Taming The Cold Billionaire (bxg)

(Rachael)

Working for Xander King could have been pleasant if he could stop screaming orders at me. I've been working as an investment banker for a company called Arctic Circle Investment. ACI. here in Manhattan, New York.

I have been here for seven years now, and yes, the pay was great, plus I got weekends and holidays off. What more could a girl ask for?

I didn't attend college like everyone else once they reached the age of eighteen because I got pregnant. My now nine-year-old son is so energetic that I had to be watching him carefully. He has a nanny, Mariah, who loves him a lot, and sometimes I would leave him with his grandparents. His father ran the minute I told him that I was pregnant, so I had to step up and take care of my child.

I have been to so many interviews that I had failed miserably, but luckily, Lawrence King saw something in me at that time and hired me. I had proved him right, and now I was still working here, even after so long. It was when Mr. King got sick, his son Xander took over, and believe me, he's the devil in disguise.

During work hours, Xander found a lot of different ways to annoy me, and that's what he's doing now.

My coworker Emily chuckled, and Brady rolled his eyes as Xander's voice could be heard calling for me.

"You should go. Don't keep him waiting." Brady said. I sighed and got up from my cubicle, then made my way toward his office door. He might be my boss, but that didn't mean that he gets to shout at me all the time like a spoiled brat.

Opening the door, I was greeted with a cold stare from the man behind his desk. The way he acts, you would have sworn he was eighty, but he's only thirty-three years old.

"You called for me, Xander?" I asked in an inpatient tone. His glare had turned even colder from the way I had spoken to him. I often called him by his first name, something I did to irritate him.

"I have been calling for you for the past five minutes, Miss. Hale, I would think you would have been here sooner." He snapped, making me roll my eyes.

"I had a lot of work to do. If you had lessened it, then maybe you wouldn't have to wait that long and stop acting so cranky. Five minutes is nothing." I replied, and from the way he was looking at me, I knew that in his mind he was plotting my murder.

"Whatever. Take these files to Mrs. Abraham, and tell her to give me an update as soon as she's done going through them." He pointed at the files, but I folded my arms defiantly. He wasn't going to get away with talking to me as if I was beneath him.

"I think you might have forgotten something there, Xander. Where are your manners?" I made a tsking sound and shook my head. He narrowed his eyes at me, then stood up and made his way toward me. I backed up a little, not liking the fact that he was so close.

"Look at you, not so tough now, are you?" He asked as he continued to make his way toward me.

"I just don't like it when people invade my personal space. You're getting way too close for my liking." I replied as my back made contact with the wall.

It's not the fact that he was unattractive. Oh no, he was once named the sexiest man alive. It's not the fact that his cold blue-green eyes were staring into mine, as if he could see through my soul. It's not the fact that his hand was slowly making its way towards my face, gently pushing a Strawn of my jet black hair out of the way.

The reason why I was backing away was the fact that with him being so close to me, I could hardly breathe. I hated to admit that I wanted to be with this cold-hearted man. He would tease me constantly, making me squirm nervously as his eyes held mine.

It's the fact that he is so attractive that I found it hard to stand on my feet, which would turn to jelly at the sight of him.

I couldn't allow him to be so close to me, so I backed away each time. This wasn't the first time he cornered me. He would often do it when I wasn't listening to him and when he would call me out for it. I hate it when he does that, I can't seem to think straight sometimes with him around.

"If it wasn't for my father, who threatened me not to fire you, I would have a long time ago. Stop fighting me and do as you're told." I jumped from the tone of his voice and moved to the side so that I could get away from him.

Then, I moved quickly toward the stack of files and ran out as fast as I could. Why was this man affecting me so much?

I took a deep breath as I made my way toward Mrs. Abraham office. My heart was beating so fast that I found it hard to breathe. Never in my life had that happened to me before.

I can't help but feel like something else was going on with Xander. It's his company now so he can fire and hire whomever he wants. He didn't have to listen to his father anymore, so why was he still keeping meeting on?

When I arrived at Mrs. Abraham office, I knocked on her door, and when she told me to come in, I did. I handed her the files and told her what Xander had said, then left.

Seeing that I still had a lot of work to do, I went back to my desk. Drew and Emily had already left, so it was just me for now.

Looking at the time, I realized that it was time for me to leave, seeing that it was 6 pm. so I started packing up everything. This day went like every other day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be different.

(Xander)

irritated.

