Page 56 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

Isla

"Will the two of you stop breaking the internet, please?" Zara waves her phone in my face. We’re on the patio of Liam’s—I mean, my and Liam’s—townhouse that looks out on the rolling slope of Primrose Hill.

Turns out, we’re also close to Summer and Sinclair's home and Karma and Michael’s place.

The rest of the Seven, too, have opted to set up homes in and around the area.

It’s nice to have our own little micro-community here, especially with Karma and Summer giving birth before the year is out.

Some of the other wives of the Seven are pregnant, too, so we’re going to be knee-deep in babies very soon.

"Earth to Isla." Zara touches my shoulder.

I blink. "I’m here… just trying to come to grips with everything."

"You mean your newfound stardom?"

I glance at the screen of the phone which is open to my social media where we posted the video of Liam and me that we recorded in his study.

The video has done almost as well as the one of me revealing my real look.

That was a week ago. All of the videos on my feed are continuing to rack up hits.

I’ve been receiving invitations to speak about alopecia, to become a spokesperson for it, and even an offer to write an autobiography, all of which I've turned down.

I’m not going to rush into anything. For now, I want to focus on my husband and myself. And while I’m not going to share any more videos of the two of us, I’m going to continue to talk at strategic intervals about my journey up until now, and moving forward on my feed.

"I’m glad my videos seem to have resonated with so many people, but what matters most is that I dared to face myself," I murmur.

Zara tilts her head. She stays that way for a few seconds, then nods slowly. "That’s very mature of you."

I raise a shoulder. "I was so worried about putting up that video where I told everyone about my condition but now, I’m glad I did it.”

"Whatever you decide is right for you is the right thing to do."

I smile. "Thanks."

She lowers the phone, then drops it into her handbag. "So what now? Are you going to continue with your wedding planning business?"

"It’s still my dream. So yes, I’m going to continue to build it up." Needless to say, the popularity of the videos means I’ve been flooded with offers to organize weddings. I decided to take my time in accepting the ones I’m going to work with.

My new focus is to offer discounted services to women with conditions like mine who need help with organizing their weddings in a way that gives them the most confident start to the next chapter of their lives.

Having shared my real self with the world, I feel so right, so ready, like I’m finally fully in my body.

I want to bring that same feeling to those who’ve felt defensive about their looks.

If I can help make them feel good about themselves and enhance their wedding by making them feel their best selves, then I’ll know I’ve done my job.

Also, Lila finally messaged me. She went off-grid for a while to get herself together and is now traveling around the world.

She decided not to use her father’s money for the trip.

Instead, she’s working her way through her journey.

By all accounts, she’s enjoying herself and discovering parts of herself she didn’t know existed.

She’s thankful I saved her from marrying Liam, and she’s happy we found each other.

She’s seen some of videos and says it’s obvious we were meant to be.

Apparently, she also caught my viral video where I revealed I have alopecia and she was very supportive of that, too.

She assured me that we’re still friends and says we’ll get together when she gets back.

She’s not sure when that will be, but promised to keep in touch.

And of course, I can follow her journey on social media.

"And I assume your fake wedding is no longer fake?" Zara arches an eyebrow.

"Far from it." I laugh. "And Liam insists he doesn’t care about getting access to his trust fund or having the rights to his company finally transferred to him. He insists that as long as I’m happy, he’s happy, and everything else is secondary."

Zara screws up her face. "Stop. The two of you are going to give me diabetes, with how lovey-dovey you always are."

"It is what it is." I raise my hands. "I can’t help that I’m madly in love with my husband."

"You called, baby?" Liam’s voice reaches me. I turn to find him making his way over to me. He bends, and at the same time, I tilt my face up. Our lips meet in a long, drugging kiss. By the time we break apart, I’m flushed, and Liam’s wearing that infernal smirk on his face.

A smirk I find even hotter, knowing the man behind all that sexiness is so caring, so tender, so tuned into my every need, that I’ll never lack for anything as long as I live.

“I had a message from my ex-hairdresser,” I cup his cheek.

“Oh?” He tilts his head.

