Billionaire's PA

Freedom & Chaos

It must have been a while since I fell asleep because the next thing I know, Alli is jumping up and down on my bed like a hyperactive child on a sugar rush.

Growling, I glare at her. “You better have a damn good reason for this, woman, or so help me, I will decapitate you and send you straight to hell.”

"AHHHHH! I can't believe it! My best friend is finally here! We're roommates at last!" Alli squeals, completely ignoring my threat. "No more curfews, no more sneaking out, no more rules! We can do whatever we want!"

Her excitement is contagious, and despite my initial irritation, I can’t help but grin. This is exactly why she’s my best friend—she gets me. Back when I lived with my uncle and those two hellspawn, she was the only one who kept me sane. Alli is wild, free-spirited, and unpredictable, which balances out the dull moments in my life. Still, she’s going to pay for waking me up.

I stretch, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Yeah, that sounds great and all, but I was actually taking a nap. You know, trying to rest before my class later… with Mr. Hell himself."

I say this with a straight face, letting her think I’m actually pissed. Truthfully, if it weren’t for her, I probably would have overslept, but she doesn’t need to know that—at least not yet.

Alli gasps dramatically. "Oh my god, Amanda! I totally forgot! You have class with that demon of a professor today! I am so, so sorry!"

Her panicked expression is too much. I burst into laughter, shaking my head. "Relax, I was just messing with you." Well, mostly. I really do have class with the most hated professor on campus, but messing with Alli is too much fun. She nearly gave me a heart attack, so fair is fair.

She pouts. "That’s not funny, you know."

"There, there," I tease. Then, sniffing the air, I smirk. "By the way… do you smell that?"

"What?" She sniffs herself. "Do I smell? I did go for a run earlier—"

"Not that," I interrupt. "Even though, yes, you definitely need a shower. I meant the sweet scent of freedom. No more of my uncle breathing down my neck. No more of his wife finding new ways to make my life miserable. No more of their precious daughter acting like she owns the world. I don't know what I ever did to deserve their hatred, but at least now, I’m finally free."

My voice falters slightly at the end. The truth is, it still hurts. I took them in as family when Uncle S got married. I treated them as my own flesh and blood. But that woman never loved my uncle—she loved his money. And now, with me out of the way, she and her daughter will bleed him dry.

I sigh, shaking my head. "But enough about that. They can’t take anything more from me. What matters is that I’m out of there, and I can finally live my life on my own terms."

Alli watches me for a moment, her usual playful expression softening. "I know it still hurts," she says. "But you’re better off without them."

I nod, but my mind drifts to my uncle. Despite everything, I still care. Mom would have wanted us to stay together as a family. She was the glue that held us all together. And even though she’s gone, I want to keep her memory alive.

"Earth to Amanda!" Alli’s loud voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "Damn, girl! That was so touching, I almost cried!"

I flinch as she suddenly gets way too close. "Jesus, Alli! Personal space!"

She grins. "Oh, please. Now, what were you thinking about? You totally spaced out. Were you imagining yourself getting down and dirty with Usher? Damn, I’m jealous! Spill the details! Did you lick his six-pack?"

I groan. "Do you ever get tired of talking about s*x? Your mind is permanently in the gutter."

She shrugs. "s*x is like the seventh essential nutrient that the body needs."

I burst into laughter, falling onto the bed. "Seventh essential nutrient, my ass! You’re just addicted."

Alli smirks. "And yet, I still get straight A’s. Go ahead, ask me how."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I can’t stop worrying about my uncle. With me gone, that conniving b***h will drain him dry, and he’s too blinded by love to see it."

Alli crosses her arms. "First of all, no, I will never get tired of talking about s*x. Secondly," she raises a finger, "your uncle is a grown-ass man. He’s not your responsibility, and don’t even give me that ‘he’s the only family I have left’ crap."

I open my mouth, but she holds up a hand. "No. Listen. He chose that witch over you. He threw you out of your own parents' house. He’s never looked out for you. So why the hell are you still looking out for him?"

I sigh. "Because I refuse to be like them, Alli. Just because he turned his back on me doesn’t mean I should do the same. That’s not who I am."

She studies me for a moment before shaking her head. "You’re too good for your own good. But fine, I won’t argue. What’s important right now is that you finish your business major and take over your parents’ company. You know that’s what they would have wanted."

I nod. "Yeah, you’re right. I want that too. But still… I just want him to be happy. Mom would have wanted that as well."

Alli sighs but lets it go. "I know, hun. But let’s focus on something else for now. Like, oh, I don’t know—the fact that you only have FOUR MINUTES before your class starts."

My eyes widen. "s**t!" I bolt out of bed, making a mad dash to the bathroom.

In record time, I’m out, throwing on ripped black jeans and a plain white t-shirt. No makeup—one, because I’m late, and two, because I don’t need it. I tie my hair into a ponytail, grab my bag, and sprint to the door.

"I have two and a half minutes to get to class. I’m dead."

Alli tosses me her car keys. "Relax. Take my car. And don’t forget—we’re hitting the club tonight to celebrate your freedom."

I groan. "Of course we are."

She grins. "Damn right we are."

And with that, I fly out the door, praying I make it on time.