A Billion to One (Power Surge: The Billionaire Club 2)

“Why do you care?” she retorted. Both men widened their eyes.

“We do care. If we didn’t, then we wouldn’t have asked you to lunch and we wouldn’t be standing here right now ready to rip the fucking guy’s head off. Which by the way, could have definitely happened if we didn’t have such self-control,” Cash stated.

She absorbed Cash’s words, then used this moment as a time to clear the air and figure out where they were headed with this.

“You two have reputations.”

“Like you didn’t know that before Saturday night?” Zane countered.

“I don’t sleep around.”

“We got that. Yet wasn’t it you who told your friend Heather that you wanted her to hook you up with one of her friends. Casual sex or something?” Cash said and Zane yanked the tie between his hands and stared at her with hunger and need in his eyes.

“I–I was in a bad state that night. Things had been frustrating.”

“Oh, so we were a means to releasing frustration and nothing more?” Zane asked, raising his voice on the last syllable.

“No, oh God, no, you weren’t. I never ever did anything like this before. I never went home with two men I hardly even know, I never had sex like we did, and I never felt this way before.”

Cash stepped closer. “Then why are you avoiding us? Why are you trying to push us away?” Cash asked.

She felt so emotional. It was crazy.

“I thought that’s the way it had to be with you two. You’re known to share women, and have your choice. I didn’t know where things stood with us. I don’t know where they stand with us. I don’t want to be just a fuck toy for the time being. I want more in a lover. I want a relationship and a commitment, and I know that neither of you want that, so I’m just making it easier on myself. Keeping away from both of you. I can’t continue like this, and mean nothing. That’s not me. Casual sex is not me.”

Cash placed his palms against her cheeks and stared down into her eyes. He looked so serious and his brown eyes looked darker, hungrier.

“It is more than just casual sex with you. We shared something this weekend. It was something special and we both want more, too. We’ve never let a woman stay over. We’ve never made love, the way we did with you, Chiara. We want you. All the time, every day, forever.” He kissed her hard on the mouth and she kissed him back. They hugged and then he lifted her up and started carrying her to the bedroom.

She was so excited and happy. Cash wanted her. He wanted a relationship with her. This was more for him, too.

“Wait,” Zane stated firmly as Cash placed her heels onto the rug and steadied her. He held her from behind and began to unzip her dress.

She locked gazes with Zane.

“Are you fucking Emanuel?”

She shook her head.

“Why was he holding your hand, kissing your knuckles, and wiping tears from your eyes?”

“You saw that?”

“Why, Chiara?”

She swallowed hard. “Because he’s my best friend.”

His eyes took on a different expression. She wouldn’t tell him that Emanuel had taken her virginity and that she took his.

“But you did have sex with him at one time.”

Damn, he was good. She turned away.

“Chiara,” he stated firmly as he stood in front of her.

“Emanuel and I go way back. We’ve been best friends for many years.”

He reached up and held her face with his hand as he stared down into her eyes. “You had sex with him?”