Page 81 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

“Smarter?” Mitch cocked a brow. “What’s so wrong with a guy like me?”

“You seem like a nice guy, but you’re really not. You won’t stick up for me in front of your dad. You act like I’m…nobody to you. Hell, you’ll even go out for drinks with a woman and tell me it’s a business meeting. I’m notstupid,Mitch.”

Confusion etched itself across his face. “What? Drinks with a—”

“Yeah, the other night, when I needed you. I came downstairs looking for you and saw exactly what your ‘meeting’ entailed. Bunch of bullshit. Whatever. I can see what a relationship with you would be like anyway.” The words were tumbling out of her now, fiercer and faster than ever. She couldn’t stop the avalanche. “So why would I want to get in deeper?”

Mitch’s jaw flexed. “Jules, thatwasa business meeting. That’s Sara, one of our investors. She—” he paused, a sigh escaping him. “She’s a flirt and it’s no secret that she would like things to become more personal. But nothing happened. Since it was a business meeting, I went along with the investor’s wishes. Which included having a couple shots and grabbing dinner. But nothing happened between us and never will because I’m not interested in her. I’m interested inyou. Because I want to be withyou.”

“Maybe you do, but only in private. Only when you can keep it a dirty little secret.” She was sneering now, another wave of emotion welling up inside her, and the only way she could keep from crying was if she held onto her anger.

Mitch worked his jaw back and forth, staring at the floor. He reached for his phone a moment later and swiped it on.

“I’ll be there in a second,” he hissed into the phone, and then swiped it off.

“Is that your charming father calling?” Jules asked.

“Yes. He’s getting ready to make the announcement.” He dragged his gaze up to meet hers, and his eyes were stormier than she’d ever seen. “Is there anything I can say right now that will help this?”

Jules scoffed. “You had nothing to say in there. Why would out here be any different?”

Mitch’s phone buzzed again, and he swore, swiping it to silent.

“I’m going to take Noelle to my apartment tonight,” Jules said, her throat tightening again. This was it. The moment when she freed herself from continuing her mother’s history of poor decisions. “You don’t have to concern yourself with us any longer. Go do your thing.”

She steeled herself to walk by him, but he grabbed her arm in a vice grip.

“Do not walk away from me like that.”

“What?” she spat.

“You can’t—” His phone rang again, and he swore loudly. He swiped it on. “I saidhang on,” he hissed into the phone. To Jules, he said, “Wait for me upstairs. I have to go now. You hear me? Wait for me. Please, Jules. Don’t leave like this.”

He sent her an intense look as he backed up down the hallway. She watched him as he turned and jogged away, her chest heaving like she’d run a marathon.

Wait for him. Fat chance of that. She scurried back through the lobby, darting between people and keeping her head down as she rushed toward the penthouse elevator. She didn’t dare look up, lest she see Mitch or his father anywhere. Cheers erupted from somewhere in the gala, and then the booming voice of Mitch’s father sounded over a microphone.

She shuddered, hurrying into the elevator. Her mind swirled with hurt and confusion the whole way up. When she got to the penthouse, she dismissed the nanny and got to packing, tears streaming down her cheeks the entire time.

She needed to hurry, because Mitch would be back, and who knew what would happen then. She had to get out of here—had to get back on her own turf—so she couldthinkfor a second. She needed a cool head and time to get her emotions under control.

Jules packed as much as she could into her bags before calling for a driver. She instructed him to meet her at the front door in ten minutes. Which meant the only remaining step was taking Noelle from the crib.

She hesitated, not wanting to wake the baby, but finally she scooped her into her arms. Noelle fussed a little, but Jules was able to rock her back to sleep. She struggled to pull the rolling luggage behind her, but she managed to get herself and Noelle onto the elevator without waking the babyortripping over her ballgown.

Jules stared back at the penthouse as the doors slid shut.

Goodbye, Mitch.

A tear rolled down her cheek. This was the right thing to do.

So why did it feel so much like the wrong decision?

* * *

Mitch

Clapping filled the ballroom, and hundreds of happy faces shone back at him.

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