Breathless: In Love With an Alpha Billionaire (Breathless 1)

I spent a few minutes answering messages. My nine o’clock meeting quickly approached, and by eleven my team had assembled a plan, handling every detail for the DOD’s project down to the letter. I didn’t even have to be here. That’s how well they had written the plan. It felt good knowing I could count on them in my absence. I congratulated each of them on a job well done and exited the boardroom.

Justine approached me and frantically wrapped her arms around my waist. "Jacob!" she screamed, causing everyone to look at her. "Jacob, I've missed you so much. Please tell me you’re not leaving town anytime soon."

I patted her back, as my VP team exited the board room behind me. "Hi Justine," I said, observing her as I drew back from her intrusive embrace.

I had to admit that she looked good with her nude makeup, flowing blonde curls, and eyes beautiful as the sky on a sunny day. She was toned and tight, and I didn’t see one flaw in her appearance. And, to top it all off, she smelled delectably good.

"Jacob, we need to talk," she said, sounding somber.

"I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you to talk about it later?" I spoke tight lipped.

"No, we can’t talk about it later. This is urgent. I've been calling you for a month and you haven’t answered. Who do you think I am? I don't like the way you're treating our relationship, and we need to talk about it, now," she said in a quivering voice that got more pitiful as she continued.

Wanda looked up from her computer with wide-eyed shock. A few other workers paid close attention to our exchange, showing sympathy for Justine, and that’s when I knew I had to get her out of there.

"Come inside my office." I stepped inside my office and closed the door behind us with her following close behind. “Justine, you can't come into my business making a fool of yourself. You know we’re not involved anymore, and I don't know what else to tell you other than the truth."

She grabbed my hand and held it close to her face. "Tell me that you're still in love with me the way I'm in love with you, Jacob."

"I can't do that," I said removing my hand from her face.

"Why? Why can't you, Jacob? Why can't you tell me that you love me? I know you haven’t lost your feelings for me so soon after we broke up."

"Because…I—" I ran my hand over my beard and stared into her eyes—the same eyes I turned to for consolation at points in my life when I needed it most. "Justine, I do love you, and I always will. We’re friends and have been the best of friends for years, so I will always love you that way.”

“But you aren’t in love with me?” she asked painfully.

“No, I’m not.”

“It’s her isn’t it? That damned black—”

“Don’t do it, Justine,” I warned, and she paused mid-breath, as I dared her lips to move. “Yes, I’m in love with Destiny,” I continued. “And, from the moment I fell in love with her, I’ve known for sure that I never was in love with you."

She toppled over in anguish as if she’d just been shot in the chest. Clasping her heart, she wept, "Jacob, I can’t believe what you’re saying to me. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I’m sorry we ended the way we did, but I’ll never be sorry for loving Destiny. She’s the new woman in my life. I love her, and I want you to at least respect what we have."

"I will never respect that, and I don’t understand how you expect me to! This is just going too far, Jacob. I stepped aside and allowed you time to go have your little jungle fever, but you can't be serious about this nigger," Justine said, peering into my eyes as if she were the one pissed. I thought I knew Justine well. She had never said anything disrespectful like that in all the years I’d known her.

I closed the space between us and grabbed her by the collar. "Didn’t I tell you not to disrespect Destiny? When you called her a bitch, I overlooked it, because you were suicidal. But don't you ever again come out of your stupid ass mouth with anything like that about her ever in your miserable life. Since I’ve known you for so long, I’m going to give you another chance to get your head right," I spat fire and brimstone in Justine’s face as I spoke, only pushing her away when I got my point across.

"Jacob, she is a nigger and a bitch. You need to get used to hearing the truth about people like her. I mean, you are a fucking billionaire and you want to run off to the hood and settle down with the first hood queen you find," she said nastily.

"That’s it. Get the fuck out of here and don't ever come back, Justine." I grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door. “It’s just as well if we never see each other again,” I added.

"This is not the end of this, Jacob," she said, holding her arm and grimacing in pain. “You will hear from me again.”

"Oh, this is the end, Justine. I thought I knew you, but, with the way you’re talking, we can’t even be friends."

Her tone softened. "Jacob, we can get past this. We can fall in love again. All you have to do is forget about her and try to love me."

"Even if I believed that I could turn my feelings off and on like that, I don't want to get past what just happened here," I said, disappointed in the person standing before me. "I don't even associate with people that would say the things you said today. I don't want to ever see you again," I said, not believing that our friendship had come to ruins like this.

"Fine," she grated out through tight lips. “But it’s not me who changed. It’s you that I don’t know,” she tossed over her shoulder as she rushed out my door and through the reception area.

I plopped down in my chair, reached for the bottle of scotch I kept in my bottom drawer, and let out a deep sigh. I didn't bother getting a glass; I just drank it straight from the bottle.

"Sir, is everything okay?" Wanda peeked in to ask after Justine stormed past her desk.