Bianca looked taken aback but then nodded. “Sure, I’d love that. I’m parched. Can you get me a sparkling wine?”
Ryan smiled. “Coming right up.” He released Bianca from his embrace and turned to leave.
Bianca got a hold of his shoulder, and with her other hand, pointed at the corner with couches. “I’ll wait for you over there. I would love to avoid someone taking pity on me and inviting me for a dance. Mr. Allbright has a tendency to do that.”
“Fine, it’ll only take a few minutes.”
He started toward the bar but halfway he whirled around to catch a glimpse at Bianca. He didn’t want any men to intercept her on the dance floor. Especially not that sleazy Jake. Ryan had seen him in his white suit during the mayor’s speech.
But Bianca was already in the resting area of the hall.
As Ryan was about to turn his head back, he spotted the back of a blond woman walking behind Bianca. She had a bob and was dressed in a pink form-defining dress. It didn’t really fit with the Nostalgia Ball’s theme. There was something familiar about the way she thrust her chest forward. Maybe he’d seen her at the auction?
He shrugged then hurried toward the bar. He wasn’t sure why, but an uneasiness settled in his chest. It must be just the jitters about leaving Bianca alone. Ever since that night in the hut, he felt the urge to protect her from all dangers. The sturdy bartender lifted his gaze at Ryan. “What can I get you, sir?”
Chapter 27
Bianca slouched into the couch in a very unladylike fashion. She couldn’t help it. Her feet were killing her. Why did she have to put on a pair of new stilettos instead of her regular elegant sandals? These were way higher, and the heels were so thin, she had the impression of walking on oversized toothpicks.
She gathered her skirt and arranged it to cover her feet. She slipped out of her shoes and sighed. Ah, that’s better. Her eyes wandered to the bar, seeking the tall figure of Ryan. Her heart skipped a beat when she found him. There was no question, he was the most handsome man in the room. And she was his plus one.
How did I get so lucky?
Tomorrow they were going to sign the papers ensuring Bianca’s design remained intact, no matter what. Ryan said he had decided to do it based on business strategy, but Bianca secretly hoped that his feelings for her might have clouded his judgement a little.
Ryan’s attempt to quote a song to lighten her mood came back to her, and she smiled. He was picking up on how to turn Bianca’s heart to jelly all too quickly. If he continued like this, she would have no excuse to hold off her growing passion for him.
“Is this seat taken?”
Bianca shuddered from the unexpected voice of a woman.
She jerked back and found a dashing blonde smiling down at her. Her platinum bob was perfectly combed and her lips had been artistically enhanced with the help of a raspberry-colored lipliner.
Was she from this town? No, that couldn’t be. Bianca had never seen her around.
“No, it’s not.” Bianca shifted to the left on the couch, pulling her bulky skirt to the side.
The woman sat down beside her, crossing her knees. Her dress opened, revealing her tanned legs and pink high heels. She looked stunning.
Bianca tried not to stare at the long leg slit that ended just a bit too high. No, this woman was definitely a stranger. Bianca didn’t know why, but she began to feel uncomfortable in her princess dress.
What did Ryan call her taste in music? Old-fashioned. Maybe it wasn’t just her choice of songs, but also clothes.
Her eyes drifted over to the bar. Ryan was going to come back with their drink any minute. Maybe she should stand up and go to him? She chewed on her lip. Would Ryan realize what a small-town girl Bianca was when he laid eyes on this other woman?
“You know he’s a bad choice for you, right, darling?” The woman’s sharp soprano interrupted Bianca’s thoughts.
Bianca snapped her head to the stranger. “Who? What do you mean?”
The woman stretched her manicured hand toward the bar. “Ryan O’Connor. He isn’t a man you can trust, take it from me.”
Bianca gasped and her jaw dropped. Who was this woman? “What? Why would you say something like that? You don’t even know him.”
The woman pursed her lips. “Don’t I?” She shook her head, without any strands of hair moving. “Maybe not. After all, I’ve only been dating him for over a year now.”
Bianca grabbed at her chest. The world began to swirl around her at high speed. “Dating him? Who are you?” she mumbled.
