Page 54 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10

Sunday

Bryce

"It's not what you're thinking, Alina." I reached for her hand, but she pulled away from me. I hated seeing her so upset.

"The refs in the volleyball game. Was that you or not?"

I couldn't tell if she was on the verge of tears or about to punch me in the face.

She thought I sabotaged her game. That I made her miss out on her dream.

It hadn't been me. But if Rodrigo had asked me to do it, I would have.

I didn't have a choice. And I felt guilty for what had happened during her game regardless.

Because I knew what was happening and all I could do was sit there and watch it unfold.

"No. That wasn't me. I'm sure it was one of the other operatives though. That game was clearly rigged. I'm almost certain of it."

"Then what did you do?"

"Rodrigo wanted me to win my race. And I did. Without cheating. He wanted me to make some ping pong player lose his game. So I had one of the women that worked for Rodrigo have really rough sex with him so he couldn't even walk right." I was hoping that would make her laugh.

Instead she said, "Okay." She was staring at me with her big brown eyes, waiting for whatever horrible thing I was going to say next.

But I didn't want to tell her. I didn't know how she was going to react.

The thought of losing her made my chest hurt.

The past week had been horrible. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep.

I felt so guilty for what had happened. And I couldn't find her.

She hadn't taken any of my calls or responded to my texts.

And it killed me. I had this terrifying feeling that I couldn't live without her.

Now that she was in front of me again, I knew just how true that was.

I couldn't let her go. I just needed her to understand.

"What did you do?" A single tear had fallen from her eye.

I took a step toward her. Her back was pressed against the counter behind her, so she couldn't dodge me. But she didn't flinch. And she let me reach up and wipe the tear off her cheek. I kept my palm pressed against the side of her face and put my other hand on the counter beside her.

"He threatened Em."

"I'm sorry." Her voice came out as a whisper.

That wasn't what I expected her to say at all.

She should have been throwing a fit and trying to hit me.

Instead, she was staring up at me like she could feel my pain.

Did she really love me? She was looking at me like she loved me.

And I didn't feel like I deserved it. But I wanted to.

I so badly wanted to. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I had to tell her.

"Alina." I ran my hand down her cheek and the side of her neck. She seemed to shiver under my touch. All I wanted to do was rip her clothes off and finally have her. After everything that happened, all I wanted to do was officially make her mine. I wanted her to know what I was feeling. Tell her.

I cleared my throat and moved my hand off of her. I put it on the counter on the other side of her, sandwiching her so she couldn't leave immediately. Please understand. Please forgive me.

"The thug, Rodrigo, told me that I had to make sure the US won the tiebreaker," I said.

"Tim had already agreed to do the choreography, so I told him to do whatever it took to win.

I didn't know what he was planning and I didn't ask until it was too late.

Apparently he hacked into the judges computers and found out that they liked multiple partners porn or something.

And he thought it was going to be him and Kristen on stage, not us.

And I couldn't stop it. I tried and I...

" I shook my head. "But it's not Tim's fault and it's definitely not your fault.

You did exactly what Tim wanted you to do.

The whole thing was my fault. I never meant to put you in that position.

I never meant to hurt you. And I'm so sorry. "

"Why didn't you tell me you were being blackmailed?"

"Because I didn't want to put you in any danger."

Alina looked up at me in silence for a minute. Finally, she said, "Is Em okay?"

That wasn't what I thought she'd say. After everything I had just said, she was wondering how Em was? God, this girl was amazing. "Yeah. Thanks to you. You won because of your sensuality score. And all the judges made it pretty clear about why they scored you so high in that area."

She laughed. "Ugh."

I loved hearing her laugh. "I'm sorry, Alina. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about being kidnapped. If I had just told you..."

"It's okay. Bryce, I don't care about what happened. All I care about right now is that you're here. And that you're forgiving me?"

I could see the silent plea in her eyes. "Alina, there's nothing to forgive."

She shook her head. "I'd understand."

"What?"

"If you wanted to walk out that door and never talk to me again. I'd understand, Bryce."

That was the last thing I ever wanted to do. Now that I finally had her in front of me again, I wasn't going to let her out of my sight.

"I know what you must think of me," she said. "And despite what you said, it wasn't your fault. I was the one that agreed to all of it. I was the one that completely lost my mind. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't." Her eyes were getting teary. "You must think I'm disgusting."

That was so far from the truth. I thought she was perfect in every way.

She was beautiful and sweet. And I hated that she was beating herself up over something that was my fault.

I didn't want to see her cry ever again.

And I wanted to be the one that was always making her smile and laugh.

God, that laugh. It was my favorite sound in the world.

"Alina, I think you're perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about you."

"Even what I did?"

"Even what you did. To be honest, I was a little worried about being your rebound."

Alina laughed. "That's kind of you to say, but I don't believe it."

"I'm serious. I wouldn't change a thing about you.

When I was a kid, stuck in those foster homes, I used to wish every night that my parent's hadn't died.

I would have given anything to have them back.

Maybe it was just my way of coping with it, but over time, I formed a theory that everything that has ever happened to me, whether it's bad or good, has played an integral part in forming who I am and what my life is like.

Sure, if I could hold all things equal and go back in time and bring my parents back I would, but that's not how it works.

Bringing my parents back would change everything.

Maybe I wouldn't have been as close to Em.

Maybe I never would have started running.

Maybe I never would have met you. Same goes for the tiebreaker.

I don't know where I'd be at this moment if that tiebreaker had never occurred, but I know for sure I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here. "

"Are you sure? Or are you just saying that you wouldn't want to change the fact that I'm clearly a slut?"

I leaned forward slightly, pressing myself against her. "Did you mean what you said in your messages?"

She swallowed hard. "Every word, Bryce."