Falling For The Billionaire Playboy: Rivalry & Passion

MATTHEW'S POV

My palms are sweaty as I tie my tie and I feel my breakfast coming up. The air freshener is making me sicker and I wish my assistant would hurry up with the paper bag I asked her to get me for my hyperventilation.

It was one thing having to be engaged to someone that was sort of my childhood friend, but it was another thing to accidentally-on-purpose announce it to the whole world when you weren't ready to. My father and her father have the whole thing planned out – we will go out for lunch and when the paparazzi that we had absolutely no idea is going to show shows up, they'll catch us in the act of kissing. That was the part that sickened me.

Inasmuch as Gina was once crowned the nation's Goddess of Beauty, I found her to be the exact opposite of beautiful. Now, I don't mean that she is ugly, I'm simply trying to say I do not find her attractive in anyway. The thought of kissing her sickens me. The thought of having to have sex with her to produce the next heir to the Declancey Empire nearly drives me mad. The thought of kissing Julio the bellhop however…

Shaking those thoughts away, I focus on Anna who has just walked into my hotel room with a brown paper bag, a cup of latte with extra foam and a churro.

"Your car's outside," she says as she sets everything she's brought with her down and strolls over to help me out with the perfect knot.

"You're sweating. A lot. Are you that nervous? It's just lunch with your fiancée." She finishes with my tie and brings my Armani jacket, helping me wear it.

"No, it's announcing my engagement to the public and I'm not ready for that. Where's the magazine?" I ask looking around and not seeing my copy of the Business Hut amongst the things that she brought back. Anna shifts her gaze from me and pretends to be busy setting the table for an imaginary meal.

"What? What is it? Did you leave it somewhere?"

"How nervous and upset do you want to be today?" The look on her face lets me know instantly that something is not right. Either they wrote a bad review about my hotel or…

"Jacob's interview is out. They seem to love him."

For a second all worries about Gina and my engagement flee from my mind and I am consumed by only one thought: Jake D'Artagnan.

"What exactly did it say?" She hesitates before shuffling through her bag and uncovering the magazine. Reluctantly, she hands it over to me. There, on the front page, is his smug face, smiling smugly at having been placed on the cover of Business Hut for the millionth time, his bespoke suit gleaming and enunciating his annoyingly great features.

EXCLUSIVE: D'ARTAGNAN TAKES THE THRONE!

I snort at the ridiculous title. Takes the throne my foot!

Jacob D'Artagnan, Hospitality Kingpin, Set to Dethrone Aiko Resorts with Lavish Hawaiian Masterpiece!

Gemini Hotels mogul, Jacob D'Artagnan, is on the verge of revolutionizing the relaxation industry with his most audacious venture yet – a breathtaking resort in Hawaii that promises to leave Aiko Resorts in the dust!

My eyes widen the more I read the article. Leaving Aiko in the dust? As if!

NUMBER ONE NO MORE?

Aiko Resorts, long considered the ultimate relaxation destination, is about to lose its crown as D'Artagnan's JDR Resorts prepares to take the spotlight. Insiders reveal that Jacob's Hawaiian masterpiece will boast unparalleled luxury, cutting-edge amenities, and breathtaking natural beauty.

THE D'ARTAGNAN EMPIRE EXPANDS

With Gemini Hotels already reigning supreme as America's top relaxation zone, Jacob's global expansion is proving unstoppable. International branches are raking in rave reviews, solidifying his status as the hospitality industry's leading powerhouse.

WHAT'S BEHIND JDR'S SUCCESS?

Sources close to D'Artagnan reveal a relentless commitment to innovation, exceptional service, and an unwavering passion for creating unforgettable experiences. "Jacob's vision is to redefine the art of relaxation," says an insider. "He's sparing no expense to ensure JDR Resorts becomes the gold standard."

"'Exceptional services? Unforgettable experiences'?" I ask out loud and Anna winces. "The only sort of 'exceptional services' Jake offers anyone is when he's acting with his dick!" Anna stares at me incredulously, and I feel my face turn beet red when the words that I spoke begin to settle in my ears. Looking away, I turn back to the article.

AIKO RESORTS, TAKE NOTICE!

As Jacob D'Artagnan's JDR Resorts prepares to shake up the industry, Aiko Resorts would do well to take heed. The era of D'Artagnan dominance has begun, and it's unlikely to be dethroned anytime soon.

