(2 Book Box Set) Loving The White Billionaire: 2 & 3 by Monica Brooks Page B

momentarily, I decided that I could go for a
bathroom break.
    “Excuse me gentlemen, I need to use the ladies’ room,” I
said staining up before turning to Axel, “could you show me to the bathroom?” I
asked him.
    “Of course, I’ll be right back guys.”
    Axel escorted me through the clubhouse and up to the doors
of the bathroom, the whole way I felt eyes on us. The longer I was here, the
more and more uncomfortable I grew by the seconds. I was trying to paint on a
facade, but Axel saw right through it. 
    “What’s wrong?” he asked me before he ran his fingers
through my curls.
    “Nothing, honey.” I said trying to fake it. It was almost
after dark, we’d been here the better half of the day. We’d eaten almost as
soon as we’d gotten there, starting out with chips and dip upon request.
    “Are you sure, I mean I’m sure the guys didn’t notice but,
you seem a little down.”
    “What? No! I’m just a little sleepy,” I lied.

Chapter Nine
    F inding that I actually had to go, I went into a
stall and took care of business. Going up to a sink and washing my hands, I
stopped to take a hard look in the mirror. Was this worth signing up for?
Though Matt was very polite towards me, the other two were so frosty I could
see their breath in the air.
    I then thought to myself, was this going to happen to Axel
and my family? I would hate for him to have to feel this way just because he
wasn’t black. I shook my head in frustration as I felt the tears. Curse my
sensitive feelings! Why couldn’t I be more like Josie?
    Things like these never bothered her. I began to rack my
brain to gain composure, but didn’t need to when another woman walked in
through the door. I took a deep breath and looked straight into the mirror. I
needed to make sure that my eyes didn’t look red at all. I needed to look fine.
    I tried to smile, but it fell flat. Blowing out air through
my mouth and slumping my posture, I felt so childish and incompetent as I
looked in the mirror. Straightening up as the lady came out of the stall, I
said hello in Italian before looking back towards the sink.
    “Oh, I don’t speak Italian if that’s what you’re thinking,”
she said in a thick country accent.
    “Oh! Sorry!”
    “No need to apologize honey, you doing ok?” she asked me as
she cocked her head to the right.
    “I’m getting there,” I said in all honesty.
    “Honey, you are too beautiful to look so sad. Put on some
lipstick, and keep you head up. It always works for me,” she said before
puckering at the mirror and turning around.
    I smiled as I remembered those words all too well. That’s
what my boss had told me the last day I saw her. Those words really gave me the
strength that I needed to get myself together. I didn’t have any lipstick, and
I could still hold my head high. Squaring my shoulders before returning a
polite smile as a different woman came through the door, I walked out of the
bathroom with dignity.
    Something was different, though. The energy was off. I
couldn’t explain it but there was something amiss. You know that feeling you
get when the mood suddenly changes? It was almost as if I could feel it in the
air. Static electricity crackled in the air and I could tell that something was
amiss as soon as I saw Axel.
    He was standing in front of Dillon and Jeremy; their eyes
were dark, but they looked intimidated by Axel’s stance. As I got closer, I
could hear Axel’s voice more clearly, as did some of the guest sitting closer
by. Matt sat in his chair, he seemed uneasy, like he wasn’t sure whether or not
he should jump up and hold Axel back or not. I made my way over at a faster
pace, just in case I was need to tame the beast.
    “Dude, she’s black! Your relationship is not ever, and could
never be taken seriously!” Jeremy tried to reason with such harsh words.
    “Listen man, we’re not trying to piss you off, but you’re
making a big mistake, I mean, what will your associates think?”
    “Excuse