Her Forbidden Billionaire

“They should issue a warning for a fire in the building! A too gorgeous girl is standing here all alone!” A familiar masculine voice whispered in her ear and she shivered. Firm arms circled her middle and she turned to face the love of her life.

“Dean! You were amazing, honey! I am speechless!” She told him increasing her tone over the music.

“Did you like the ending part? I said that for you, my dear! I love you!” He softly kissed her ear pulling her with him.

“Where are we going?” She asked carefully turning on all sides to check whether someone was watching them.

Without a word Dean took her in the elevator and pressed the highest button. His lips were still stretched in the widest smile and the award gripped in his hands.

“It’s beautiful! The award I mean!” She said and he lowered his gaze to meet hers. He gave her the award and pulled the tie around his neck loose.

She observed the golden surface with admiration, slowly running her fingers across the plate at the bottom that had Dean Franklin and Franklin Inc. written on it. Such a magical reminder of how valuable his work was.

“Don’t you want to stay with all those girls shouting your name down in the hall? They even said that they loved you!” Raina couldn’t trap her jealousy even for the night. Something inside of her didn’t give her peace.

“Who? The drunk long-legged ones who don’t know where they are, let alone who I am? Don’t be silly, sweetheart!” He laughed shrinking the space between them. He planted a gentle kiss on her lips and she responded to that with a slight bite on his own lips. “You are the only one that matters to me in this moment. Only you… But when I think better there is something else bothering me.”

“What is that?” She worryingly stepped back a little. Maybe he wanted to be with his clients that night, in any case.

“This dress! I am thinking of ways to get it down!” He chuckled and she playfully hit his chest.

“You are so naughty, Mr. Franklin!”

“Stay with me for the night. Please.” He whispered as she fell in his embrace kissing his neck.

*****

By the time Dean Franklin had dropped Raina off to her apartment at dawn and drove to the hotel, the morning had fully broken on the horizon leaving him no time for sleep. He locked the door of his room and sprawled himself on the sofa, closing his eyes. The award lay next to him on the glass club table reminding him of the unforgettable night. First the announcement and his speech. The praises from his colleagues and clients, music, champagne, the delicious food from Raina’s grocery store. Ah yes… Raina. The woman that was the key point of his celebration. He had taken her to the roof of the company’s building, far from everyone’s curious looks and the cameras, joining every piece of his body with hers. Completely forgetting about everything and handing himself to her gentle caresses and kisses. They had stayed cuddled and naked in each other’s embrace until the guests had all left the building and then unwillingly he had taken her home.

He missed her scent already, lying like that in his apartment alone. He dreamt of the day when he would be able to openly tell the world how much he loved her. A picture of her cooking breakfast in the kitchen dressed in his white shirt, perfectly opposing her chocolate skin, with her naked legs exposed to him created a feeling of longing he couldn’t evade. He just couldn’t wait to see her again.

But then the image was replaced by his father’s angry face and his will to get rid of Raina. Dean had told him that he would not let the story go to the newspapers yet, that he would never leave Raina and that he had had his own life to lead. A life totally independent from his father’s. However, it didn’t seem that his father understood him and that he would give up. As much as Dean knew him, he never gave up on something he had set his eyes on. But Dean was his son so he had inherited that same character which promised a battle that wouldn’t be easily won. At least when it came to choosing Raina or the company’s reputation. He was certain who would win even now. His love always came first. Right when that thought sprang up in Dean’s mind, he heard his cell phone buzzing in the pocket of his tuxedo. Who was calling him so early?

He stood up lazily and groped in his jacket until he fetched the smooth screen. There was an unknown number blinking on it.

“Yes?” He picked up.

“Dean? Am I talking to Dean Franklin?” It was a female voice and it sounded distressed.

“It is me, yeah. How can I help you, madam? And how do you know my number?” He replied seriously.

“Pumpkin? Did you not recognize me?” The voice spoke from the other side and his blood froze in his veins. Pumpkin. But why was she calling him?

“Sally? What do you want?” He said after a moment, the tone of his ex-girlfriend ringing in his ears. Of course it was her.

“Don’t be so mean, pumpkin. Like you want to get rid of me…”

“Don’t call me that! Never! And tell me what you want so that we can each continue our day!” He said getting impatient.

“Maybe you can, but I… Day and night are the same for me now… I need your help, Dean. Please let’s talk,” she told him and he grunted.

“You? Come on! Don’t fool with me. If I didn’t know you any better I would think that you really mean that. Now will you please leave me alone? I have heaps of work to do!” He answered lowering his phone to hang up, but she spoke from the other side again.

“I don’t want to get back to you or anything. I don’t plan to go through all apologies and regrets and stuff. I accepted our separation but…” Sally explained taking a deep breath.

“What?”

“I need money, Dean. Please help me! I have huge debts and they’re threatening to take my house away…”

“Money? So that’s what all of this is about? Of course. It was always about money,” he said rolling his eyes.

“No, Dean. Please! I am not lying now. I am really…”

“Good bye Sally! Stay well!” He hung up throwing the phone on the table and going to the bathroom to shower. Damn him if he put up with her manipulations and lies once more.

*****

Raina brought a bowl of fruit in the living room as Veronica was hungrily reaching for it from the sofa. She had come that morning to hear all the juicy tales from the previous night, but it seemed that she couldn’t get enough of them.

“And? Tell me, Raina!” Veronica took a bite from an apple the crunching sound filling the room.