Page 51 of Fiancé for Hire

He smiled. “Yeah,I love you. If I wasn’t such a punk, I would’ve told you while we were in New York, but this is new territory for me. So I’m sure I’m going to mess up along the way, but Antika, I need you to know that you mean everything to me.”

“Oh, Dre,” she said, her hand over her heart and a rogue tear sliding down her cheek.

He cupped her face between his hands and with the pads of his thumb, he swiped away a few more tears that slipped through. “I love you so damn much.”

“I love you, too,” she said, gripping the front of his jacket.

He lowered his head and kissed her. His lips were so soft and gentle that she felt his love flow through her from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.

This moment felt like a dream. A dream come true.

When the kiss ended, Drevon lowered his forehead to hers. “How about we get out of—”

His phone rang, and he almost ignored it, but he pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. A slow grin spread across his face, then he turned the phone so Antika could see who was calling.

Ryan Coogler.

“Oh, my goodness, Dre!” she squealed, doing a little happy dance. “You have to answer it.” Ryan Coogler was his first choice of people to direct his movie.

“Answer it before he hangs up, and I’ll meet you near the entrance.” She gave him a quick kiss before setting out to say goodbye to a few people.

The music was louder the closer she got to the ballroom, but just as she started around the corner, Edward ran into her. She stumbled back, bumped into the wall, and shrieked when his liquor splattered onto the front of her dress.

“Damn it, Edward! Watch where you’re going!” Anger charged through her as she feverishly wiped the alcohol from her dress, pissed that it would probably stain.

He put the glass on the floor and bumped into the wall but righted himself. “You’re the—the person I—I’m looking for,” he said, his words slurring as he crowded her.

“Edward, I’m not doing this with you tonight. You’re drunk. Get away from me. Go bother your girlfriend.”

He laughed and swayed. “You paid the model.” His offensive breath made her lean back until she realized what he’d said and froze. “I—I knew. No—no way he—he’d be with you. You—you’re mine anyway.”

Antika was still stuck onyou paid the model. Had he heard them on the patio?

“Edward, what are you talking about?”

He leaned in to kiss her, and she recoiled. “Ugh! Get away from me!” she yelled and pushed him, but he pinned her to the wall. “Edward, move!”

“What the hell?” Drevon roared, appearing out of nowhere. He jerked Edward away, practically lifting him off his feet before throwing him to the ground. “I told you to stay away from her!”

He slammed his fist into Edward’s face, and Antika screamed. “Dre!”

She tried grabbing him, but two big guys barreled toward them.

“Hey! What’s going on back here?” They yanked Drevon off Edward who had blood oozing from his nose.

“Let me go! That bastard attacked my fiancée!”Drevon jerked out of their grasp. His frantic gaze bounced around until it landed on Antika, and he rushed to her. “You okay? Did he hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine,” she said, her heart pounding hard enough to beat out of her chest.

Apparently, Drevon wasn’t convinced. His hands roamed over her body as if to make sure for himself that she was okay.

“Their en—engagement is fake. Liars!” Edward yelled as security carried him away. “She’s mine! Not his!”

People filled the hallway, including the owners of the house, and Antika wished she could snap her fingers and disappear.

It was a complete circus. Thankfully no one believed Edward and assumed it was the liquor talking.

An hour later, she and Drevon stepped out into the hot muggy evening air to wait for the valet to bring their vehicle around.

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