“Hugh,” she breathed.

She shook her head. How is this happening? He had all but said he wanted to marry her. Besides the fact that he was already married, she was only fucking eighteen years old. This couldn’t be real.

“I just…”

“Let me put it on for you.”

“Wait,” she said.

She put her hand out and touched the necklace. She couldn’t do this. She had thought this was what she wanted. She had thought all the glitz and glamour would make up for what had happened with Jude. He had created her, and she had let herself fall into this trap. But by letting Hugh think I love him, am I any better than Jude in the end?

She didn’t want to lead Hugh on. When it had been fun and carefree, she had assumed they were both on the same page. But this wasn’t a game. This was someone’s life. And it had lost its luster. She no longer wanted to be the person Jude had created.

“What? What is it?” he asked with so much concern in his voice.

“I don’t think I can do this. I don’t get where you think this is headed.” She looked up into his eyes. “I mean…you’re married.”

Hugh’s shock was evident. He snapped the box closed, nearly biting into her hand, before she snatched it away.

“What are you talking about? I’m not married!”

BRYNA’S JAW DROPPED. “What?”

“Why would you think that?”

“I…I don’t know.”

She really didn’t. She had thought Hugh was like Jude and that everything was the same. But after his confession of love for her and this new revelation that he wasn’t actually married, she was scrambling to find a reason for her actions.

Hugh’s expression only darkened further. “Did you believe this whole time that this was acceptable behavior for a married man? Did you think I’d sleep with you and tell you I love you if I were with someone else?”

Bryna opened and closed her mouth, unable to form words. She had thought those things. She had thought them the whole time. It hadn’t even bothered her even though she knew it should have.

“Well? Is this what you think of me? You believe I would deceive you so thoroughly…and my wife at that.” He shook his head. His anger had gone from simmer to full boil in under a minute.

“No. I don’t know. It…wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been with someone like that,” she whispered.

His narrowed eyes and clenched jaw told her that was the exact wrong thing to say. Fuck.

“So, you’ve done this before?”

“I…” She swallowed and tried to hold herself up. She couldn’t believe this was spiraling. “I didn’t do it intentionally.”

“But this was intentional with me?”

Bryna cringed. It had been intentional. She had plotted their relationship out with practiced precision from the get-go.

“Christ, it was.”

“Hugh…”

“No.” He held his hand up to silence her.

She clamped her mouth shut.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. I thought, with your past, who your father is, your previous relationship with Gates Hartman, your trust fund—”

“You know about my trust fund?” she asked in shock. This sounded like he had done more than a background check.

“I told you, I covered my bases. I didn’t want to be made a fool of.” He stared at her, plainly stating she was making a fool of him at the present moment. “What did you expect to happen, Bryna? I screened you. Our first few dates were to ensure this wouldn’t happen. It seems that being around actors much of your life has made you a pretty adept one. Do you even care about me?”

And there it was. Under all the anger and carefully controlled businessman facade, the hurt was showing through.

“Yes,” she said, her voice wobbling.

“But you don’t love me?”

“No,” she whispered.

He looked as if she had slapped him. “How could you, when you thought I was cheating on my wife to be with you?”

His question was rhetorical, and she kept her mouth closed. She didn’t want to do any more damage.

He tore away from her, walking the length of the balcony in a fury before returning to her. His hands were fisted at his sides. “I don’t understand. We’re in Barcelona together. I’ve brought you halfway around the world. I’ve introduced you to all my business associates. I put you on fucking television at my side!” he yelled. “Didn’t you think more people would be concerned about my actions? Didn’t all the signs point to me being available? And why the hell didn’t you say something?”

His desperation ripped through her.

“I don’t know. I…thought everyone was in on it.” As soon as the words had left her mouth, she realized how bad it made her sound.

“Yes, they’re all in on it,” he said coldly. “Because my wife is dead.”

Bryna covered her mouth. Good God, what the hell is wrong with me?

“If you had done your research as I had, you would know she died nearly five years ago.”

“I’m…I’m so sorry.”

“Yes. Well,” he said, waving away her pity, “I thought I was moving on.”

“With me,” she whispered. She truly felt like a horrible person.

“Yes, with you! I’ve given you the world, and you’ve spit in my face,” he exploded. He ground his teeth together, trying to restrain himself. “Have you been with others while we’ve been together?”

Bryna looked away, not wanting him to see the guilt in her eyes. She had finished things with Andrew before sleeping with Hugh. But she’d kissed Eric three times since then. She might have only initiated it once, but she had wanted more. She would have done more if things had been different.

“Christ,” he said, stumbling back a step. “You have, haven’t you?”

“No! No. I haven’t slept with anyone.”

“Then, what did you have to think about?” He didn’t let her answer before barreling forward. “Is this why you came to see me in Atlantic City? Is that why you were upset? Were you with someone else?”

“I was upset about my friends, like I told you. One of them is a guy, but we were never together. Actually, I thought he was gay up to that point.”

Hugh grabbed his hair in frustration. “I don’t know what to say about any of this. I thought we were working toward something. Now, I’m terrified to find out what you wanted from me if you didn’t love me.”

Bryna looked away.

“Was it the money?” he spat in disgust. “I’ve had people want me for it before, but I thought you were different.”

She couldn’t respond. At first, it had been the game to have the power, to have the thrill of someone showering her with goodies like Jude had. But then, over time, it had gotten worse. She’d wanted more. She’d basked in the rush of getting everything. But it wasn’t just the money. She had cared for him. She had thought they had an agreement. She had thought he knew what he was getting into. Now, this…

“Say something!”

“No! It wasn’t just the money. It was you, too…I liked being with you, too.”

“Not just the money,” he murmured, stunned.

She covered her face with her hands and took a steadying breath. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Sir,” someone called, interrupting their argument, “it’s time for your speech.”

“I’ll just be a minute,” he said, not turning around. His eyes were hard. “When I get back…you should figure out exactly what you do mean.”

Hugh left her alone on the balcony. The door closed behind him.

“Fuck!” she yelled into the silence.

She closed her eyes and tried to piece herself back together. Things hadn’t just spiraled out of control with her accusation about him being married. It had plummeted to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.