Page 168 of The Renegade Billionaire

“That was a dick move,” Savvy says, a little too loudly.

When I turn around, I see all the concerned faces staring at me. I shrug and open the door. “Let’s get started,” I say flatly. The concern grows deeper as friends pass by. They’ve mistaken my nerves for sadness, but I’ll take it.

I wasn’t prepared for how crappy this would feel.

Pops is the last to enter, and he walks by with a reassuring squeeze to my shoulder. The door shuts behind me with a loud clap. This place has always been my sanctuary, and I pray I’m not about to jinx it with all this phony bad juju.

Braxton is at our workspace, grumbling loudly and tossing scraps of fabric around. He’s much better at pretending than I am. I actually believe he’s upset.

“Braxton,” I can’t keep the concern from my tone.

“What?” he snaps, causing more than a few heads to turn.

It’s pretend.

There’s a flash of regret hiding in his expression before he masks it with disgust.

“I told you I’d have to go back and forth. I can’t just move my company here for—for you.” His voice drips with disdain, and I struggle to remain calm.

“I said I understood.” My voice is much quieter than his, and while it feeds into the scene we’re playing, it’s also because my stomach is revolting.

“Do you though? This has all been fun and games, but I’m the CEO of a billion-dollar company, Madison. Do you know how much time and effort that takes?”

“Hey,” Cian says curtly. “What the hell’s gotten into you?”

“Stay out of this, Cian. This is between Madison and me.”

“Yeah, well you’re airing it out for the entire town to hear.”

“Fuck off,” Braxton hisses. “I have real-world problems going on. Real work and real employees that count on me. I can’t live in her little fairy-tale world forever.”

I suck in a gasp. It hurts. It hurts so much, and he won’t even look at me.

It doesn’t feel like pretend anymore.

“I didn’t ask you to give up anything for me,” I say shakily.

“Didn’t you though?” That cold glare turns on me. “Maybe not with words, but you don’t want to be in front of the media.”

“Hey, now,” Pops cuts in. “That’s going too far.”

“You won’t come to California for events. You won’t even try to fit into my world, Madison. How the fuck is this supposed to work if I’m the only one bending here?”

I’m hyperventilating. This feels too real.

“I don’t belong in California, Braxton.”

“And I don’t belong here,” he says through clenched teeth. “What is it you think will happen, Madi?”

He’s never called me Madi before, and a sob breaks free.

“What else could you possibly want from me? And tell me the truth for once, not what you think I want to hear, and not what you think everyone expects you to say. What do you wantfrom me? I’ve given you everything you need, everything you could possibly want. I’m fixing the inn. I’m giving you more time with your beloved podcast. I’ve paid off debts and given you a financial cushion.”

“I—I never asked for any of that.” Pain and fear are two sides of the same coin. How did we veer off into something that feels too real not to be true?

“You didn’t have to ask, Madi. I had to do it.”

Oh, God. He had to do it. Do what? Fix the inn? Spend time with me? All my initial fears of his true reason for spending time with me roar to the surface.