Stay tuned for more updates on Jacob D'Artagnan's hospitality empire and the impending launch of JDR Resorts in Hawaii!

I feel an overwhelming urge to scream and hit something, but I settle for flinging the magazine across the room. I am so furious; my chest is heaving up and down in rapid motions. Anna doesn't move from where she's standing and just watches me. I run my hand through my hair, ruining the work that my stylist spent hours accomplishing.

"There is no such thing as bad press." Her attempt to soothe me only ends up infuriating me even more.

"No such thing? They made it seem like we are second rate! We are the best hotel and resort in the US and they said so themselves last month. They can't just take back their statement just because they got a one-on-one with Jake."

"Well then, maybe you should have agreed to do an interview with them when they asked. Maybe this whole article wouldn't have been written in the first place and no one would have thought Aiko Resorts was second rate."

There is silence in the suite for a while. Then I say, "You know, sometimes you make me want to fire you." She sighs and grabs the churro, taking a big bite out of it.

"Uh-oh," she says suddenly, looking up at me from her phone.

"What? Did another magazine air a story about how Jake is amazing?"

"No. your fiancée's here." My blood runs cold and the tension and nervousness from earlier is back.

"Why is she here? I thought I told you to tell her to meet me at the restaurant? What is she doing here?"

"I did tell her! But I guess she just can't be told what to do."

Before I can utter another word, the door swings open and I hear her high-pitched baby voice. I see her face next, all smiles, glowing like a thousand suns, her miniskirt swishing as she approaches me. I perceive her to be like a chihuahua; small but loud and full of energy that I cannot match no matter how many couples' trip to the Bahamas we take.

"Baby." Her voice sounds screechy, and as she tries to kiss me on my lips, I jerk my head backwards on impulse. Big mistake.

Anna pretends to be busy with organizing, leaving me alone to deal with angry Gina.

"What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" I have always hated myself for my ability to be easily found out in my lie and highly intimidated by people that are a good foot shorter than me.

"You always do this, Matthew. You always never let me kiss you. What's up with that? We are a couple and you don't even let me touch you the way I want. We never even have sex!"

I steal a glance at Anna who obviously heard that part but acts like she didn't. I sigh, rubbing my forehead in exasperation. How do you tell your fiancée that you can't kiss her because you find her lips to be revolting?

 "I was just caught off-guard, that's all. And we do kiss. We kissed last week, remember? And I already told you that I'm saving myself until after we get married."

Okay, I may not be able to tell other kinds of lies with a straight face, but this particular lie is like second nature to me. I have been telling it since I was fourteen years old and so it just comes easy to me now.

She didn't look like she wanted to let it go, but a text comes in for her and I find myself off the hook. She giggles at her phone and turns away so I wouldn't see who she's texting with. It was probably her friend Freya.

"Okay, it's time to go now. The car's been waiting for a while now."

We sit in the car in silence – well, I'm silent. Gina is ranting about our wedding and how she's already picked out her dress (fifty thousand dollars, I'm paying for it), how the flowers are going to be flown in from some village in East Asia and some other things that I don't hear cause I've tuned her out. My thoughts keep wandering to Jake D'Artagnan and that article that was written.

I'm a hundred percent certain he slept with the person who wrote that article. Why else will they name a mediocre hotel that wasn't even good enough for the Sultan to sleep as the number one in the US? For goodness' sake, we had seven different noble men from other countries lodge at our executive rooms just last month. I don't see any royals lining up to take refuge in Gemini Hall.

We arrive at the restaurant, one the chains my father owned. Just behind the trees across the street, I could see the reporters that were paid to come in and 'expose' us. Feeling sick again, I suck in a deep breath and start moving towards the door, Gina's arm in mine and Anna walking a safe distance behind us.

Just as we are about to get in, I hear someone call out to my fiancée. Turning around, I see none other than Jacob D'Artagnan waving at Gina as if they were long time friends. Contrary to how I expected her to react, she leaves my arm and goes over to him, hugging and even accepting a kiss on the cheek from him. The audacity!

The gleam in his brown eyes when he sees me irks me and I find myself folding up my fists in anticipation to punch his smug face.

"Mattie, how good to see you." I frown even more at the ridiculous way he calls my name. I hate it when he calls me Mattie and he knows it. "Good to see that you no longer have that hideous rat on your face anymore."

