LOVE AND HATE (A Billionaire Romance) (17 page)

“I wanted to say I’m sorry.” Giuliana startled me, I almost spilled my drink.

“Okay…”

She lowered herself in the lounge chair next to me. She still wore her diminutive bikini, but she’d put a sheer black cover up over it. Sexy, yes, of course. But I didn’t like her this close. “I can’t lie to you, Scott. I’m devastated you made the decision you did. I guess I got a little carried away, thinking about what could be—between you and me, I mean.”

“Are you serious?”

“I had these fantasies. I knew we agreed to marry because it was convenient, but my feelings grew into something else. Something deeper.” She handed me another drink. I hadn’t noticed her get up to get it. “Remember Cabo?”

I chuckled. “How could I forget?” Four days of booze and cocaine. I’m not particularly proud, but that long weekend was a hell of a good time. We can’t undo the past, so we might as well enjoy it.

“Who was the model you were seeing then?”

I racked my brain. “Calypso Keeley? Maybe?”

“No I don’t remember meeting her.”

“Jennifer Cleary?”

“Yes! That was the one.”

Jennifer, Giuliana, and I had some adventures that weekend, if you catch my drift. I wasn’t sad to see that lifestyle go, though. I was perfectly okay with never having another of those weekends. My eyelids grew heavy. I tried to stand, but flopped back on the chaise, far drunker than I’d thought. Could I maneuver myself into the room and into bed without waking Mackenzie? I hoped so.

Giuliana started to reminisce about the treehouse resort room we’d stayed in, and I fell asleep listening to her.

Mackenzie

I woke up the next morning, the sun glowing low on the eastern horizon. I’d stayed up later than I meant to drawing, ready to hide my sketchpads when Scott walked in. Finally, I’d fallen asleep. Scott’s side of the bed was still crisp and unmade. He hadn’t come back to the room last night. Had he found out he wasn’t getting the merger? Was he upset? Or…

Jealous worry curled in me. I remembered Giuliana telling me that she knew him better than I did in every way. I put my bikini on, picked up a paperback, and headed up to sit in the sun before breakfast. I liked the early morning—usually Giuliana and Isaac weren’t up before noon. I went all the way to the top deck and found Scott curled on a deck chair, a spilled drink beside him. I smiled. He’d been kinda drunk when I saw him last and must have kept going. I put my hand on his shoulder, and he rolled onto his back, eyes fluttering open. In the chair with him was a woman’s sheer, black wrap. On the chair next to him lay a light pink scrap of cloth—the top of Giuliana’s bikini.

Just business. If I had a tantrum, a screaming fit, she would win. He’d lose the merger, I’d lose my money, but I’d keep my job. But the satisfaction she would get…

“Hey, babe. I think I had a little bit to drink last night.” There was something unexpectedly endearing about his dopey look as he worked through his dry mouth, the way he shielded his eyes against the sun.

“How could you?” My voice was loud.

“I’m sorry. Percy’s Scotch goes down way smoother than I’m used to.”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

Anne appeared in the doorway. I ignored her.

“What?” He started to get pissed. How could he be pissed at me right now?

“After the talk we had, you slept with her?”

He looked completely baffled. I knew he sometimes blacked out and had sex. He’d done it the night we met. Did he think that meant he wasn’t accountable for his actions?

Scott saw the wrap and the bikini on the chair. An expression of awful guilt washed over his face. “I don’t know what this is. I swear to you, I didn’t touch her.”

I thought of Monica, straddling my fiancé. “You and I are done. Let me off as soon as we can get to land and fly me back to New York. I don’t care about your stupid merger. I don’t care about you. Not if you can have sex with her, then look me in the eye and lie to me.”

“Let’s go to the room and talk this through.”

“Why? You don’t want a scene? You should have thought of that. I should have known a leopard can’t change his spots. I don’t know why I thought you were any different.”

“Kenz, come on! Hear me out!”

“Hear what out?”

“She tricked me into this.”

