ia's

en Ashton dropped me off. His arms

guy in th

ving to Ashton. He pulled away slowl

ird all week." Marcus followed me ins

mond catching the porch li

ars." He grabbed my hand, examining the rin

vent." I went to the kitchen, needing somet

go when he fired you." Marcus's voic

he NDA was ironclad. But I could

We talked. We connected." The words fe

rcus paced the small kitchen. "You don't even believe in m

nged m

llionaire?" He stopped pacing. "Oh my God. This

ce answe

ch asshole to save the house." His voice cracked. "I'

could finish school." I grabbed his shoulders. "Thi

're lying. Your left eye twitches." He pu

rcu

eaded for the door

tchen, wearing a stranger's ring, and wondered if

one b

d it go

hing's wrong. J

ple always do when

e counter. Ashton's cy

zz. Sophie

meeting. My place.

******

glass in my hand th

alert blowing up with photos

le al

er laptop. "Look. 'Tech Mogul Ashton Blackwell Engaged to Mystery Woman.' The

e. His father i

e sat beside me. "Please tell m

up my l

You married

ernoon. Had dinner with his family tonight. His grandmother knows it's fake and approves.

ss. "Okay. Deep breath

money, the terms. When I finished,

a half mill

's tuition a

lable billionaire." She set down her glass. "Liv, this is

know whic

Really like, wh

me about his mother. The way his hands cl

derneath. Something hurt." I stared at my ring. "His grandmother

ve to survive him

If it happens, suffer quietly until the contrac

you could? C

ven as I said it, I remembered the way Ashton had defended me

with women like me. We're too different." I finished

it's worth, I think you're

e rang.

ld take

, retreating

el

ight. "Victoria Sterling is back in San F

"Your ex-fiancée? Yo

think she'd matter." He exhaled sharply. "She just call

hy

me as unfinished business." He pause

ng to my brother and being

she knows exactly how to manipulate people." His voice dr

d she do

break us up. She'll dig into your past, find your weaknesses, exploit them." He

debt, about working three jobs u

ly news." He sent me a link. "Check your email. My publicist prepar

ost Eligible Bachelor Off the Market: Ashton B

hat stung more

me sound li

in the background. "I'm sending a stylist to your house tomorrow morning. You ne

ong with m

factly, no malice. Somehow that made it worse. "The stylist's nam

you want to c

that for later." He almost sounded amused. "

t am I supposed to

etting married, and she's too late."

Marcus all night. I'

htly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your b

ve? You're getting ex

"Goodnight, Olivia. Don't let the

before I co

m. "Wine's not strong enough.

fiancée tomorrow. The o

't messy enough." She grabbed the tequila and

es. The tequila

e time. A text from a n

well. Don't let Victoria intimidate you. She

wed S

the gran

rder." I took another shot. "What if I a

But at least you'll

but it sou

ght was still off.

orry. This is the right choice e

n't re

beautiful prison I'd locked myself in

ly was just transac

ie we told ourselves