Chapter Thirty-Nine
Max
I scan the ballroom, looking for Rhys. But he’s nowhere to be seen. Liam waves from a table. I head on over and take an empty chair. “Where’s Rhys?”
“He waited for you until the last minute—he told me to be sure to convey that”—Liam rolls his eyes, a playful smile on his lips—“but he had to get ready to get up on stage. I think he’s going to be bachelor number five. We’re on three right now.”
“I see.”
A tall, lanky blond guy steps onto the stage, his tie undone in insouciant rebellion.
The emcee, a young woman in a golden dress, goes on and on about all his positive attributes.
He isn’t bad—if you like the cyclist type with lean, ropey muscles and an overbleached smile.
I might be tempted if I weren’t already dating Rhys.
“Starting at ten thousand,” the emcee says with a wide grin that screams, Big money, big money!
Three women—two brunettes and a redhead—fight fiercely for a date with him, throwing out numbers and raising the bid to ninety-five thousand in no time at all.
“Going once. Going twice—”
Suddenly, a tall blonde butts in. “One hundred thousand.”
The three glare at her like she’s the scum of the universe. She merely shrugs. “Beat the bid or…”
From the confident smirk, she already knows she won. The emcee says, “Do I hear a hundred and ten?”
The trio stays mute. But their eyes do not. Bitch, you bitch! they shriek silently.
I lean over. “Is that guy really worth one hundred thousand?”
“Well, some women think so, although I don’t think he’s worth much of anything”—Liam gestures at himself—“as long as there’s me…”
I laugh. “Modesty your strongest suit?”
“Always. Modestly confident, that’s me.” He grows serious. “But to answer your question, Phil isn’t bad.” He gestures at the stage. “Not as accomplished as Rhys, but most people aren’t. If he weren’t my brother, I might not like him for being so damn perfect.”
“You think he’s perfect?” This ought to be good.
“Of course. He’s good at his job, very strict with himself.
Not only that, he takes care of everyone.
He takes care of our parents, which sounds strange.
But if you know anything about my family, which you do, you know that’s just how it is.
When they made a mess in Japan and France, he’s the one who sent people to clean up after them.
And he made sure to keep them away from us, to stop them from hurting us so much.
I think he’s more in pain than I am every time Mom and Dad say that I really didn’t do much for them.
That they thought it might’ve been better if I hadn’t been born at all. ”
That’s just…awful. What he’s saying is horrible enough to slash at anybody’s heart and pride, but his tone is so blasé, like he’s discussing clouds in the sky. His parents must’ve said it openly and repeatedly over the years for him to just accept the situation and decide to live with it.
I feel like I should console him, but I’m not sure what to say, especially when his reaction is so indifferent. “I’m so sorry,” I manage after a few moments.
He shrugs. “I was an accident. Mom didn’t want to have more than three kids.”
“Still, it’s horrible.”
“You get used to it.”
He shrugs again with a carefree grin. But I know better than anyone that a smile doesn’t mean you’re okay. It can hide unimaginable pain.
The blonde claims her prize, and the next bachelor takes the stage.
Suddenly, Liam scoots closer. “Hey, can I ask you a question? Something’s been bugging me, and I don’t know what to think.”
“Sure.” Hopefully this won’t have to do with his parents’ cruelty, because that’s one thing I can’t help him with.
“Why would a smart, confident woman let her fiancé treat her like shit?”
I tap my fingers. Unexpected, but he’s looking at me, his eyes earnest. I choose my words with care because it might be somebody he likes. “Maybe she’s not as smart and confident as she appears.”
He shakes his head. “Give me something less obvious.”
“Why do you think she’s confident and smart?”
“It’s hard to explain.” He frowns. “It’s just the way she carries herself.
The way she speaks. Shoulders straight, never avoids eye contact.
You know, stuff like that.” He rolls his wrist. “Plus, we were in some of the same classes in college. She was the one who always broke the curve.” A hint of admiration glimmers in his eyes.
“But she lets her fiancé treat her badly? She doesn’t protest or do anything about it?”
“Correct.” His eyebrows have snapped together, but I doubt he realizes it.
The girl probably isn’t that close to Liam, but something about her snagged his attention.
But getting tangled up in someone else’s relationship probably won’t end well for him.
I give myself a little time to gather my thoughts.
“Liam, you should believe what you see, not what you want to believe. I’m sure she has her reasons, but letting someone disrespect her over and over again?
I’m going to assume she’s a capable adult.
She should’ve left the toxic situation a long time ago. ”
“Yeah… I thought that at first, but I feel like there must be something more to the story.”
“Then why not just ask her?”
His scowl deepens. “I did. She told me to butt out…and stay butted out.”
“Well, there you go. She might just love him too much.”
