Page 54 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 11

Saturday

I reached out across the bed but all I felt were empty sheets. I slowly opened my eyes. Penny was nowhere in sight. I yawned and sat up.

Recently Penny and I had been sleeping in together. Enjoying these lazy mornings just the two of us. But I heard muffled voices downstairs. Her and Rob must have both already been up. And I could smell bacon in the air.

I pulled on a pair of pajama pants and headed downstairs. Penny, Mason, and Matt were all in the living room. Wait. Mason and Matt?

“If you don’t clean it, you’ll get an infection,” Penny said as she blotted some peroxide over Mason’s knuckles.

He winced. But only for a second. Penny finished bandaging him up. It looked like Matt had already been taken care of.

“Thanks, Penny,” Mason said. He smiled at her. And not in a “I’m going to bang your girlfriend and then put her in a sex auction” way. It was a genuine smile.

But I was really confused about what Mason and Matt were doing here.

“You’re welcome,” Penny said. “Like I said last night, any friends of James’ are friends of mine.”

When had they talked last night? I was with her all night.

“Were you really his student?” Matt asked. “I saw the tabloids.”

“Yeah. It’s a long story. But we moved here for a fresh start. And I know James wants that fresh start to include the two of you. He mentioned that you guys all grew apart after college. But I know he misses you. You’re his best friends.”

I was pretty sure the rest of the apology had to come from me. I cleared my throat.

Penny turned toward me. “Surprise!”

I waited for either Mason or Matt to lunge at me like they had yesterday. But they just sat there.

“I explained everything to each of them last night,” she said as she walked over to me.

“When?”

“When I made you and Rob give me your phones.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t help but smile. My friends were sitting there. Not attacking me. “What exactly did you say to them?” Because I felt like I owed them apologies for the last few years.

“I explained the whole misunderstanding. Isabella’s vengeance or whatever you want to call it.

And they both agreed to bury the hatchet.

As long as you do. I told them that they’re your best friends.

And that you want to move forward now that you’re back here for good.

The past is in the past, right?” She smiled up at me.

I nodded. “Thank you, Penny.” This was better than any of the gifts I’d given her last night.

“And I invited them over for breakfast so the four of you could talk. Which I need to go finish cooking. How about you go talk to them. And please, please don’t fight.”

“I promised you I wouldn’t.”

She kissed my cheek and went into the kitchen.

I shoved my hands into my pockets. “So Penny told you what happened?”

“Yeah,” Matt said. “The troll strikes again.”

“I’m sorry about Isabella,” I said.

“We should have known that you’d never say that shit,” Mason said. “And as soon as I saw that fancy invitation for a bar hangout, I was wondering what the fuck happened to you.”

I laughed. “I thought the same thing about you.” I sat down next to Matt on the couch.

“I knew you guys thought I was funny!” Rob said as he walked into the room.

Mason laughed. “Annoying. Funny. Same difference.”

“So does that mean we’re cool again?” Rob asked. “Because I’ve missed the four of us hanging out. It’s been a long time since we were all together.”

I’d missed it too. We’d been inseparable growing up.

“Yeah,” Matt said. “We’re good.”

Mason nodded. “And unlike what I said last night…I’m glad you’re both back in New York. We’ve missed you too.”

“I knew it!” Rob ran over to the couch and belly flopped on top of us.

Mason groaned.

I laughed.

Matt pushed him off onto the floor.

Rob got up off the ground and sat down on the couch too. “Just like old times. And I’m glad you don’t actually want to fuck Penny, because then James never would have been able to invite you over.”

Mason shrugged. “I mean, she is hot. And… kind .” He frowned and looked down at his bandaged knuckles.

“So she’s from Delaware?” Matt asked.

I nodded.

“And she’s your student?”

“She was.”

He scratched the side of his jaw. “Does she know about Brooklyn?”

“No. I’ve done my best to keep my word to you. The only person I’ve ever talked about her to is my therapist. And I didn’t use her real name. I know I’ve been a shit friend. But I’d never betray you, Matt. Never.”

He nodded.

“And whenever you do want to talk about her…I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere this time.”

