A Billionaire Punishes (A Billionaire Invites - Remington - Part 2) Read Online Free

couldn’t hold myself anymore. I wrenched the phone from Avery’s hand, and tooted, “Tell me it’s not true, Remington. Just tell me…”
    After a long pause, Remington said, “It’s… complicated, Erin.”
    I dropped my arm, and hardly even noticed the triumphant expression on Celeste’s face at these words. Avery fished the phone from my grasp, and said, “You really should level with your secretaries, Rem, honey. The poor girl is all shook up. Now, I’ve decided that it’s better for all concerned to let Celeste run my business from now on. You’ll agree with me that she has all the right credentials. And I’ll be far too busy planning the wedding to concern myself with running a flower business.”
    “I don’t think we should discuss this matter over the phone, Avery,” said Remington, an edge to his voice. “Don’t do anything until I’m back.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of it, darling. You have so much on your plate already these days, I wouldn’t want to trouble you with my little affairs. Now, about the wedding. I’ve hired Louise Calson for the catering. Is that all right with you?”
    I didn’t stay for the rest of the sordid tale. Tears flooding my face, I ran out of that hellhole as fast as my legs could carry me.

4

    I’d only stepped out of the elevator and had started crossing the small square outside Hearts & Flowers, when my phone beeped. It was Remington.
    “Erin, so glad I caught you.”
    “I don’t know if I’m so glad,” I said, taking a seat by the fountain in the center of the square and snuffling into a paper tissue.
    “Did Avery give you a hard time?”
    “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were engaged!” I burst out.
    “I didn’t think I was,” he said. “Engaged I mean. Avery broke off the engagement right before I met you.”
    “She did? Then why didn’t you tell her just now?”
    He sighed. “Like I said, it’s complicated.”
    “Tell me,” I said softly, not feeling in the mood for big arguments and drama.
    “Avery Charmer and I have been engaged since before we were born. Not through any fault of our own, mind you. It’s just a sort of arrangement our fathers arrived at, based on a strategic alliance between the Carswells and the Charmers.
    “Old man Charmer owns a controlling share in one of the largest cobalt mines in the world, which is of particular importance to us since base metal is still the cornerstone of the Carswell family fortune. Pop Charmer and my pop finally worked out a deal where Charmer promised to get into bed with us, if our families would also be tied by marriage. As I said, this all happened long before I was born.”
    “But that’s… slavery.”
    “Something like that. The thing is, we have an understanding, Avery and I. We promised our families we’d get married one day, but in the meantime we go our own way. She’s actually been seeing some old guy for some time now, Chalk Whithers. And I’ve been seeing the most wonderful girl in the world.”
    I wasn’t mollified. “And once you’re married, what about me? I’ll be your mistress, or what?”
    “Not exactly. We’re never going to get married. Pop Charmers is pushing 80, and his health is not good. We just figured…”
    “You’d wait until he was dead, and then break off the engagement.”
    “Something like that,” he said.
    “That’s nuts! What if he lives to be a hundred? You’re going to be engaged to Avery Charmers for another 20 years?”
    “It’s only on paper,” he said. “We’ve never even kissed or anything.”
    “Then what was all that talk about a caterer? She told me she’s planning an October wedding.”
    “Yeah, well, I think she broke up with old man Whithers. Each time she’s between lovers, she gets a little needy.”
    “Remington,” I said, my head spinning. “This is crazy. I really don’t think—”
    “Wait for me,” he suddenly said.
    “You’re nuts.”
    “Nuts about you.”
    “Do you really want to keep