Page 33 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10

Saturday

Alina

Bryce and I had talked about what we were going to do after the game.

It was all I had been able to think about for days.

But I didn't want our first time to be like this.

We were supposed to be celebrating. I didn't want pity sex.

Luckily he wasn't making any moves. He was just sitting on the couch holding me, letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

He seemed to understand my dismal state of mind.

Probably because he had been trying to cheer me up for a few hours already.

I wanted him to know why I was so upset. I didn't want to hold anything back from him. "It's my fault," I whispered into his shirt. I bit my lip.

"Alina." He shifted so that he could look directly at me. "It wasn't your fault. The refs were clearly..."

"No." I sat up. I tucked my bangs behind my ear. "Gabriela knows how to crawl under my skin."

He stared at me for a second. "Did she do something?"

"When I opened up my locker this morning, these pictures fell out.

Of her and Chris... having sex." Oh God.

"From the night he swore they only kissed.

I knew he was lying. And I know that Gabriela put those pictures in my locker to throw me off my game.

I hate that she knows how to manipulate me.

She knew how much that would mess with my head. "

Bryce lowered his eyebrows.

"Not because I still have feelings for Chris.

" I grabbed Bryce's hand. "I don't care about that, I just..

." my voice trailed off. "She always wins.

She always beats me." It felt like I was going to start crying again, but I didn't think I had any more tears in me.

"I thought I could win this time. I thought this time would be different. "

"It was. They cheated."

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I still missed the last shot."

"It kind of looked like the girl in front of you could have easily stepped back and gotten it."

"But she didn't. And I reacted too slowly. And I missed a serve. I played badly the whole time because Gabriela is better than me."

"I don't think she's better than you."

I lifted the silver medal off my neck. I didn't even know why I was still wearing the stupid thing. "This says otherwise."

"An ITA silver medal is a huge accomplishment."

"Ugh." I tossed it on the bed.

Bryce laughed.

"We were supposed to be celebrating tonight. Not...this." I was still in my sweaty jersey. I probably smelled. But Bryce hadn't complained at all. He was the sweetest guy I had ever met. "You have no idea how much I was looking forward to...that. To being with you." I felt my cheeks flushing.

He smiled and ran his thumb across my palm. "I don't mind waiting."

"But you're flying back to Pasadena on Monday. And I'm going to Wilmington." I wanted to freeze time. I'd live in this moment of pain as long as it meant I'd have more time with him.

He smiled. "I wouldn't mind having a super long layover in Philly."

"Super long?"

"Let's just say everything I'm planning on doing to you is going to take awhile."

I gulped.

"Are you hungry?"

I searched his face. He didn't look disappointed about not having sex. He looked a little relieved that I was finally talking. I wanted him to come home with me. Maybe I'd kidnap him like I had thought that Uber driver had. "I'm starving."

"How about I go get some pizza?"

"Pizza sounds perfect."

He stood up. "And I'll get some fancy new dessert to try." He leaned down and kissed me before heading out the door.

My stomach twisted into knots. Dessert. I wasn't going to be able to afford to fix up the bakery with the money from a silver medal. I'd barely even be able to cover rent for a few months. I needed to call home. I needed to tell them I'd get the money another way. They couldn't sell it yet.

I pulled out my phone and called my mom. After a few rings she answered.

"Hi, sweetie." I could tell that she knew. Of course she knew. She had been watching all of my games.

"Mom." My voice caught in my throat. I didn't think I had it in me, but I started crying again. The realization that I wouldn't be able to take over the bakery seemed to hit me in a rush. Gabriela had taken everything from me.

"It's okay," my mom said in her naturally soothing voice. "It's going to be okay, sweetie."

"No. Mom, it's not enough. Dad's going to sell it. I need more time."

"Shhh. It's okay. I'll talk to him. He's not going to sell it before you come home."

I put my face in my hands.

"Alina, they showed the crowd on the TV. We saw Chris."

Oh God.

"He was wearing a Team Brazil T-shirt. Is everything okay with..."

