Page 34 of Billion Dollar Revenge

“Evil,” he mumbles but continues on.

It's time to cool down, and I drag it out a little longer than usual. I’m running over time, but I don’t care about the pay. I just want to soak in this moment for a few more minutes.

After the class ends, Evie helps me by starting to clean the beds. She looks at me and then at Evan. I bet she has a million questions running through her mind, which means she will definitely find a way to get me alone to quench her curiosity.

I say goodbye to my clients, and I can see Evie is still cleaning. She’s waving at me behind Evan’s back. He’s wiping his face with the towel.

I mouth a thank you to her.

Evan twists his water bottle and drinks half of it in one go.

“You know I was trying to give you easier options.”

With a quirked eyebrow, he screws the lid back on his bottle. “I was trying to fit in.”

I laugh. “You don’t have to.”

His blue eyes narrow in on me. “But I want to.”

“Why?” I ask in a soft voice.

I’m confused why a guy like Evan, who seems like he doesn’t care about other people’s opinions, would feel the need to fit in.

“I didn’t want to let my girlfriend down,” he says matter-of-factly.

I’m taken aback by the ease in which he shared that out loud.

“You didn’t have to, but don’t complain to me tomorrow when you’re in pain.”

“I’ll be fine.”

His cocky confidence has me grinning widely. “You say that now.”

Inside, I feel light and free, like my old bubbly self is coming back. For the first time in over a year, I can be myself without having to fit into someone else’s expectations.

He looks at his phone. “My brother’s calling, I better go.”

“Jeremy?” I ask.

“No, Oliver.”

I swallow. “Well, thanks again for coming.”

An expression has settled on his face that I can’t understand. “Thanks for having me last minute. You’re a great teacher.”

I snort, but it’s combined with a laugh. “It’s only Pilates. I’m not a CEO of a media company.”

“Two things. One, I was given the company, and two, you’re going to be a CEO soon, right? And I bet you could run Lincoln Media for me if I ever let you.”

My lips twist to the side. “That was three.”

The corner of his mouth quirks, making me giggle.

“I don’t want to hear you compare yourself to anyone. You stand out in the sea,Shell.”

He reaches out and strokes my cheek, leaning in to peck me briefly before turning and leaving. I stand there dumbstruck. Bobby never used a nickname on me—no “Chelse,” “baby,” “babe,” …nothing. Yet Evan just gave me a nickname no one else has ever used before,Shell.

I don’t get long to think about what that means because a whistle sounds loudly behind me.

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