Page 93 of The Billionaires' Gamble

I hand him my phone but glance at King. “What were you talking about?” I ask, hoping to distract myself.

King doesn’t answer. Rather, he watches Alex skim the screen. My heartbeat sounds loud in my ears. I hate the way everyone’s watching me. Just waiting, like I’m going to fall apart at any moment.

Alex hands him my phone, and with the way King sort of wilts in his chair, I surmise that he already knew about the Cort deal.

“Did you both know, too?” I glance at Alex.

He has the grace to look down but answer me with a simple, honest, “Yes.”

“So I guess I’m the only one who’s not allowed to keep things to myself. Noted.” Honestly, it doesn’t even bother me that Gabeis interested in taking over half of my family’s company. That seems like an obvious choice, given the trauma my grandfather caused. And good for Gabe.Get your revenge.

My problem is how he gavemehell for keeping something to myself for two weeks. A detail that theoretically would affect my life and not his.

But this… His secret concerns both of us. And he’s known of his intentions for months, I’m sure. These things take time. Discussions. Due diligence. Lots of round and round with numbers and reports and enough spreadsheets to drown a seal.

And I don’t even mind that King and Alex apparently knew as well. It wasn’t their news to share. As Gabe’s best friend and his new lover, I get that they’d be in a tough spot here. But my logical brain can’t stop the pain filling me like a balloon.

Apparently, I’ve left both men speechless. Shon gives me a sympathetic look, but she doesn’t know what to say either. And really, what is there to say?

Except, I do know what to say.

“When did you want to go?” I ask King, fully aware that I’m once again running away.

“Go?”

“To Greece,” I prod. Time and distance from this whole situation, and from Gabe, sounds like exactly what I need to lift this weight from my chest. It’ll let me breathe again and reset in a place I’m familiar with and with a person I trust.

“Oh. Um. I was going to ask Alex if he could live without you for a few days…”

That doesn’t answer my question.

“We should go soon. This afternoon?” I reach for my phone and pull up the calendar, counting the Thursdays. “I have a board meeting on Thursday that I need to attend.”

“Works for me,” King says, warming to the idea.

Alex’s hand tightens on my knee. “You’ll take the jet and a team.”

“As many as you want,” King agrees easily. “They’re not gonna fit on my boat, though.”

“We’ll make it work.”

“Okay.” He grabs my hand. “Okay?”

That single question rights my world. “Yes. Very okay.” I glance past him to Shon, and my enthusiasm dims.

She reads my expression with ease. “Go! Hello. Greece? You two never shut up about it anyway. Besides, you can drop me off on your way.”

“Are you sure? I’m really enjoying our chill weekend.”

“Me too, but if you don’t get me out of here now, I really won’t leave. I won’t finish my degree. I’ll miss graduation. It’ll be a whole thing.”

“You heard the lady,” King says, scooting his chair back.

Alex is already on his phone, presumably texting the team that will accompany me and King. I don’t want to be without him any more than I wanted to be without King and Gabe while Alex and I went to Paris.

But it’s probably healthy to have one-on-one time. Not that I know what I’m doing. It’s just a guess.

Shon laughs and stands. “I guess I’ll go pack.”