BILLIONAIRE OFF-LIMITS

CHAPTERFOUR

‘You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind who likes to grow up! In the end, she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls’

J. M Barrie, Peter Pan.

'Oh my demons!!. This is so cute' . Anita squealed while caressing the ring for the 15th time in the last 2 minutes. Yeah I know she is so dramatic.

'You need to give me the full deets Ama like what happened every second of this beautiful thing'. I rolled my eyes like I haven't told her like countless times already. ‘Can you stop being such a girl my love’ I pat her back slowly.

'It's a Morganite ring Anita stop overreacting'. My brother said in his displeased tone because according to him I deserve the rarest of jewels in the world. ‘Can you stop acting like such a man and pretend to be happy for me either you like it or not Darrien is stuck in your face for life so the earlier you accept him as your baby sis's husband the better for you Reid’ I told him in a suck on that tone and oh yeah that's reminds me I want to change the color of my room I'm in a happy mood Reid.

'Uh, not again Ama' . My brother said in a tired tone. ‘I change the color of that room more than I change my own clothes’ He looked at me with so much worry written on his face. ‘You have grown so much and I am proud of you baby’ He ruffled my hair and I swatted his hands away playfully.

Anita is it normal that my fiancée hasn't called me for two days and the reason for this is because of his work at this point I feel like I'm engaged to myself. I turned to my friend with a worried look. 'Aw cmon Darrien is probably busy and he has to make money for you know'. My friend assured me while patting my hair. ‘Okay, why is everybody obsessed with hair. Y’all need to back off’.

The bell went off ' Oh that must be Kai, bye bitches' . My brother stood up and pecked me telling me he won't be coming home tonight and gave me a 5-minute lecture on keeping myself safe while he is out he is always like that and I mean I'm not a baby I can take care of myself.

Why didn't he come inside? Did he know about my engagement already? Oh, his wife is back what were you thinking Amaris? That he still remembers or has some feelings for you, oh don't be that stupid and Naive girl from 5 years ago, you have grown so much. Amaris! He is married and you are engaged to a wonderful man. Case closed! It's been more than 4 years already. It's gone and it's buried. I need to forget about Malachi, he isn't part of my life anymore.

'Amaris! Holy Hell, where did your mind wander to?' . My friend jerked me and I realized I zoned out already f**k Malachi! ‘I'm sorry babes what were you saying?’ I poured my attention back to my friend who was typing on her phone. I guess she is having issues with Eve again.

' AMC corporation wants to have a lingerie collection collaboration with you ma'am' . She says in her professional tone. Oh yeah that's right I have been pending my emails for 2 weeks because I've been busy and I really have lots of photoshoots and video shoots on my table for like 3 weeks now and I just cleared it last week.

Even Jesus knows I need a vacation at this point after this AMC shoot I need to go on leave for like 3 months. ‘What do you think madame? Should I accept their offer ma'am?’ I asked Anita as she knows best when it comes to the fashion industry and of course, my baby girl has my best interest at heart.

'Yeah it's surely advisable to accept this deal I mean it's AMC we are talking about here Ama they own the biggest lingerie brand in the country'. Anita asserts.

'Okay that being said, I have to go prepare for my date with Eve. See ya, tomorrow babes'. Anita stood up to leave. Oh guess there wasn't a fight between them sometimes I wonder how gentle Eve copes with my friend's craziness. Anita came out when we were in our sophomore year which literally made her an outcast at home her parents were deacons in church so imagine the reaction when their daughter told them she was something they preached against every day and termed 'evil'.

She started living with but moved out to get her own space a year ago. She doesn't show her true feelings as she tends to mask her worries with craziness i know she is hurting inside and I know she misses her parents so much but chooses not to talk about it.

I checked my clock and it's past 11 pm wow I didn't plan to sleep for that long. I see the need for a shower, so I head to the bathroom and turn off the water heater because I need a cold shower.

Stepping out of the bathroom 15 minutes later I decided to wear my red silk nighties that barely covered my thighs knowing I would be the only one at home I voted against wearing anything underneath. I make my way to my vanity table to blow-dry my hair a little. I don't plan on eating tonight seeing the time. While trying to wear my silk bonnet I heard the bell ring. Now who the hell is that? I know Reid isn't coming home tonight. Maybe Anita forgot something.