The woman held out her hand, a salacious smile playing on her lips. “I’m Jenna Lewis. Ryan’s girlfriend.”
Chapter 28
Ryan was only a few meters from the resting area when his eyes travelled to the woman sitting beside Bianca. His breath caught.
Jenna? What was Jenna doing in Rocky Harbor? And speaking to Bianca. How did she find out about Bianca at all?
This wasn’t good. No, it was terrible. If Jenna left Philadelphia there could be only one explanation. She found out that Ryan had lied to her about the real reason for ending things with her. And now, she was set on stirring up trouble for him.
One glance at Bianca’s pale face and large eyes was enough for Ryan to know Jenna had already succeeded in her mission.
The call with Helga popped into his mind, and icy tendrils robbed him of action. Didn’t Helga say she suspected Jenna of getting into Ryan’s files?
He thought back to what documents were stored on his office computer that weren’t encoded. There wasn’t much, except… A cold worm of worry gnawed at his spine and his neck tensed.
He had to stop this. Now.
Who knew what lies Jenna was filling Bianca’s head with? She was an actress, after all. Ryan cursed himself for underestimating Jenna’s disappointment about their breakup. Could it be that he’d hurt not only Jenna’s pride but her feelings? A woman’s vendetta when fueled by vanity and the rage of a broken heart could be devastating.
Ryan put the glasses he was carrying on a nearby table and bolted toward the two women.
Jenna noticed him first.
She jumped up and put herself into a flattering pose. One hand on her hip and one behind her ear. “Well, well, speak of the devil…”
Ryan had a hard time controlling the throbbing in his temples. “Jenna? What are you doing here?”
Bianca’s gaze snapped to him and she straightened up as well. “So you two know each other then.” Her voice was low and flat. Her eyes pierced through his soul.
Ryan wanted to curl up in shame. “Yes,” he uttered.
“Of course, Bianca. I told you. I’m his girlfriend.” Jenna moved to him and snaked an arm around his neck.
Ryan wiggled himself out of Jenna’s touch. “Ex. Ex-girlfriend.”
Jenna’s eyes narrowed but she kept a smile plastered on her face. “Oh, Ryan, please. We only had a minor argument.” She blinked at Bianca with an apologetic glance. “We have this sort of fight-and-make-up thing going on. It’s sometimes exhausting, but boy can Ryan make himself be forgiven. Especially in bed, you know.” She chuckled.
Ryan’s jaw dropped so low that his cheeks hurt.
What was Jenna doing? Why was she lying like this? She knew very well he’d ended things between them. Also, they never had a passionate relationship. He couldn’t recall even a single fight between them. His feelings for this woman had never been so intense as to justify such emotional outbursts.
Bianca gasped and her hands trembled. She didn’t look at Jenna but kept her gaze on Ryan’s face. “So you’ve lied to me? You had someone special in your life but you still led me to think you were single.”
Ryan’s chest grew tight, and he had difficulty breathing. Why did he lie to Bianca? He should have just told her that night in front of her house that he’d broken up with his girlfriend.
Now this stupid lie was going to undermine the rest of his sincere actions. “Yes. I mean, no. Yes and no.”
; Jenna smacked her lips. “Ryan, baby. You look a bit confused. Is it seeing me after a week of absence that messes with your brain? I’d understand it.” She winked.
Ryan ignored Jenna’s comment. “Bianca, you have to believe me. I didn’t lie to you. I might have kept silent about dating Jenna because I wanted to end things with her. And I did. The night after the Silent Valley.”
Bianca’s brows furrowed, and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Why should I believe you?”
“Because that’s the truth.” He wiped his forehead. “I didn’t want anything to happen between us before I was free. That’s why I refused to kiss you that night in the hut.”
Jenna sucked in a loud breath and thumped with her left foot.
Ryan didn’t turn to her. Instead he stepped closer to Bianca. He reached for her hand, but she recoiled from his touch. “How can I believe that you’re being honest with me now?”
Jenna laughed out. “You can’t, darling. And you shouldn’t.”