"We broke up. He cheated on me with Gabriela Santos." I lifted up my head. I had talked to my mom a few times this week, but I hadn't mentioned Chris at all. I just didn't want to think about him.

My mom didn't say anything for a long time. "What an asshole."

"Mom!" My mother never cursed. I had never heard her say something like that in my life.

She laughed. "Well, that's the only way to describe him."

I couldn't help but laugh. It sounded weird in my throat. Like I had forgotten what feeling happy was like. I ended up coughing instead of laughing.

The door of my room opened. I thought it would be Bryce, but Kristen walked in. She looked a little happier. "Where's Bryce?" she asked.

I put my hand over my phone. "He went to get pizza."

"Is that your mom?"

I nodded.

"Tell her I say hi."

I lifted the phone back to my ear. "Kristen says hello."

My mom was super polite. I thought she'd immediately say, "say hello to Kristen for me." Instead, she said, "He went to get pizza? If you're not with Chris, who is the he that Kristen if referring to?"

The smile that came to my face didn't feel weird like my laugh did. "His name is Bryce. He's on the track team. We've been hanging out a lot."

"Talking about him has seemed to cheer you right up."

I didn't say anything. She was right. Maybe tonight could turn around. I couldn't change what had happened earlier. A silver was still damn good. I shouldn't be moping around my last few days in Brazil. Screw Gabriela. I just wanted to focus on Bryce.

"Isn't it a little fast though? You've only been there for two weeks. I don't know when you broke up with Chris, but..."

"Bryce is a really good guy, Mom. It's not like it was with Chris.

" I looked over at Kristen. She was staring at me, but she quickly looked away and pretended to fold some clothes when we made eye contact.

"He actually hears me, you know? We have so much in common.

He's so easy to talk to. He's supportive and sweet and really handsome.

And even though he lives in Pasadena, his sister lives in Philly.

So he'll be around a lot." I hope. I pulled my knees to my chest. Oh my God, I'm falling in love with him.

"I really, really like him," I said instead.

"Just be careful, sweetie. When I saw you fall to your knees after the game, I..." her voice trailed off. "It's so hard to see you upset. You'll understand when you're a mother. It kills me to see you hurting."

"I know, Mom."

"But if he makes you happy, hold on to him."

The door opened again and Bryce walked in.

"He does. He actually just came back with food, so I have to go."

"Okay. I love you so much. Enjoy your last few days there."

"I love you too, Mom. See you soon."

Bryce smiled and walked over to me. "Hey, Kristen," he said. "Want some pizza?"

"Absolutely."

I couldn't take my eyes off him. I knew it was fast. But I was falling for him.

My heart actually hurt at the thought of saying goodbye on Monday night.

But if he was serious about making a stop on the east coast, then I didn't have to worry about a goodbye yet.

Eventually he'd have to go home though. Maybe I'd go to Pasadena with him.

I could save up more money and start a new bakery.

I wanted to tell him how I was feeling. I didn't want to take things slow.

For once in my life, I didn't want to play it safe.

"What?" he asked with a smile. He took a big bite of pizza.

I'm falling in love with you. I shook my head. "Nothing." I grabbed a slice.

"We have to eat fast," he said.

"Why?"

"Apparently Tim booked us a spa day."

"Us? Does that mean you too?"

"Um...yeah. Tim was rather insistent about it." He shrugged. "He said it was like massages and stuff. To make sure we're all ready for the dance tomorrow."

"Oh, no, the dance tomorrow," I said with a mouth full of pizza. I hadn't even been thinking about the stupid tiebreaker.

Bryce laughed. "It's our chance to beat Gabriela. Well, Kristen's chance I guess."

"I am definitely going to win this dance off. It's time to finally show that bitch her place." Kristen opened up the container with a delicious looking piece of chocolate cake. "And a spa day sounds perfect," Kristen said. "That's just what we need, right, Alina?"

Right now all I needed was for Bryce's arms to be around me. And for us to celebrate the way we had originally planned. I cleared my throat. "Absolutely."