I checked the cam, lo and behold it was Malachi! What in the devil's name is he doing here? Don't panic Ama maybe he came to pick up some random stuff he forgot in Reid's room. Relax! There is no way he is here to chit-chat with you. I regret opening the door instantly as I remember how short the gown I wore was.

Hey Kai! What are you doing here? Reid isn't home. I said in a wavering voice but he didn't say anything but his stare was heavier than words. Why the hell is he looking at me like that but I notice where his gaze is fixated on. Blessed Virgin! Is he nuts? Why is he staring at my thighs like that? His gaze is so sharp that it could cut me. Still not saying anything he starts closing the gap between us still maintaining the dark gaze but not on my thighs.... he is staring at me now!

‘M...Malachi… is everything alright? Why are you here Kai?. I said in an unsure tone. I didn't realize how close we were until he yanked the hand where the ring sits.

'So you're wearing his cheap ring but my necklace has a problem sitting on your f*****g neck Dahlia' Wait! What? Is he kidding me right now? He is pissed because I didn't wear his necklace or is he pissed because I'm wearing an engagement ring? Is he joking? It's his audacity for me. Exasperated, I yanked my hands off him and turned around to leave him but he caged me to the wall granting me no form of escape.

‘I don't know what century you live in but this right here’ I flashed my ring finger at his face. ' This right here is called an engagement ring unno like a ring...like the one you gave Ava before you married her....'. I nearly yelled in annoyance. ‘Please can you get what you came here for and leave me alone sir!’

He smirked, 'he did what now?' He asked in a mocking tone as I looked at him confusion written all over my face, my brows wrinkled. ‘He proposed kai. Is there a problem with that?’ He moved closer to me leaving no room between us bending to my neck level. Breathing slowly on my neck and licking it, he then whispered to my neck 'Can you feel this, Dahlia? Does this look familiar Tesoro? Do you want to deny this?' He bit my ear softly, planting soft kisses on my neck.

I pushed him away with every power I have ‘No! I can feel nothing because there is nothing to feel Mal!’ I fold my hands ‘You made sure of that five years ago when you left me!’ I yelled.

‘I’m sorry baby’ he tries to move in but I stop him with a shove of my hand ‘Please baby, I’m here now. I came back because of you’ He said softly.

Liar. Manipulator. Mean. That's all he is and that's all Malachi Lorenzo will ever be. ‘Can you hear yourself? You are a Married man!’ I scrunch my eyebrows in annoyance.

‘Dahlia’ His calls me softly and I notice he has closed the gap between us ‘It's Ama or Amaris you stop calling me that damn name. I hate you, Kai’ I said moving away from him. ‘You can't just walk in here after 5 years and act like you still have a say over my choice and decisions Malachi it doesn't work that way. We were never a thing you made that clear when you left me at that park five years ago. I said firmly thanking myself for my voice not breaking.

He tried moving closer but I moved back keeping the distance. 'Dahlia I'm really sorry I know I hurt you I'm so sorry tesoro' . He pleaded and tears kept streaming down my face until I became an emotional wreckball, I was blinded by my own tears as I kept having flashbacks of memories I thought didn't mean a thing to me anymore.

‘Leave Kai! Get out! This cannot happen do you hear me! You are married and I'm engaged’ This and our entire story is a mistake please leave. I told him in a shaking voice.

'The fact that you think you are for somebody else is funny to me. You are mine, Amaris! Mine and mine only! Do you get that?. There is no way I'm allowing that asshole to marry you and you know that'. He said in a demanding tone.

Can you hear yourself right now? Do you not want to see me happy? You left me with no explanation and you think you can walk back into my life dictating what to do or not to do Kai. I yelled, Rage in my voice.

'Yeah, I accept I did the lamest thing ever and I'm very very sorry for it but no you aren't marrying Duntrien or whatever that loser calls himself and that is final Dahlia’ . He moved closer to me kissing my forehead and bidding me a good night's sleep, he left closing the door behind him.

I sat down on the sofa thinking of what just happened. ' Did that asshole just call me his property'. I screamed into a pillow.