BILLIONAIRE: Protected (A Dark Billionaire Romance) Read Online Free Page A

abilities.” He chewed on his inner cheek and looked up at me with an amused smile. “You're right, your marketing team is crap.”
                  I blushed and looked away, murmuring, “I know. I wish they could do better. I'm really sorry. I promise if you invest I—”
                  “If?” he interjected. “I already have a check written, Miss Barr. There is no question whether or not I'm investing. I couldn't invest at the meeting because I didn't have my checkbook on me and I don't like doing deals without having the money ready.”
                  I was sipping my wine, but choked on it slightly out of surprise. He patted me on the back as I regained my composure. “Y-you already decided to invest?” I asked, incredulous. My performance at the initial meeting had not been worthy of an investor. I was grateful, but unsure how he determined that my presentation was worth a partnership.
                  Liam nodded and replied, airily, “There was just something about you. I knew I had to be your partner.” He drank the rest of his glass of wine and narrowed his eyes. “Why would you think that I wouldn't invest?”
                  I chewed on my lip and muttered, “Well the presentation wasn't all that great. Let's be honest, Mr. Manning.”
                  He laughed and said, “Please, never call me Mr. Manning. Good God, you have no idea how much I hate that.” He ran a hand through his thick, sun-kissed hair and added, “You just had a way about you that screamed 'hard worker,' you know? Sometimes it's the passion of the person behind an idea that's the most important thing.” His blue eyes bore into my own and I felt my cheeks become hot. “I think that is the case with you, Miss Barr.”
                  “I-it's Ally,” I murmured, looking away from his gaze. “O-or Aaliyah.”
                  “I'll go with Ally,” he said. He stood and held out his hand. “More wine?”
                  I nodded and handed him my glass. The twinkle in his eye told me that perhaps Patrick had been right. It was more than just business.
    *****

                                          Chapter 3
     
     
    Liam and I had been through the content of the manila folder at least three times and we were quickly approaching our second bottle of wine. Usually I would object to such an intimate business meeting, but usually the investors with whom I spoke were nowhere near as young and handsome as Liam was. The alcohol was beginning to make me a little giggly and I was trying my best not to make a pass at him or anything that may result in a misunderstanding between business partners. Nevertheless, the way that he looked at me told me that he was just as interested in me as I was in him.
                  “I haven't worked with many women,” he admitted. His face was becoming redder and redder as he grew more intoxicated, but he still took another sip of wine. “Just hasn’t had the opportunity.”
                  “Does your girlfriend disapprove?”  I blurted. I immediately regretted what I said, because I knew that I was overstepping boundaries. However, I could easily argue that he had overstepped boundaries by getting me drunk.
                  He chuckled and shook his head. “Girlfriend? What rubbish have the tabloids made up now? I don't have a girlfriend.”
                  I blushed and hoped that the warmth from the wine would disguise my embarrassment. In a desperate attempt to escape the awkward situation, I seized the manila folder and swallowed nervously, flipping through the pages that we had already been through a number of times throughout the evening.
                  “So, er, what about this graphic? Now that I look at it again it isn't so bad,” I murmured, pointing out a logo of a