Alpha Billionaire Series
A Fake Fiancée for Christmas Chapter 18

JACE

After reading Bailey's text, I clench my jaw and turn my phone onto airplane mode. I buckle my seatbelt and sit back in my First-Class seat as the plane begins to roll back from the gate.

These last few days without Bailey have been hell and I don't want to argue back and forth over text messages. I have enough bullshit to deal with right now. This flight out to Los Angeles was a last-minute business trip and necessary in order to smooth things over with a pissed-off client.

My mood is downright black and I'm still fuming about what happened on New Year's Eve. Selene started trouble, Bailey got upset and I felt completely caught in the cross hairs. Yeah, so maybe I should've opened up to Bailey and told her what happened with Selene, but I wasn't ready. F*****g sue me.

At this point, I know that Bailey and I need to talk, but I'd rather do it in person after I get back into town. The flight to L.A. is bumpy and miserable. By the time we land, I'm grumpier than I was before. With the time change, I'm wiped out and I go straight to my hotel and crash. I'll worry about calling Bailey later.

The next day is full of saving my client's reputation and our business relationship. I'm trying to put a positive spin on an unpredictable actor addicted to cocaine. It takes two days of coddling and promises to finally get him checked into a Malibu rehab facility. Then we let the press know that he's cleaning up his act. The truth is the only thing that's going to save this guy's career and so that's what we decide to go with. No spins or falsehoods are going to help. It's too far past that.

I feel good that he's in a safe place, though. I never want to see anyone lost, hurting or in a dangerous situation.

Once I'm back at the hotel, I sit in a chair and wonder if I should probably bite the bullet and call Bailey. I'm not in the mood for a fight, though, so I kill some time first and check my email. The moment I open it, I see a receipt from Head Over Heels that verifies she received my payment for services rendered.

And that's it. No other note or greeting from her personally. Just a cold receipt that seems to state what happened between us was nothing more than a business transaction.

Annoyance spears through me, but if that's how she wants to be then fine. I wire an additional $50 thousand dollars into her account. I said I was going to invest, and I plan on keeping my word.

I expect to hear something from her, but it's crickets.

We're both extremely stubborn and that's not a good thing. Maybe we need this time to cool off, though. I drop down on the sofa, a whiskey in my hand, and make a plan. I'm going to go down to the bar, eat a late dinner, have a few more drinks and then I'll call her. Hopefully, the alcohol will loosen me up because right now I'm wound tighter than a two-dollar watch.

After finishing the whiskey, I feel a little more relaxed. I grab my phone and wallet then head to the elevator and downstairs to the restaurant. Even though it's late, it's still pretty busy so I just grab a seat at the bar. I order another drink and a cheeseburger and fries. Comfort food is the way to go tonight and when my meal arrives, nothing has ever tasted so good.

As I'm finishing up, debating whether or not to order that last drink, a hand lightly squeezes my shoulder and a voice fills my ear, saying, "What a pleasant coincidence."

I'd recognize that voice and heavy musk-scented perfume anywhere. Before even turning, I know it's Selene and my stomach cramps. She sits down beside me, and I look over. Of course, she looks flawless as always, makeup perfect, every hair in place. Selene always presents well, and I guess since she's a model then it's her job to look good. Seems rather exhausting to me, though.

Looking back, I think being in my flannel shirt and jeans with Bailey when we were in Buffalo is the most comfortable, I've ever been and I miss that. Of course, I'm in a suit now, though I ditched the tie and opened my top couple of buttons earlier. I've also embraced not shaving every day and keeping the stubble that Bailey likes. I take a long sip, finishing the last of the whiskey in my glass, and brace myself for whatever is about to come.

"You seem thrilled to see me," she says with a tinkling laugh.

"Yeah, thrilled," I murmur in a dry voice. I'm not sure how she found out I was in town, but she did so that means she wants something.

"Oh, Jace, don't be like that."

"What the hell do you want, Selene?" I growl and slam my empty glass down on the bar.

"Just heard you were visiting and wanted to see those blue eyes, baby," she purrs.

I roll my eyes. "You can't bullshit a bullshitter. Now tell me what you want or I'm leaving."

"Are you really dating that Plain Jane you brought to the New Year's party?" she asks in a pouty voice.

"Yes, and there's nothing plain about Bailey."

She smirks then quickly covers it with a frown. "Jace, honey, you can do so much better."

I look Selene right in her green eyes and say, "Bailey is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

And it's the truth.

"Do you love her?" Selene asks.

The word love makes me tense and I direct my attention to the bartender and motion for another whiskey. My hesitation gives Selene the confidence she needs, and I feel her hand slide up my thigh and squeeze. "I've missed you," she whispers.

"Don't," I hiss, shoving her hand away.

"Jace, I know what I did was messed up, but I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Wondering if we made a mistake."

"We?" I repeat caustically. "You're the one who took off and left without a word."

"Okay, me," she amends. "Maybe walking out wasn't the best decision I've ever made."

"Fucking that guy behind my back wasn't either," I snarl. Selene broke so much more than just my trust.

