It was a Sunday morning when Cherry awoke. She was spending more nights here in my manor than she did at her own place. It was a marvel her father still didn’t catch on to our little fling. After our deal was done, I never got to speak with Joel again except for the one meeting where we both talked with Trevor Wild. It was purely business and he never suspected I was going out with his daughter.

Well, the transaction did have one last document left to be signed and it was in regards to their financial responsibilities.

The property they bought was expensive and they did agree to pay it over the course of ten years. The last document I needed them to sign, which required both Cherry and Joel’s signatures, was one confirming I could always take back the property if they failed to pay their premiums over a period of time.

This particular morning I didn’t want to worry about business, though. For the first time in a long time, I had the chance to appreciate her more. She was sound asleep here on my bed and was a beauty to behold.

It still amazed me how I managed to get this beautiful vixen into my life. I could bring her here anytime I felt alone or horny and she’d always heed the call.

I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could and prepared us breakfast. I didn’t have servants in the manor – I lived a frugal life despite being as rich as I was – so all the chores and responsibilities were mine to finish. By the time she was awake, I had cooked our meal, taken a nice hot shower and dressed up for work.

Cherry was a sight to behold. Even though she just woke up, she looked like she was ready for another wild round of sex. She didn’t even bother putting on clothes, simply tossing her blanket on top of her as she pranced into the dining room.

“Hey there,” she greeted me with a kiss and a hug. She buried her face in my chest and asked, “What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock,” I answered. “I made pancakes, bacon, and eggs. There’s orange juice and coffee too.”

I sat down and pulled her to the table. She sat down right beside me and picked up a strip of bacon with her hand and munched down. It was so cute to see her so groggy this morning.

“What do we have planned for today?” she asked me as she mindlessly continued to devour her breakfast. She dug into her meal like a starving animal.

“You are going back to your father today,” I told her. “I have some guests coming and I don’t want to be disturbed.”

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow, “You mean you don’t want me around? Do I disturb you from work?”

“I didn’t say that,” I replied as I chugged down a glass of juice and then took a bite of pancakes.

Cherry wasn’t listening though and continued on, “No, did you just say I disturb you? Why wouldn’t you want me around with your guests?”

I put down my spoon and fork and looked at her like she was a child begging for attention. In some ways, she was. She was only twenty and every time we were together she was like this – begging for me to give her the time of day.

“No, I do want you with my other guests,” I tried to explain to her. “I just don’t want you around these guests. They’re very particular about the company I keep around me.”

She scoffed at me, “So? You don’t think they’d think highly of me? Are you afraid they’ll misjudge you because I’m not a freaking supermodel for Victoria’s Secret or because I’m not another billionaire like your friends? Just who the fuck are these guests anyway? Why the hell do they get to sit up on their throne and judge?”

I raised an eyebrow and answered without looking at her, “My mother and my sister. That’s who the fuck they are.”

I thought I was being authoritative enough to shut her up but she only prattled on, even angrier than before.

“So you don’t want me to meet your family?” she was getting uncontrollable. I could see how her hand was shaking in anger. I did my best to remain calm and not look at her in the eye.

“You know what? You never talk about your family or your past. I know nothing about you.”

“Of course you don’t,” I reminded her flatly. “I never talk about those things because I don’t want to. They’re inconsequential to who I am now and what I do this very moment.”

She slammed a fist on the table and to be honest I was feeling a little anxious to get away from her.

“No!” she screamed at me. Now she was wide-awake for sure. “I can’t go on like this, Dylan. I need you to open up to me. I need you to trust me!”

“Why would I?” I was starting to get annoyed.

Cherry looked at me with a baffled expression on her face. It was like I said the dumbest thing in the world to her and that was annoying the shit out of me.

She then said with hands raised, “Dylan, you know you can trust me. You have to trust me because I freaking love you.”

Those were the words I never wanted to hear. I never wanted her to utter them because I knew I could never say them back.

“Don’t say that,” I stuttered as I struggled with the words. Even when I knew I had to be cold and ruthless I found it hard because it was her. “Please don’t ever say that.”

“I know you have feelings for me, too. Why won’t you just say you love me?” she asked as tears began flowing down her cheeks. “I know you do!”

I shook my head as I denied the emotions swirling in my chest, “No, I don’t! We have nothing in common. You don’t even know who I am.”

“I don’t know anything about you because you won’t let me in!” she shouted back. “You always divert the topic when it cycles towards you or your past. You avoid talking about you like the plague.”

With a heavy heart I shook my head and slammed a fist on the table hoping it would shut her up, “Look, Cherry, you’re here because I’m lonely. I like you as a companion and nothing more. I don’t love you. I just want a companion and someone to fuck. You’re my sex partner, my fuck-buddy, but nothing more than that. Let that sink into your head.”

She shook her head and violently refuted what I said, “No, no, that can’t be true! I won’t let it be true! I love you, damn it.”

“You’re being a fool,” I told her as I stared straight into her eyes. “We met over business talks and I fucked you again and again simply because I knew you love it. I found your diary and I took advantage of the situation. That’s all.”

“Ugh, you fucking disgust me!” she snapped back and I saw for a moment she was going to slap my face. She only stopped because she saw me get up and walk towards the door. “Don’t you dare leave me here, Mr. Bernard! We’re not done talking.”

“I’m done,” I pointed out. “Look, the final document you need to sign is in the bedroom. Sign it and then just get the fuck out of here.”

I walked out of the dining room and stormed my way into my private office in the third floor of the manor.

I didn’t even care to look back. I didn’t want to see her sobbing and crying – it would just tear me apart and make me take back all the stupid shit I just told her.

I buried myself in my work to get myself busy. I just shut myself in the office and didn’t care anymore if she was still in the manor or not. She could leave or stay for all I cared. I felt a mix of disappointment, anger, a bit of sadness, and regret in my mind. But I didn’t care. I didn’t want to think about it now.

I pushed her away. What was done was done. But deep inside even I had to admit that I did feel something different for her. I was not sure if I could call it love but I truly, madly, deeply adore her.

Now because of my stupid ego, she was gone, maybe for good.