“She got you drunk and seduced you? I have so much empathy.”

I couldn’t think. Just felt anger. I thought we’d had some kind of breakthrough, some kind of revelation. Thought we liked each other and wanted to try being real. He did a good job of looking baffled. I guess he’d have to be a pretty talented actor to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes all the time.

He grabbed my wrist. I struggled to free myself, but he gripped me hard. “I didn’t sleep with her.”

“Last night? Or ever? Cause I know you have before.”

“Last night. I swear to you. She set me up. A day ago she told me she’d make me pay, and this is how she did it. Making you think I cheated.”

“She did a great job then. Kudos to her.”

He let me go, and I rubbed at the redness where he held me. “Anne? I know you’re watching. Can you help me get a flight home?”

Anne emerged from the doorway. “Of course, sweetie. We’ll be in Isla Solarte in a few hours.” Her eyes shifted to Scott. “Scott, you could have at least tried to be subtle.”

I hated her for saying that. Hated him for making me look like a fool. At least his merger was a bust. I moved my stuff to a smaller room and waited there to dock. When we did, Anne walked me to the tender and helped me get on board.

Isaac Cornell, to whom I’d not spoken more than two words, hurried out to the tender launch. “Wait,” he called.

“What?” Anne snapped. “She needs to catch her flight.

“He’s telling you the truth,” Cornell said to me. “Giuliana was with me all night. He passed out on the deck chair pretty early, she left her stuff there with him, then came back to the room all night.”

Why would he lie for Scott? Would he?

Anne shook her head. “You don’t know him.”

“Aren’t there cameras?” Cornell asked.

“Of course not,” Anne started.

“Then the bubbles are fake?”

“The cameras are just for security.”

“So they were filming last night?” I asked. Jesus, was Anne in on this with Giuliana?

“Get Percy down here,” Cornell ordered. “And I’m happy to take Mackenzie’s flight away from here. That bitch is crazy. I’m done with her.”

I wasn’t so sure I was ready to give up my spot. I didn’t want to spend another minute with Anne or Giuliana. Cornell yelled to a crewman, who called Percy down. He looked like he’d just woken up.

“Cameras? On all the public decks.” His phrasing made me worry about cameras in the private rooms, but I’d fret about that another time.

“So let’s watch the Lido deck footage from last night.”

The four of us took the elevator up to the bridge, where I’d never been. Nothing fancy nor luxurious here. The complex mechanisms to make sure we got where we wanted to go and didn’t crash or sink filled the room.

One of the crew played the video. I watched Giuliana and Scott talking. Scott nodding off. The drink spilling. She stayed in the chair next to him for a little while. Then she scowled, hard to see on the little screen because the camera was far away, but the expression was unmistakable. She tore off her cover up and draped the gauzy fabric over him. She undid her bikini top and laid it on her freshly vacated chair. Then she stormed off. I thought I saw tears before she whipped her head around.

We fast forwarded through the rest of the night. Scott rolled over twice, but mostly just lay crashed on the deck chair.

I brought a hand to my lips. “Where is he? I have to find him.”

I ran from the bridge, circling all the decks. The tender departed, carrying Isaac Cornell to safety and away from this madhouse.

Of course Scott was in the gym, sweat streaming off his face, his shirt soaked through. In the moment before I saw him, the expression on his face was pure misery.

“Scott!” He hopped off the treadmill, and a glimmer of hope washed over his expression. “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry. I never should have doubted you. I was so wrong.” I hugged him even though he was a sweaty mess.

“I wouldn’t do that to you. I promise.”

“I know,” I said. I did know.

Scott

I showered, changed, and went to find Percy, Mackenzie at my side. She’d changed into slacks and a sweatshirt when she’d decided to leave the yacht.

“I’m so sorry,” Percy told me. “Anne was upset about what happened with Giuliana and thought you shouldn’t get the merger. I think you have a good head for this work, no matter who you marry. It’s going to make Anne mad as hell, but I want the deal to go through.”