She broke me.

The sad thing is I don't think she even realizes the extent of the damage she caused or how it's affected me since.

There's no way in hell I would ever get back with this woman. She's a liar and a user. I would never trust her again or want a thing from her.

Selene waves a dismissive hand through the air. "That didn't mean anything. I just had a few wild oats left to sew. You know how it is," she says lightly.

Is she kidding?"We were engaged," I say, amazed at how unapologetic her tone is and that she really has no clue how badly she hurt me.

"We hadn't said 'I do' yet."

The bartender sets another whiskey in front of me, and I toss half of it back in one smooth swallow. "You haven't changed at all," I tell her. "You're just as cold and selfish as always."

"Me? You're the one who spent so much time at work and-"

"Selene," I interrupt and shake my head. "Let's just end this now. Whether you know it or not, whether we were good for each other or not, when you cheated and then left me standing at the altar, you hurt me in a way that no one else ever has before. It messed me up and I've avoided anything serious ever since. Until Bailey. She's a breath of fresh air and the most amazing woman I've ever met."

"Yet when I asked if you loved her, you couldn't answer me." She quirks a dark, thin brow and her lips lift in an evil smile. "Why don't we forget about her, go back up to your room and do what we always did best?"

I toss back the rest of my drink, set the glass down with a thunk and stand up, tossing some cash on the bar. "I'm going back up to my room. Alone. Please, don't ever contact me again."

As I turn around and walk away, I hear her audible gasp. "You're making a big mistake," she threatens.

I stop, glance over my shoulder and say, "The biggest mistake I made was when I proposed to you."

Once the words are out, I continue walking away and a sense of peace washes over me. I've finally gotten the closure that I needed and for the first time since I can remember, my heart feels lighter when it comes to Selene and all the bullshit that happened between us.

I get the urge to call Bailey, but it's way too late. Glancing down at my watch, I realize that it's well after 1AM in New York and I don't want to wake her up. So instead, I return to my room, shower and slip into bed.

My phone wakes me early the next morning and when I blindly grab for it and check the caller ID with sleep-blurred eyes, I see Kendall's name. With a groan, I answer, "I'm in L.A., Kendall, and it's only six o'clock in the morning." "Why're you with Selene and not Bailey?" she demands.

"What?" I sit up against the headboard and rub my eyes, still half asleep. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I saw the pictures online of you two at some bar looking awfully cozy together."

Shit. "I saw Selene last night but had no idea anyone took our picture."

"Oh, so that makes it better? Why're you in L.A. with Selene?" she repeats.

My sister sounds really upset and I'm a little confused. I need some fucking coffee. "I'm here for business and Selene lives here. She tracked me down last night and wanted to, ah, rekindle things."

"What?" Kendall screeches. "I hope you didn't do anything stupid. Oh, God, Jace, please tell me you didn't cheat on Bailey."

"Hold on. First of all, you know that Bailey and I weren't even a real couple. You're the whole reason I needed a fake fiancée. Remember, sister dear?"

"You told Selene no, right?"

"Of course, I did. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Thank God," she says. "And I'm sorry, Jace, but you can sit here and tell me that you were pretending till the cows come home, but I know something was going on with you and Bailey. Something that was real." "Maybe something was happening," I admit and shove a hand through my hair. "But she's mad at me and I'm not sure how to fix things."

"What did you do?"

I roll my eyes. Of course, she assumes whatever happened is my fault. "We ran into Selene at a New Year's Eve party and, well, let's just say it didn't go well." "Dammit, Jace. If you screw this up with Bailey, I'm going to kill you!"

"What do you think is exactly happening with me and Bailey?" I ask, trying to play the whole thing off. But my nosy sister is far too perceptive.

"You were falling in love with each other. It was written all over you both."

I sigh. "Kendall, after what happened with Selene, I'm not sure I'm capable of ever loving anyone again."

"It breaks my heart hearing you say that."

"It's true. A part of me is broken and I'm not sure if it can ever be fixed."

"What exactly is broken?" she asks softly. "Because you seemed so happy last week. You both were glowing and nothing about it seemed fake."

"I have issues with trust," I say simply. Among other things. "And we did have a good time. A great time. But I'm not sure I know how to be in love anymore." "You do, though, Jace. I saw it."

I drop my head back against the wall. "We've been taking time apart since the New Year's fiasco. It's probably for the best."

"I seriously doubt that."

"This is why I don't do relationships. They're great in the beginning and then they turn to shit fast. It's inevitable."

"Relationships take work. Call Bailey. Better yet, go back to New York and start groveling. You can't lose her, Jace. She's the best thing that ever happened to you."

I don't make any promises and a very disgruntled Kendall finally says goodbye. Lying back down on the pile of pillows, I think back over our conversation and wonder if I was falling in love with Bailey? After Selene, I didn't believe it would ever be possible again.

The idea of admitting my feelings and being vulnerable scares the crap out of me. I'm not sure I can go there. Despite how much I care for Bailey, I just don't know if it's a chance I can take again.