of humor, but found none.

  "I know how you work Lilly. As far as I'm concerned, I think that you'd be a great asset for team. What do you say?" Alec asked.

  "Of course!" Lilly said as she stood.

  Now, the only thing that she could possibly give way to was the fact that her bookshop would be saved. Sure, she and Holly would have to make it work, but they would. She knew her sister would do whatever it took, and so would Lily.

  As she pulled away from Alec, she looked deep into the eyes of a man that had both enchanted and fascinated her. She felt the sly smile that crossed her lips, but bit it back and she thanked him.

  ***

  Lilly bit her lip as she sunk down into the office chair. Working for Alec had not been what she had anticipated. In fact, she had never worked so hard, or so desperately, in all of her life.

  After she would get finished working about nine hours at the office, she would make her way to her book shop where Holly would begin to explain to her all that happened, and it would inevitably give her a long list of things that needed to be done that were out of her hands. Lily would then deal with the issues that the bookshop posed.

  Lily had yet to even stimulate her senses with Alec since being hired. He kept her busy, which had made her wither in exhaustion. Every moment of her day was taken up with work; and she had yet to reap the benefits. The debtors would bother her everyday but there was no sign of customers. She could see her dream slowly getting away from her.

  She couldn't remember ever feeling as though she had needed to please Alec, but as she began working for him, it was practically the only thing that thrashed in her mind. She had managed to convince herself that it was little more than a way to secure her place at the company; that she was simply trying her hardest to save the book store, bu
t she knew deep down that it was more than that.

  She made sure to make his coffee the way that he pleased, to schedule his phone calls the way he asked, and to do each and every thing that she could just to see him smile at her. Other women in office made fun her when they saw her counting sugars for his coffee, or waiting by the fax machine for far too long.

  Lily could hardly recognize herself. She was never the type of woman to do such a thing. She had somehow lost herself in the struggle of reality. Alec had become a bit of a distraction for her, and she appreciated it, she was even thankful for it. When she looked at him, she didn’t have to think about her rent or her shop potentially failing, it was just Alec.

  "Lily?" Alec called from his office for the third time.

  She had heard him the first two, but had yet to prepare the planner that she knew he was going to ask of her. She squiggled in two more appointments before she stood, straightened her skirt, and walked into his office with as much pretend competence as she could muster.

  "Is that next month’s schedule?" He asked, not even breaking eye contact with the monitor that set before him.

  "Yes, sir." Lilly said, glancing at him.

  The words seemed to bring his attention to her. He focused his eyes on her face as he leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs at his ankles before propping them up on his desk. He smiled with half of his mouth before his eyes widened just slightly.

  Lily didn't say a word and took in the sexy demeanor. She felt his steel stare on her, and she reveled in it. She had his attention, and she was aware it was special. A sense of lust came to her, taking her prisoner under his gaze. She would give anything to know what was on his mind.

  She thought back to a time between classed where the two of them had made eye contact in the hall. The gaze was intense, and meaningful without a word. A teacher had broken it up, telling them to ‘cool it’, even though neither of them were doing or saying a thing.