Liam bristles like I just called him short. “No way. She could do so much better than him.”
“You have feelings for her?”
“Yeah.” The tips of his ears redden. “I don’t know why I can’t simply…ignore her, to be honest. But I just can’t.” He lowers his eyes, the tips of his mouth drooping.
“If you think she’s worth your heart, then I say go for it.”
He shoots me a sharp look. “After telling me she probably isn’t that smart or confident, you’re telling me I should go for her.”
“Yeah, because I don’t have a complete picture of what is going on, and neither do you. She could be crazy about a godawful fiancé, or she could be looking for a way to dump the guy. If you get your timing right, you could swoop in and be her knight in shining armor.”
Liam taps his chin in thought. “Do you—”
A movement catches my eyes. A hot frisson runs along my spine, and I raise a hand, gazing up as Rhys steps onto the stage. “Wait, hold that thought. Rhys’s up!”
The emcee stretches out an arm, pointing to my man. “Rhyyyys Kingswood! He needs no introduction as one of the most eligible bachelors in the state, if not the entire country,” she says, then starts rattling off bullet points about him, from his hobbies to his favorite movie.
I’m barely listening, utterly mesmerized by his presence on the stage. With the spotlight on him, he shines like a star in the center of my universe. Every female eye locks on him with keen interest. Excitement and anticipation hum in the air, making me nearly bare my teeth.
Look away, hussies. He’s mine.
Rhys scans the crowd. Our eyes collide and a warm smile tugs at the corner of his lips. The lopsided grin makes him look boyish and eminently kissable. I wish I could jump up on the stage and claim him.
Suddenly I imagine waking up to that smile every morning, wrapped in the warm cocoon of his strong arms. My hand drops to my belly.
Our child—whether it’s a boy or girl—will laugh and act spoiled and cute, knowing it’s unconditionally loved and supported.
Shivers run up my chest, tickling my heart.
I’ve never had such a vivid image of a shared future with a man.
But this visualization—I want it with an almost tangible desperation and longing.
“Starting at—”
“Fifty K,” Selena cuts off the emcee, then shoots me a smirk over her shoulder.
Very mature. “Sixty.”
“Seventy.”
“Eighty,” a raven-haired woman shouts from a table on the other side of the ballroom, probably trying to pull the same move that the brunette did with the previous blond bachelor.
“Ninety,” I counter.
The woman falters.
Selena’s face turns red as she scowls. “A hundred.” She regards me with a look that says, Loser.
I mouth, That’s all? “Two hundred.”
Selena’s eyes widen. “Two hundred ten!”
“Three hundred.”
“Three hundred and ten!” Selena yells, rage turning her complexion blotchy.
“Four hundred.”
“Four hundred and ten!”
I sigh, rolling my eyes. Not sure what her budget is, but she isn’t going to stop until she’s out of money. This is a matter of pride for her at this point, especially after the barbed comments about my being poor and all that in the bathroom.
I look at the big banner featuring collages of the veterans the foundation has helped over the years.
They risked their lives to safeguard freedom and security we all enjoy, and they deserve the best. Jeremiah would’ve never put Elizabeth’s foundation on the top of the list if it wasn’t one of the best—if not the best.
The two billion bucks in the trust calls my name like a siren’s song. My gaze flicks to the banner again. It’s for so many good causes—take care of the veterans, make Trevor’s icky money redeem itself, and show Selena that Rhys is mine.
“Do I hear four hundred and twenty?” the emcee says, urging women to up the bid.
Smirking, Selena places a hand at the corner of her lips and mouths, Poor loser.
Piss off, Selena. “A billion,” I call out, ready to end the bidding. Thank you for your service, our brave men and women. And fuck you, Trevor.
Silence falls over the crowd. Liam stares at me, a hand over his mouth.
On the stage, Rhys cocks an eyebrow as though to ask me what I’m doing. I just smile.
The emcee finally recovers. “Excuse me. Did you just say a billion with a B?”
“Yes, a billion with a B.”
She places a hand over her impressive cleavage. Excitement starts to replace her shock.
Selena turns pale, red, then purple, then back to red. “You do not have a billion dollars,” she shouts suddenly. “Rhys would never let you spend that kind of money. You aren’t even married.”
I look at her with all the flagrant, conspicuous pity I can muster. “Oh dear. Is someone still stuck in the Middle Ages? Why would I need Rhys’s permission to spend my own money?”
“Your money? You’re just an assistant!”
“And you’re just a pathetic ex-girlfriend, willing to spend over four hundred thousand to try to rekindle something with a man who’s moved on to someone else.
So why is it so unbelievable that I have a billion dollars to spend on my boyfriend?
” I flutter my lashes at Rhys and extend my hand.
“Hey, Mr. Billion-Dollar Man. Come to Mama.”