Page 46 of Faking it with the Billionaire
He steps closer, breaking the distance between us. “I wasn’t being blackmailed,” Kyler says. His gaze twitches, and I can’t quite read if he’s lying or just holding something else back.
“No one gives away that kind of money willingly.”
“I do,” he says. “I don’t deserve it.”
I grab his hand and pull him to the sofa, forcing him to sit beside me. “What do you mean you don’t deserve it?” I shift on the sofa to face him, giving him my undivided attention.
“I mean, all it’s done is lay a huge curse on my family since landing in my account. My cousin immediately got a cancer diagnosis the day I cashed the funds. Two weeks later, my brother fell off a ladder and nearly killed himself. Then, the following week, my daughter was in the hospital for nine days with pneumonia—”
“Those things happen. They’re a part of life.”
Does he really believe he’s cursed?
“I lost every game, Ryan, until I started giving the money to charity. The childhood home that Jasper and I grew up in burned down, my car was stolen, and on the last date I went on, she stole my credit card and went on a shopping spree while posting pictures that she photoshopped of the two of us together on the internet.”
“So, you got a stalker and had a string of bad luck.”
“Oh, I’m not done,” Kyler says. “There’s more—”
“You feel guilty. That’s understandable. It happens with lottery winners—” But I can’t fathom why he feels guilty.
“That’s not the same thing,” he says, clearing his throat. He stands, unable to sit still, as he begins pacing the length of the room. He’s uneasy, his hands bunching into fists at his sides as he speaks. “I earned the money, every cent, but money doesn’t equate to happiness. And the more that I acquired, the worse things got. So, I began donating it to charities, like the gala you attended. I hosted the fundraiser.”
“You paid for the gala?” I try to hide my shock, but I’m sure it’s evident all over my face. “That isn’t your responsibility, Kyler. It’s wonderful that you want to help, but it shouldn’t all fall on your shoulders.”
“I know, and that’s why it was an event to encourage other donors to help fund the children’s wing at the hospital,” he says. There’s a weak smile on his face. “I’ve met those kids, and I’m telling you, every cent I’ve donated is worth it.”
“That’s wonderful,” I say, staring up at him. “Does that help alleviate the guilt?”
“Of course not. The money I used to acquire the wealth was from my share of my parents’ life insurance policy. When they died, I got drunk and stupid. I tossed it all on a gamble with digital currency. Turns out, it blew up, and I became stupidly rich.”
“And what about Jasper?”
“He kept his in a high-interest savings account until he was old enough to buy a house. But do you think I let him use his money?”
“So, you let him use yours, the cursed money?”
“Hell, no! The money that I’ve earned from hockey, it’s helped pay for his place, education, and living expenses. I’m not giving him cursed funds. What kind of a monster do you think I am?” He runs his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated with the situation.
I can’t help but smile. “The generous kind?”
He glares at me, and I can’t help but stand and stalk toward him. “And what about me?”
His brow is furrowed, unclear about my question. “What about you?” Kyler shakes his head, waiting for me to elaborate.
“The money you were giving me to play your girlfriend. Is that money cursed?”
He smirks and glances away. “Maybe. But I’ll find a way to pay you—”
“I don’t believe in curses, Kyler. And you shouldn’t, either. I think it’s generous that you want to donate all your money to charity, but don’t do something you might regret. You have a beautiful house and a daughter who goes to a private school, and you’ll want to fund her education when she goes to college. Those things cost money.”
“Bristol will be taken care of. It’s why I need the contract with Fitzgerald to go through for next year.”
“Does he know about the curse?” I ask, trying to see things from Kyler’s point of view. If Fitzgerald realizes that Kyler is desperate to stay with the team, then the jackass could easily take advantage of him.
“It’s not something I go around advertising,” he says. “But he picked up wind of it from Coach Malone. He overheard Malone telling me I’m out of my fucking mind for giving it all away.”
“I have to agree with your coach on this one,” I say.
