Chapter 121
Stone rounds on her, his voice strained. “Look at him. Look at how he’s reacting and he doesn’t even know half of it. How the fuck was I supposed to tell him?”
Céline hesitates for a beat, jaw tight. She looks like she wants to be anywhere but here, but she speaks anyway. “We’re leaving the cruise,” she says slowly, weighing each word. “We both have things to handle back home. Urgent things, Or do you plan to hold us hostage out here?”
“Unless someone here grows a spine and says what the hell is happening, I sure as hell will consider it,” I grunt out.
Her eyes narrow, cutting toward me. “And how did you even know he was planning to leave? You just happened to be standing outside his door?”
Well, damn it.
I grind my teeth. I can’t exactly admit to watching the feed. “I’ll explain when your boyfriend here opens his damn mouth and tells me what’s going on.”
She physically recoils at the title.
Stone sighs, shoulders sagging. “Fine.” He steps forward, eyes meeting mine unwillingly. “I fucked up, Zane. There’s stuff I need to fix before the season kicks off. I can’t fix anything from a damn cruise ship.”
I fold my arms, skeptical. “Becca’s still expecting you to stand
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next to me on that altar.”
He winces. “Becca can barely stand to be in the same room as me.”
Fair enough.
I shift my attention to Céline. “And you? What’s your excuse? Becca hate you too?”
She laughs dryly. “I got bored. And I told her last night I was thinking of heading out early.” Then she adds, eyes slicing toward me, “Maybe if you’re so worried about public perception, you should try keeping your dick in your pants until the wedding.”
My jaw tightens. Her next words are aimed at Stone, but meant for me.
“And maybe he shouldn’t be fucking people’s fiancées.”
My brows shoot up. “Oh, that’s rich. You really want to go there? Didn’t you sleep with Tonia’s boyfriend? Isn’t that why she’s been giving you the death stare all week?”
Céline’s nostrils flare. “Stay the fuck out of it.”
Stone places a hand on my chest – not hard, just enough to hold the line. “You’ve always said I needed to man up. That’s what I’m trying to do here.”
“By walking away?”
“Holy shit, attached much?” Céline bristles, arms crossed. “Maybe the real reason you’re so desperate for him to stay is because you’re not ready to go through with the wedding. You
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want a buffer. You want someone to hold your hand through it.” Her voice sharpens. “Do Becca a favour. Let her marry someone who actually wants to marry her.”
The words hit harder than I expect.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” I growl.
She smirks. “Make me.”
Then she turns to Stone. “Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time.”
I watch them walk away. The moment they disappear down the corridor, my phone buzzes in my hand. I clench it tight, resisting the urge to throw it at the wall.
“Well?” comes the voice on the other end.
I grit my teeth. “You were right. They’re both getting off the ship.”
There’s a pause. Then a low, satisfied hum. “Not surprising. Céline’s always been loyal to whatever pays best. I thought you‘ d have more to say about Stone, though. After what he pulled with Emilia.”
“I don’t care,” I mutter, turning away from the glass. “She’s irrelevant.”
The silence that follows is pleased. I can hear the smile in their voice when they speak again. “Maybe we should hold off on the articles for a bit. It’s getting a bit boring now, isn’t it?”
The line goes dead before I can answer.
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When I get back to the suite, Becca’s on the bed, on a video call with Lolo and her nanny. Her face lights up when she sees me.
“Lolo, look–Daddy’s here! Zane, come say hi-”
“Busy.” I brush past and head straight for the balcony, sliding the door shut harder than I mean to.
Outside, the wind’s cooler. The sea below glitters, unbothered. I lean on the railing, jaw locked.
How long will it take, Calloway? How much more do I have to do before you finally see she’s nothing?
She’s not worth it, she’ll never be fucking worth it.
“Shit.”
TESSA
I know I’m screwed before I even check the caller ID.
But when I do, I take a deep breath, let the self–pity simmer, and force my voice into something that sounds like warmth. “Yes? Tessa speaking.”
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