Page 44 of The Girlfriend Card (Vegas Sin #4)

Meant to Be

Ottavia

“ H e’s leaving, O!” Sienna said, her voice urgent as she pointed out the window. “He’s walking back to his car right now!”

I’d managed to keep it together through most of Dakota’s speech. His words felt genuine, and a part of me yearned to invite him inside and talk things out. But I clung to betrayal instead, the pain still raw, keeping me rooted in my decision.

Until he said those words.

“I love you, Ottavia.”

The dam inside me broke, and tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

I couldn’t help it; his declaration of love stirred up all the emotions I’d been trying to suppress.

I loved him, too, and I regretted we’d never had a chance to share those magical words with each other before things had gotten so fucked up. Wasn’t it too late?

I was torn. After he said those words, I wanted to run to the door, throw it open and jump in his arms, kiss him, tell him I loved him, too—but something stopped me.

He’d come clean about the girl from the bull ride, sure, but what about all the other girls?

He hadn’t said a word about them. It was like they hadn’t even existed.

Did he not know I knew about them, too? Was this who he really was, deep down?

A chronic liar, like Dad said? Someone who would always be hiding a million little untruths from me?

“He’s getting in his car,” Sienna warned. “Do you want me to stop him or not?”

“I don’t know,” I sniffled, confusion and frustration in my voice. “His apology sounded genuine … but he didn’t even mention any of those other girls …”

“Just talk to him, O,” Sienna said. “There might be an explanation; who knows? Should I stop him?”

I bit my lip and stared at her. I didn’t know what to say. If she did stop him, and Dad found out we talked? My life might never be the same. It was a gamble. One I was willing to take if Dakota was a good man. But if he was a liar, a manipulator?

The Porsche fired to life with a snarl.

“Last chance!” Sienna warned, her voice rising. “He’s about to drive off!”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Dakota had taken a risk, coming to talk to me. He’d put his career on the line. That wasn’t something a heartless liar would do.

“Stop him,” I whispered.

Sienna bolted out the door, screaming and waving her arms, “HEY! Dakota! Wait! Don’t go!”

I ran to the window and watched Sienna run out into the street. Dakota drove off, disappearing from view, and Sienna went chasing after him on foot.

A minute passed with no sign of either. I was sure he was gone for good.

But another minute after that one, Sienna returned, smiling from ear to ear. Dakota’s car rolled into sight, and he pulled into the parking lot.

Okay, good, I thought.

My nervous heart raced while I waited for him. I paced the room, wiping away my tears so I wouldn’t look like such a mess.

A moment later, I heard his deep voice gently call out to me. “Ottavia …?”

I turned around, my heart soaring as I saw Dakota standing there. He looked so crushed, so sad, like a poor puppy—I immediately wanted to rush over and jump in his arms and cheer him up.

But I couldn’t give in to weakness. Not yet. Not until I knew the truth.

“Dakota …” I murmured, keeping my distance.

“I’m sorry, babe,” he said, his brow heavy. “Do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you …”

He let out a small breath of relief. “That’s a start.”

“But I am still hurt you lied.”

“I know. I know.” He shook his head, mad at himself. “I’m so sorry I lied about her.”

“But it’s not just her, Dakota. It’s all the other girls, too.”

“What other girls?” he asked, putting on a convincing performance. “There were no other girls, Ottavia.”

“Really?” I stared into his eyes, probing for the truth. “Because my dad showed me video after video.”

“Videos of what?”

“You, talking and flirting with tons of girls, all summer long.”

“Babe, I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.” His skeptical eyes narrowed. “I haven’t been interested in anyone but you since we met. Even during those two weeks when we weren’t talking to each other, all I could think about was you.”

I sighed. “And I want to believe you so badly … but I saw the footage. So are you telling me it’s a coincidence that you’re talking with girls everywhere you go?”

Dakota’s head jerked as if he’d just had a sudden revelation.

“A honeypot!” he said, laughing. “My God! Is that what that was?”

“Honeypot? What are you talking about?” I asked.

He neared and put his hands on my shoulders, a spark of excitement in his eye. “Okay, remember how I kept telling you all summer long that these girls kept hitting on me everywhere I went?! The gas station, the grocery store, even our scrimmages—literally every fucking place I went in Vegas?”

I nodded. “Yeah, of course … I saw it myself.”

He stirred up the air with his hands, as if to say, WELL!?!??!

“And your dad got all those encounters on film? How convenient, eh?!”

“What are you saying?” I asked.

“I think your dad probably paid those girls to seduce me, trying to get me to slip up. And he filmed it all, too, so the moment I did slip up, he’d be able to blackmail me with proof that I cheated on you—” He paused.

“And it’d also be proof that I wasn’t taking my summer training seriously, so the team could get rid of me?

” He shook his head. “Whatever. The point is, I didn’t cheat on you.

Ever. So all he’s got is a video of girls talking to me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

I grimaced. I wouldn’t put it past Dad—but still, how could I trust Dakota was being honest with me now?

“It really did seem like you were flirting with them, though,” I murmured.

