Page 95 of The Billionaires' Prize

As soon as I’ve got the car backed into the space, I look at Katherine. She’s floundering, and I hate that. This isn’t her, not really. Beneath this scared exterior is a fiery woman who knows what she wants.

But she needs to let herself believe it. Believe that she knows what’s best for herself instead of listening to those who would mold and control her.

“Is that really what you want, Katie Bird? To go our separate ways and not see each other anymore? Less than a week and you’re ready to call everything off?”

There’s a tiny, almost strangled sound from Gabe, and he spins around to gape at her. He grips the back of my seat, and I feel the energy pouring off him. Violent and chaotic because it’s been so long since he lost at anything. Since the chips were down and he didn’t find a way to come out on top.

“I don’t want this to hurt you guys. You’ve built amazing careers.” She turns to Kingston. “What would your fans say?”

“Who the fuck cares what a bunch of faceless names on a screen think? You’re the only one who matters, Wildfire,” he pleads with her, then amends, “The four of us. I care what we think.”

Her jaw drops, and her mouth forms a delightful O shape as she stares at her best friend. His emphatic response resounds through the cab, and I couldn’t agree more.

I reach for the door handle and step out. Then I grab the back door, Katherine’s door, and open it. “Scoot over, Beauty.”

Stuffing myself into the back seat, I stretch an arm over her shoulders. My wingspan’s wide enough that I could tug Kingston’s earlobe if I wanted.

She stares up at me, that shocked-about-to-freak-out expression in her wide eyes. And then she softens, scooting back so that we’re hip to hip, thigh to thigh. Placing a hand on my leg, she half turns. The tension drains from her, sinking away into the floorboard.

Her trust hits me square in the chest. Somewhere along the way, she learned to lean on me. Instinctively, she knows I have her back, and I love that. But it kills me that she’s unhappy. I need her smiling, shining that special light into the dark recesses of my soul, and reminding me that I still have a life worth living.

Thanks to early investments into Gabe’s company and then years of strategic business moves of my own, I have more money than I could ever spend. But I’ve never bought anything that makes me feel like Katherine does.

Like I belong. Like I matter.

I get that we’ve found ourselves in an intense situation. It’s shocking to me, even with what I do for a living, but I’m not ready to give it up yet. I’m not willing to giveherup.

“Is that what you want, Beauty? You want to be rid of us?” I cover her hand with mine, warming her fingers. “You want to forget how safe you feel in my arms? How Gabe challenges andpushes you to be better and do better and dream bigger? You want to sever the connection with your best friend you’ve been dying for for years?”

Her lashes flutter closed, and her brows knit. This is sadness. A heart breaking before my eyes as she considers my words. She’s living them, imagining life a week from now. A month from tonight. Back at her job. King, a half world away. Both of them miserable. All of us miserable.

My heart thumps hard against my ribs.

This was supposed to be safe. An infatuation. A fling. Gabe would lead, I’d follow, and Katherine would be firmly in the middle. But I’d be a fool if I denied the feelings spiraling through my chest.

Attachment. Things I told myself a long time ago I never wanted to experience. Because, as fucking hard as it was to lose my sister, I couldn’t imagine losing a woman of my choosing.

I still can’t.

I should open the door and walk away.

Hell, I should sprint.

But I stay put, rooted to my seat by a golden-haired beauty that barely comes to my chest.

When her eyes open again, I know she’s made her decision.

Katherine

Alex makes it all sound so simple. Like the outside world can’t touch us if we don’t let it. What must it be like to walk through life with that sort of confidence?

It’s such a badass mentality.

I love that about him.

And gosh, do they tempt me. More than tempt me.

They feel. . . essential.

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