STUCK WITH MR. BILLIONAIRE FOR CHRISTMAS novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

CINNAMON:

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55 vouchers.

The tang of adrenaline at the back of my tongue, wouldn’t go away as Khole’s words wouldn’t stop replaying in my head.

“It’s okay to be single and heal, Ci. There’s no rush. You don’t need to make another huge lifelong decision just because you’re scared of being alone.”

I’d defended Dante. Told her he was different. Amazing. The best decision I’d ever made.

And she’d looked at me with those knowing eyes that saw straight through every lie I’d ever told and said. “That’s the same thing you said about Marcus.”

My stomach had dropped.

“The jerk who left you at the altar two weeks after Mom was diagnosed. No closure. Nothing. He just disappeared and cut all ties like you never existed.” Her voice had shaken with barely contained fury. “You saw the good in him when I was screaming about all his red flags. That’s your problem, Cinnamom. You see good in everyone.”

I’d exhaled slowly, unable to argue.

Maybe she was right. I didn’t write people off easily. I gave second chances, third chances, as many chances as someone needed to prove they weren’t the person everyone else thought they were.

But standing next to Khole, facing her concern, I’d felt the weight of the lie crushing me.

I couldn’t tell her the truth or admit that Dante and I were faking everything. That the ring on my finger meant nothing and this entire relationship was a business arrangement designed to close a deal.

If Khole knew, she’d tell me to walk away because no amount of money was worth convincing myself of a reality that didn’t exist.

But she didn’t understand.

She was my baby sister. Twenty-three, still chasing her dream of becoming a bestselling author, living off hope and determination while her bank account hovered dangerously close to zero. Her books were great just that the market was brutal, and recognition didn’t come easy.

My job was to shoulder the responsibility. Mom’s medical bills. The house repairs. Making sure Khole could focus on writing without worrying about whether we’d have electricity next month.

I needed this bonus. Needed this job.

Even if it meant lying to everyone I loved.

The Jeep hit another pothole, and Dante slammed against the side panel with a grunt.

I bit back a smile.

He hadn’t figured out that riding in a vehicle like this required bracing yourself. He just sat there, rigid and upright thinking

he was in the backseat of his luxury vehicle instead of a decades-old Jeep with shot suspension.

Every bump sent him lurching. His hand gripped the door handle so tight his knuckles had gone white.

It was amusing. Almost made up for the fact that I was lying to my family.

Almost.

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Chapter 14

55 vouchers

At least I’d gotten him to handle the shoveling. If he hadn’t been there, I would’ve been the one doing all of it, clearing the driveway, fixing whatever else needed attention around the house. I stepped in, taking up the role of the man of the house since dad’s death.

Maybe I could use this situation to my advantage. Delegate tasks Make him useful. I was tired of being a man in a woman’s body.

The thought made me feel disgusting.

I didn’t want to be like others who used people for their money, connections, and whatever resources they have.

And I’d just stood in my mother’s living room, spinning lies so convincing.

What did that make me?

“This project better be worth it,” Dante muttered, voice tight. “I’ve been dragged through snow, forced to do manual labor, interrogated by strangers, and now I’m being beaten to death by this glorified tin can.”

“It’s called character building,” I said sweetly.

He glared at me.

Carlos pulled to a stop, tires crunching over gravel.

I looked up.

The cabin sat about fifty yards away, half-hidden by pine trees. I was small about 800 square feet if I was being generous. The wood siding had weathered to a soft gray, paint peeling in places. One of the shutters hung crooked. The porch sagged slightly on the left side.

It looked like something out of a horror movie.

“You have to be kidding me,” Dante said flatly.

“Mrs. Hartley recommended it,” I reminded him. “Moreover, that’s just the reception. Maybe they have nicer stuff.”

“Mrs. Hartley’s taste is questionable. And if their reception is like that, they won’t have anything better.”

We climbed out of the Jeep. The cold hit me immediately, biting my breath coming out in white puffs.

Dante stood there, staring at the cabin, irritation written all over his face

I grabbed the suitcases, rolling them toward the reception building tucked between the trees.

Dante didn’t move or offer to help. He stood there, hands in his pockets, surveying the property like a disappointed real

estate investor.

“Are you coming?” I called back.

He sighed, grabbed his carry-on, and followed at a leisurely pace

The reception was warmer, at least. A space heater hummed in the corner, battling the drafts that snuck through gaps in the doorframe.

A girl sat behind the desk in her early twenties, red hair pulled into a messy bun, oversized winter jacket swallowing her frame. She popped her gum, scrolling through her phone.

She glanced up when we entered. “Welcome to Scarlet and Winters. How many I help you?”

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09:53 Sat, Feb 28

Chapter 14

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