Page 45 of The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée
"He's not forcing me to do anything I don't want," I rasp.
It's true.
This may have started out as a business arrangement but it's become something else for me.
"Besides, after the stunt I pulled last night Jace is not going to hold up his end of the bargain." I laugh a little.
"You don't have to explain yourself." His voice is gentle.
This time I look beyond the brown of his eyes to see understanding, and that only makes it worse. It would have been so much easier if I had fallen for Eric.
"Well, perhaps you know something I don't, then?" I say.
"I know you did it because you wanted to get back at Jace. He took advantage of your helplessness. You saw the opportunity to hurt him and took it. Human nature is unpredictable, isn't it?" He smiles.
"Doesn't negate what I did to him. I hurt him, Eric."
I bite down on my lower lip, wondering why we are even having this conversation.
"Let me help you, Sienna." Eric lets the words hang in the air.
I know then that he'd help me pay off my debts and his proposal would be more straightforward. Nothing like the manipulative deal Jace had proposed. Eric is kindhearted, good-looking; he likes me.
He's not the man I want.
Damn.
I am well and truly sunk. I want Jace, will not settle for anyone other than him. And yet I'd gone and done the one thing that ensures there's no future together, for us.
Some of my churning emotions must have shown, for Eric opens his mouth to speak, but I cut in. "Shall we head back?"
21
Jace
Jace jogs into the hotel lobby. Grabbing a bottle of water from the reception desk, he runs up the wide staircase, pausing at the top to open the bottle and tilt it back, drinking from it.
A familiar laugh floats toward him.
He peers down to see Sienna walking into the lobby, followed by Eric. Both in running shorts—muddy and grass stained. They've been running through the fields.
What else have they been up to? As if what she'd done the last night wasn't enough to blow their cover, now Sienna's making sure to be seen with his friend and business partner.
As he watches, Eric leans close enough for his shoulder to brush against Sienna's.
The bottle tilts in Jace's hand, water spilling unseen, as Eric pulls at her hair. His gesture familiar.
Sienna smiles at him.
Eric puts his arm around her, and they disappear into the breakfast room.
What the—?
Jace grits his teeth and marches toward the suite.
This will not do. At all.
Sienna had committed to their arrangement and now he must make it clear that she must see the bargain through.
