Billionaire’s Sins by L. Steele

8

Ava

"He said what…?" Isla opens and closes her mouth. Clearly, she’s as shocked as me. Unlike her, I’ve had a few days to process what Edward had tried to convey to me. The gist of it was… Nothing comes close to the relationship he’s already consecrated with the One Above. I am a distraction. What had he called me? An irritant, someone who got in his way, someone he’d use as a means to test out how strong his resistance to temptation is.

"I mean, should I, perhaps, be flattered that he sees me as some kind of trial by fire?" I chew on my lower lip. "Maybe I should give him credit for trying to do what’s right?"

"Right for you or for him?" She huffs up the slope of Waterlow Park. We’re in my favorite green space is in the heart of London…not far from the house I am renting. It's a one-bedroom, tiny place, rundown enough that I could snag a short term let on my shoestring budget.

"Right for both of us?" I hunch into my jacket. A gust of wind blows the hair into my face and I push it away. "I mean, I do understand where he’s coming from… Kind of…"

"Do you…?" She turns to me, "You’re a better woman than I, Sherlock."

"Umm…isn’t that dialogue supposed to refer to Shylock?"

She waves a hand in the air, "Same thing."

"It’s not." I laugh.

"Just as it’s not cool that he actually mentioned to you that he wanted to be friends with you only so he could use you as a test."

"At least, he was open about it." I rub my hands together, then blow on them. Shit, it’s February but the weather shows no sign of improvement. "I mean, if he’d acted on impulse and tried to kiss me or something… Now that…wouldn’t have been cool, considering who he is."

"Do you want him to kiss you?"

"What do you think?" I reach the pinnacle of the slope, then turn to take in the sight of all of London stretched out in front of me. Which means it is largely flat… Except for the tall buildings in the distance, which constitute the city.

"I think," Isla pants as she lurches up to the flat stretch of space at the top, then pivots to stand next to me, "that you want to do more than that, regardless of the fact that he’s a priest. Not that I blame you; he’s freakin’ hot." She fans her hand in front of her face. "And right now, the only one of the Seven who’s not attached."

"What about Baron?" I frown, "Isn’t he also unmarried?"

"Who knows with Baron?" She bounces on the balls of her feet in a bid to warm herself. "From what the rest tell me, they have no idea what he’s up to. They only know he’s alive because he sent a letter of congratulations to Arpad and Karina at their wedding."

"So, they do know where he is?"

"Nope." She shakes her head. "He only uses snail mail. There’s a PO Box where they can reach him, but other than that, they have no idea what he’s been up to all these years."

"So, he doesn’t want to keep in touch with the others?"

"Well, I’m told he’s still one of the co-owners of 7A investments, the company that the Seven own together… So presumably, he’s able to access the money that they make for him to live on."

"You know a lot about the Seven, huh?"

"Only because they’ve been keeping me busy, planning their weddings. Those alphaholes," she shakes her head, "they spend their days fighting their attraction to their women, only to fall harder and then, can’t wait to get married, very often overnight." She wraps her hair around her palms and tugs. "Honestly, the kind of stress they’ve put me through to find the right venues and book them, not to mention arrange everything else at the drop of a hat, it’s a wonder I haven’t had a cardiac."

She thumps her palm against her chest.

"Good thing there’s only Edward left," Isla mutters, "and clearly, he’s not getting married."

"There's Baron," I remind her. "Also, how can you be sure?"

"Baron's missing, so I'm not counting him." She scowls at me, "And Edward's a priest, and considering what he just told you, you can safely cross him off the list of potential boyfriends."

"Can I?" I turn away, stare at the now partially-clouded-by-fog view of London in the distance. "I mean, just because he’s a priest… And rude, not to mention, obnoxious…"

"There’s also a small matter of," she points a finger in the direction of the skies, "you know, the relationship he has with the One Above."

"Tell me about it." I dig the heels of my boot into the ground. "I am sure I’m committing some kind of sin just by thinking of him in the way I am, but darn it, I can’t get him out of my mind."

"Not even after how he treated you the other day?"

"Especially after how he treated me the other day." I shoot her a sideways glance. "Does that make me…stupid? Or just someone who loves punishment… Or maybe I simply have irrational expectations from this entire situation."

She closes the distance between us, grips my shoulder. "I know all about what it feels like to be attracted to the wrong man."

"Umm," I scowl at her, "something you wanna tell me?’

She blows out a breath, "Nope, just saying, that I empathize."

"Hmm, well, not much I can do about it, considering what’s-his-face has told me there’s no future for us. Not that I expected there to be. I mean, he’s a priest." My shoulders slump. "Shit, this is sooo wrong on so many levels."

