Crash (A Billionaire Contract Romance)

Old Friends

Dinner is at Elijah Johnson’s penthouse in the city, we’re celebrating his birthday. Let me tell you he spared no expense. We arrive to a legit red carpet, only missing the paparazzi.

Mason keeps up with appearances, allowing Ray to grab the door before he gets out. Turning back, he offers me his hand for assistance sliding out of the slick limo in my thin dress. “You really do look stunning Crash.” He whispers close to my ear as he takes my arm in his. We look like a newly engaged couple, happy and in love.

“You’re looking pretty good too, Mase,” I whisper right back, meaning it. He looks amazing.

We check-in at the door with security, where we’re led to a private elevator up to the top floor. The doors open right up into a beautiful lobby, filled with equally beautiful people.

“Are you ready?” He asks waiting for an answer before we step off the elevator

“Yeah, let’s do this.”

I bite into the first appetizer that’s offered to us from the waiters walking through the room with delicious looking finger foods. “Yum.”

“You want a drink before I start introducing you to everyone?” I don’t like to depend on alcohol to get me through anything, but I definitely think I’ll need it for tonight, so I follow him to the bar. “What do you want?”

“I’ll take Deep Eddies Lemon Vodka with water.” He raises his eyes at that.

“What?”

“Never heard of it, not sure if they’ll have it.”

“You’ve never tried Deep Eddies Lemon?” It’s my go-to drink when I do indulge.

“Never. Think I’ll keep it that way.” Oh, if only he knew, the deliciousness of this drink.

“If they have it you have to try it!”

“Fine, but you have to try whatever I get to.”

“Deal.” We shake on it just as we approach the bar set up in Elijah Johnson's living room. I smile bigger when Mason orders my drink and the bartender grabs the familiar bottle. He hands both the glasses to Mason who hands me his. He ordered a scotch on the rocks, I didn’t get the name but I know it’s something old and pricey.

“To learning new things about each other.” He says as he leans his glass of Deep Eddies Lemon and water towards my glass of scotch and ice, clinking them gently.

I take a sip of the cold scotch, not hating the taste but not willing to sip on a whole glass, a sips enough. He takes a healthy pull from him, really getting a good taste of my favorite drink. I like that he’s willing to try new things. He doesn’t cringe or smoosh his face up, he actually looks at the glass like he’s contemplating ordering his own.

“Wow, that’s not bad at all.”

“Nope, it isn’t, now take your scotch and give me the good stuff.” I push the scotch towards him grabbing my drink out of his hands.

“Aria?” A familiar voice comes from behind me, making both of us turn towards them.

“Alec!” it’s been years since I’ve seen Alec in person, seeing him again throws me off but excites me too. I’ve missed him, he was my best friend until he was just gone. I throw myself into his arms, he scoops me up swinging me around, my feet off the ground, a huge smile on my face, matching his.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Brian?” Hearing him say his name brings chills. He sets me back on my feet. Pulling away from him and reaching for a confused Mason, I go back to his side.

“This is Mason, my fiancé. Mason this is one of my best friends growing up, Al -”

“Alec Davis, Starting forward for the Bruins.” Clearly Masons is a hockey fan.

“I didn’t know you were playing for Boston!” I don’t follow sports but I thought he went to Toronto after college. Hard not to hear about someone you went to school with who makes it big.

“I’ve been here the past two years, Toronto Maple leaves before this. What about you? What are you doing here in Boston?”

“Wanted to get away, you know?” My dad rarely got physical, but he left a few marks over the years marks that caught Alec and Mia’s attention. I didn’t tell them much, but they were able to piece most of it together. When we got older Alec always reminded me that all I needed to do was say the word and he’d be there to protect me. It gave me comfort even if I never called him.

When I started dating Brian, he and Alec were quick enemies. He didn’t like the way he would treat me. Eventually, Brian isolated me so much he wasn’t really around by the time the hitting started. Only, once did he ever notice any marks from Brian, which was the final straw of our friendship when I refused to admit it, defending Brian instead. Stupid I know.