He adamantly shook his head. “I wasn’t flirting. I wasn’t trying to pick them up. Every single one of those girls approached me first. And they were all very forward. I was just trying to be polite and tell them I wasn’t interested without making a scene. That’s all it was, Ottavia, I promise.”

I stared deep into his eyes, searching his soul for any hint of deception, but all I could find was sincerity and vulnerability staring back at me.

“Do you swear you weren’t trying to pick any of those girls up?” I asked, wanting to be reassured.

“I swear, babe,” he said, his voice lowering to a tender tone. “I swear on my career, on my life, on everything I’ve got.” He brushed his hand against my cheek. “You are all I want.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” he said. “I want to be with you, Ottavia.”

My heart begin to swell with a renewed sense of trust, and I was filled with an overwhelming desire to be with him, no matter what. The hurt was still there, but the connection we shared was so, so much stronger.

“I want to be with you too,” I confessed, my voice trembling.

Without hesitation, he wrapped his thick arms around me and clutched me tight. I felt his warmth, his relief, his love pouring out of him in that embrace—and I could tell he would never, ever let me go. I squeezed him back.

“I’m so sorry I lied,” he whispered.

“I forgive you,” I whispered back. “And I understand why you did. But please, Dakota, always be honest with me, okay? Even when it’s not easy.”

“I will,” he vowed. “I swear, I won’t ever let you down again.” He pulled back, cupping my face in his hands, and stared into my eyes. “Because I meant what I said earlier.”

“About what?” I asked, my heart fluttering with anticipation.

He brushed his thumb against my cheek.

“I love you, Ottavia,” he said, a rawness in his voice.

The first time he’d said those words, I wasn’t sure if he’d meant it, or if he was trying to love-bomb me to win me back.

This time, though, I had absolutely no doubt he’d meant it.

I could see his love for me reflecting back at me in his big ol’ green eyes.

His words filled my heart with a churning, and waves of warmth and happiness quickly filled the rest of me, the power of his love healing all my wounds.

“I love you too, Dakota,” I whispered.

He leaned in and we sealed our bond with a kiss, a kiss that held all the emotions we’d just experienced—the hurt, the doubt, the forgiveness, but most of all, the love we held for one another. We poured our hearts out to each other in a single meaningful moment.

We broke the kiss, but Dakota didn’t let me go; he squeezed me tight once more. I nuzzled my face against his strong chest, and we stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, knowing that our love was real, that it was worth fighting for.

Suddenly, a third party joined the action.

“D’aaaw!” Sienna cooed, wrapping her arms around the two of us. “I love you guys, too! You’re both so cute together!”

We laughed and welcomed her into our hug, sharing our love with Sienna.

“We love you too!” I said. “Thanks so much for letting me hide out here!”

“No prob! It was my pleasure,” my coworker said.

“We should probably get out of her hair, eh?” Dakota said.

Sienna shook her head. “I gotta go to work, but you’re both welcome to stay here as long as you need. Especially if O’s dad is following you guys around like some kind of psycho stalker.”

Dakota and I traded glances, silently communicating with our eyes. Sienna’s offer was tempting … but I wanted to go home with Dakota. And my home was his place.

“I think we should head back to your place,” I murmured.

“Agreed,” Dakota said.

“What about her dad, though?” Sienna asked. “Isn’t there a risk he’ll find you?”

Dakota shook his head. “I don’t care what Sal does. I’m not going to run and hide my love for the rest of my life.” He turned his eyes to me. “If we’re going to be together, Ottavia, I want to be with you for real. I don’t want this to be something where we have to stay secret forever.”

I knew that meant I’d probably have to give up my trust fund, since Dad wouldn’t approve of us being together. But Dakota was willing to sacrifice his career, his future, just to be with me. Wasn’t I willing to do the same for him?

“I don’t want to hide, either,” I said, my heart brimming. “Marrying Leo just to get some peace of mind isn’t worth it. Yeah, I’ll be rich, but I won’t ever be happy.” I turned to Sienna. “So, yeah. I don’t care if my dad knows. Thanks for the offer, but I think we’ll head back to our place.”

“No prob,” Sienna said. “But before you go, can I ask you something real quick, Dak?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“How’d you know O was here with me? Just to clear the air. ’Cause when you first showed up, she thought I’d squealed, and I don’t want her thinking I gave her up.”

I piled on, demanding to know. “Yeah, good question! How’d you find me?!”

“Ah. That’s easy.” He grinned and held up his cell phone.

“After forgetting where I’d parked the night before one-too-many times, I put AirTags on my cars.

Once I got back to my place, I realized you’d taken the Mercedes, I opened the app to find the AirTag’s location.

All I had to do from there was drive around the area until I spotted it. ”

Sienna and I broke into a fit of giggles.

“Amazing,” she said.

I playfully poked his chest. “Well, I’m glad your wild party days finally served a purpose!”

“Kinda crazy, right? Almost like it was meant to be, or something.” Dakota smirked. “But seriously, Sienna, thank you for being there for Ottavia.”

Sienna’s eyes softened, and she hugged us both again. “Of course! Just be good to O, okay?”

Dakota nodded earnestly. “I will. She means everything to me.”

“I can see that,” she said.

After saying our goodbyes to Sienna, we hopped into our cars and drove back home.