Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part Four (BWWM Romance Serial) by Mia Caldwell

second story broke. Go ahead and do what you were going to
do.”
    She was right. He had the clout and his plan would lessen
the scandal enough to make it possible for Jada to go home tomorrow. In good
conscience, he couldn’t withhold it because he didn’t want her to leave.
    “If you want,” he said. “I’ll start making my move tonight.
If everything goes properly, there will be press retractions by morning and the
public will lose interest before it’s time for the evening commute.”
    “Perfect. I have no doubt that’s exactly how it will go.”
    Normally, he would have taken pleasure in her certainty, her
faith in his abilities. This wasn’t a normal time, though. “There can always be
issues.” He paused. “To hell with it. I’m not going to make excuses and play
around with this.”
    Her eyes widened.
    “Don’t go,” he said. “Stay here with me at the lake house.
For a while. I thought we already had that settled, didn’t we? We were putting
our attraction on hold until the marriage license fiasco was straightened out,
and then you and I would ... move forward.”
    “Actually, you and my father decided that for me,” Jada
said. “I wanted to have sex with you last night, but you and Dad wanted to
protect me from I don’t know what. Myself? Whatever. I never agreed to wait.
You didn’t ask my opinion. You told me how it would be.”
    “I was being responsible, looking out for your best
interests.”
    “I told you this morning that I wasn’t going to let you run
me over anymore. Didn’t we already have this settled?”
    He was taken aback by the fierce way she mocked his earlier
question. “We did, yes. And I let you take the lead in the investigation
because of it. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
    “No, it’s not. I wanted you to do something other than
condescendingly let me take charge. You might have, oh I don’t know,
tried seeing who I actually am, and that I can’t be fooled by some macho
routine where you think it’s cute that the little lady is standing up for
herself. I could almost see what you were thinking, Ian.”
    “Why are you so angry? I thought I was doing what you
wanted.”
    Her look was grim. “No, you did what you wanted to do, and
that was placating me long enough to get me into bed. Shame on you!”
    Shame on him? Did she really just say that? He almost
laughed, it was so ludicrous. “That’s not at all what happened, or what I
thought. Where is this coming from? It’s been a long day. You’re tired and—”
    Jada stood, hands on hips, glowering down at him. “If you
know what’s good for you, you won’t finish that sentence. And because you have
some mental block about what’s happening, I’ll tell you why. I am not a tired,
cranky child who needs a damned nap. I won’t be talked down to. I’ve had enough
of that today, especially from you.”
    He knew better than to give an opponent the high ground. He
stood and stepped up to a higher step for an even greater height advantage. “If
you’re gunning for a fight, I’m happy to give it to you. Or we can be adults and
you can knock off the unreasonable accusations and—”
    “That’s it,” she said. “I’m done.” She stomped up the
stairs, heading toward the front door.
    Ian called after her. “I was giving you what you wanted. I
let you have your way! How is that a bad thing?”
    She stopped, her shoulders rising and falling as she took a
few deep breaths, as if calming herself. Then she turned around. Her tone was
restrained, verging on sad. “You have no idea what I want.”
    Something twisted in his stomach. He answered as gently as
he could. “Then tell me what it is.”
    “I never wanted my way, Ian. I wanted your respect.”
    “I do respect you,” he said.
     “Not how I want. I want you to respect me as a person, not
just as a future lover.”
    “I don’t understand what you mean by that.”
    “I know you don’t, and that’s why we won’t work together.
It’s