Read The Gift, Book 2 (The Billionaire's Love Story) for Free Online

frowning at him, when he didn’t reply.
    “Christmas is Christmas,” he replied, fully aware that his answer told her nothing. Silence fell again and he stared straight ahead at the door and hoped that this woman wasn’t exchanging pleasantries just because she felt obligated towards him.
    Mercifully she remained quiet and when the elevator doors opened at the ground floor, she murmured a quick, “Have a good evening,” and rushed off. He watched her struggle to get through the revolving doors, loaded down as she was with her bags and the moment she slipped out of sight he wished he’d made more of an effort and not done that cold distance thing he did with most people.
     
    ~~
    “I want to return it,” Tobias insisted.
    “If you’re sure, Sir.”
    “I am.” Tobias was anxious to leave because this place had too many memories. He had bought her many items of jewelry from here over the years.
    The manager nodded his head. “Would you like to exchange it for something else, perhaps a—” He was about to open the window of the display cabinet behind him but Tobias stopped him. “Don’t.”
    “As you wish, Sir but it is a large amount of—”
    “I don’t want anything. Don’t you fucking understand?”
    “Of course, Sir. Certainly. One moment, Sir.” The man disappeared behind closed doors, leaving the other two shop assistants glancing at him nervously. One attempted a half-assed smile.
    He’d bought the gift in a moment of drunken madness. Even then the shop assistants had hovered around him like fleas the moment he’d stepped into the esteemed Tiffany store. People always hovered around him. They were always too eager to please and to do his bidding. He hated it.
    That day had been especially bleak for him and he’d given in. Whatever he did, however much he drank, however much he used Naomi’s body for his own satisfaction, or no matter how hard he drove his business negotiations, he always felt the void—the one she had left behind.
    He missed her. He missed her with all his heart and soul, but as time went on the memories and feelings he’d treasured had slowly started to slip away. It wasn’t that he was beginning to forget her, but more that the vividness of his memories had started to fade. Her essence still lingered around him, but not as strongly as before. He could still see her smile, hear her voice, feel her skin, but only for a few seconds before the imprint of her image slipped through his fingers like water. People told him it was high time he moved on but the stain of his misery wrapped itself around his soul and refused to leave him completely. It lingered around him, dragging him to the cellars of darkness whenever he tried to come up for air.
    But something strange had happened this morning. He’d woken up feeling better than he had these past few days. Consecutive nights of not sleeping much, coupled with heavy drinking and spending Christmas alone had left him in a sour mood for the most part. Yet he’d woken up alert, and refreshed, and ready to take on the world. Maybe he had needed time away, by himself. No board members to bother him, no business meetings to attend, no Candace, no Naomi. Not even his parents or Xavier.
    This morning he decided that it was time to return the gift. Buying a gift for Ivy was as sick as it got. Coming to the office today had been a way of getting back into the world. Of leaving his place that reeked of alcohol and dirt. He hadn’t washed during those days, and had loped around in his PJs, looking like a sixty year old has-been. At least he’d successfully managed to dodge his parent’s pleas to join them for Christmas in Aspen. He’d even ignored Xavier’s calls.
    Another assistant, one who carried an inflated air of self-importance, appeared before him. “I’m sorry to have caused you some distress, Mr. Stone. The transaction has been reversed and your account will be credited shortly. However, due to the holidays—”
    Tobias waved