Page 56 of A Billionaire for Christmas
None of this was painting her in a great light.
‘And finally, please do explain how you are only here as part of some elaborate game you are playing with your business partner. I’m some box to be ticked off for a bet.’ Levi’s voice was scarcely more than a whisper, his words as hard as ice. ‘I hope it was worth it.’
Molly stared up at him. She had no idea where to start. She desperately wanted to tell him about Ava. How all those events were linked. She put her hand on his arm and felt him bristle at her touch. Sadness swept over her at the thought of how much she’d upset him. Levi was not going to want to hear the truth, because all the accusations were true. Everything he had just said was spot on. Everything except one detail.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Tears prickled the back of her eyes as she searched his for signs of forgiveness. ‘It’s complicated.’
Levi stared back at her. ‘Try me.’
Molly bit her lip. She could smell hints of sandalwood and lemon balm aftershave over his clean masculine scent. In the dim light, his hair fell across his forehead, casting shadows across his cheekbones. His full lips were drawn into a tight line. His eyes were dark and dangerous.
‘It isn’t what you think. I didn’t set out to deceive you.’
‘It looksvery muchlike you set out to deceive me.’
‘I know. I know it does, but it’s not the way it happened. It isn’t evenmybucket list.’
‘Whose is it?’
‘Ava’s.’ Saying her name pinched at Molly’s heart.
‘Then why did you go all out to seduce me in the hot tub?’
Because I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you.
‘Why didn’t Ava do it herself?’ he snapped.
Molly swallowed. ‘She’s not here.’ Saying it this way felt somehow easier than admitting she was dead and never coming back.
Her words hung in the air. She had to tell him. She drew in a sharp breath. Best to just blurt it out. ‘Last Christmas, she took an unexpected?—’
‘You’ve been ticking off boxes since we met, haven’t you?’ Levi interrupted as though lost in a red mist of indignation. ‘Crashing a wedding? The sausage-meat face? Even the burlesque costume and the goddamn camel was on it! And sleeping with a billionaire? I bet that would have ticked a big one off the list. Too bad you didn’t manage it.’ Levi was making imaginary ticking motions with his hand.
Molly flinched. He wasn’t wrong but that was no reason to be so rude. ‘If you’ll just get down from your high horse for a second and let me explain properly…’
He wasn’t listening. It was as though she had become invisible.
‘And don’t get me started on lying to me about your restaurant because, believe me, I always get what I want. You certainly won’t be hired for my sister’s wedding, which I assume is why you manipulated your way here in the first place. And I’ll make sure that you and your business partner never contract with my resort ever again. In fact, I’ll make sure none of our associates work with you either. Let’s see how you likethatgame.’
Molly’s head jerked up. ‘This isn’t a game. That restaurant is my life. It’s my dream. You can’t take it away from me. It’s mine.’
‘Not according to that letter, it isn’t.’
‘You can’t take it.’
‘Watch me.’
Infuriating. Utterly infuriating.
‘What are you, twelve? Don’t be so bloody childish.’
Levi stopped talking. His mouth gaped slightly open as though no one had ever spoken back to him.
‘What’s taking so long?’ came a yell from Toby. They heard him making his way towards them. Molly dropped her hand from Levi’s arm just as Toby shone his phone light at them. ‘Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise you were… I just came to check if…’ He cleared his throat. ‘But I’ll leave you to it.’
Levi stepped away from Molly. ‘Wait,’ he instructed Toby. ‘You take over here.’
‘Sure,’ said Toby, stepping aside to let Levi stomp past.