This was not how I wanted to win it, but with that much money, I couldn’t be too picky. We shook on it.

“My lawyers will draw something up for you later today. I’ll call them this afternoon.”

We discussed a couple things, shook again, and left. We’d decided to leave the yacht today, so I returned to our room to pack my things. Kenz didn’t seem as excited as I’d hoped, and I couldn’t put my finger on why. I stuffed things in my suitcase, and she paced, most of her attention on the lionfish. Finally, she spoke. “I have to tell you something.”

God, I hate those words. Up there with
we have to talk.

“What’s up?” I struggled for a light tone, especially after the morning we’d had. I wanted to go lie on a beach, drink a hundred margaritas, and forget about most of the people on this boat. If I could get all that and some crazy sex with my wife, I’d die a happy man. Her tone, though, didn’t suggest forthcoming sex.

“When I came here, my boss told me I had to tank the merger. Told me if I didn’t, he’d go to the police about what I’ve been doing with you. It’s fraudulent.”

Anger flooded me. “He told you to do this. He sent you to trap me.”

She nodded and wiped her eyes, leaving a streak of mascara.

“So that’s going to happen now. I’m going to get in trouble. I was so relieved when Giuliana told me that it wouldn’t be happening. Though I was upset I wouldn’t get the money from you…” She sucked in a big breath. “Scott…”

I took her hands. She was shaking. “It’s okay.” It was. I’d make it okay.

“This is stupid. You’re going to laugh at me.”

“I would never, ever do that. I brought you into a viper pit.”

“At some point, it stopped being about the money.”

I’d been stroking her hand with my thumb and stopped. She completely misinterpreted the gesture and yanked her hands away. “I know, it’s stupid. I’m a dumb little country girl, falling in love with a millionaire.”

I wanted to correct her. Billionaire. That seemed tacky and distasteful, though, and completely missed the point that she’d said
love
.

“Kenz.”

“Don’t, please.”

“Kenz, you and I can get through whatever your idiot boss throws at us. I don’t think he understands what my lawyers can do. I hate to think about what you went through with his threats hanging over your head. I’d be saying this even if the merger failed. I’ve fallen in love with you, Mackenzie Taylor. I love you.”

Jeez, how long had it been since I’d said that to a woman. Too long. I felt like I’d wasted years and years of my life, forgetting what really mattered.

Mackenzie blinked at me with her big blue eyes. “Really?” Her word came out the barest whisper, a squeak.

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

She flung herself at me, almost knocking me over, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my neck. I rubbed her back and held her. Cradled her against me.

“One more piece of business to clear up,” I told her, and her body stiffened against me.

“What?”

“Since we’re married and in love, let’s forget the money, and just let me pay off your debts today.”

She pulled back and gazed up at me. “It’s too much. You can help me—”

“Whatever you need. I’m here to help.” I’d made her uncomfortable, so I distracted her with a kiss that started out timid but full of emotional need. Lots of quick, wet little pecks. I needed her just as much as she needed me. She made me feel like a person. I liked myself more when I was with her—especially now that our relationship wasn’t all business and subterfuge. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this good.

A shift happened, and the kisses lingered longer. Our tongues came to play. I kissed her neck and pulled her sweatshirt to the side, lavishing attention on her shoulder. She kissed my clavicle and bent her head down to my lap. She took the string of my board shorts in her teeth and untied them so she could pull my cock free. I wasn’t quite hard yet, but a few minutes in her mouth changed that quickly.

I wanted to grab her hair. Wanted to thrust into her… but I let her run the show. I lay back on the big bed and focused on loving her and the way she took me in her mouth, wrapping her tongue around my shaft, cupping my balls. Her mouth knew exactly what needed to be done, and she executed her task with perfection. She drank my seed like a pro, licking me clean after. Part of me wanted to close my eyes and fall asleep. A bigger part of me wanted to hear her moan with pleasure, watch her body writhe with delight as I made her come.