“There isn’t really anything to say, James.”

I thought there was a lot to say. But I wasn’t going to push it. Matt would talk to me when he was ready. And now that I was back in the city, I really would be here whenever that time came.

“I really am sorry about the past few years. I was in a dark place.”

“Understandable,” Mason said. “You married Isabella.”

“Which we probably should have done more to prevent,” Matt added. “But we were all fucked up.”

“Except me,” Rob said. “I’ve always been great.”

“I wouldn’t describe anything about you as great,” Mason said.

“Well your parents would.” Rob immediately lifted his hands to show his innocence. “Just kidding, man.”

Mason shook his head.

“But seriously, guys,” I said. I just needed to get this off my chest. “Penny probably said a bunch of embarrassing stuff about you guys being my best friends or whatever. Because I’ve told her a lot about you guys. So whatever she said to get you to come over today…it’s all true.”

“She told us that to make up for you being terrible the past few years, you want us to gangbang her in front of you,” Rob said.

“Rob, I just promised Penny I wouldn’t hit anyone today. So…stop.”

“I mean…” Mason said. “We are here to make new memories and start fresh, right?”

“It would make up for those terrible things your ex-wife said to us,” Matt agreed.

“Absolutely not,” I said firmly. “Penny is my fiancée. Which means she’s off-limits.”

Rob shook his head. “How many times do I have to remind you that an engagement ring is more of a yield sign than a stop sign?”

“More like a green light really,” Mason said. “The diamond is practically a beacon, calling out to get triple-teamed.”

I rolled my eyes. I knew they were joking. But still.

Matt rubbed his hands together. “The only question is how we decide who goes where. I’m thinking we play rock, paper, scissors.”

“I’m already rock hard just thinking about it,” Mason said.

Penny sighed.

We all turned toward her.

“I just knew it,” she said. “I knew you’d all be like Rob.”

Mason laughed. “Like Rob? Never.”

“A little like Rob,” she said and set down a huge platter of waffles, eggs, and bacon. “Because you’re all clearly joking around at my expense. Just like Rob.” She gave Rob a fake stern look.

I was glad she wasn’t actually upset. She knew it was just guy talk. And I was surprised how seamlessly she fit in with my friends. I shouldn’t have been surprised though. Because she already got along great with Rob.

Mason grabbed a plate. “You seriously think we’re just like Rob? That is the worst thing you could ever say to someone.”

Rob elbowed his side and they both laughed.

It felt like old times. For real. The four of us. Well, the five of us now. I definitely preferred it the five of us.

I pulled Penny onto my lap. “Thank you for this, Penny.”

“You’re welcome, Professor Hunter,” she whispered into my ear.

Matt choked on his waffle. “Did she just call you Professor Hunter?”

Ah, for fuck’s sake. But it was strange. I didn’t actually feel angry. I expected to. Normally I would have lashed out. But…I loved when Penny called me Professor Hunter. I loved the way we were together. And all I could do was smile. I didn’t even have to remind myself to breathe.

I promised myself I’d be a better man for Penny. And I was better when I was around her. I was better when I was with my friends.

I’d put so much pressure on myself for as long as I could remember. Trying to please my parents. Trying to be something I wasn’t meant to be. But really, life was simple when you really looked at it.

It wasn’t about being a CEO. Or a perfect son. Or a great friend all the time. Or even about being a professor.

I was just a man. Who’d fallen in love with a beautiful woman. She knew all my demons. And she chose to love me back in spite of them.

I kissed the side of her neck. “I love you,” I whispered.

She turned to look up at me. She looked so happy. So carefree. So fucking gorgeous.

“I love you,” she said and pressed her lips against mine.

She wasn’t asking me to be better. She wasn’t asking anything of me at all. She just loved me. For me.

I guess even some monsters deserved to be loved.

***

You’ve met Professor Hunter, but now it’s time to meet Daddy James. His daughter Scarlett is all grown up and James is…not handling it well.

Will Scarlett choose Jacob Miller or Axel Stevens? Or her mysterious kiss thief?

Keep reading to find out in Scarlett and the Kiss Thief !