Page 11 of The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée
Eric chokes over his own drink. Reaching for the bottle of water, he drinks half of it before speaking. "A million dollars to spend a week with you?"
Jace nods.
"Your methods are unorthodox, to say the least. I love you like a brother, have always stood by your choices, but this time you've gone too far." Eric's voice has an edge to it.
It's Jace's turn to frown. His eyebrows slash down over his nose.
"It didn't cross your mind that what you are doing is bizarre?" Eric asks. "Manipulating someone into accompanying you, and then agreeing to give her a million dollars? That wipes out the remaining funds in the business. Not to mention that the ethics of it are highly questionable."
Jace's muscles tense. A part of him agrees with Eric's rationale. In fact, put like that, it sounds a bit crazy, even to him.
"I didn't manipulate Sienna." Jace insists. "I made a business proposition, and she accepted. Besides, the million will pay for itself manifold. Just the first installment of my inheritance runs to five billion."
Eric whistles. "Serious money. I can see why you're trying to pull of this crazy stunt. Of course it all depends on your gamble paying off. If it does."
"When it pays off," Jace insists with more confidence than he actually feels.
He'd gone with his gut, made the offer to Sienna. Jace had staked their last million on this play. He'd know soon whether it'd work or not. The last thing he wants to do is discuss the ethics of his actions.
"Let me do this my way. Give me a chance to bail us out of this mess," he says, voice uncompromising.
"That's what you said the last time." Eric's voice is wry; his face wears a half-smile.
"And I pulled through then," Jace reminds his business partner.
Eric steeples his fingers over the whiskey glass. "Careful, Jace." His voice is serious. "You're treading a thin line. You never know when your next play may be your last."
And that's the biggest difference between the two of them.
No matter what the challenge, Jace has an innate confidence that he'll overcome it. Perhaps it was blind faith born of always having a safety net, a back-up in his Dad's money, as Eric often remarked. But Jace knows it's more than that. He has an inherent belief in himself and in the idea that things meant to come to him would ultimately find their way.
And those things that didn't come to him? Well, they simply weren't meant to be.
Unlike Eric, who had a knack of underestimating himself. He preferred to believe in the worst possible outcome.
Eric called it being 'realistic.' A mindset that often stopped him from taking risks.
One Jace doesn't subscribe to.
Damian and Arpad arrive with their drinks, interrupting Jace's train of thought and sliding into their cramped booth.
The four clink glasses.
"What are we toasting?" Damian asks.
"To London." Eric is the first to go, voice sardonic.
"Who's going to London?" Arpad demands.
"Jace is, for a business transaction. Which means as his business partner, I am, too, to ensure he stays out of trouble," Eric replies, humor in his voice.
Jace inclines his head, accepts the criticism.
"And you, Arpad, what are you toasting to?" Jace asks.
"To sassy women who get under my skin," Arpad says, voice wry.
"Do they also happen to head up their own security companies?" Damian grins.
