Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 7 -Aston

I can't believe what a fucking shitshow my life has become in the space of twenty-four hours. But I'm determined to make it through, to get back the traction I had gained as one of the most successful billionaires in the city.

Lina tries to get my attention, but I wave her away while on the phone with my most important client—Yousef Shannon.

"Yousef," I say when he answers. "How the fuck are you?"

"Aston. I have to admit I'm surprised by your call."

"Why's that?" I feign innocence. He and I both know that my image surrounded by three beautiful strippers is on every front page of every media outlet in the country. I can still taste Chardonnay's lips on mine. "I wanted to know if we're still on for looking at that place on Townsend Street? It's a fucking awesome penthouse that won't last long."

Yousef has brought me several hundred million dollars worth of real estate over the years. I've made investments for him in L.A., Aspen, and even Paris. It's been hell negotiating his deals, as he's a perfectionist and always wants the best number, but I've done my utmost to ensure he always comes out on top.

"To tell you the truth, Aston, I'm not going to make our meeting today," he says grimly. "I think we both know why."

"Say the fucking words, Yousef. I want you to tell me exactly why you won't be at the showing." I'm going to make him fucking tell me the dismal reality.

"You and I both know what you did last night was bad for your career. I can't be seen with you after an escapade like that. Clean up your act, and then we can revisit working together." He hangs up the phone.

Fuck.

I didn't expect the fallout to hit me so soon. I sure as shit didn't expect my top client to ditch me.

I glare at Lina. "I just lost Yousef Shannon."

She folds her arms in front of her chest, glaring back at me. "That's why I've hired Everly Hunter. She's the goddamn best in the business, Aston. You need a crisis manager. And she just so happens to be on a plane to the city right now."

I sigh, wondering just who this Everly person is. I doubt anyone can fix the mess that has become my life.

But before I can respond to Lina, someone walks through the door who I don't want to see.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Sienna?" I ask, my eyes dragging across her flawlessly matched outfit.

It hugs her slim body, perfect ass, and gorgeous tits.

Even though I hate the woman, I can't deny her beauty.

She's wearing her usual uniform of a Dior dress accented by a Hermés belt, heels, and a matching bag. Her impeccably curled long blonde hair falls over her small shoulders. And her makeup is subtle as it defines her incomparable facial features.

Blue eyes stare at me expectantly as her full lips are painted rouge.

It's a wonder that I saw her naked only last night, with her legs spread out for him.

I suddenly feel sick from a hangover that will seemingly never end, combined with the revulsion I feel from the memory of seeing them together.

"I wanted to check on you," she says quietly, taking in the measure of the room.

Everyone continues running around, trying to contain the maelstrom that has become my life. No one knows what she did. Only she and I and Will know that.

"Check on me?" I ask as I stand behind my desk, watching her closely. "Why the fuck would you care how I'm doing?"

"Aston...." She takes a step toward me. "We never wanted you to find out like that."

"Oh, that's fucking helpful," I say.

"It's just something that happened." Her big eyes center on me, and it fucking hurts to see her. I'll admit it.

Seeing Sienna brings up all the pain I've been determined to suppress. I never wanted this. I damn sure don't want an apology. What I need is for her to leave my life silently and quickly.

But first...

"Do you love him?" I ask, hating myself for wanting to know the answer.

She tucks a blonde curl behind her ear, contemplating her answer. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do. Tell me the fucking truth, Sienna."

Then, slowly, she nods her head. "I guess I do. It happened so quickly. One minute I was hanging out with him as your best friend, and the next minute he became something else to me."

Fuck me. Her words are hard to hear.

"Well, at least you're being honest for once." I'll give her that.

"Aston, I don't want things to end badly between us."

I notice she has a copy of The New York Standard tucked underneath her arm.

So, she's seen the wreckage, the fallout of what my pain has done to me.

She puts the paper down, placing it across my desk. "You're more than this, you know. You don't need to act this way."

I suddenly feel enraged. "Who the fuck do you think you are? You don't know me, Sienna. I highly doubt you ever did. While you were screwing Will, I was out buying you an engagement ring, dreaming of our life together." I take the ring and slide it across the desk so she can see it.

She looks at it, shining in its box. Then, she puts her hands up to her mouth in shock, or maybe it's horror. "I can't believe you did this!"

"Yeah, well. I thought we had something special. It turns out I was wrong." I take the ring, clapping the box shut. "So, you don't get to tell me what to do or who to fuck. I'm not yours anymore. I doubt that what we had was ever real. It was a farce."

"No, Aston, please don't feel that way," she begs.

I used to love to hear her beg when she was on her knees, aching for my cock. I'd slide it down her slim throat as I wrapped my hands around it, squeezing. She fucking loved when I dominated her. She, above anyone else, understood that side of me, the darker side that needed to command and control. Now she has him, my fucking best friend, to do that.

How the fuck will I come to terms with this?

"I think it's time that you leave," I say, my voice low.

She hesitates a minute, staring at me, wishing or hoping for some other outcome, like maybe we could be friends. Fuck that.

"I wish you well, Aston."

"Goodbye, Sienna." The words are like a contract on my lips: signed, sealed, and delivered. I'll never go back. I'll do my best to never think of her again. And most of all, I'll keep the pain she caused me under lock and key.

There's no Sienna.

There's no Will.

There's nothing that matters.

I just have to get through this.