"Easy, babe." She pats my shoulder. "No harm done. It’s not like the two of you acted on the itch or anything. You only thought about it, which hell… Nothing anyone can do about it. I mean, it’s not like he can peek into your head and punish you for your thoughts, right?"

"Umm," I scowl, "isn't the whole point that God can, in fact, peek into your head and punish you for your thoughts?"

"I guess," she shrugs, "but you know what I mean?"

"No," I shake my head, "explain it to me."

"Well, I mean... So maybe the One Above knows your thoughts, but he's not telling anyone, is he?"

"No, I’m doing a damn good job of that myself." I gesture between us.

"What you need is a distraction from all this. Maybe a night on the town, let your hair down."

"I think I’d prefer to go back to my studio, practice another routine that I’ll be teaching soon." I swipe my hair over my shoulder, "I really need to focus on my career at this stage, you know?"

"Is that what you want?" She tilts her head.

"Don’t you?"

"I want a successful career, for sure, and I want to make it on my own, but every success I’ve had only makes it seem even more hollow, makes me want to reach for the next one. I don’t think I’ve ever taken the time to appreciate what I have, you know? And sometimes it makes me wonder if it’s all worth it."

"Wow," I blink, "and I thought I was the boring introspective one here."

"That you are." She smirks. "Boring and introspective and way too beautiful for your own good."

"Aww, come on." I poke a finger into her shoulder. "Who are you and what have you done to my fun-loving friend?"

"Fun-loving, sex starved friend, who’s not had any action in…" She counts on her fingers, "Whoa, has it been that long?" She pales. "No wonder my vagina is dictating my thoughts."

"Thought that only applied to men." I chuckle. "Besides, I can’t weigh in on it. I’ve never—" Color floods my cheeks. "Shit, forget I said anything. Do you want a drink? I want a drink; shall we go to the pub—"

"Holdonabloodysecond." Isla stares at me, "Are you saying?" She shakes her head. "Nope, it can’t be. Tell me it’s not true. I mean, I know you’re only nineteen, still…you know…I thought…"

"Shut up." I blush harder. "Seriously, Iz, lay off. It’s not something I want to talk about."

"Are you holding out for the 'one'?" She punctuates the last word with air-quotes. "Is that why you haven’t slept with anyone so far?"

"Not like don’t have any experience... I do know how to use my vibrator properly, thank you very much." I laugh.

Isla rolls her eyes. "Not the same as being with a man…" She rakes her gaze over my features, "It’s also the intimacy, you know. That’s what I miss the most. Not that the men in my life have excelled at that in any way either… Still, it was better than nothing," she purses her lips, "I suppose."

"You don’t sound very convinced."

"All I can say is that I haven’t yet been with someone who can rock my world, the way I read about it in romance novels—"

"Those kind of alpha males don’t exist," I mutter. "Romance novels were dreamed up by women who, clearly, know how to spin a fantasy. It’s why I never read them."

"What?" she screeches. "You haven’t read any romance novels?"

I stare at her, and she chuckles, "Good one."

"Not." I pout. "I am addicted to them," I mutter. "How someone who started out with Twilight graduated to the kind of smut I read now, I'll never know. I singularly blame them for my addiction to a certain man who’s completely unsuited to my needs."

"Now I see why he's so attracted to you."

"You do?"

She nods, "It's the combination of the little virgin façade, combined with the curves of Venus, which hides the heart of a little slut."

"Whoa," I blink, "I'm not sure who you are talking about here?"

"You, babe." She laughs. "You. Bet he looks at you and sees a little sacrificial lamb that he can’t wait to sink his teeth into."

I stiffen. "You make me sound like some kind of…of…"

"Sinful dish?" she offers.

"I thought you were suggesting he was a vampire.” I pout. “And now you’re agreeing with him. Seriously, this is all kinds of screwed up. I need to take my mind off Edward completely." I straighten. "Yeah, that’s what I should do. I need to find someone to sleep with. That will take my mind off Edward completely."

She frowns, "Don’t do anything rash. Maybe you should think things through first. Sleep on it some more—"

"I’d rather sleep with someone else. I bet that will put things in perspective."

I pivot, brush past the others crowded at the peak of the hill.

"Where are you going?" she calls out as she rushes to catch up with me.

"To the bar, to get a drink and see if I can’t find someone to shag tonight." I hurry down the slope, then turn to find her standing in place, her mouth hanging open. I wave my arm and beckon to her, "Aren’t you coming with me?"