“Don’t pull that innocent look on me. Did you threaten him or something?”

“Do I look like the kind of man who goes around threatening people?”

I laugh. “Yes, you do. Especially when that person is someone who’s upset me.

I don’t know what you told him, but he apologized profusely for his statement.

He told me he could only imagine how much distress his comment must have caused me, and promised to be more aware of what he says to his clients in the future.

He asked how he could make it up to me.”

“And what did you say?” He searches my eyes.

“I didn’t want to forgive him, to be honest. But I knew I was being petty, and the only way I could heal move forward was to accept his apology and not harbor ill feelings toward him anymore.

I made him promise never to judge another person so harshly again.

He also agreed to donate 10% of his next month’s salary to the National Alopecia Research Foundation. ” Liam pulls me closer.

“You’re a better person than I am. This is why I love you so much.

You have such a generous heart, Isla.” He kisses me firmly.

My heart jumps in my chest, and my stomach flutters.

Liam’s kisses are the best. I mean, everything else he does to me is also amazing, but the touch of his lips on mine? It’s the most romantic thing ever.

"Love you," I whisper against his mouth.

"Love you." His lips curve up.

"Ugh, okay. I get it. Time for me to leave." Zara jumps up to her feet.

"Oh, hey, didn’t mean to drive you away," I protest.

Zara snorts. "Please, the two of you can’t wait to get rid of me so you can go back to burrowing into your love nest."

I laugh, not denying the fact that I love spending time with my new husband. But I also don’t want any of my friends to feel like I’ve deserted them. "Call me, please, and tell me how the preparations for your new campaign are going."

"You got it, babe." She blows me a kiss, turns to leave, then stiffens.

There, leaning against the doorframe to the patio, is Hunter. He looks her up and down, a look of blatant longing on his face. Zara’s shoulders seem to tense even further. Then she walks over to the doorway. As she’s about to walk through, Hunter steps in front of her, blocking off her exit.

"Ooh, this should be interesting," I murmur.

"Indeed." The next moment, Liam lifts me, before sitting down on the sofa in the spot Zara has just vacated, with me in his lap. "Now we have a ringside view."

I cuddle into my husband and watch as Zara’s spine goes ramrod straight.

"Let me pass," she says in a low voice, which we can still hear.

"And if I don’t?" Hunter drawls.

She throws up her hands. "What do you want, anyway? Why can’t you leave me alone?"

"A question I’m asking myself." Hunter’s features take on a look of surprise which seems genuine. Maybe she senses it, too, because Zara seems to force herself to relax.

"I’m tired, Hunter."

"So am I—of fighting." He searches her features. "Why do you hate me?"

"It’s not you; I hate the concept of you."

He blinks. "Excuse me?”

"You belong to the kind of entitled, snobbish, rich pricks who think the world owes them."

"So you’re the kind who believes the meek shall inherit the world, and all that?" He smirks.

And just like that, Zara snaps her shoulders back again. "I should have known it was pointless to engage in any conversation with you. Now, let me pass or I’m going to knee you in the balls, and I promise, that’s going to hurt."

Hunter takes a step back. His movement is so quick, so lithe, it’s almost like a dance step. He holds up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Sorry, I apologize. That was unwarranted. At least, let me take you out to dinner so we can discuss this further."

She snorts. "As if I’m going to waste my time with a person like you."

His eyes gleam. "Why? Are you scared you’ll find that you actually like me?"

She laughs. A peal of sound that seems to entrance him.

"That’ll be the day," she scoffs.

"Then you won’t have a problem giving me two hours of your time this evening?"

There seems to be a face-off between the two, but something she sees on his face must convince her, for she nods. "You have one hundred and twenty minutes." With what looks like a magical twist of her wrist, she pulls out her phone from her bag. "Your clock starts now."

Hunter’s gaze narrows. He peels back his lips, and for a second, a wolfish expression crosses his features. By the time Zara looks up at him, it’s gone. Once more, he seems contrite. He steps back and gestures to her to precede him. "After you, let’s see who wins this round."

Want To find out what happens next? Turn the page to read Hunter and Zara’s story in the Christmas one night stand