He was referring to my mustache. I tried growing one when we were back in college, but it didn't go as I expected it to. For one, while I was sleeping, Jake and his stupid friend Jason decided that it was best to shave off some part of it and leave the rest like a rat's fur when it has been tweezered. It didn't help that I was really late to class and so I had to leave my dorm room without even looking at a mirror. God, I hate that asshole.

"Good to see you walking around for a bit. For a moment I thought you could only be attached to a woman by her…"

"I wouldn't complete that sentence if I were you, Mattie." His smile is wide and teasing. "You don't want to get in trouble for being sexist, now, do you?"

"How do you two even know each other?" I ask, seeing them still inappropriately close to each other. Jake smiles even more, it now looking like a grin, while Gina blushes so hard. What the hell is going on here?

"We met at a club," Jake says.

"Daddy's club," Gina adds hastily.

"You didn't tell me your dad owned the club." It was irritating to watch my fiancé and my nemesis be this chummy with each other. Without thinking straight, I insert myself between them forcefully, startling Gina and making her stumble a little. She catches herself before she can fall down.

"Did you read the article about my new resort on Business Hut?" Jake asks, whispering in my ear. His breath tickles me and my stomach lurches. Backing away from him in order to not throw up there, I give him a tight smile.

"No, I was too busy making a living. I don't have time to sit around reading gossip magazines."

"So, you did read it." I hate the way he smiles, how his eyes light up and twinkle, the corners crinkling. I hate the fact that he had dimples and that they made him look like a Greek god…

"Of course you did, you are so obsessed with me. Well, everyone is really."

"Would you like to join us for lunch?" I whip my head to the side to get a better look at the woman who was to be my bride. Did she bump her head or something? Didn't she know who he was and how much I hated him?

"I don't know." Jake turns to face me. He bites his bottom lip and tries to contain his smile. He seems to realize that he has been doing a lot of it since he got here.

"Mattie, can I join you guys for lunch?" I knew what he was doing. He knew that Gina wanted it, but if I said no, I'd be the guy who turned down the request of his date, but if I said yes, I'd be the idiot guy who let his playboy nemesis close to his beautiful fiancée who has all these pent-up sexual feelings that needed to be let out ASAP. That sly bastard!

"Em…" I look at Gina who is staring up at me expectantly. I already upset her today and I wasn't in the mood to do that again. On the other hand, there are my feelings and desire to consider and I have no desire to be close to Jake for the entire duration of a five-course meal.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay for lunch, even if I wanted to." I nearly sigh in relief at his retracting his request to stay. Gina's face falls instantly and I hold in my new desire to shake her till she saw stars.

"Why not?" she asks poutingly.

"Well, I have a business lunch meeting right now. I just saw you guys and decided to stop by. Plus, I wouldn't like to impose on the happy couple anyway. Gina told me the good news last night. Congratulations on being tied down, Mattie." He says this with a smile and winks at me, but I can tell he means it as an insult of some sort. Jake doesn't believe in marriage or settling for one person for the rest of your life, and he sees marriage as a prison of some sort. He's such a commitment-phobe.

"I can assure you, you have a very beautiful bride, both inside and outside." It was Gina's turn to receive his award-winning smile and wink. Her face was getting redder and redder with each second she spent close to Mike.

Wait a minute…

What did he mean by "both inside and outside"?

I look at the both of them. Gina was with him last night. She came in, glowing like a freaking halo this morning and she didn't give me that much trouble for not kissing her. My theory seemed farfetched but what if…

No, no. Jake might be an asshole but he wouldn't cross that line. I heard he had some kind of rule against hooking up with girls that were already taken. Besides, even though I didn't love Gina as much as she loved me, I am certain that she wouldn't cheat on me, even if it was with a Greek dimpled statue like Jake.

"Well, I better take off now. I'll see you later Mattie." He pats my shoulder and walks away, but not before the paparazzi that was brought to capture my girlfriend and I making out passionately takes a photo of him beside me, his face all shiny and happy, me forcing my lips to not bend downwards. He sees them too and his dimple deepens.

"I can't wait to read tomorrow's paper, Mattie. Can you?"

I watch him leave, his broad shoulders taking up the space around him. I hear Gina sigh wistfully beside me and I grab her hand quickly and lead her into the restaurant. Even though I don't want to marry her, I'd rather do that than let her be taken away from me by Jacob D'Artagnan of house Playboy.