The Billionaire and I (Part Two) Read Online Free PDF Page A

when I was considering chopping off all my hair and finding the nearest tattoo shop, she brought her pointer to her mouth and let out a giggle  like someone had just told her a joke. The way her emerald eyes flicked over my outfit and snidely returned to my face, it was clear that I was the joke.
    "Wow,” she chuffed. “Rachel wasn't kidding about you at all."
    Anger filled me instantly and I knew that if I couldn't keep it together long enough to get upstairs, then I was in for one hell of a morning. I wanted to wipe that smug grin from her face, but I settled for making a jab of my own. "Funny...she hasn't mentioned you at all."
    I hit my mark and every visible inch of Starla's pale white skin turned red with indignation. "You might want to try being nice to me. I'm the only reason Rach agreed to meet with you."
    "Oh honey," I said with faux concern, dropping my tone a few notches. Channeling that Southern, 'bless your heart' voice that my grandmother used when people were acting ignorant. "I'm glad I'm here, because this issue needs to be resolved—but I don't owe you a thing." I made a sweeping gesture towards the elevator. "Are we done here? I'd hate to make 'Rach' wait."
    She stewed for a minute, running her tongue across her teeth and flashing another piece of metal, then she marched past me in a huff. I smiled to myself, following her in silence. It felt good standing up to a bully, but she was just a molehill compared to the mountain that was Rachel Laraby.
    We shot up to the top floor and Starla moved like she was either trying to lose me or didn't want anyone that we crossed paths with to know we were together. She didn't know that  I'd been hitting the gym with Megan and keeping up with her was a piece of cake. I made sure to smile big and obnoxiously at every person we passed on the way to Rachel's corner unit.
    Starla threw me a smoldering glare before she tapped on the door with her knuckle. "Knock knock!" She twisted the doorknob and pushed inside.
    I nearly shielded my eyes when I stepped into Rachel's apartment. It had nothing to do with the wall of windows that brought the sun and the city line into the living space. Everything, from her couch to her kitchen appliances, was white. It was like she'd taken someone's advice, that white was chic, and kicked it into overdrive. It was more than impractical, void of any creativity, anything that was Rachel. It was uncomfortable and sterile.
    Speaking of Rachel, the woman, the myth, the legend, glided down the staircase, offering some much needed color to the room. She was in a golden chiffon maxi dress, smiling that same little victorious smile that I'm sure she wore when Jacob called her up last night.
    "Leila." She stretched my name into several syllables. "Always a pleasure."
    Just in case I didn't realize she was being facetious, Starla let out a snort.
    Rachel stroked her blood red fingertips through her cropped mahogany locks, her smile shrinking a few inches. "Let's not be rude to our guest, Starla." She twitched her hips until she reached the living room, draping herself in a chalk colored arm chair. "Would you like something to drink? Water? A protein shake since you look like you're headed to the gym?" She winked an emerald eye at me. "Bravo on the working out thing. They say the older you get the harder it is to take it off."
    I balled my hands into fists. That's what she did to me. She took me back to recess; the popular girl pointing and laughing at the chubby girl. Years had passed, and I was a strong, happy, and confident person, but she knew just what buttons to push to snatch me back to that cruel schoolyard.
    I didn't have a comeback. I just stood there, fuming. And Rachel sat in her bleached white throne room, glowing.
    Starla let out a low whistle. "I'll grab those waters."
    Rachel snapped her fingers, shaking her head. "Water for Leila-"
    "I don't want your water," I spat, finally finding my voice.
    "And a mimosa for me," Rachel finished.