Page 55 of The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée (French Conquests 1)

But Jacyn said firmly. “Thanks from bringing me home, Gregg, but I think you should go back to the dinner.”

He looked hesitant, giving Alex sour, suspicious looks. “You sure you gonna be okay?”

To Alex’s relief, she nodded confidently.

The man gave Alex one more warning look and got back into his car.

When they were alone again, he stood facing her, undaunted by her defiance, even admiring her for her spunk. This woman wasn’t easily fazed. That was one of the things he loved about her.

But then he noticed the hint of red around her eyes, the glimmer of unshed tears, and his heart ached. He lifted his fingers to her cheek. “You okay,ma puce?”

She winced, but didn’t answer.

“Let’s go inside. Please.”

He half-expected her to say no, because why would she say anything else? But instead of answering, she gestured for him to walk with her, and she unlocked the door and let him in.

Then she turned to him, folding her arms, chin up. “I repeat. Why are you here?”

Instead of answering, he asked, “Why were you crying? Did he hurt you?”

She chewed on her lower lip in that delightful way she had, and then said, “No. I had dinner with my family—well, I didn’t have dinner. We had a blowup, and I told them a thing or two.”

The image of Jacyn unleashing on her tormentors in that straightforward way of hers made him smile a bit—but only just a bit. He wanted to hold her, but his instincts told himnot yet.He understood the pain she’d gone through with her family and knew that the encounter must have been hard for her. But it had been necessary.

“Did you say everything you had to say?”

She nodded.

“And do you feel better now? The air, has it been cleared?”

There was the merest hint of a relieved smile on her lips. “Yes.”

He ventured closer to her, so close he could feel the warmth emanating from her body.You can hold her soon,he promised himself. “I’m happy for you, my sweet.”

She looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time since he arrived. “What happened to your face? Who gave you that shiner?”

Her concern brought some solace to his heart. She cared. He admitted, almost embarrassed, to having brawled with Liam. “Let’s just say that, like you, I needed to clear the air with my family. And brothers settle things… well, a little differently.”

She huffed. “Which one of you won her?”

He frowned. “Won? Won who?”

She looked at him as if he was an imbecile. “Won Sofia. Wasn’t that who you were fighting for?”

A few months ago, that idea would have made complete sense, but now, it was ridiculous. “We were arguing over a woman, yes, but Sofia wasn’t that woman.”

Her eyes were suspicious. Doubting. “Then who was?”

“You,” he said simply.

She gaped. “Why in hell would you—”

“My brother called me a jackass for letting you go and suggested that if I didn’t want you then he would drop by here himself. That was actually the mildest of epithets he used. Said I was a fool to letting the love of my life walk away.” He thought about the way they’d gone at each other on the floor of his office just days ago, like they had when they were teens. “The best thing about having a big brother is that he doesn’t have a problem kicking your ass if you get out of line.”

From the depth of her eyes, there was a glimmer of light. “What do you mean by…” She couldn’t finish the thought.

Now, his inner voice said to him. He slid an arm around her waist and brought her closer, filled with aching delight when her body pressed against hers for the first time in too long. “I mean everything by it. I mean every form that love can take, every place it comes from. I mean I love you with my heart, my soul, my body, my mind. I mean I love to look at you, to hear your voice, to feel your heat against me. The way you sigh in your sleep, the way you clutch Orage’s reins as if you’re trying to strangle them—”

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