Fake Billionaire Friends

Chapter 8

Ralph P.O.V.

I watched her disappear through the front door then crossed the street and looked in her windows. After a moment the light came on and I could see her shadow as she walked around every nook and cranny of her apartment. I stood staring at her until the light went out completely suggesting that she had gone to bed. I called for my chauffeur and a moment later my Rolls-Royce was in front of me. I got in and Michael turned around and said:

- Home, Mr. Miller?

- Yes. Thank you.

I raised the window between the front and back of the car suggesting that I needed solitude. I needed to rethink my next steps with Ava. I had loved her for eight years but our acquaintance had never felt like anything more. I wanted her more and more but kept holding back waiting for her to be ready. After the murder of her family she became unavailable. I saw that she was afraid of other men and after those events they became invisible to her. For the last 6 years I haven't seen her interested in anyone. Every time someone hit on her too obnoxiously she reacted strongly even aggressively. She was also constantly afraid that the murderer would return, which made her obsessively inspect the entire apartment every time she came home.

All these years I was there waiting for her to finally notice me.

When it turned out she was going to work for the Divine Four, as they were called during college: Jake, Mark, Andrew and Tom, I started to get nervous.

They were influential, confident, handsome and changed women like gloves. I feared that Ava wouldn't stand a chance with them and would become their next prey.

Tonight calmed me down a bit. She was angry and discouraged with the tasks given to her. Her only contact in the company was with Jake, who was the gentlest of the four friends. She didn't actually see the rest of them. I hoped it would stay that way. Nevertheless, I had to take some steps towards her. I couldn't let anyone swipe her from under my nose.

When we arrived I took my private elevator to the apartment and went to the kitchen. Suddenly someone jumped out from around the corner wrapping a fishing line around my neck. I froze.

- Move the f**k over and I'll kill you," hissed a familiar voice.

- Why are you so nervous? -I asked, spreading my hands to the sides suggesting that I was calm and not going to take any steps -Killing me won't give you anything but trouble. My father will not leave this. You know that.

After a moment, the pressure eased and I was free. I touched the place on my neck where the rope was wrapped around me and felt the blood dripping gently. I walked over to the kitchen island and grabbed a kitchen towel. I tore off a piece of it and applied it to the oozing wounds. The attacker stood clearly pissed off. He had prepared himself, even put on f*****g leather gloves like some mafioso.

- What do you want? - I asked.

- You were supposed to cut off all contact with her - he hissed - You have to stop being friends with her. We had an agreement.

- As far as I know you are not keeping it either - I smiled - The whole thing was settled by my father. I could get more rights than you, so I will continue to be close to her.

- Your obsession could cost us a lot.

- You wanted her close too, but you thought I wouldn't find out - I shrugged my shoulders - We're even.

- I wanted to keep an eye on her to see if she was guessing anything.

- Nothing. Be calm. I have everything under control.

- I hope, otherwise I'll take care of you and that regardless of your father.

On his way out he threw a standing vase on the floor which only made me laugh. Childishness. On top of that, he came to lecture me even though he himself was no better.

I had everything under control. I was completely calm and very patient.

I learned from my mistakes.

Jake P.O.V.

The blonde girl that Ava set me up with turned out to be as boring as an oil slick.  Nothing came out of that date because besides the fact that the girl wasn't my taste, she wasn't Ava in the first place and she was the one I kept thinking about.

In fact, I came up with this ridiculous task on the spur of the moment. Considering the way she looked at me during the GQ shoot, she had the hots for me and I had the hots for her. It was kind of a punch in the nose to her for stating from the beginning that she wouldn't sleep with me. I wanted her to think that I was sleeping with others without considering her.

On Monday I came late to work so that she would wait for me. I knocked on the door of her office and entered without waiting for an invitation.

- Good morning, Ava - I said entering and standing in front of her desk. I started to look around without any hesitation. I was here for the first time since she had occupied this room. She had put some books in the bookcase and some family photos and a cactus on the desk. The study looked like hers already. I looked at her holding back a smile. You could see everything from her face. Just like now.

- I see you've settled in. I wanted to remind you that it's your job to make my life easier, which it's not when you're dating girls like that one on Friday. If you want to stay in this job, you're gonna have to work harder.

- Jake," she said with emphasis, "I want more responsibility, and I'd rather not have you dating other women as my job duty anymore.

- You want responsibility?

- Yes. I'm tired of taking care of your laundry or your underwear or setting you up with a personal trainer." Seeing my stern look, she hastily added, "Of course I'll do it, but I also want more responsibility.

- Good. I will require from you everything that a real assistant to the president of a large corporation should.

- I'm not asking for anything else.

I nodded and left. I was going to have to stop giving her preferential treatment starting this week anyway. If she wanted real assignments and to be treated like a real assistant she would have that. At my pleasure.