I wanted to smack his cocky grin off his smug face. But I had enough fighting today to last me a lifetime. Instead I did my best to smile politely. I wanted to walk away, but he had me pinned between him and the window. The only way back to my plane was past him.

“You look like the island was good to you,” he commented, his eyes doing a once over. I instantly felt dirty.

“It was. Excuse me, I need to get back to my plane,” I replied, sidestepping him and walking away. I was already heart-sore and homesick. I didn't need another fight with Chad.

“Ava, please... please don't walk away from me,” he begged. “I just want to talk to you for a moment.?

?? For a second, I thought he might actually be human and feel regret, so I paused and instantly regretted it.

He took my hand in his, holding it up to his cheek. He was certainly handsome, but he lacked Bastian's charms. Where Bastian's eyes told me everything I wanted to know, Chad's were flat and deceptive. I had once believed those eyes, but now I knew better.

“I love you.” He said it like the words had meaning. Except I had heard him say those words every day before going off to bang Charity. They were just a leash to tie me to him.

“I don't want to hear this.” I tried to pull my hand back, but he held on tight.

“Ava, I want you back. I've missed you so much.” He fluttered his long lashes, doing his best to make me believe but failing. I had seen what it looked like when someone wanted me. Bastian had wanted me. Chad wanted something I had to offer, but it wasn't me.

“I don't believe you.” I wanted to get away from him.

“All our friends say how good we are together,” he tried again. “Please, just give me another chance.”

I ripped my hand from his grasp, stumbling back in the process and spilling what was left of my coffee on the floor. He was a liar. All his friends said we were good together. I had lost my friends when he came into my life. I realized that now. He had distanced me from anyone who would say anything ill about him.

“It's too late, Chad,” I snapped. He had broken something inside of me and I didn't want him touching me anymore. I wanted him to stop trying to make me forget the pain he had caused. I was never going back to him. “I'm seeing someone else.”

I had no idea what possessed me to say such a thing, especially to Chad. While it was partially true, it was such a juvenile comeback and I knew it carried almost no weight. Chad obviously wasn't too keen on exclusivity.

Chad laughed. It made my teeth stand on end. I hated his laugh. “It's a small town, Ava. I know you're not seeing anyone.”

“Who said it was in town?” I nearly clapped my hands over my mouth. I needed to stop talking. I needed to get back on my plane and run from Chad. He was nothing but bad news.

“Who then, Ava?” Chad's eyes widened and then narrowed. “The billionaire?” His laughter was cruel, contrasted with a beautiful face. “I don't believe you. I don't believe someone like that would even look once at you.”

Indignant tears welled up in my eyes. The insult stung far more than it should have. I knew I should have just stayed quiet. I should have just gone back to the plane and drowned my heartache in some of the rum the stewardess kept offering me.

“Shows what you know,” I hissed. I wanted to hit him. I needed to strike back at him somehow, so I said the first thing that popped into my mind. “I wouldn't go back to you if you were the last man on earth. I wouldn't go back to you to save the human species.”

I turned and stalked away, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop the blush now raging across my cheeks. The words sounded so stupid and immature now that I had said them, but I had needed to say something. Anything. He had hurt me and I had wanted to hurt him back, even if it was stupid.

“Ava!” Chad called, but I was running to my plane. I couldn't take any more of Chad and his backhanded insults.

“Miss?” The stewardess looked concerned. “Are you all right?”

“There is a man out there. Don't let him on the plane,” I said. I considered telling her that he was a terrorist, but I wasn't that cruel. Or stupid. Besides, he had a job to do. Bastian wouldn't appreciate having his auction short an auctioneer because I decided to unleash Homeland Security on my ex. “It's my ex.”

The stewardess nodded, knowingly and shut the door. I collapsed back into my oversized leather chair and stared out the window as I waited for the engines to start. I wanted to go home, but I wasn't sure where that was at the moment.

“I don't believe someone like that would even look once at you.”

Chad's words echoed in my mind, slashing my thoughts to pieces. I tried to push them away, but it only meant they cut deeper.

Who did I think I was, anyway? Falling for a billionaire? I shook my head and sunk lower into the chair. What in the world did someone like Bastian see in me?

I didn't have an answer and that made it worse. It was easy to see why someone would want to be with Bastian. He was smart and sophisticated, and even without the money he was a catch, but me? I wasn't sure if I was a catch. That was why I had left him.

The fact that Chad had come even close to my reasoning was frightening.

I sighed and crossed my arms. It was all moot anyway. I wasn't going to see him again. Even if I could somehow take back the words from this morning, I had no way to see him again. Bastian was now back in his world of billionaire private locations and security. I couldn't breach that world if I tried.

Tags: Krista Lakes Billionaires and Brides Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net