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.

grin only widened. "How about this," he said, a devil-may-care gleam in his eye. "Let's go have a drink. We'll

narrowed my eyes at him and gritted my teeth in contemplation before

and turned to

looking down onto the street. I let out a defeated

with everything around him. He moved through the bar with the ease of someone who'd been here a hundred times

away from Arielle's place. I slid onto a high stool beside Dwayne at the counter, watching him signal the bartender as if he owned the place. My

us.

Dwayne answered and turned

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

yourself then," Dwayne

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 whole encounter was

Arielle so well?" I finally blurted out my thoughts. I had not meant for the words to stumble out that way. I didn't want to give him the

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

to the side, keeping my face as firm as possible so he got the hint that I was

the drink into his mouth. "What use is that going to be to you?

himself. He looked from Dwayne to me, his face awash with

my intuition

I want to know why!" I demanded, pounding my fist on the counter. I got a couple of irritated grunts and snide remarks in response to my gesture but I kept my gaze fixed

flinched. He shot the bartender a look that made the man scurry off, his face pale with fear. Then, turning back to me, he raised an eyebrow in casual

very cheeky tongue, my friend," he finally

mistake. I need answers. And you're gonna give them to me," I stated firmly, doing nothing to take down

reason why you lost her to begin with. You talk more than you think and a man who does that would always

How exactly does that make you any better than myself? The hell how do I know you didn't have a hand in the divorce to begin with?" I

heavy allegations, Jared. And don't make the mistake of comparing yourself with me. We're two very different men. What I do, I do because I must and because I truly care. You're just a foolish prick who feels threatened by the presence of a better man," Dwayne shot back with

is sucker!" I roared as I lunged at

him hurtling backwards in his seat. He was a large man so the fall would have

the wooden board floors of the bar, he overturned my body's weight and I found myself on the ground instead.

most likely gossip from the crowd of onlookers inside the bar. Everyone sized us both up 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 of jealousy

spontaneously mixed with ich

struggled

be wise to give up this fight before you make

and charged for

me of the bottle and leaned in to whisper