Page 69 of Worth Every Moment (Hawkston Billionaires #4)

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T he Hawkston Mayfair is buzzing tonight, teeming with people dressed in all their finery, and Diana and I are no exception.

I’m in black tie and she’s in a full-length peach silk gown and another pair of Erica Lefroy shoes.

She has them in every colour, and every time she wears a pair it’s another fucking arrow to my heart, and I have to pretend I’m not dripping blood with every step.

I take a breath and focus again on Diana.

My fiancée . Her blonde hair is in a tight updo.

She looks beautiful, and I’ve told her so, although I don’t think she believes me.

“This is it,” she whispers as we take the steps to the grand entrance. “After tonight, we’ll be free. You can tell Erica you love her and live happily ever after. Cinderella and Prince Charming.”

I don’t dare hope this is the case. Diana might have all the evidence we need to prove that my father is a ruthless prick who’ll go to any length to get what he wants, even screw over his own children, but there’s no guarantee Erica will ever take me back.

Either way, we have to get through tonight’s event first to find out.

My father and Antonio Marchetti are presenting the new hotel to the board and shareholders at an elaborate dinner.

I will not celebrate before we’ve pulled this off.

“And you?” I ask Diana. “Will you be all right?”

Something uncertain flickers in her gaze, but she chases it away. “Oh, yeah. I'm a big girl. I’ll be fine. Let’s stick to the plan.”

In the lobby, Matt and Aries greet us. Jack Lansen and Elly are here too; Elly’s even ditched her cowboy boots, and she looks less pop star and more society girlfriend.

Kate and Nico are still on an extended honeymoon, which is probably just as well because, although Nico’s forgiven me for my behaviour at his wedding, I’m not entirely sure he’d approve of what I’m about to do.

Diana begins chatting with Matt, allowing Aries to sidle up to me and whisper, “Have you heard from Erica?”

“She’s not talking to me.”

“When are you going to tell us what really happened? Matt’s been pestering me about it ever since. Said you refused to explain.”

I could have gone to Nico and Matt, but something held me back.

Pride, most likely. I didn’t want them to know how my father had played me, using me in a way he would never have done to them.

Tonight, Matt will find out and he’ll likely let Nico know too.

But at least it’ll be because I’ve chosen to do it this way, and I’m not going to them with my begging bowl, asking for help.

Diana and I have done this ourselves, with a little assistance along the way from the members of her father’s household that Diana has charmed or won over and convinced to help us.

Everyone takes a glass of champagne, except for Aries, who opts for water, and we take our seats in the ballroom, where circular tables surrounded by gilded chairs are set out, and elaborate floral arrangements decorate each table.

Diana and I part with the others as we go to the front of the room to take our seats with Dad and Antonio Marchetti.

Dinner is an awkward affair, my thoughts distracted the whole time as I try to make conversation with anyone but Dad. Diana, on the other hand, is chatting away, smiling as though she’s completely at ease. If she’s nervous about her dad discovering what we’ve done, she doesn’t show it.

Dad and Antonio take the stage, and a hush falls over the room as they run through the plans for the project, huge images flashing on the double screens behind them. I have to hand it to Dad—it does look amazing. The Hawkston Mayfair is impressive, but this new hotel will dwarf it.

Too bad he’ll never fucking get it.

When they finish, returning to their seats at the table with us, the applause is profuse, and for a sliver of time, guilt pervades me for what I’m about to do to my father, to Antonio, to Diana, and to everyone here.

But the toxic hatred I feel for the man sitting opposite me overrides it.

Dad might be old, and likely to die of a heart attack at some point, but I hate him with a fury that would burn bone to ash.

Aside from the love I feel for Erica, it might be the purest emotion I’ve ever felt.

I catch Diana’s eye, and together we stand.

Dad glances at me, a questioning eyebrow disappearing beneath his grey hair.

I offer no explanation and escort her to the stage.

The applause falters, then slows. I glance over to Aries and Matt, Jack and Elly, who are watching with curiosity. Fuck, this room is full of people.

“Good evening,” I announce. “Diana and I are honoured to be here. As you may or may not know, our union was an essential piece in the execution of this deal. We owe it to our fathers for bringing us together.” I raise my champagne glass and Diana does the same.

“So we’d like to formally thank them both. ”

Glasses are raised and cheers ripple through the ballroom.

“Unfortunately,” I continue, “Diana and I have some bad news. We don’t want to get married, and we want no part of this dirty hotel deal.

” Gasps sound and whispers begin. “We think it only fair that you are all informed of events that took place in the run up to the agreement of this deal, and how Diana and I ended up involved. But before we begin, Diana.” I turn to her. “Is there anything you want to add?”

She steps forward. “Only to say that I agree with everything Seb’s said. And Dad,” she says, glancing over at her father, whose steely expression rivals my father’s for coldness. “I won’t marry a man who has been forced or manipulated into it. If I ever get married, I want it to be for love.”

Another round of shocked murmurs begins as I press the button on the remote control hidden in my jacket pocket.

It might not be a gun, but it’s a trigger I’m willing to pull, and it’ll all but kill Dad.

Glossy images of the new hotel flicker on the big screens behind us, changing to the images we’ve loaded up in advance.

I don’t turn. I know what’s there. Me and Dad, seated in the booth at Diana’s father’s restaurant, flicking through the fake images he had made up.

Diana’s father’s had high quality camera footage from every angle in that restaurant, and I’m sure the audience can see the images.