His eyes are narrowed, “What happened? What about Grandma Shirley?”

“She passed almost a year and a half ago. She missed Grandpa.” He grabs me by the shoulders, untwisting my arm from Masons.

“Oh my god Ari, I’m so f*****g sorry, babe. She was a great woman.” There were a lot of afternoons the three of us spent devouring my grandma's cooking while she told us stories from her youth.

“Yeah, she was.” I tuck my face in his chest for a second, finding comfort that he still smells the same, even if his body feels much different. More muscular, defined. He’s definitely grown up since the last time I saw him, close to five years ago.

He gives me one more squeeze before setting me back down. My heels click on the tile below. “Your Dad still alive? Are you running from Brian or him? Last I heard you were living with that asshole.”

“Dads dad, he’ll outlast us all. I ended things with Brian a long time ago.” He looks me up and down reading something in me like only a person that’s known you most of your life can.

“What’d he’d do Aria? He hit you again?” Just like before when someone would point out what Brian would do to me, my defense come up. My back is straight, head held high, gaze hard. I feel Mason step forward, for sure curious where this conversation is going, his hand is comforting when he settles it on my hip, pulling me into him.

“Maybe if you were around some you would know what happened. Where were you, Alec? How could you have left Mia as you did?”

“Don’t pull that bullshit with me Aria. You know damn well who walked away from who. Brian wouldn’t let you anywhere near me and Mia. I left because I had to.” Mia’s broken face flashes through my head. I hadn’t talked to her in almost a year when she showed up shaking and hysterical. Holding a note from Alec telling her that it was time they moved on from each other. She said it was completely out of the blue. He crushed her heart. Blew my mind, I never thought I would see them separated again.

“Mia was heartbroken. Did you leave a note? After years dude? You want to bring up my s**t I have plenty of yours too.” Fighting with Alec has happened often before, but this is years’ worth of s**t coming out in the middle of a fancy dinner alongside my contracted fiancé.

“It was nice meeting you Alec, sounds like we should schedule a more private dinner, talk some of this out. For now, I have people to introduce my lovely fiancé too.” Like he was reading my mind Mason comes in with the save. Taking a deep breath, I follow Masons lead as he pulls us away only giving Alec a quick nod of understanding.

Mason is right, having to talk with Alec privately is something I definitely want. Getting some of this cleared up will be good for both of us. Crazy how I can’t seem to get far enough from my past.

“You alright Crash?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” I want to run to the bathroom to collect myself and get a moment alone. I didn’t want Mason to know anything Alec just hinted towards. Mason already suspected something was wrong with me, I admitted as much. But he’s smart, I’m sure he’s put some of it together.

Now, he knows how weak I really am.

“You sure, we can go take a minute out on one of the balconies.”

“I’m sure. Sorry, we’re here for you and I took it over. Please introduce me.”

He puts his hand on my face, cupping my cheek, he leans in and touches his lips to mine. It’s quick but still has heat and fire. Giving me the warmth, I need to keep going, pushing some life back into my broken pieces.

He pulls back sooner than I want, looking into my eyes before saying, “We're going to talk about that s**t he said later. I don’t like what he implied.”

“Just forget everything Alec said. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” I’m desperate to have him forget it. To not talk about it at all, especially with him.

“Sounded like he knows a whole lot.” Of course, he’s not going to back down.

“Too bad anything in my past is off-limits.” I met his glare with one of my own. Two bulls ready to battle evenly matched.

“Whatever’s in your past will be used against the two of us. Consider the limits extended.” There he goes ruining an amazing kiss.

I chug my drink before turning back towards the bar, not willing to make a scene and that’s what this is leading to. His Alpha side is rearing its ugly head. I don’t care what he says I’m not talking about any of it with him. Not happening.