LOGINEzra King learned early that love comes with a price, so he stopped paying it. He just took what he wanted and left before anyone could leave him first. Now he's a selfmade billionaire, owner of the fastest growing tech company in the country, running from a past that still owns him while he drowns himself in work and women. Until he meets Carissa, his new private Chef whose presence unravels him. She sees straight through the armor he's spent a lifetime building but she refuses to either fix him or flee from him, which unsettles Ezra more than either would. He sees a woman who has never once needed anything he could buy. Carissa Davis, a young talented Chef in urgent need of money to pay off the mortgage on her parents house seeing as her dad is too proud to admit his need for help. She took the job in Ezra's mansion to help her family. She told herself she would just do her job and stay away from her charming boss. But she was wrong. Something deeper than she could understand draws her to him. She's terrified, way more than she'll admit, because wanting him means risking the one thing she's always protected; herself. Between his hunger for a love he doesn't believe he deserves and her fear of being consumed by a man she can't save, something neither of them chooses starts to grow. He'll have to stop running. She'll have to stop rescuing. And both of them will have to face the need for grace, more than either has ever given anyone.
View MoreEzra's POV
I walk out of the ensuite bathroom with a towel hanging loosely around my waist. I glance at the bed and catch sight of the girl in it. She stirs a little bit and I thought for a second she would wake up but she only sinks deeper into the pillows. She's clearly still deep in sleep. The memories from last night flood through my mind. I had a really wild night. Though it got really annoying when her screams almost blasted my ear drums. At some point, I had to stuff her panties into her mouth to keep her from screaming my ears off as I finished. I was a bit tipsy last night so I didn't particularly go easy on her. I quickly get dressed into the freshly ironed work clothes my driver sent up earlier and drop some bundles of money by the lamp stand beside the bed. One thing is clear. I don't do love and commitment. And my girls understand that. They keep me satisfied and I fund their accounts. No demands for attention and all that mushy stuff. Safe to say everyone understands their roles and plays it well. My secretary carefully hand picks my women so I have nothing to worry about on that end. I can't afford to get attached to anyone. Besides, women only want one thing from me. No, let's make that two. The pleasure I give them and my money. It's all transactional. We all get what we want and everyone is happy at the end of the day. I call my driver to bring my car to the front of the hotel as I ride the elevator down. I get in and we quickly head to the office. The deal that was left hanging last week would be finalized today and closing this particular deal will mean I’d meet my financial target for the year and we're only in the third month. It's been a good business year so far. This deal is a huge one and the meeting is slated for 9am. I get a text from Jason, my friend and business partner asking where the hell I was. I send him a quick reply as the magnificent office building that houses TechZenith, the company I own comes into sight. Minutes later, I'm riding the private elevator up to my office on the highest floor. I barely get to settle in when Jason comes bursting through the door. "Ever heard of knocking, man?" I squint my eyes at him. "That's not important right now, Ezra. We need to be at the conference room now. The investors will be here soon" Jason says seeming very nervous. "Okay, you need to calm your nerves down, Jason. We still have about 30 minutes before the meeting commences. Chill, man. You're acting like this is the first time we're closing out a deal" I almost laugh at how nervous he looks. "I know but this is different. Ezra, this would be the biggest deal we've ever closed from the start of this company and the investors seemed skeptical at the last meeting. We need to bring in our A game if we are going to get them to sign" ”Well, we definitely won't be able to do that with you looking nervous as hell” I give him a pointed look. “ Fine” he says, taking a seat in front of me. “But do you think we are going to win them over? I mean everything seems perfect on our end but I just have this feeling” “You're right. Everything is perfect on our end and that's what we should focus on. You need to get your act together or you might have to sit this one out. I'm serious, Jason” He relaxes a bit on the chair. “Should I get Denise to bring you coffee?” “Nah, I'm good. I already had three cups” “Okay” I practically hold in my laughter. Denise walks in minutes later. “Good morning Ezra, Jason” The click of her heels against the marble floors is subtle but I still hear it. I look up at my Assistant from my computer. “Good morning Denise” I reply as Jason gives her a slight nod. “What's my schedule for the day?” She drops my morning coffee on the table and begins swiping through her tab. “You have the meeting with the Chain Investors for 9am and then a follow up meeting with the operating team at 11. You also have a lunch meeting with the CEO of Anderson Enterprises at 1pm and then a test run of the new app with the design team by 4pm” She looks up at me through her rimmed glasses. “Okay. I guess I have a packed day then” I take a sip of my coffee. Her phone beeps and she taps the airpods stuck in her ears as she listens to what the person on the other end says then she looks back at me after a few seconds. “The investors are here, Ezra. Connor is currently leading them to the conference room” “Alright. Thank you Denise” I say dismissing her. She gives me a tight lipped smile and turns on her heels, quietly leaving the office. “I guess they're early” I gather some files from my desk as Jason stands. “Told ya” he says with a small