Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 by Laura Burton (learn to read books .TXT) 📕

smug smile off Calvin’s face. He reckoned he could knock him off his chair with just one swing.

“You do know it’s only been five weeks since our little… break.”

“Is that what you’re calling it?” Edward asked, folding his arms. Great, he thought, an ex-boyfriend in denial was not what he needed.

“Oh please. Catherine was overwhelmed with the upcoming tour. She just needed a little space, is all. Now she’s home, she’ll be crawling back to me.”

Edward dug his nails into the palms of his hands as he clamped his jaw shut.

“Catherine does not crawl. Not to you. Not to anyone.”

Calvin’s lips grew wide as they arched up towards his ears, taking over his whole face. Edward knew he was playing with him. Pushing his buttons to get him to retaliate. That would be perfect, to get him to lash out in public, with all these witnesses. So that he could spin a story that Edward was somehow the dangerous lunatic who needed to be protected from. Edward could see right through this man. Problem was, his anger was reaching boiling point and he really wanted to act on it.

“You are to stop seeing Catherine Fisher. You have no business talking to her. She’s mine. Do you understand?” Calvin explained in a condescending manner.

“Oh, and what are you going to do about it?” Edward asked, daring Calvin to make a move. He was primed and ready for confrontation. The hairs on his arms were raised and the air seemed to sizzle against his burning skin.

Calvin leaned across the table and looked Edward hard in the eye. His dark irises bore into him.

“If you do not leave her alone, consequences will be inevitable.”

“What does that even mean?”

“You know what it means.”

Calvin rose to his feet, brushed off his pant legs and marched out of the coffee shop with a pleasant smile across his face. A seething Edward was left to stew over their conversation alone. He pulled his phone of out his pocket with a shaking hand and put it to his ear.

“Sam, it’s me. We have a problem.”

Chapter Eleven

Nothing Can Go Wrong

“Louis, I’ve been thinking about your offer, and I’ve decided I would love to work for you full-time.” Catherine beamed at herself in the mirror of her bathroom as she listened to Louis’ happy exclamations on the other end of the phone.

Her heart had been skipping as she made her way home from the art gallery. She was in a blissfully joyful mood. She smiled at strangers. Stroked the neighbor’s cat. She even said, ‘good evening’ to her grumpy landlord as he took out the trash.

Life was good. With Edward around, who needed to worry about jealous ex-boyfriends? And the video he made for Johnny melted all of her worries. She was certain her family would love Edward, and he seemed to tick all of the boxes. Funny, sweet, genuine and completely down-to-earth. Not to mention, drop dead gorgeous. Catherine hung up the phone, threw it on the bed, twirled on the spot and squealed to herself.

It was settled. She would stay in New York, sign up to a show at Lincoln Center, keep seeing Edward and maybe one day, she’d take him home to her family and introduce him as her fiancé. The thought made her giddy.

Catherine pulled a clasp out of her hair and allowed it to fall in thick waves to her shoulders. Then she collapsed onto her double bed with a contented sigh.

“Nothing can go wrong,” she said breathlessly.

The doorbell rang.

Catherine was floating as she grinned ear to ear walking to the front door.

“Hello Cathy.”

Catherine gasped as she found herself pulled into a tight hug. Johnny’s friendly smile flooded her view as they broke apart. She closed her door and beamed at him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, delighted. Johnny rarely turned up on her doorstep, alone.

“I took the subway,” he said simply as he looked around.

“I like this picture. Is it new?” he looked up at a painting on the wall. It was of a British seaside town.

“Yes, it was a gift while I was on tour.”

Johnny asked Catherine endless questions about who gave her the gift, and where it was made. Could she take him next time? He followed her into the small kitchen as they talked, and Catherine prepared hot chocolate for them both.

“Did you get a picture of Edward?” Johnny asked as she passed him his drink. The question sparked a memory of Edward’s cheek grazing hers and the waft of musky cologne washing over her as he recorded a video. She grabbed her purse and pulled out her phone. Johnny clapped with excitement and walked over to her; his head stooped low, eyeing her phone.

“Here you go,” she said, as she pressed play on the video. Catherine couldn’t help but grin as she watched Edward speaking to the camera, standing so closely to her. Then she cringed at the awkward way she just stood there, frozen and unable to speak. Johnny placed a warm hand on her shoulder and tilted his head as he surveyed her face closely.

“He’s a really nice man,” he said. “He should be your boyfriend.”

“You got that, from a thirty-second video?” Catherine put her phone away and walked back to the counter to retrieve her drink. Johnny followed, wagging a finger.

“He’s nice. I can feel it.”

Catherine sighed.

“You think everyone is nice, Johnny. We have to be careful this time.”

Johnny opened his mouth to speak but a rat-a-tat-tat on the front door had him close it again. Catherine put her drink down and walked across the living room area to reach the door.

“Who is it Cathy? Is it Edward?” Johnny asked. Catherine hummed as she peered through the spy hole. All she could see was the street bustling with cars and pedestrians walking by.

“No one’s there,” she said surprised.

“Maybe they left you something,” Johnny suggested. Catherine unbolted the door and pulled it open. It was true, there was no one standing on her steps, nor were