Page 50 of Fiancé for Hire

He groaned internally but obliged.

At least it would give him time to come up with what to say to Antika, becauseI love youmight not be enough.

* * *

Asshole.

Bastard.

Jerk.

Those were only a few appropriate names to describe her fiancé for hire as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She rubbed her chest as if that would help the ache in her heart.

I quit. I should’ve stuck with my initial plan—embrace my singleness.

As emotions swirled inside of her and she thought about the incredible man who’d been her fake fiancé for weeks, tears filled her eyes.

But she bit down on her bottom lip, refusing to shed a single one. She wouldn’t cry. She had no intention of ever crying over a man again.

Huffing out a breath, Antika lowered her gaze and leaned on the vanity. Drevon had ruined everything by bringing up their arrangement.

Granted, he wasn’t wrong. She had hired him, but somewhere along the way, she had forgotten about that. Now it was thrown back in her face.

“This is pitiful on so many levels,” she mumbled under her breath. She had vowed that she would never let another man make her feel less than or unworthy. Though Drevon made her feel like a precious gift, his words reminded her of how desperate she’d been to have a man in her life, even temporarily.

This is on me. This is all on me.

She wasn’t mad at him. She loved him, and that’s what had her feeling worse than anything.

Damn him for making me fall in love with his fine ass.

The whole situation was sad. But at least he had helped her do what she’d set out to do, taunt Edward. Show him that she had moved on to bigger and better.

But walking away from Drevon wasn’t going to be easy. She knew that he’d been joking a few minutes ago, but it wasn’t funny that she paid someone to go out with her. His words had felt like a big bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, drenching her in self-pity.

Might as well get this over with.

Antika swung open the bathroom door and pulled up short. There he was leaning against the wall, looking sexier than any man had a right to look. He was staring at her, sorrow in his eyes.

He pushed away from the wall. “Baby, I’m so sorry, and I need you to hear me out. Okay?”

Instead of responding, she nodded because she didn’t trust herself to speak. Not when emotion clogged her throat.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about how we got together. Actually, I should’ve told you this sooner, but I asked my aunt to cancel the contract.”

“What?” Surprise coursed through Antika. “When?”

He pulled his cell phone from his pants pocket and scrolled through his text messages before he lifted his phone up for her to read the screen. “It was right before Tamera’s party.”

Drevon:Cancel Antika’s contract. Refund her money. I’ll cover any fees. I like her. I’m planning to get to know her better—without a contract over our heads.

Aunt Vi:I knew it! I knew the moment I met her that she’d be perfect for you. I’m taking full credit when you two get married.

Antika snorted at the last part. She didn’t really know Mrs. Ross, but the woman seemed like a trip.

“I know our relationship started out a bit unusual,” Drevon continued, “but that didn’t stop me from falling in love with you.”

She gasped, shocked that he’d said the words that she’d longed to hear from him.

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