The Arrogant Artist : A Billionaire Boss Romance (International Bad Boys Set Book 2)

inch of my soul. Giving someone that much control over you is dangerous.
I probably would have forgiven her, that’s how much in love I was with her.
As long as she still loved me. As long as she was still in my life. Even if I didn’t have all of her, just a piece would have been enough for me. I’m an addict, a junkie, and she’s my drug of choice. I still crave her. I still wake in the middle of the night reaching for her, remembering what it was like to have her love shine directly into me. I detest that her love has been replaced with anger, bitterness, and hurt. I abhor that she’s changed me into someone even I don’t know anymore. I hate that she’s taken the colors from my world.
This behavior isn’t healthy, I know this, but I don’t know how to stop. The obsessive feelings I have seeing the two of them together is overwhelming. Daniel doesn’t realize I still check up on Elisabeth online. I obsess over the images I see of the two of them. I hate the way she still lights up my screen even though her light is directed elsewhere. I’m sick, that has to be the only explanation why I torture myself like this daily. Looking at their happy faces, I wonder what I did wrong. Why was I not enough for her? What the hell do I do now?
“Louis,” Daniel calls for my attention. “I’m worried about you.”
I know I’m an asshole. I know I am hurting everyone around me, but I just can’t stop the anger that’s taken me over like a raging bull.
“Don’t be,” I warn as I take another swig of my tequila.
“You can’t keep burying yourself in tequila and women.”
“The fuck I can’t.”
Daniel lets out an exhausted sigh. “I’m on your side, Louis.”
“Good. Now leave me the fuck alone. I have masterpieces to produce.”
Daniel stands there for a couple more moments in silence. “Give her a chance. You two are more alike than you realize.”
I take another swig of tequila, the liquid warming my insides, making my thoughts slow, blanking out the images of Elisabeth and Yves together which continuously loop in my mind.
“As long as she stays out of my way, then we’ll be fine,” I grumble, picking up one of my paintbrushes and sticking it into the pot of black paint. I angrily start smearing it across the canvas in no particular pattern.
“Fine! I’ll go check on Emily and see if she’s okay. Let’s hope she isn’t packing her bags.”
“If she can’t handle me, then fire her.” My hand moves rapidly across the canvas smearing black paint like there’s no tomorrow.
Daniel doesn’t answer me.
When I eventually turn around, he’s left.
I slump into my chair with my bottle in my hand, exhausted where I sit and drink until the day blacks out just like my painting.

10


Emily
Gabriel is helping me with my cuts which are quite deep and still bleeding. I’m sitting on the kitchen bench as he dabs the antiseptic liquid onto my knees.
“I’m sorry about him.” Daniel’s voice filters through the room.
Gabriel steps away, looking a little anxious.
Daniel walks around and inspects my knees, and a frown falls across his beautiful face. “Are you okay?” I can hear the concern laced in his voice.
“I’m a clutz. I am so sorry I burned Mr. Marchant.”
“You’re not the first person to have thrown a drink on him.”
I smile, but I do feel bad about it.
“I’ll get him another coffee,” Gabriel adds, quickly moving away.
“Make it a pot. He’s found a bottle of tequila.” My eyes widen. “Don’t worry, you won’t see him for the rest of the day. He’s in one of his moods, but it makes for good art.” I can hear the sadness in Daniel’s voice, and it upsets me that he can’t help his brother. “Do you mind if we go have a chat in the office, I’d like to organize his schedule.” He holds out his hand and helps me down from the counter.
We make our way to the office off the living room. “Please take a seat.” I choose one of the tan leather armchairs and sink back into the buttery soft leather, running my hand over the beautiful material. These must have cost a fortune.
“May I just say I’m utterly mortified about my first twenty-four hours on the job.” Daniel looks at me curiously. “I promise you… nothing like this will happen again.” He needs to know I’m serious about this job.
A smile forms on Daniel’s face when he says, “It’s been an interesting start, that’s for sure.”
My cheeks bloom with a blush remembering Louis finding me nearly naked in his pool. “He told you…” Oh crap! Daniel knows about the whole pool incident.
He nods, smiling at me.
“I wasn’t trying to seduce him.” The words tumble out of my mouth, and I can’t stop them.
“Never said you were.”
“He thought last night…” I nervously play with my hands. “I mean… I understand what he saw, but… I’m not one of those girls.”
“One of those girls?”
“Yeah, an art groupie.”
Daniel bursts out laughing. “Art groupie? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Really? I went to university with them. Just like women who try and bag a footballer or a celebrity, these girls want to sleep with the brightest star on the art scene.” I can see Daniel is finding this all very amusing. I really need to shut up, but when I’m nervous, I babble and say the wrong things at the wrong time, making it even more awkward than it already is.
“I never thought you were one of those women. Louis wasn’t meant to have been here, but as you might suspect, he has trust issues, especially with women.” I nod my head in agreement, and I totally understand why. Betrayal from the closest person to you will do that. “You did nothing wrong. The number of times I have jumped into that pool in my underwear, well…”
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