18. The Sacrificial Lamb #2
The only thing she’s lording over Mina is this dance studio, and although it’s got an excellent reputation and standing in the community, it’s still, at its core, just a business.
And businesses need a little friendly competition.
Why not find another dance studio for rent in the area? A place Mina can take over and live her dancing dreams without kowtowing to her elitist aunt’s demands.
It’s perfect—such a simple concept, I’m kind of shocked I haven’t thought of it before .
Kicking my booted legs up on the desk, I grab my phone and dial Kiki, the local realtor. Time to talk about some listings and turn Bitsy’s plan on its head.
Because here’s the thing about power. It only works if you’ve got something no one else does. And I’m about to make damn sure that’s not the case anymore.
I arrive home later that day with a bouquet, some wine, and a plan.
Kiki admitted dance studios were lacking in the area, but she said she’d make a few calls to see if anything pops up. She also mentioned there might be other buildings that could work with a few tweaks, and I’ve given her the go-ahead to scout those out, too.
For all I know, Bitsy might cave when she catches wind that Mina is branching out on her own—without her help.
Either way, it feels good to have wheels in motion to create the life Mina deserves. On her terms.
But tonight isn’t about business. It’s about romancing my girl.
I’ve decided that we need to have the talk. Yes, that one.
Look, we have sex almost every day, we live together, and Mina still wears the ring I bought for her.
Funny thing? I’m fine with that knowledge.
That ring might have started as a prop, but it’s become a promise. A promise she’s chosen to keep wearing. And God, do I love her for that.
I like the way it sparkles on her hand, a nonverbal message to others that she’s mine.
Guess she feels the same way, since it’s always on her finger .
No, I’m not planning to march her down the aisle tomorrow or next month. But this is real, and I want the world to know it.
Mostly, I want her to know it.
So many people have abandoned her—from her father dying, to her extended family writing her off after her ankle injury, to Leo moving across the country.
She’s spent her life contorting herself into a box that doesn’t fit. I’m here to offer her a new one. One built especially for her.
I stash the food in the fridge and lay the flowers on the table before strolling into the living room. “Mina, you around?”
No answer, but I hear the blow dryer in the upstairs bathroom and climb the stairs.
“Mina?”
“I’m in here.”
“I brought home some steaks and a bottle of wine for us. Figured I’d grill them up and then we can relax in the hot tub. Sound good?”
I crack the bathroom door, releasing a low whistle when I spot Mina before the mirror. “Aren’t you stunning?”
And she is.
Mina wears a navy-blue cocktail dress that hugs every inch of her long, lithe frame, made even longer by heels that look like they could kill a man—probably have.
Her hair’s curled and swept into a loose bun, soft tendrils framing her face, and she’s rocking a full face of makeup, a bold departure from her usual bare-faced beauty.
A pang of fear hits me. Did I forget a date?
Mina mentioned the symphony a few days ago, but I was half asleep and have no clue what night that was happening.
“Shit, are we supposed to go somewhere tonight? Give me ten minutes to change.” I pause, my eyes running the length of her figure again. “You are so beautiful, Mina. ”
But instead of smiling, she releases a sigh, her fingers gripping the edge of the vanity. “We aren’t going anywhere tonight. I am.”
I cock a brow at her and fold my arms over my chest, determined not to let my temper get the best of me. It’s probably nothing. “Having a girl’s night out?”
Mina bites her lip and shakes her head, her gaze focused on the sink.
Okay, this is getting weird.
I chuckle and tug a hand through my hair. “Are you going to tell me where you’re headed?”
“Leo called.”
Excuse me?
Mayday. Full emotional crash landing incoming.
“Really? What did he want?”
Mina turns to face me, uncertainty lining her expression. “He and Bitsy have been talking, and he’s calmed her down. She’s willing to speak to me. We’re meeting at that French bistro.”
Talk about a verbal slap to the heart. One I didn’t see coming.
“Let me get this straight. You’re having dinner with your ex?”
“And my aunt. It’s not a date or anything.” Her hesitation doesn’t bode well for tonight.
“You sure about that?”
Mina grabs her lip gloss and pivots back to the mirror, obviously rattled. “You know how important this studio is, Braden. It’s everything to me. My entire future is in Bitsy’s hands.”
“Why are you giving her that much control over your happiness? It’s insane.”
She tosses down the lip gloss and huffs out a breath. “Because that’s the way it works. My life is not as simple as yours. I have to play this game. ”
Oh, this is getting good.
“You think my life is simple because I don’t wear a suit and kiss ass at brunch? I’ve worked my ass off for everything I have.”
“But you don’t have the same expectations built around your dreams that I do. It’s their way or no way.”
“That’s what they want you to believe.”
“No, it’s the truth. You just don’t want to acknowledge that fact. You don’t know what it’s like in our world. It’s all about appearances and who you know.”
I’m a patient man, but Mina is pushing my temper into the red, especially because with every sentence, she sounds more and more like Bitsy.
“You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like in your world.” I make air quotes, smacking my hand against the doorframe. “I’m just some dumb, tattooed schmuck who cheated on you, right? Guess I’m lucky people in my world don’t hold that against me.”
Mina balls her hands into fists, the tension radiating off her. “That’s not how I see you.”
“Isn’t it? It’s what your family thinks of me, and you just said you have to play their game.
Here’s my question for you, Mina. How far are you going to take it?
Are you going to marry Leo, pop out a few kids, and pretend you never lowered your standards to hang out with people like me? All to satisfy your aunt’s ego?”
“Stop it, Braden.”
She doesn’t answer. Doesn’t fight for us. And for a half-second, I hope I’m wrong—that I misread all of it. That she’s still in this with me.
Then I see her hand. The ring, always in place, is gone. “You took off the ring.”
“I had to,” she murmurs, not meeting my eyes.
What a crock of shit.
“No, you wanted to. Besides, it’s harder for good old Bitsy Farnsworth to set you up with Leo if you’re already committed to someone else.”
“That’s not fair. You know how she is.”
“You know what isn’t fair? That I felt something for you. I know this started out as a ruse to fool your aunt, but I believed it meant something. Turns out, I was a place card for you until your real life came calling again.”
Her blue eyes fill with tears, and she drops her gaze, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress. “That’s not true.”
But it is. Her actions tonight prove that.
“Look, if you want to lie to your aunt and Leo, fine. Want to play their game? Go for it. But don’t you dare lie to me. I deserve better than that.”
Mina hurls the lip gloss onto the counter and spins toward me, arms crossed tight across her chest. “Don’t you get it? I’m not choosing them, Braden. I’m choosing a dream I’ve worked my whole life for, and I hate what it’s costing me.”
Looks like I’m the sacrificial lamb here.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do.” She swipes at the tears streaking down her cheeks.
I hate seeing her cry.
But right now, I don’t know where the real Mina ends and the version she puts on for everyone else begins.
Maybe I never did.
“You’ve already decided.” My voice is flat. “Go play the part. Land the role. That’s what all this has been about, right?”
I smack the doorway and turn to leave. “Enjoy your dinner. I’ll get out of your way. Turns out I’m really fucking good at that.”
I storm downstairs and hop on my motorcycle, feeling like a fool.
The worst part? Zane cautioned me against inserting myself between Mina and her wealthy family—not because he disliked her, but because he’d been in a similar situation himself.
Turns out, his ending was like mine. Blood might be thicker than water, but money is the strongest glue of all.
Let’s hope Mina is happy with her choice.
Right now, I’m off to get a drink and forget I ever loved her.