Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“She’s fucking mine!” Jude’s roar echoes in the dusky sky. “Do you hear me?”
I startle, my shocked gaze bouncing back and forth between the men. And I still have fuck all information to tell me what I’m dealing with.
Drained of patience, I go to Jude, livid, and bunch his T-shirt in my balled fists, yanking his face down to mine, ignoring the pain in my hand. My eyes are stinging, my heart hurting it’s beating so fast. “Tell me how you know him,” I order, my jaw ticking, my eyes rooted to his, searching for the answer I need. “Tell me, Jude.”
A thunderstorm of emotions rolls through his gaze, his stare infinitely stuck to mine. “I love you,” he whispers, his voice cracking. He pries my hands from his chest and guides my arms around his waist, making me hug him. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with you.” His hands come up and hold my face, desperation leaking from him. “I just wanted to take you away, talk to you, explain.”
“Explain what?” I ask quietly, dread keeping me still, letting him touch and feel me.
“I wanted to tell you.”
It sounds like both men have things to tell me, but both are reluctant. “For God’s s—”
Suddenly, Jude’s mouth is on mine, swallowing my words, his kiss desperate and starved, and I’m momentarily caught up in the pure emotion he’s pouring into me.
“Jude,” I say, taking his wrists and pulling his hands away from my face, his mouth from mine. “What did you want to tell me?”
He stares at me, a lost man, as my pounding heart turns in my chest. I hold my breath, bracing for impact.
“I love you,” he whispers.
“Jude, please, talk to me.”
I look over my shoulder at Nick, fighting Jude when he tries to pull me back around. “Will one of you tell me what the hell is happening?”
“He doesn’t love you,” Nick says, his face sharp and disgusted. “It’s all a fucking game to him. He’s not who you think he is.”
I inhale. There are those words I feared.
“I love her,” Jude growls, passing me, going for Nick, his body strung.
“Jude!”
The crack of his fist meeting Nick’s jaw sends shivers down my spine and puts Nick on his arse. One punch. “I fucking love her,” he seethes, bending over Nick’s sprawled body, shaking. “Don’t tell me how I feel.”
“He’s been using you.” Nick’s eyes are on Jude as he spits blood on the gravel. “You’re nothing but a pawn to him. A weapon.”
I step back. “What?”
“No.” Jude abandons Nick and rushes to me. “Don’t listen to him.”
“He wanted to hurt me,” Nick mumbles on, his sneer wicked. “So he made the woman I love fall for him.”
“Shut up!” Jude yells.
My stomach drops as I push Jude’s hands away from me, moving back. “Is it true?” I ask him, knowing before he can answer that it is. All the signs are there. I didn’t expect to fall in love with you. “Oh my God.” You’re the biggest surprise in this situation. What about the bet?
“Amelia, I’m begging you, please,” Jude whispers. “Just let me explain.”
“Then explain!” I yell, staring at his pathetic form, his arms limp by his sides, his face a picture of sorrow. It makes me sick.
“I gave his family some inaccurate financial advice.” Nick pushes his way to his feet.
“You fucking robbed him,” Jude grates, an inferno blazing in his eyes. He looks like he’s going to burst with the pressure. And then he does. “He was on the verge of losing everything!” He goes for Nick again, rabid, pulling his fist back, and I watch, horrified, but Jude lowers his arm and comes back to me. “Nick fucked everything up, Amelia,” he says, feeling at my face. “Everything.”
“You wanted revenge?” The floodgates of my mind open, too much information and too many realizations hitting me. “You used me to get revenge?”
Jude looks away, ashamed.
“Oh Jesus,” I croak, feeling at my throat. It’s closing up on me. “The bet. Katherine said I was a bet.”
His face twists. “She knew about Nick and what he did to my family.”
“Because you were engaged to her at the time.” My voice is so quiet. So defeated.
“I didn’t want her to know who you were. I knew she’d tell you.” He closes his eyes briefly, taking in air to spit out his truths. “She wasn’t supposed to be at the restaurant with me that night. She invited herself along and noticed I was distracted.” He grabs a breath. “I went along with the bet because that’s what I fucking do, Amelia.”
He likes the chase. The game. He made me just like any other girl he’s bet on.
I’m going to throw up. “You sick bastard,” I whisper, panic falling into me fast, tears stinging the backs of my eyes. Do not let him see you cry. “And you?” I turn my fury onto Nick. “Stay away from me.”