How to Belong with a Billionaire (Arden St. Ives #3)

by Alexis Hall

My life was more than Caspian Hart. Weird as it seemed, he’d shown me that. Shown me how to fly, then pushed me through a window.

I wasn’t exactly opposed to scampering about in the buff or with a towel slung across my hips like Poldark in And Then There Were None—

omg 😂 *insert the Captain America I understood that reference gif*

Caspian instantly frosted over. “That’s because adult relationships tend to be, Arden. Passion can be a compelling distraction, but what you want is less important than what is good for you.” Watching Caspian piss off both his ex and current partner simultaneously shouldn’t have been endearing. But you had to admit, it took some skill.

I wasn’t mad keen on being characterised as the romantic equivalent of a McFlurry, but then, I don’t think Nathaniel could have been enjoying his role as love kale either.

I couldn’t have told you what I’d been wanting to see—a hint of who I’d fallen in love with or maybe some soft echo of my own sadness. But not the utter desolation of him, like coming back to the place you once called home, and finding it in ruins.

Bellerose was getting some attention—furtive, English attention but attention nonetheless. Partly, I think, because he looked too attractive to be real. But also because he was knitting.

I love that Bellerose is a knitter! 😝

I don’t really get bubble tea because there’s the whole liquid thing but also the bubble element and that makes my throat confused, so I keep thinking I’m going to choke. And once I was so confused I sneezed and that was bad. That was so bad.”

Omg Ardy 😂

what are you knitting?” “A shawl.” “Is it for you?” Oh yay. Another Bellerose Look TM. Just what I wanted. “Under what circumstances would I wear a shawl?” “For your Elinor Dashwood cosplay?”

“Who is it for?” “It’s not for anyone.” “Then why are you knitting it?” “Because I like knitting.” I suddenly had this vision of Bellerose living in a house full of unwanted shawls.

It me

I only know that Caspian was different when he was with you. There was a lightness in him I hadn’t realised wasn’t there before.”

“I even heard him singing in the office once, when he thought I’d left for the day.” “Caspian can sing?” “Most assuredly he cannot.”

“I would have done anything to help him hold on to that peace. But it wasn’t in my power.”

“Who gives a fuck about the bathroom?” I did. A little bit. But it was winter in the garden of my fucks right now.

Can’t say I’ve ever heard it put like that before 😆

I retrieved my Rainbow Dash pillow and plumped it up.

Ardy I love you 😂

My initial instinct was that this was a Fibonacci Sequence of a bad idea, an ever-expanding spiral of infinite nope for both of us.

I just love this line

“Tell me about yourself.” What? Oh no. I hope there’s a special place in hell reserved for people who say “Tell me about yourself.” Maybe not right in Satan’s arsehole with the betrayers, but pretty damn near it. Satan’s taint? Just behind his balls, where it’d be all sweaty with hellfire.

I’m completely with you on this one, Ardy

“Then believe the situation will be taken care of.” He rose, controlled as ever, to his feet. Okay, that sounded great. And also a bit Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?

Okay this is obviously a very serious situation here but this freakin cracks me up. Who doesn’t like the occasional Henry II reference?

But there is no weakness in putting your faith in people, especially when they’re people who should, by rights, protect and care for you.”

Care to take your own advice, Caspian? 🧐 🤔

Caspian pulled me into his arms and held me, while I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. “Jonas is a despicable man and you are precious.”

Yes yes now replace Jonas with Steyne... we’re so close!

I hate that he has made you doubt your worth.”

“Arden, you need to forgive yourself for this.”

Now say that to a mirror, my dude.

“I’m…I’m not who you think I am. This should have shown you that.” “You’re exactly who I think you are.”

Ohhh we are so close here

“I don’t know what I did to make you so sure I’m so…whatever you think I am.”

Do you hear this, Caspian? Do you hear it??

You will stop taking the blame for what has happened.

Mirror, Caspian. To a mirror.

“I’m not suggesting you have a nice time. I’m insisting you stop engaging in unproductive acts of penance.”

UNPRODUCTIVE FUCKING ACTS OF PENANCE SOUND FAMILIAR?CASPIAN?

“I can’t believe you’re going to read me The Princess Bride. That’s so much better than Columbo.”

😂

Oh God. Mum. It was like everything inside me, blood, bones, organs, my fucking mitochondria, lurched with the shame of what I’d done, and nearly done, to her.

Again, super serious very unfunny situation but... his mitochondria lurched with shame... I can’t even 😂 his mitochondria omg

“Abusive relationships are complicated. When you’ve had your power systematically stripped from you, it’s no easy thing to claim it back.”

if he comes anywhere near us again, I’m going full Fried Green Tomatoes on his arse.”

Speaking in movie references is my love language

“I don’t mean this in the macho High Noon way but”—

My love language 💕

It’s not the fucking up that counts. It’s what you do after.”

Yes yes! Tell that to Caspy

I was starting to understand that sometimes shit just happened, and sometimes the shit was your fault, but all you could really do was deal with it and live with it and try to own it.