Page 27 of The Wrong Fiancée

"I got off early from work that last day so…I could get to you sooner. You were at the bar with Giordano," I told him. The heat had left me; all that remained was resignation. It wasn't his fault. It was mine. I always wanted more than I could have. I'd wanted an education even though my father wouldn't pay for it. I'd wanted someone to love me and make a family with me, like the one we'd had for a few years with Mama.

"I'm so sorry, Elika," he looked contrite enough, and he didn't defend himself, saying something like,I never said that. He knew what he'd said.

"Why? You meant it, didn't you? Did you lie about any of it?" I demanded.

He closed his eyes for a long moment. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you can't be blamed for me eavesdropping, now can you?"

"I should've never said what I did," he said, guilt evident on his face. "I can imagine what you thought when you saw my note and the money. I was sad that we couldn't have one last night and…."

"Oh please, Dean. You didn't even push it when I said I couldn't make it. You just said goodbye. And what you wanted wasn't one last night; it was one last fuck with the lowly hotel maid. Or was it a blowjob you were after? Isn't that what you said to your friend? I'llmiss the awesome head she gives."

He took a step away from me as if I'd struck him. "I'm so ashamed that I said those things."

"Or maybe just feeling guilty that I heard them."

I walked to my front door and opened it. "Leave and don't come back. We have nothing to talk about. I don't want your money. I never wanted Uncle Sam's money. I've never asked anyone for anything. And if Ginny or Uncle Sam say otherwise, remind them that when my father asked for help while Mama was dying of breast cancer, Uncle Sam said he wished he could help—but wouldn’t because it would make Ginny mad. Oh, and do let him know how great it was to have Ginny come to the hospital where my mother was dying to tell her she was a whore who slept with her husband. These are the people you’re marrying into. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way—you’ll fit right in with the shallow assholes they are."

Hissteps were slow as he walked to my door. "I'm really sorry, Elika."

"Aloha, Dean."

I slammed the door shut behind him and slid down to the floor. I hated remembering what he'd told Dante. I hated how they'd talked about me like I was just a body, just holes. Even if he didn’t feel as serious about me as I had about him, he didn’t have to sully what we had—didn’t have to reduce it to nothing, reduce me to just what I had between my legs.

I folded my legs, rested my forehead on my knees, and willed the tears back. I'd cried enough for Dean Archer. I wouldn't cry anymore. He didn't deserve it.

Chapter Eleven

DEAN

My heart hurt, and I had trouble breathing as I stumbled out of Elika's cottage.

I remembered talking to Dante, though I couldn’t recall exactly what I’d said. But she remembered—every thoughtless, painful word. How could I have been such an asshole? Had I really told Dante that she gave good head?

I walked to the beach close to Elika's cottage and sat down on the sand. I dropped my face in my hands.

I was considered thecaringArcher brother. Damian was ruthless, and Duncan, well, he was always justthisside of an asshole. I was the nice Archer, the one who was like my father.

Tate Archer would never tell a friend that the girl he was sleeping with gave good head and was just good for sex because she was a maid because she didn't have a what? A fucking PhD?

But my list of mistakes, as I recalled our time together was long.

"You're too good to me," Elika said when I made sure I had ordered French toast for breakfast after learning it was her favorite.

"Nah, baby, just want to make sure you're fortified for a long day at work."

She worked a lot—she had a shift during the day doing housekeeping and then worked at a bar three nights a week.

"I'm so sorry I can't take time off to be with you. I wish I could." She looked so forlorn that I kissed her softly. "But if I turn down work, it may not be there later, and I need to save money."

For school, she'd said, but I had a feeling she was just embarrassed that she didn't have an education. I was fine with that. She didn't need to feel bad about that with me.

"No problem. I can get some work done during the day and still have time for golf."

I rubbed my face. Had I really said that to her? That while she was cleaning rooms and serving drinks, I'd play golf? Wasn't I an entitled son of a bitch?

"Can't we just eat something at the tiki lounge? This is all so expensive, Dean." She looked at the spread that room service had dropped off at my suite.

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