“Be quiet, Jenna.” Ryan hissed at Jenna then turned back to Bianca. “I’m not lying. I might have omitted the fact that I was seeing someone, but I only did it because deep inside I knew I was going to breakup with Jenna.”
Bianca stirred and let her arms fall. Her face softened. “Is that true?”
Jenna made a gagging sound. “Oh, please. Don’t fall for this. I told you, Ryan O’Connor isn’t the man for you. He is a player. Even now, he’s telling you stories. Like he did to me when he said there was no one he cared about in Rocky Harbor.” Jenna pointed at her chest. “I can live with such a naughty boy because I don’t take his mischievous little flings too seriously, but—” Her gaze searched Bianca’s. “Can you?”
Ryan’s blood boiled and he lunged towards Jenna. He grabbed her arms and shook her. “Why are you portraying me as something I’m not? I’m not a liar and certainly no player. We saw each other for a few months but there isn’t, and wasn’t, anything more serious between us. I’ve never been the passionate man you described me to be. It’s a lie.”
He withdrew his hands, but his shoulders were still trembling from the emotion.
A small group gathered around them, probably to see what all the commotion was.
Jenna, as if the appearance of others only fueled her acting talent, let her gaze wander about the bystanders, then returned it to Bianca. “You see what I mean? Ryan is just a fireball when he’s near me. Poor thing, he can’t help it. I have that effect on men.”
Bianca paled and pressed her lips together. Her eyes looked hollow, as if she had retreated from her own body to some place safe.
Ryan rubbed his neck, trying to calm his hammering heart. He couldn’t lose his temper again like this. It was doing nothing but reinforcing Jenna’s fabrications. Instead, he had to plead with Bianca. She would listen to him. She had to.
He turned away from Jenna and moved to Bianca. She didn’t look at him as she fidgeted with a lace on her skirt.
“Please, Bianca, look at me. I don’t want it to end this way between us. I know what Jenna told you must be confusing. But, please, look at the facts. Look at my actions. Besides omitting when I broke up with Jenna, everything else you’ve learned about me is sincere.”
Jenna unclasped the tiny purse hanging on her right shoulder and fished out a few papers. “I have proof that this is a lie.” She sashayed over to Bianca and pushed the documents into her hand. “Read these.”
Bianca skimmed through the papers, her eyes darkening.
Ryan leaned forward to peek at the papers. Were these…?
Bianca exhaled then raised her chin. “Is this true? Did you agree to make The Sapphire into a chain restaurant alla McDonald’s with Italian flair? Did you write this?”
Ryan swallowed as Bianca cited the exact phrase he’d used in his emails to one of the Welles brothers. “Yes, but it was before—”
Jenna grabbed the last paper in Bianca’s hand, pulling it to the front. “Wait, there’s more. Look at this, Bianca. On Tuesday, Ryan transferred twenty grand to the director of the theater I work for. He did it to ensure I get the lead role in the next play. Isn’t that sweet?”
Ryan’s eyes darted to Jenna. Oh, the snake.
How could he ever date this woman? She was a lying piece of… No, Jenna couldn’t be his focus now. He had to make sure Bianca saw these documents in their real context.
He cleared his throat. “I only sent that money to make sure our breakup went smoothly.”
Bianca’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
Jenna tapped Bianca’s shoulder. Her red nails sparkled against Bianca’s creamy complexion. “My point exactly. No man in his right mind would do that for a girl he’s leaving, right? Ryan loves to use his money to take care of the ones he loves.” Jenna batted her lashes, while giving a lopsided grin to Ryan.
Ryan couldn’t take this theater any longer. He needed to get Bianca away from this two-faced monster of an ex-girlfriend. He put his hand on her waist, but she flinched under his touch. “Bianca, these documents are made up.”
Bianca’s nostrils flared. “What do you mean? Did you or didn’t you write that email? And did you not make that money transfer for Jenna’s sake?”
Sweat trickled down Ryan’s spine. Put like that, it all sounded right.
But it wasn’t the truth.