We blurred out the offensive parts and identifying features on the young woman, but left enough to make it obvious exactly what was intended.

Beside me, Diana turns to see the footage, squinting and recoiling from the screen.

Dad’s voice booms through the room. ‘ They look real, don’t they?

The girl is real. A living, breathing woman.

Very compliant, especially for a fee. A talented actress too.

Very convincing. She’s eighteen, but she’ll testify to say she was underage when this took place.

I have witnesses who will testify to it too … ’

I zone out, watching the horrified faces of the people in the audience. Dad glares at me, a furious redness colouring his neck and cheeks. His gaze sears my skin like an open flame, but I don’t look away.

He rises from his chair, thumping the table with a fist. “Stop this!” he bellows, and from all four corners of the room, his dark-clothed bodyguards move as one.

Diana edges closer to me, but the footage continues rolling, Dad’s voice echoing around the domed ballroom from the loudspeakers in the ceiling.

‘ All I need to do is press the button, and they’ll string you up…

I won’t use any of it, if you agree to the marriage.

Say yes, and I’ll torch the lot right now…

marry Diana… Pump her full of pretty little Hawkston babies to secure this fucking hotel deal.

After that, you can walk away. Give her a nice divorce settlement.

And as a kicker, I’ll leave you the hotel in my—’

The screen flickers and the video finishes, but one final image follows. It’s a picture of the note dad handed me at the wedding, warning me that if I didn’t marry Diana, he’d ruin Erica’s career.

The room falls silent. For a space so full of people, there’s very little movement, aside from the bodyguards approaching Diana and me.

I grab her hand and hold it aloft as we descend the few steps from the stage. “You’ve witnessed the dirty tactics William Hawkston used to bring about this deal,” I shout. “We’re officially calling off this engagement.”

We slow as we pass our table, where Dad is still standing, red in the face, gripping the back of his chair with one hand. He looks like he might have another heart attack, and if he did, I wouldn’t be fucking sorry.

Matt rises from his seat as we pass and glances at Dad, who is now clutching his chest, then at me.

I give the barest shrug. There's no way I am pausing to check that fucker is okay. Matt acknowledges my choice with a sharp nod before he strides towards me, keeping pace with us as we move through the tables. “Jesus, Seb. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I had to do this on my own.”

He frowns like that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever said, but the judgement slides away almost instantly, replaced with a tender concern that I’ve rarely seen on my brother's face. He lays a hand on my shoulder, slowing our pace. “I would have been there for you, if you’d told me. Nico too. He’ll be devastated when he hears what you were dealing with.

” He tips his head back in Dad's direction. “Even if that bastard dies tonight, we would choose you. We would choose you over him every fucking day. I know Nico would say the same. We’re on your team.” He thumps a fisted hand into his opposite palm.

“We would have had your back, if you had let us.”

I swallow the surge of emotion that threatens to submerge me. “Thank you. But this was my burden.” I give him a tight smile and continue walking.

“Where are you going now?” he asks, moving with me.

“I don’t fucking know. Away from here.” Diana is still trotting at my heels, her small hand gripping mine, growing tighter with each step. I have no idea what the consequences will be for her; I barely even looked at Antonio Marchetti’s reaction. I was too focused on my own father.

“Holy moly,” Aries says, running up to us and shoving Matt out of her way. “That was insane. I can’t believe he did that to you.” She grips my forearm with both hands and shakes it. “Erica. You have to go tell her you love her. That’s what you’re going to do now, right?”

“If you let go of me, yes.”

She releases me and presses her hands over her heart. “This is so romantic. I think I might faint.”

“Oh, Christ,” Matt says, putting his arm around her shoulders and wishing me good luck before he guides her off to a seat.

I quicken my pace because the bodyguards are closing in, and I want to get the fuck out of here before they reach us. We dash through the lobby, dodging past guests and the wide reception desk, heading towards the exit.

“We did it,” Diana says, exhilarated glee threading through her voice as we trip out into the evening air, gulping it down like freedom.

“We did.”

“We really did!” Diana throws her arms around my neck. Her elation is catching, and I pick her up, spinning her round in a moment of maddening joy. We’re free .

“You were amazing. Wonderful. Thank you,” I say, laughing, “I could never have done this without you.”

Diana’s smile vanishes as she catches sight of something over my shoulder. “Oh, shit,” she mutters.

My stomach sinks, doom spreading through me as I lower her to the ground. I knew this had been too easy. Too fucking easy.

Releasing her, I turn to see what’s upset her.

Erica is standing a few feet away, staring at us. Her gaze is colder than an arctic winter. Beside her is Michael Drayton, his arm around her waist, guiding her towards the crowds who are begging for their autographs.

I can’t move, and yet my insides are splintering, painfully ripping me to shreds.

Diana looks anxiously between me and the celebrity couple.

Erica drags her gaze from mine, and the connection breaks with a chill that freezes my core. She turns her gorgeous smile on people nearby, chatting and laughing with Michael and their fans as they sign the last few autographs and move as one up the steps towards me and Diana.

“What do you want to do?” Diana whispers.

They approach in slow motion and my heart rate decelerates to match, thumping a slow toll as Erica passes right by. I catch her perfume on the breeze. Infinity . Love that lasts forever. Passion across lifetimes. Desire that can never be exhausted.

As Erica and Michael enter the hotel together, the hope that had so briefly flickered to life starts to die.

I’m too late.