Free The Billionaire and the Cleaner by Sam Crescent Page A

warned her of another story coming out about his
exploits in the bedroom.
    Shaking her head, she grabbed the pot and coffee and made
her rounds. She filled cups and took extra orders while also thinking about the
weekend ahead. Christmas was fast approaching, and Penny had phoned her
inviting her to their house for Christmas.
    Declining the offer had been difficult, and Kent had eventually
persuaded her to go with him. They were Christmas shopping together at the
weekend. He was spending the weekend at her house, and she was baking him a
cake to take into work.
    She didn’t understand why he enjoyed spending time with her.
He’d also invited her to his friend’s house one night. All the guys who’d been
present at the art exhibition were there. She’d played cards and watched Kent get
thrashed at pool.
    When it was time for her to leave, she changed into her
other uniform and headed out the door. She was rounding a corner when a hard
chest stopped her.
    Falling to the floor, she looked up to see Frank standing
over her. Lana tensed. She’d not seen her ex in months.
    “What are you doing here?” she asked.
    He reached down, taking her hand. “Is that any way to talk
to a friend?” He helped her up. She closed her coat, covering her uniform.
    “Sorry, if you’ll excuse me,” she said, heading around him.
    “I came to see you, Lana.”
    “What happened to the blonde woman with all the money?” she
asked, recalling his disdain towards her with her lack of funds. She couldn’t
believe she lost sleep over him leaving her. He’d been abusive and downright
cruel to her.
    “Michelle is out of the picture. I could never handle her. I
wanted to see you, Lana.”
    His words stopped her in her tracks. What could he possibly
have to say to her? Lana turned to him. There was once a time when she would
have fallen for his routine, but staring at him after all the time she’d spent
with Kent ,
she saw the true man beneath Frank’s surface, and she didn’t like what she saw.
    “What do you want?”
    “I miss you,” he said. Rolling her eyes, Lana continued
walking away. Her other job started in an hour, and she enjoyed walking the
distance to get to Kent ’s
building. Frank’s words sent shivers down her spine. She didn’t want him
anywhere near her.
    “Will you slow down?”
    “No, I’ve got another job to do.”
    “Really? I thought you’d have
that rich guy paying for you,” Frank said. His words made her stop. She frowned
and turned toward him. “That got your attention?”
    “What are you doing, Frank? How do you know about Kent ?”
    “I bet you’re like your mother, spreading your legs for
whatever a man can give you.” She reached up and slapped Frank around the face.
It was the first time she’d ever struck him. He looked surprised. She noted his
fisted hand and took a step back. All of her warning bells were going off.
Every second she stood with him, Lana felt like a fool for sticking around with
him. There was nothing good about him or the past she’d shared with him. Two
years had been a long time to waste, but at least there wasn’t any chance of
her letting him back. Frank was over.
    “You deserve that. Kent and I are friends. There is nothing
going on between us.” She started walking again. Tears filled her eyes at
Frank’s vile words.
    “Does he even know about your past? Does he know about your
mother?”
    “I told you those things about me because I thought you
loved me, Frank. I thought I loved you.”
    “It’s amazing what you can get a woman to do with a few kind
words,” Frank said.
    “You’re a sick bastard. If you think you can use me in some
way then you’re mistaken. I’m Kent ’s
friend, nothing else.”
    They were approached by a large guy wearing a suit. “Sir,
I’ve got to ask you to leave Miss Hawkins alone, now.”
    “Who the fuck are you?” Frank
asked.
    She’d never heard him talk like that to anyone else but her
before.
    “My employer would like