Without Warning: A Billionaire Romance (Playboys of New York Book 5) JA Low (e textbook reader .TXT) 📖

All of a sudden, I’m not as confident as I was in the city. “I hurt her when I got self-absorbed in my own shit.”

“Does she know exactly what happened?” Audrey asks.

I shake my head.

“Well, duh, of course, she isn’t going to understand any of your reasons for why you have kept away. You have to tell her exactly why,” Audrey urges me.

“I can’t dump all this on her.”

“If she’s the one for you, then she will stand by your side and give you the strength to fight on.”

When did my baby sister get so wise?

“Well, fingers crossed.”

Once we fight the weekend traffic, we eventually make it out of the city to the exclusive enclaves of Greenwich, which is littered with million-dollar gated estates. There are rolling green hills, and the blue of the harbor with white sailing boats dotting the horizon. It’s idyllic.

Looking around at suburbia, it doesn’t seem so bad.

Oh, shit! Does that mean I am getting old, like Audrey said, seeing as I just thought that suburbia looks okay? A shiver runs down my spine. This is not okay.

We pull up to the gates of Emma and Anderson’s home, our driver gives our names into the intercom, and the large iron gates open. There’s a long sweeping driveway with lush green gardens that meet the dark blue of the Long Island Sound. The car pulls up to the front of the gray stone building. Once the car stops, the driver gets out and opens the door for Audrey. I step out the other side and shake myself out, nerves hitting me as I look at the grand front entrance. Fingers crossed Ariana doesn’t decide to throw me out on my ass.

“Welcome,” Emma greets us at the front door. She’s wearing a Grecian style white and gold dress, dripping in diamonds which makes her look like a goddess. “You made it.” She reaches out and pulls Audrey to her in a friendly hug, then Emma looks over at me and gives me a look up and down. “You have a bit of groveling to do, Mr. Davenport.” Emma grins before kissing me on each cheek.

“Everyone knows everyone’s business in this group of people. Better get used to it if you’re thinking of joining it,” Anderson adds, stepping up behind his wife and giving me a friendly smile before shaking my hand.

Good tip to know.

“Also, if you hurt one of us, you hurt us all.” Emma’s eyes narrow on me. I get the not-so-subtle warning. Don’t fuck Ariana over again. “Now, come and enjoy the festivities.” Emma opens the door wider, and we walk into their palatial home. The happy couple escorts us down a long corridor that leads out to the open-plan entertainment area. I still when I see Ariana sitting on one of the lounges laughing while sipping a glass of champagne. An instant ache forms in my chest when I see her.

“Everyone let me introduce you all to Audrey and Rhys Davenport,” Emma tells the group.

Everyone stops talking and turns their heads in our direction, but all my attention is on Ariana, watching her reaction. Those chocolate eyes widen in surprise as she takes me in standing in front of her. She takes a nervous sip of her champagne, but her eyes don’t meet mine at all. Fuck.

“You can’t be fucking serious,” Logan Stone grumbles from the entertainment area. “You better not be here for Lenna. She’s my wife now.” He glares at me.

Wait a minute, my attention is pulled to where Lenna and Logan are sitting with a baby between them. How? When? What’s going on?

I look over at Ariana, and Logan’s statement has her attention. Well, fuck, she’s friends with Lenna. It’s not like anything really happened between us. It was literally a bit of flirtation.

“Would you stop it?” Lenna swats him. “Rhys, it’s so good to see you again.” Lenna gets up and gives me a welcoming hug. Logan’s attention is squarely on me—he doesn’t look happy.

“Rhys is here for Ariana, not Lenna,” Emma lets Logan know.

This is turning into a damn shit show, and I’ve only been here for five minutes.

“Really?” Lenna turns and looks over at her friend. “I didn’t realize you guys knew each other?” Lenna’s question catches Ariana off guard, and I can see the wheels turning as she tries to work out what the hell is going on.

“I’ve known Ariana for a little while now. We haven’t seen each other in ages.”

Lenna looks back at me then back to Ariana. She grins, gives my arm a squeeze, and sits back down next to her pleased husband.

Ariana gives me a fake smile and a nod, but I can see she’s uncomfortable with all her friends’ attention on her. They are probably going to be asking her all the questions about us.

“Ari, why don’t you give Rhys the grand tour,” Emma blatantly tells her. “Especially the boathouse. I am sure he would love to hear your plans for it.”

Ariana shoots Emma daggers across the entertainment area at her suggestion. She reluctantly stands, placing her glass on the table, and turns on her heels. “Come on, then,” she calls out to me.

I give everyone a small wave and follow after her.

Ariana looks amazing dressed in a long-sleeved red dress that falls to her knees. Her brunette hair is pulled up into a messy bun, and she’s wearing natural style makeup with a shock of bright red lipstick highlighting her plump lips. My mind runs away from me, and all I can imagine is them wrapped around my cock.

But I think we are a long way away from that ever happening.

22

Ariana

What the hell is Emma playing at? Inviting Rhys to her housewarming party and then pushing us together. Can’t deny he looks good, dressed in his jeans and a blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off the tanned corded muscles of his forearms. I watched the way the veins on his arms danced as he stood there