Billionaire's Best Friend's Temptation

Crossing The Line

Mason’s POV

The second I stepped into the bar, I knew I wasn’t there by accident. I rarely ventured out for drinks, especially to a place like this, but something had drawn me in. Maybe it was fate, or maybe just an instinct—something had told me to stop in tonight. I needed a break, a chance to clear my head from the constant barrage of business meetings and phone calls.

The dim lighting, the low hum of voices, the smell of old wood, and whiskey—it was a far cry from the sleek, polished bars I frequented for business deals. But it offered anonymity, a quiet reprieve from the constant demands on my time.

As my eyes swept the room, a figure caught my attention. Even in the haze of alcohol and smoke, she stood out like a beacon. I would recognize her anywhere.

**Elle.**

She was slouched over the bar, staring into her drink like it held all the answers to her troubles. She didn’t see me at first, and for a moment, I allowed myself the indulgence of watching her. The curve of her neck, the way her hair fell softly over her shoulders, the tight grip of her hand around the glass. She looked vulnerable, defeated even, and that’s what made me take a step closer.

I had always been good at reading people—it’s what made me so damn good in business. I could sense what they wanted, what they needed, even before they knew themselves. And right now, Elle needed something. She was hurting.

When I approached and said her name, she looked up at me with those wide, tear-filled eyes. It was like a punch to the gut. I wasn’t expecting to see that kind of raw pain in her. I had only seen Elle through the lens of Josh’s stories—a bright, ambitious girl full of energy and optimism. The girl Josh loved.

But the woman in front of me was shattered.

“Elle?” I had said, my voice lower than I intended, trying to hide the surge of emotion rising in my chest.

She barely managed to look at me, her eyes glassy and distant. I knew instantly that something had happened—something bad. And then it hit me: **Josh.** Whatever was tearing her apart, it had to do with him. I hadn’t seen Josh in a while, but I had heard the stories—whispers about him and his boss, a woman notorious for getting what she wanted. My jaw clenched at the thought.

I couldn’t believe it. For all his flaws, I never thought Josh would be stupid enough to throw away someone like Elle. He had no idea what he had in her—he was always too focused on living in the moment, never thinking ahead. But me? I had always seen it. From the first time Josh had introduced her to me, I knew Elle was something special.

It had been a problem for me. It was a quiet, buried problem that I never allowed to surface. She was my best friend’s girlfriend, off-limits, untouchable. And yet, every time I saw her, I felt the pull—something deeper than attraction. Something I couldn’t shake, no matter how hard I tried. I had learned to keep it hidden, to keep my distance, and to ignore the way her laugh, her smile, and her energy sparked something inside me.

But tonight, all of that control I had built up started to slip. Seeing her like this, vulnerable and hurt, triggered something protective in me. Josh had messed up, but I couldn’t stand by and do nothing while Elle was sitting here, clearly heartbroken. I wasn’t that kind of man.

I slid into the seat next to her, sensing that whatever had happened, it wasn’t going to be fixed by words of comfort. No, Elle didn’t need soft reassurances tonight—she needed something real. Something that made her feel like she had control again.

“You look like you need more than that,” I said quietly, nodding toward her drink.

The pain in her eyes softened for a moment, replaced by something else. A flash of curiosity, perhaps. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came. I leaned in instinctively, keeping my voice low and calm. “Maybe I can help you figure it out.”

The truth was, I wanted to help her. Not just out of some misguided sense of duty because of my friendship with Josh. No, I wanted to be the one to give her back her sense of power, her dignity. Josh didn’t deserve her, not now, not after what he had done.

I knew I was crossing a line. But I couldn’t bring myself to care anymore.

Over the years, I had built an empire in Boston—Buford Enterprises. What had started as a small real estate venture had grown into a corporate powerhouse, with investments in everything from tech startups to luxury hotels. People liked to talk about my success—how I had risen through the ranks with an iron fist, how I was ruthless in negotiations, and taking no prisoners. The truth was, I had worked my way to the top through sheer willpower, ambition, and, yes, a bit of ruthlessness. But I had done it for reasons most people wouldn’t understand.

My success had come with a price. Relationships and personal connections—none of that mattered to me if it didn’t serve the larger goal. But Elle… Elle was different.

Even through the haze of my corporate life, I had always admired her. She wasn’t like the woman I usually encountered in my circles—those who saw only the wealth and power. Elle was pure. She had drive, ambition, and a heart that still believed in love, in good things. It was rare, and I had envied Josh for having that. Now, sitting beside her, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if things were different.

But business was where I thrived. In the boardroom, I was known as a hard negotiator—cutthroat, even. Some called me ruthless. I never flinched when making decisions that impacted people’s lives, not because I was heartless but because I knew it was necessary for success. The people who worked for me respected me because I didn’t sugarcoat anything. I had built an empire, and in doing so, I had to become a man of power and precision.

Still, I wasn’t completely devoid of humanity. Despite my reputation, I funneled a lot of that success back into the city. Charity foundations, youth programs, rebuilding efforts for struggling neighborhoods. It wasn’t about cleaning up my image—it was about balance. I knew what it was like to be at the bottom, struggling to find a way up. And if my wealth could help lift others, I had no problem sharing it. But I kept that side of myself hidden, preferring people to see the powerful businessman, not the philanthropist.

As I sat next to Elle, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of that duality pressing down on me. I was a man who made decisions based on logic, not emotion. But right now, with Elle so close, I found myself willing to break every rule I had set for myself. Because in this moment, nothing else mattered but her.

I wasn’t sure where the night would take us, but one thing was clear—I wasn’t going to let her slip away, not like this. If Josh had ruined things, I wasn’t going to stand by and watch him destroy her.

I looked at her, my voice steady but soft. “Elle, you deserve better than this.”

She turned to me, eyes still raw with emotion but slowly hardening with determination. She knew it, too. And for the first time since I had entered the bar, I saw a flicker of something familiar in her—a spark of the strong, independent woman I had admired from afar.

I wanted to see that light in her eyes again. And if it meant crossing the line, I was ready to take that risk.