Billionaire Unmasked ~ Jason (Billionaire’s Obsession #6)(36)
Author: J.S. Scott

As usual, Tate flipped his chair backwards and sat across from her. “What do you know?” He looked irritated but resigned.

“I thought he married me when he was drunk. I thought he was there on business and we met completely by accident. I found the receipt for the rings, and it was dated the day before he came to Vegas, and it was from a jewelry store here in Rocky Springs. Why?” She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“We planned everything here,” Tate admitted. “Jason was here for the charity ball, and he found out you were getting married. He was desperate to separate you from the guy you were marrying. We made a plan and executed it the next day.”

Hope gritted her teeth, hating the cold way Tate had of explaining what they’d done. “So you just didn’t fly us back? You were there at the wedding, weren’t you?” She was sure of it.

“I was one of the witnesses,” Tate replied flatly. “You would have found out eventually because I signed the certificate that went to the courthouse.”

Tears sprung into Hope’s eyes as she looked across the table at the man who had always been a hero to her. Not only had Jason betrayed her, but so had Tate. “So his plan was to get me married, screw up my engagement and then screw me out of his system.” She swiped a tear from her cheek angrily. “Why, Tate? Why would you do that when you knew he was just going to dump me later?”

“First of all, I didn’t know it was you until we met up for the wedding. Second, Sutherland had no plans of dumping you. The guy was sickeningly crazy about you, always has been. And you were crazy about him, too. Maybe you were drunk, but you weren’t unwilling. You looked…happy. I hadn’t quite worked out the fake fiancé thing yet, and I didn’t want you marrying somebody who would make you miserable either. You deserve to be happy.”

“You really thought I’d be happy in a wedding-by-mistake with a man who didn’t love me?” she asked him tearfully.

“Oh, he loves you. And you love him, too. Think, Hope. Maybe he’s afraid to tell you, but was everything that’s happened between you a deception? I don’t know Sutherland that well, but I know he spends a hell of a lot of time trying to manage funds for a very large, joint charity for abused women. He was here for a charity ball to help raise money for that organization, willing to make a fool of himself by being auctioned off and be the date of any female who had deep pockets. Maybe he has f**ked up with you. But I’m pretty certain he would have told you everything. I think he was afraid of losing you.”

“He’s never told me he loves me,” Hope said forlornly. “He just said he wanted to stay together, make our marriage real.”

“Did you tell him?” Tate volleyed back at her. “Everything he’s done is because the poor guy was desperate. Do you really think he’d do what he did for any other reason? It’s not like he needs to get a woman drunk to have her. But he wanted you, and he wanted you to be his wife.”

Hope’s heart lifted for a moment, wondering whether what Tate said was true. But she had a hard time accepting that Jason hadn’t told her the truth. He’d cold-bloodedly forced her to do what he wanted. “I want to go home.” She was still pissed at Tate, but mostly she needed time to think about what had happened with Jason.

“Why? So you can keep running away?” Tate asked furiously.

“I’m not running—”

“Bullshit,” Tate said forcefully. “I get that you were looking for freedom and maybe an adrenaline rush when you first started in photography, that you wanted to make a name for yourself by chasing storms. I also understand why you wanted to go back to doing it so the bastard who kidnapped and assaulted you didn’t win. But I don’t think you’re happy doing that anymore. It’s your way of staying disconnected. I saw you taking those wildlife pictures, Hope. You were in your element. I have a hard time believing that storm chasing isn’t getting a little old, but that you don’t know how to do anything else to numb yourself but running around the world, chasing storms. You’ve disconnected yourself by lying to your brothers, so you can’t talk to them. And you’re going to run away from a guy who clearly loves you, even though he isn’t f**king perfect.”

“What makes you the relationship expert?” Hope asked defensively, but she started to think about her days here with Jason. Everything hadn’t been a lie: the gentleness he showed her, his willingness to help her get over her fears, his comfort when she needed him, even the way he treated her darn cat. He’d lied, but so had she.

“I’m an expert because I’m just an observer. I can see exactly what’s going on. Maybe I’ve never felt that way about a woman, but I can clearly see how both of you feel. Hate me if you want to, Hope, but I thought I was helping you. I’m still trying to help, dammit,” he informed her heatedly, running a hand through his short hair in frustration.

“I don’t hate you,” Hope whispered huskily. “I can be upset with you, and I can be pissed, but I could never hate you. You saved my life.”

“That was my job. This is personal,” Tate said morosely.

Hope knew Tate was wrong. He’d taken his job very personally. They were one and the same. “I don’t hate you,” she repeated.

“Good. Because I’ve always kind of liked you,” Tate told her with a grin. “You have balls. Now use them and talk to Jason.” He hesitated a moment before he said evilly, “But make him grovel before you forgive him. He should have told you the truth by now. You’re married to him.”

“Tate?”

“Yeah?”

“You really are a jerk sometimes,” Hope told him, deadpan.

“Does that mean you haven’t forgiven me?” He flashed persuasive gray eyes at her and his dimple dented his cheek.

“I’ll think about it.” Hope stood and made her way to the door, knowing she’d already forgiven him. She had no doubt he was being a know-it-all, thinking he had the answers to all of her problems. And maybe he actually did. But she wasn’t telling him that. He had a fat enough head already.

Following behind her, Tate mentioned arrogantly, “No woman can stay mad at me. Not even my mother or my sister, Chloe. One minute Chloe’s pissed, and the next she’s hugging me until I can’t breathe.”

Hope could believe that. Tate Colter was a real charmer when he wanted to be. As she opened the front door, she turned back to him. “I’m not going to hug you,” she warned him.