That's one way to describe how I felt whenever I was with Rachael. She makes me want to snap her neck whenever she opens her mouth, trying to challenge me, and is always getting on my nerves.

but I couldn't stop myself from feeling like there was something between us. I would be blind if I said I wasn't attracted to her, damn I was. She is extremely beautiful with jet-black hair and the blackest pair of eyes I've ever seen. an hourglass figure that would make every man turn their eyes toward her as she walks by.

I know that there couldn't be anything serious between us because I wasn't looking to settle down, and my father would hang me if I tried anything with her.

He loves her a lot, I wasn't sure why, but he told me that he saw her as a daughter. At any other time, I would have said that something was going on between them, but I knew that I would be wrong. I've seen them together before, and they didn't act any different.

looking at the time, I saw that it was time for me to leave. This company that my father had started was already making billions, so there was nothing to worry about. Living here in Central Park south Manhattan, I'd say it was rather pleasing. The area where I lived was mostly owned by wealthy people, so I guess you can say that I fit in perfectly.

I didn't want to settle down like I said, I've been with a lot of women, yes, but that's just me. I'd rather fuck different women than settle down that's my motto and I'm sticking to it.

Once I walked out of my office, I saw Mrs. Abraham standing there talking to one of my employees so I made my way over to them.

"Mrs. Abraham, have you gone through the files I sent you?" I asked in an impatient tone. I told Rachael to have her get back at me, but she was yet to do that. I didn't tolerate slow workers and yet here she was slowing me down.

"I was just on my way to visit you, sorry for being so late I got caught up in a meeting earlier," she replied and I nodded my head.

"Well, tell me what you think. I don't have all day here." I was in a hurry to get home to my father. God knows what trouble he might be getting into. He's sick, yes, but that doesn't stop the old man from being mischievous.

"If I'm being honest with you, I think you're making a huge mistake investing in a company that hasn't been making sufficient funds over the years, people are already pulling away from them, I don't see why you need to waste fifteen thousand dollars, purchasing a share of that company that is about to go bankrupt." well, that's one way to put it, I had my reasons why I was doing this though.

"As far as I know, it's a fragrance company and it's relatively new. They need help and I'm giving it to them. I'm only going with my guts on this one Maurine, tell me have I been wrong before?" I asked and she shook her head.

"no, but why go with a company that is as new as you said? they are losing ratings.." I stopped her before she could continue.

"They are losing ratings, yes, but with my name, they will start earning big. I just need to be the first one to have a share in that company so that I can earn from it as well." ok, I did say that she should give me her feedback on what she thought, but I don't like to be wrong and I thought that she would have been on my side but I guess I'm wrong.

"If you don't want my advice, then don't ask for it. you sent Rachael a lot of files only to have my opinions thrown out. I'm an advisor for this company, Mr. King. I don't take bullshit from others and I tell it as it is. Now, I say that you're going to lose if you invest in this company, but whatever. you're a billionaire, you can afford to lose a couple thousand of dollars." with that, she patted me on my arm and walked away. stubborn woman, always trying to get her way.

it's not like I haven't done any research, of course, I did. I do these things because of my popularity, once I'm on board everyone will want to be a part of that company as well and that's where the profit will come in. I guess I just have to wait and see.

getting in my car, I drove off in the direction of my home. knowing that I had employees that I could trust, I didn't have a problem with leaving them there on their own. Plus, there were security cameras all over and I had one of the best security companies that I hired, so there was nothing to worry about.

It took me a little while to get home, but when I did I breathed a sigh of relief. The too big mansion that I called home had never looked so welcoming as they did now.

I hurriedly parked my car in the garage and got out, then punched in the code and opened the door once it was activated.

"Dad!?" I shouted, trying to locate the man who was supposed to be in bed resting. but, I knew that he was somewhere in the house doing something strenuous. no matter how many times I told him to stop, he wouldn't listen to me.

Just like I said, I found him in the living room trying to move the sofa as if he was searching for something under it.

"Dad!" I shouted as I hurriedly made my way over to him. He startled a bit and turned to look at me with a guilty expression on his face.

"Ugh, it's not what it looks like." he replied, with a smirk on his face.

"It is exactly what it looks like, where's Lucy?" I asked, referring to his nurse.

"I sent her home early, she has nice intentions, yes, but I'm tired of her babying me." Was he being serious right now?

