Page 61 of Billion-Dollar Dating Game

‘Are you deliberately throwing the bet with a fake date?’ Skylar stood right in front of him and she was taller because she was wearing high heels the colour of her dress.

He gritted his teeth. He did not want to answer that question.

‘Don’t you want Helberg any more?’ She followed up.

Of course she’d ask about Helberg. It really was her priority. And of course that was exactly why he’d decided to step back from it completely. And of course tonight’s bloody date was fake. ‘Right.’

Her eyes widened. ‘Why not?’ She drew a sharp breath. ‘What’s changed?’

‘The price,’ he muttered harshly. ‘Pushing up. It’s one I can no longer pay.’

‘You’ve decided it’s going to cost you too much?’

‘Something like that.’ He didn’t want to talk about this. He didn’t want her to know the truth. So he fudged. ‘There are safer investment options.’

‘Safer,’ she echoed.

Why had he ever wanted the stupid company—why had it mattered so much that he be that one to break it apart? He couldn’t remember why he’d felt that so intensely any more. Everything had been superseded by something else. Someone. And she was just staring at him now, her brown eyes deep and doubtful and angry.

‘I don’t care about what happened with Helberg any more,’ he growled. ‘That’s so long ago now. Maybe I can even thank him for motivating me to succeed. I probably wouldn’t have had that fire without his...damned judgment.’

She was still for a second and he tensed up even more.

‘So you’ve made peace with it?’ She blinked slowly. ‘Good for you.’

It wasn’t ‘good.’ He simply had no choice. Even though he knew she was only interested in him physically, he couldn’t be the one to break Helberg up. It would still happen, but at least it wouldn’t be him. It wasn’t that he cared about the stupid company—he cared too much for her. And while she’d finally acknowledged the problems with the company, she still didn’t want it to happen. And he didn’t want to be the one to cause her that hurt.

Irritated with his weakness for her, his control slipped. ‘Why are you here tonight? This isn’t your scene.’ He cleared his throat as a fierce glint flashed in her eyes. ‘How did you even get in?’

She didn’t move. For a moment he didn’t think she’d heard him.

‘You should leave.’ He wanted to leave. ‘It’s over between us, Skylar.’ He had to remind himself. ‘I’ve moved on.’

Her lips slowly curved. ‘You think I came here tonight to see you?’

Hadn’t she? ‘You’re wearing the earrings I gave you.’ His voice rose as his rage rose, because she looked stunning—make-up, jewellery, the things she’d never bothered with before. Was she here to meet othermen? ‘You’ve made aneffort—’

‘Yeah, I did,’ she snapped. ‘I made an effort. Forme.’

The music was beating so loudly Skylar couldn’t be sure he’d even heard her, but it didn’t matter. She turned and took her shredded heart and turned on her heel while she could remain upright. She needed to breathe. Just breathe. Just for a moment. Because in this instant she couldn’t keep it together, not for a second longer. And she needed to.

He’dcrushedher. Blindly she walked—missing the exit, just heading to another part of the balcony bar. She’d seen his arrival at that restaurant with the tall blonde on her social media. It had popped up practically in real time. The strangest ice-cold rage had overcome her. She’d dressed, jumped in a cab and stalked with fierce confidence straight past the security guys at the door, who’d just waived her through. She’d had to see for herself if he was throwing the bet or if that date wasreal. Yet finding out it was fake hadn’t given her any relief, because seeing him again had ripped the barely formed scab from a wound she’d not acknowledged was so damneddeep. She missed him. She wanted him. So very much.

She made it ten paces before stopping. It didn’t make sense.Noneof it made sense to her. Whatwashe doing? Why? Was he really over a lifetime of anger? She needed to understand properly. Turning, she retraced her steps.

He was standing where she’d left him. His head was bowed as he leaned against the pillar and his expression almost yanked her already battered heart out of her chest.

‘Zane...’ she whispered.

He jerked his head up, somehow hearing her, and that haunted expression was instantly wiped. ‘What are you doing?’ he said harshly.

‘What areyoudoing?’ She glared at him. ‘You’re at a fabulous club with a stunning, beautiful woman and you look freaking miserable. Answer me honestly—are you okay?’

He stared at her. Stunned. And said nothing.

‘No?’ She stepped up close to him. ‘You know what I think? I think you’ve spent your life suppressing your own needs and protecting people from your true feelings.’

Exactly the same as she had. She’d been so good for so long. She’d done everything expected of her—and more—for her whole damned life. Even when she no longer actually had to. And it was enough already.

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