Rock Star Billionaire

"I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself. I had Jay handled perfectly fine on my own, even without you, and he hasn't given me an ounce of trouble since. And, if Mr. Diehl is such a bad businessman, why is that he's got you sweati

ng so bad. Obviously, he's good enough at what he does to be number two in the industry. Why don't you admit what's really bothering you?"

"What's that?"

"You don't like it that I'm an independent woman with my own career. You like to be in control and to hold all the power. You have that at work and at home, but you don't have it with my career, and that drives you crazy.

“Well, fuck you, Ethan Colson. When it comes to modeling, I'll do whatever I want. If you don't like it that I'm working for the competition, then you should have Speed Motorcycles make me a better offer. Until then, I'm staying here."

"The hell you are. You're staying at home where you belong. I committed to you and you committed to me, and that means I'm the head of our household and I call the shots."

"What is this, the turn of the century? Being committed to each other means we're equals in our relationship," I insisted, but Ethan shot me a look of pure maliciousness.

"Oh really? And what part of being equals makes it okay for you to insist that I'm open and honest about everything while you keep secrets and do things behind my back?"

There was nothing I could say in response, and my eyes cast down at the floor. Ethan pressed his advantage, shouting out angrily, "You knew it was wrong to take this job, and that's why you hid it. Working for the competition is a betrayal of me as your equal partner, and doing it behind my back is even worse. It's just a different kind of cheating. How can you justify it?"

"I can't," I admitted, and my confession took all the wind out of him. I approached him and took his strong hands in my own. Blinking back tears, I said, "I needed the money. That's the only reason I did it."

"Well, you don't need the money now. I've got more than enough. Just quit and let's go home."

"I can't quit. I'm under contract with R.E.B., and I'm sure you being here right now is already in violation of it. You'd better go and let me finish the job."

"Fuck their contract. I'll just buy you out of it. Give me a number and I'll write the check right now."

"No, I can't do that. It wouldn't be right. It's my contract, my job, and my career."

"And, you’re my girlfriend. I want you to quit. Let's go. I'll have my lawyer settle everything in the morning."

"No, you don't understand. I don't want you to buy my way out of this. It wouldn't be right."

"Of course, it would. I've got the money; I can afford it. In fact, I can afford anything you want. You'll never have to work again."

"But that's just it. I want to work. I've been trying to be a model for years, ever since I was a teenager. I've worked my ass off to get where I am today, and now that my career is finally taking off, my billionaire boyfriend wants me to throw it all away so I can sit back and take advantage of his money.

“No, forget it. I've worked too hard and I want this too much. One day, I'm going to travel around Europe, modeling for all the biggest brands, and Kayla will be a household name. People will associate me with beauty and glamour and all the best things in life. Me. Little ol' Kayla Brandt, the middle child from the middle of nowhere."

"So, you won't quit and come home with me."

"No, I won't. I'm sorry, Ethan."

"I thought you loved me. I thought what we had meant something to you."

"I do love you and what we have means so much to me; but my career means something to me, too, and if you loved me like I love you, then you wouldn't ask me to give it up."

"Come home with me, Kayla. Look what they've done to you. They've turned you into a sex object. Quit now and come home with me, or don't come home at all."

"Fine then," I shouted back at him.

I turned on my heel and strode back to the motorcycles with my head held high. Jay and Nathan were both staring with their mouths agape, as was everybody in the crowd. I turned to face Ethan and I could see his face was purple and twisted with rage.

With an alluring smile plastered on my face, I put my arms around the guest standing closest to me, a pudgy man in his sixties, and said, "Smile for the camera. You'd look so sexy on the new Road Rage. Let's get our picture together."'

He grinned stupidly and I planted a kiss on his cheek just as the photographer’s flash went off. When my vision cleared from the light, I saw that Ethan was storming out of the room with his fists clenched. I wanted to go chasing after him, to tell him I was sorry, and to tell him I quit this stupid job and wanted to be his forever—but I didn't.

It took all my effort not to, but held fast to my principles. My career and my name were at stake, not just my pride and independence. I needed to stand firm. If I caved now and allowed my career to be ruled by my boyfriend, I would be setting a dangerous precedent.

Not to mention the fact that if I allowed myself to be a kept woman, living a life of luxury off of someone else's wealth and spending money I hadn't earned, I would hate myself for it. I wouldn't be me anymore. The woman Ethan had fallen in love and committed himself to would no longer exist. In a strange way, the only way to preserve the relationship we had was for me to refuse to go home to the man I loved. So I drew in a deep breath and resigned myself to a long night at this shitty job.