Page 42 of Billionaire In Vegas

“You’re just saying that.”

He kissed me then, catching me off-guard. I pressed against him, unable to get enough. I needed him. The feel of him. The smell of him. My body yearned for him as much as my heart. I had fallen in love with Jude. Love. That was what I felt.

And before I could second-guess myself, I spoke the words, “I love you, Jude.”

He didn’t sound surprised nor did he hesitate, responding simply with, “Not as much as I love you.”

My heart was pounding and I couldn’t even take a breath and then I heard Oliver call his name before he peaked out and found us.

“Hi, lovebirds, sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow you for a little bit.”

Jude kissed my cheek and disappeared with his father.

I watched him go, feeling elated. I wanted to sing, jump in the air and cheer. I was in love. He loved me back.

I meandered over to the other side of the balcony, looking out over the gardens when I heard voices near me. There were a group of ladies standing with their backs towards me, talking rather loudly. I assumed they had too much to drink and with amusement, I did a little eavesdropping.

“So what do you think? Is she just after his money?”

Oh, this is juicy, I thought to myself leaning in a bit to catch the other person’s response.

“Clearly,” said the other woman.

“Definitely a rags to riches story. I heard she’s originally from the South, broke, no parents, raised by her aunt. She’s lucky she hit the jackpot.”

My shoulders tensed. They were talking about me.

“More like she won the lottery. She must have been so excited. From trailer park to a mansion. Lucky girl.”

“I don’t know,” one of the ladies laughed cruelly. “Can you really picture Jude falling for a woman like her? I mean, consider the girls he’s dated in the past. He’s never had any interest in white trash before. If anything, out of desperation, Oliver probably planned the whole thing and threatened Jude with losing his inheritance if he didn’t comply. You know how much he wanted to control Jude’s life.”

“I heard Oliver isn’t even dying,” said another, and the others nodded in agreement. “He has both those young folks doing his bidding and it’s all based on a lie.”

At least she didn’t call me trailer trash, she just felt sorry for me, I thought to myself, but I didn’t know what stung more.

“We all know it’s not a real marriage,” said the cruel one again. “He’s the city’s most eligible bachelor and he marries her? It was a matter of convenience arranged by Oliver who knew that girl wouldn’t walk away from millions. And he knew that Jude wouldn’t let her. He’s just a broke, ex-athlete. He needs his daddy’s money.”

The old ladies nodded in agreement and I backed away, not knowing I was crying until I felt the tears slipping down my cheeks.

So that’s what they thought of me? They thought I was trailer trash. They thought that I was able to be bought. And then my anger dissipated. Isn’t that exactly what happened? Didn’t I agree to this farce of a relationship for money? They were right. I was just as much at fault as Oliver. And maybe he had planned all of this, but I’d been a willing accomplice.

I knew what I had to do. I made my way outside, walking past the confused faces of Oliver and Jude.

Jude caught up with me easily.

“Hey, where are you going so fast?”

“Out of here.”

“So soon? And without me? I’m pretty sure we came together.”

I said nothing. I couldn’t speak right then. I was too upset.

He grabbed my arm, stopping me. “What’s wrong, Lacey?”

I began to cry. “All of this. This whole scam of a marriage. Us. We’re what’s wrong. I don’t know who’s conning who.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”