Mr billionaire's regret chasing his irresistible wife by Gabby Emmanuel

A fight to satisfaction

(JARED'S POV.)

I stood with one foot perched on the first of the short flight of steps leading up to Arielle's front porch. It felt like the door had hit me right in the face. And the blood vessels on my skin seemed very willing to visibly portray my embarrassment. And it had to be his fault. Dwayne.

I had just known about him a few hours ago, and he was already being a thorn in my flesh.

I turned around hotly on my heels and marched towards him.

"Now you see what you've done? All you had to do was get away from us, disappear from our lives, but no, you're so jealous you won't grow a brain!" I yelled in fury.

But he didn't answer. As soon as Arielle was out of sight, he fell silent, expressionless. The black suit he wore seemed to blend into the night, as though he was part of the shadows. The cold, intimidating presence I had felt at the dinner table returned, suffocating the air between us.

What the hell is wrong with this man? Was he acting all this long drive? For what? To make Arielle happy? I felt my anger boiling like I was being teased as a fool.

"Speak up, damn it!" I hissed, my voice sharp with fury. "Who the hell are you? How did you get into my family? What do you know about us?"

His reply was cold, too composed for my liking. "Don't put this on me, Jared. She's pissed because of you. You treated her wrong, made mistakes that cannot be forgiven. Don't act like you own her. She's not anyone's property. And if you ask me, the only thing she deserves is better than what you gave her."

I saw red. My blood was boiling, and I was about ready to punch something, preferably his smug face. He wasn't answering a single one of my questions!

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" I spat. "She's the mother of my son. It's you who needs to stay the hell away."

He gave me a look that was a strange mix of amusement and irritation, as though I were a child throwing a tantrum. "Look, baby brother-"

"We're not brothers! I don't bloody know you from anywhere," I cut him short.

He let out a sharp laugh. "You think I want to be your brother? Become a Smith? Hell no. Here's how this is going to play out. You go back to your mother, and I'll head back to my hotel. My business is with Nana Jean and Arielle, not you."

"If you say her name one more time..." I said through gritted teeth.

Dwayne smiled, lips curling into a mocking grin. "What, are you jealous I know her better than you? Does it make you feel small, knowing your ex-wife is closer to me than you?"

I could hear the taunt in his voice and it worsened my already pent up anger.

"Look. I just need you out of our lives. What would that cost?" I asked.

about this," he said, a devil-may-care gleam in his eye. "Let's go have a drink. We'll talk about it, huh? What do

my teeth in contemplation before letting

raised an eyebrow and turned to lead the way out of

back to look at the windows, nursing the slightest hope that I would find someone looking down onto the street. I let out a defeated

oddly familiar with everything around him. He moved through the bar with the ease of someone who'd been here a hundred times before, making me wonder how long he'd been monitoring Arielle without me knowing. That thought churned

our way to a high-end bar a few streets away from Arielle's place. I slid onto a high stool beside Dwayne at the counter, watching him signal the bartender

us. "What would you be

Dwayne answered and turned to

beer," I answered. I had to keep myself as sober as possible to have a reasonable conversation with

yourself then,"

figure out what made him tick. He wasn't like me. There was no heat in his voice, no rawness in his eyes. He was cool, collected-too damn calm for my liking. He was already texting someone as we waited for our drinks, like this

out my thoughts. I had not meant for the words to stumble out

how much it would cost to keep me out of your lives," he said, not even

face as firm as possible so he

his mouth. "What use is that going to be to you? More please," he slid the glass over to

Sir," the bartender answered offhandedly, before catching himself. He looked from

my intuition

digging around my family for God knows how long. I want to know why!" I demanded, pounding my fist on the counter. I got a couple of

the bartender a look that made the man scurry off, his face pale with fear. Then, turning

my

answers. And you're gonna give them to me," I stated

begin with. You talk more than you think

you any better than myself? The hell how do I know you didn't have a hand in the

because I truly care. You're just a

the man is sucker!" I roared as I

catch him unawares and sent him hurtling backwards in his seat. He was a large man so the fall would have been very heavy... Except he

of the bar, he overturned my body's weight and I found myself on the ground instead. Of course, I had to be involved in a fight

and I could see the way they looked at me with pity, already judging me out of the fight before it even began. was hit with a wave

spontaneously mixed with ich

in defiance. I struggled out from underneath him and

wise to give up this fight before you make a fool

and charged for him with the

disarmed me of the bottle