Page 89 of Billionaire Bachelor
Ryan steps closer, nostrils flaring. “I told youto stay the hell away from her. Many,manytimes! Rosalie’s not someone you can just screw around with. She’s my sister! And she just broke off her engagement! You’re taking advantage of her vulnerability, dickhead.”
“Jesus, man. Give me a little more credit than that. I amnottaking advantage of Rosie! I’min lovewith her, you dipshit!” Logan shouts, his voice thick with emotion.
I suck in a breath. I’m pretty sure the rest of the room is collectively holding theirs.
Well, okay then. I guess we’re just throwing it all out there at once.
Logan pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’vebeenin love with her for half my life, Ry! I just didn’t do anything about it until I knew she was interested.”
More gasps. More murmurs. Somewhere in the back, an “Awwww” floats through the tension.
Ryan’s scowl deepens, though something in his expression wavers. “You sure as hell did something about it that one New Year’s Eve.”
Logan rolls his eyes.“Will you get over that already? It was almost a decade ago!”
My mom’s brows lift. “What is he talking about, Rosa?”
I groan, rubbing my temples. “Not now, Mom.”
Ryan turns back to me. “And you? What the hell were you thinking? Of all the people in the world, you had to pick my best friend as yourrebound guy? And then get photographed making out with him in public? Do you have any idea the kind of scrutiny you’re subjecting yourself to, Rosa? The catty keyboard warriors are havinga field day with this! Have you seen the shit they’re saying about you?”
Awesome. He’s clearly scrolled through the comments.
“Did you forget what I do for a living?” I glare at him. “Of courseI know. But you know what?I don’t care, because I don’t give a shit what some stranger thinks of me, and neither does Logan. The only people’s opinions who matter are the ones standing in this house watching you throw a goddamn hissy fit!”
“Hissy fit, my ass,” he mutters.
I throw my hands up, exasperated. “Read the freaking room, Ryan!Notice how nobody else seems surprised Logan and I are together? I’d bet that’s because they’ve seen this coming for years, just like Mom and Sylvie did.”
Lots of nods from my family, backing me up.
“Ididsee it coming!” Ryan shouts. “But you know why I kept trying to stop it? Because there’s no way this can end well.”
“Fuck that,” Logan growls. “You don’t know that.”
“You wanna talk about what Idoknow?” Ryan’s glare falls to Logan’s hand. “The reason you got that tattoo. I knew the second I saw it, but considering she was engaged to another man at the time, I figured it was your way of making peace with it, or whatever. I’m not as clueless as you seem to fucking think.”
Wait…what? The reason behindwhichtattoo?
Logan’s fist flexes, the shock evident on his face.
My hand flies to my mouth as I stare at the giantroseinked on the top of Logan’s left hand.
“Logan…” I’m all choked up. I can barely get the word out.
I think back to the first time I saw that tattoo. It was about a year ago, shortly after Julian and I got engaged. What did Ryan mean when he said he figured Logan was making peace with it? My mom told me Logan was heartbroken when he learned about my engagement. Did he get that tattoo for me?
Logan gives me a crooked smile and a shrug, like it’s no big dealhe branded his love for me in a spot wherethe entire worldwould see it every day.
Sylvie catches my eye across the room and mouths, “Damn, girl.”
My brother rolls his eyes. “Can we get back to the issue at hand? Like how, oh, I don’t know…my best friend and my sister have been sneaking around behind my back and lying to my face about it?”
“Gee, I wonder why,” I mutter. “Clearly, you’ve taken the news so well.”
Logan walks over to me, extending his hand. When I take it, he pulls me in front of him, placing his hands on my shoulders. Ryan’s jaw clenches right before his face falls, reading the intention behind his gesture. Logan’s clearly communicating which side he’ll take if Ryan forces him to choose, and it won’t be my brother’s.
“Ryan, if you truly believe I’deverhurt her, you don’t know me at all.” Logan’s voice has lost its power. There’s a sadness in it that makes my chest ache. “Rosie’s the only woman I’veeverloved, and I think deep down, you’ve always known that. But the time for willful blindness is over, man, because I’m not giving her up. Ican’t.”