"Oh stop looking at me like that, I had a minor stroke, sue me. I'm still strong thank God and I'm not going to be treated like some damsel in distress." Why did he have to be so stubborn? I sighed as I felt a headache coming on already. This is what I get for being too nice.

(Rachael)

"Mom, you're home!" shouts my son Cole, who came running down the stairs after I called for him. I laughed as he launched himself at me, hoping to get a hug that I awkwardly gave him since my hands were full.

"I brought pizza, is that ok?" I asked him, and he happily nodded his head.

"As much as I ate already, I can't pass on pizza," he replied, which was true. He has an obsession with pizza, and I'm not joking. something I knew he got from me since I'm the same.

After we got to the dining room, I placed the pizza on the table and sat down. Then we started eating.

I invited Mariah for some as well, so now she was sitting with us.

"How was work? Is Mr. King still being grumpy?" Mariah asked, making me groan. I often vent my frustrations to her, letting her know how much I hated my job. Mariah reminded me of my mother in a good way. They are close in age, which is forty-seven. my mom had me when she was twenty.

"He's getting worse, I can't concentrate without having to hear him shout my name over and over. I'm this close to quitting, I tell you." I replied.

"I think you two are in love with each other." Cole said, making me choke a bit. He's nine years old, so he's going to say things like this. but I didn't expect him to say it now.

"I'm not in love with him, and I doubt he is too. We hate each other too much." I tried to argue back, but Cole only rolled his eyes and said yeah right.

"Don't forget you're going to your grandparents this weekend. I have to stay at work late because of some important meeting I have to attend so I won't be free." Cole nodded his head and smiled.

"It's ok, mom, you don't have to explain. I love spending time with grandma and grandpa." Well, that's good to hear.

Looking at Cole, I can say that he looks exactly like his dad. He has jet-black hair and gray eyes, even dimples, when he smiles. I try my best not to let it affect me because knowing that he will never get to meet his father was hard.

I did try to track him down for a while, but it was rather difficult. It was at that point that I decided to raise Cole on my own. It didn't make any sense to run after a man who didn't want to have anything to do with us.

When I was done eating pizza, Mariah told me that she would take care of Cole for me while I went and took a shower and got out of my work clothes.

I got up and kissed Cole's forehead before making my way toward my room. I am extremely tired, but I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Cole before I go to bed.

After my shower, I got dressed. Mariah came to inform me that Cole said he was going to his room. so, I made my way towards his room door and knocked when I got there.

opening the door, I saw him at his desk doing homework and smiled.

"Aren't you a bit late with doing your homework?" I asked since it was almost 7 pm.

"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry, mom." he replied with a pout. I chuckled and shook my head.

"It's ok, but please do your homework during the day so that you can see better. I don't want you to have problems with your eyes at such a young age." he agreed with me and went back to what he was doing. I decided to help him so that we could finish quicker. He usually told me no, whenever I wanted to help, but this time he was allowing me to since it was math, and he hated it.

After we were done, he put his books in his bag and jumped on the bed. I walked over to him and sat down while sighing.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a quiet tone.

"Nothing, baby, don't worry about it." I replied, not wanting him to know what was really bothering me. I shouldn't be laying my burdens on a nine year old. it's not right, and I wasn't going to start now.

"I still think that you and Mr. King are in love with each other," he said out of nowhere, making me narrow my eyes at him.

"And why do you think so?" I asked, wanting to know what exactly was running through that crazy mind of his.

"It's just that my teachers act the same way, and one day, I overheard Mr. Howard told another teacher that he was in love with Miss Beverly. Why was he treating her like that. The other teacher, Mr. Stanford told him to grow up and stop acting like a child. that if they are in love, they should just accept it and talk like normal people do." I laughed a little at what he said.

I guess he was right, but how am I going to do that with Xander? I can tell that he definitely hates me.

"Well, what's happening between those teachers has nothing to do with Mr. King and me. I think your theory is incorrect there hun." I knew I was denying it, but I just didn't know what to do. I was confused, and everything was so hard for me these days.

Deciding to go back to my room, I hugged Cole and told him to brush his teeth before bed, to which he said that he already knew.

what he said next shocked me, though, because I wasn't expecting that from him. I didn't know that he was thinking about something like that. Am I a bad mother for not realizing sooner?

"I wouldn't mind having a father, you know. It's been a long time now. you deserve someone else to look after you." I smiled at him and left, feeling my heart breaking into a million pieces.