“I wrote that email, yes, but it was on Sunday morning when we got home from our paragliding trip. I wanted to lay the groundwork before proposing to keep The Sapphire’s branding intact.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed. “And what about turning it into a chain? You promised—”
Ryan’s heart wrenched. Yes, that was his other mistake. He had promised something he wasn’t sure he could keep. “I know what I said. And I will do everything in my power to ensure that—”
Jenna’s mocking voice interrupted. “Everything in your power? That sounds like a fat excuse for not doing what you promised. And what about the money you paid to Mr. Weaner? Are you going to deny that you did that, too?”
Ryan shook his head. “No, that’s on me. It was a mistake. I should never have let you coax me into that. I just hoped it would make our departing more acceptable to you. Obviously, I was wrong.”
Bianca buried her face in her hands. “I’m such a fool for believing that for once I’ve met a decent man.”
An icy hand squeezed Ryan’s heart.
The hurt in Bianca’s voice was clear. He wanted to pull her into an embrace and tell her he loved her.
He stilled and grabbed at his throat. Love? Yes, oh holy heavens. He was in love with Bianca. It wasn’t just an attraction, a magnetic pull that made him think about her day and night. It was pure love.
A sudden joy flooded Ryan’s ribcage and a smile spread on his face. He, Ryan O’Connor, the self-proclaimed workaholic, was in love. All the hard work he had put into turning his business into a flourishing empire was about to pay off now. He had finally found the person he could spend his life caring for.
He looked at Bianca, who still kept her face hidden in her hands.
“What are you smiling at?” Jenna asked.
“Oh, nothing. I’ve just realized that—”
But before Ryan could continue, a man approached from the crowd. He went straight to Bianca. It was Jake.
Chapter 29
Ryan and Jenna continued to argue about why Ryan sent the money to her theatre’s director. Their words reached Bianca’s ears but she didn’t register their full meaning. She was absorbed in her own tempest of thoughts.
Bianca pressed her palms to her eyes so strongly they almost hurt. Maybe if she kept her vision blocked for long enough, this nightmare would disappear and she would be back to the bliss with Ryan.
No. Who was she kidding? It had never been real happiness. Only a hopeful castle of a dreamer, built on a drift. It was destined to come tumbling down eventually.
She cursed her foolish brain and heart for deceiving her again. Why did she believe she had a chanc
e with Ryan?
She should have guessed that such a handsome and rich man couldn’t be single. Of course he would date a supermodel like Jenna.
But why did he lie about her to Bianca? And did he actually end their relationship as Ryan claimed? Or was Jenna telling the truth?
Bianca bit the inside of her lip, and a metallic taste diffused in her mouth. She gulped, and a wave of nausea overcame her. She shouldn’t have to think about whether Ryan was being honest with her now. The fact was that he had clearly lied to her before.
Why did he do it? Did he want to distract her and ease her into accepting the deal he wanted to propose to Stefano? Just the possibility that she had been used again by a man she cared for made Bianca’s stomach roil.
Why was her luck with men so bad? It was probably her own fault. She was the one who made the wrong choices and now her poor judgement was justly coming back and biting her in the butt.
A hand touched her shoulder.
What did Ryan want?
Bianca raised her chin, ready to snap at him, but to her surprise Jake peered down at her with wide eyes. “Are you okay, Bianca? Can I walk you outside for a bit of fresh air?” he asked.
Bianca’s gaze flicked to Ryan who was watching them open-mouthed. However, the fierceness of his dark eyes blazed like fire. He was obviously unhappy about Jake intervening.
Well, too bad. Bianca needed an excuse to get away from this madness. People were watching them, and this public scene was getting more and more embarrassing.
She turned back to Jake. “Yes, some air would do me good.”
She took a step then realized she was still barefoot. Her shoes were hidden underneath her long skirt, but she didn’t feel like sitting down to put them on. It would give Ryan more time to stop her. So she just bent down and grabbed them.
“Let’s go,” she said to Jake.
As if her last words broke the spell of silence, Ryan called out, “Bianca, you can’t go. Not with him. Not yet. You need to hear me out.”
Gambling With The Billionaire (Gems 0f Love Book 2) Page 14
