Billionaire's Bounty Cost Of Love And Revenge novel Chapter 28

I was tired of Luca’s grueling questions. I had hoped he’d do what I asked and leave me alone. When he finally did, I let out a long sigh of relief.

My eyes widened in excitement as the girls sauntered in, all clad in bikinis and heels. Their hair and makeup were done to perfection. Every single one of them was beautiful. I even recognized a few from the many nights I’d spent here. I winked at a couple of familiar faces, and a few of them waved back.

Luca gave me a quizzical look. “This is what you want, right?”

I gulped down my drink and shrugged. “I’ll manage.”

The VIP room was dimly lit, soft music playing in the background. The girls started dancing, their hips swaying slowly to the rhythm.

I watched them intently, sipping my drink. But no matter how hard I tried, thoughts of Ivy flooded my mind. I fought them back, unwilling to let her ruin my night. The image of her in her ex’s arms stirred the fury inside me.

“Crank up the music!” I shouted, wanting to drown out my thoughts.

“It’s loud enough, Asher,” Luca replied, shaking his head. “The girls are here, and you’ve got your alcohol. Are you finally ready to talk?”

I didn’t hesitate. “No.” I knew that if I started talking, I’d lose my cool, and I couldn’t afford that. I needed to stay calm, and the only way to do that was to ignore the problem. I was doing a decent job at it, except for Luca’s constant badgering.

Then, as if to make matters worse, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, and anger surged to the surface. “My wife“– complete with a stupid heart emoji. Without thinking, I ended the call and flung the phone across the room. It shattered against the wall with a sharp crack.

Everyone turned toward the noise. I clenched my fists and tried to control my ragged breathing.

“So, what was that for?” Luca asked, his tone laced with irritation.

He was getting on my nerves now. Maybe I should’ve gone to a different club. A small part of me had initially wanted to come here to rant, but not anymore. The drive over had given me perspective. Ivy never really reciprocated my commitment, no matter how much I tried. Our honeymoon had almost fooled me into believing things had changed. But the truth was, she was still the same woman who once accused me of flirting with her best friend. She never expected loyalty from me, and she wouldn’t give me any in return.

It was time to stop lying to myself and face the facts.

“I don’t see anything impressive here,” I announced loudly. “My dick is still flaccid.” I burst out laughing, amused at my own crude joke. The alcohol was kicking in now, and it felt good.

Luca sat in the corner, watching me like a worried older brother. I hated seeing him like this. I wanted the fun, carefree Luca. The version of him I usually had to play the voice of reason for.

One of the women approached me. She wore a red latex bikini, and her long blonde hair- clearly fake- cascaded down her back. Her blue eyes unsettled me; they reminded me too much of Ivy. My grip on the glass tightened until my knuckles turned white.

“Maybe you’d like a personal show,” she purred, reaching out to touch me.

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8:30 pm

Chapter 28

I frowned. “Don’t touch me.” I wasn’t sure if it was because she reminded me of Ivy, or if it was something else entirely. I pointed toward the other girls. “If you’re good at what you do, give me a show worth my money.” I reached into my pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, and waved it in front of her. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”

She gave me a lewd smile before sauntering off to join the others.

Luca moved closer, his concern growing. “You’re never like this with the girls. What’s really going on with Ivy? I thought you were done with all this. So what are you doing here?”

I clenched my jaw and fists, struggling to contain the emotions swirling inside me. “Luca, tonight, I don’t want you to be my brother or my best friend. I just want you to be an acquaintance. Can you do that?”

He blinked, confused. “What?”

“Can you not worry about me for one night? Let’s just party like it’s our last time. Tomorrow, we can go back to being best friends. Can you do that for me? Please.”

I wasn’t sure what finally convinced him, maybe it was the unspoken promise that I’d tell him everything tomorrow. But he didn’t press me any further. Instead, he slipped into party mode, just like I wanted.

He grabbed a bottle and poured us both another glass of whiskey. “For one night, I’ll pretend my best friend isn’t acting like a completely different person. And I’ll act like I’m not worried about you. But tomorrow, you’re going to tell me what the hell happened to my dick–headed best friend.”

I couldn’t help but smile, despite everything. “Cheers.”

We clinked glasses, and the party was officially on.

We drank until we were completely shit–faced. The girls put on a hell of a show, stripping and partying hard. We tossed wads of cash at them, watching with amusement as they scrambled for it. The room was filled with laughter and smiles, but despite the chaotic joy around me, Ivy never left my thoughts.

No amount of alcohol, smoke, or half–naked bodies swaying to the music could keep her out of my mind.

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