Page 87 of The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée
Taking a deep breath, I steady myself. Then say before I lose my nerve, "You spend the night with me, and you get the money."
"Are you kidding me?” He explodes. "Have you changed so much that you'd barter sex for money?" He grips my shoulders, gives me a little shake. "Money for sex? Is that what it comes down to, Sienna?"
I stay silent. Swallow down the words of protest that this is not me.
And yet this is also me.
I'm doing this so he realizes how it feels to take advantage of someone's helplessness, to strike a deal they have no choice but to accept.
But I am not going see it through to its logical conclusion.
Even though I feel compelled to get back at him for what he put me through, he'd helped me. And Jace had been a gentleman. He never did take advantage of me, not physically. Nor emotionally.
So I am going to invest in his start-up. In my own time.
"Four Seasons Hotel. Seven PM. Don't be late."
Turning, I get into my car, slamming the door, and drive way.
My eyes dart to the rearview mirror for a last look, but he's already gone.
43
Jace
* * *
After Sienna leaves, Jace spends hours driving around the city, till he finds himself at his usual haunt. The dive bar near The 99.
Walking into the bar, he asks for a whiskey, neat. It's not even noon. But he doesn't care.
Thoughts of being here last with the rest of the group, with Eric, fill his mind, a tug of guilt at not having called his friends since he got back. In the last month, he'd avoided their calls, emails, texts. Refused to even go to the gym.
And he felt guilty about having fought with Eric, and for letting him go. If he had a second chance, he'd handle it differently with Eric, perhaps explain his intentions toward Sienna more clearly. Hell, at the time he and Eric had fought, he hadn't been thinking straight. His feelings for Sienna had been so new.
But now... now he knows he wants her in his life. And he'd do anything to put things right with Eric too.
Downing half the contents of his glass, he looks into depths of the amber liquid, the color so like Sienna's eyes. Eyes that could look hurt, yet adamant at the same time. And always, always that powerful reaction he had to her, of wanting to immerse himself in her touch.
Her scent.
Her skin, soft yet supple, pulsing with a flavor that turned him on.
When he'd met her earlier, he'd sensed the change in her. She'd been more forward, more aggressive in a way she hadn't been before.
Even thinking of how she'd slanted her mouth over his had his gut leaping. She'd been so bold it had swept him away, engulfed him in a raging desire that had him wanting to throw her against the car and take her, right there.
And now, hours later, he's still aroused.
Finishing the whiskey, he asks for another. Swigs from the second glass.
He hadn't known she was going to be at the conference today. He'd heard about Sienna's coming into her inheritance, even as his father had turned his back on him.
Downing the rest of the whiskey, he asks for a refill.
Then, that video. If he could get his hands on the man who'd been all over her, he'd gladly beat him up for hurting her like this.
That the video was only of them making out, but not actually having sex was little consolation. He still wants to tear the eyes out of everyone who'd seen it. He wants to shield Sienna from the world.