smile. I squint my eyes at him. He looks a bit relaxed now as we make our way to the conference room. I'm seated behind my desk an hour later, staring at a very smiley Jason as I prepare for my next meeting. “Okay that went a lot smoother than I expected” Jason says leaning back on the chair. We had been able to close out the deal with the investors and I must say, this is a big win for our company. “Right. You were all nervous for nothing” I tease. He rolls his eyes at me and brings out his phone from his pocket. “We should celebrate, man. What do you say tonight?” he asks. “I'm down for whatever. Just text me the address” I smirk at him. “You seem energetic for someone who practically rushed down here from one of your booty calls. Don't you need to take a rest?” Jason teases. “I can never say no to an extra bit of fun, you know. As a matter of fact, Denise has already made arrangements for tonight. She's bringing one of my best girls. What better way to celebrate than being deep inside a woman?” I shoot back. “There’s no saving you” he shakes his head at me. “But don't you ever get tired of this? You're almost thirty Ezra. You should be looking to settle down” he says, giving me a sheepish look as he deliberately taunts me. “Listen man, what you and Hailey have is great and I adore Nadia. But that's not for me. I don't need a woman telling me what and what not to do for the rest of my life” “My wife doesn't dictate my life. You know that” “Yea. But not all women are like Hailey. Also, I can't imagine not having a different girl to warm my bed every night. I can't stay stuck to one woman. The thought alone is scary” Irritation from the topic is evident on my face. I mindlessly glance through the papers in my hand. “Whatever man. You're just a whoremonger. I guess I'll be seeing you later tonight. A new private club just opened in town. I think we should check it out. I'll send you the address” Jason is already on his way out by the time I look up. He doesn't wait for my reply before he slips through the door.Ezra's POV Having a beautiful woman for a chef has got to be the most distracting thing ever. It's difficult to concentrate these days, especially when she's around me. I really don't know what draws me to her but I can't deny the attraction at this point. It runs deeper than her physical looks. Though that's a huge factor as well but I can't seem to place my hand on what this is all about and it annoys me. How does one get over their hot chef?The subtle sounds from the kitchen tells me that Carissa is up and I walk towards the breakfast nook. We exchange stiff greetings when the girl from last night walks in. I hate it when they linger and I've warned them against it. This particular one though is one of my oldest and best girls so I let it slide for just today. She could have breakfast and be on her way. I'm not offering more than that. She sits beside me and plops a loud kiss on my cheek as she caresses my thigh. I move to stop her not liking it one bit but an idea pops into my
Carissa's POV My entire family is seated round the table and that consists of both my parents, myself and my older sister, Olivia. My mum had made her special dinner recipe this weekend and demanded that everyone be in attendance, leaving no room for excuses. We say grace and begin eating.“You never miss, mum. It gets better every time” I say, complimenting the food.She looks up at me and smiles warmly. “It's made with love. I bet that's what makes it taste good” she says in a cheery voice which elicits a snort from Olivia and I playfully nudge her shoulder.I return back to my food as my dad speaks. “How's your new job, Carissa? Hope you're coping alright?” he turns to me.I'm taken aback for a moment at the mention of my new job but I quickly mask it up. “It’s going well, dad. The pay is good so I can't complain” I take a sip of water and give my sister a side glance only to catch her staring deeply at me. I quickly look away. Lord knows what's going on in her head. I won't put i
Ezra's POV The evening air at the country club is warm and inviting. I pick up my drink from the table and take a sip before setting it down. I’ve been here with Jason for over an hour and I still can't get my mind to relax due to the presence of someone living rent free in my head. It's been a week since the morning after the incident with my chef and I just can't seem to get her off my mind. To be honest, I don't know what this is. I didn't catch a clear view of her the night I entered her room but I knew she looked hot, especially in her nightie. I certainly wasn't expecting what I was met with the morning after. It's safe to say my private chef is the most beautiful woman I have ever come across. Annoyingly so. Don't get me wrong. I've met several sexy women but Carissa's beauty is unmatched. There's just something about her that draws me in and I totally hate it. To top it all, she's annoying. She makes me eat the healthy meals she prepares and I just don't know why I can't se
Carissa's POVMy alarm goes off and honestly it's the worst sound ever. I stir a bit in my sleep and finally convince myself to get up after a few minutes of continuos torture from my so called alarm. I turn it off and carry out my morning routine as quickly as I can. I get dressed and minutes later, I'm headed downstairs to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I opt for a simple dish of eggs and pancakes with freshly squeezed juice. I just finish setting the table when I hear footsteps approaching. I look up and I'm met with the most beautiful hazel brown eyes I've ever seen. Something flickers in them for a bit and then just immediately as it appears, it disappears and turns stone cold. I stare at him for a bit and I have to say, this is the most beautiful man I've ever met. His broad shoulders fit perfectly in his million dollar suit and as he moves towards me, I catch a swift of his cologne and I'm practically about to melt on the spot. He looked good in his drunken state last nigh












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