Page 95 of The Rebel Billionaire

Belatedly, I noticed that Lucas's jaw was set, his clear greeneyeshard.

That was Elizabeth for you. She had the unique talent of irritating anyone she spent more than ten seconds with. I hated her. I'd hated her since I was fifteen and she'd never given me a good reason to changemymind.

To Lucas, I said, "How long has she beenstandinghere?"

"She showed up halfway through your dance," he said through gritted teeth. "She's been filling me in on Harrison Kenmore and your brokenengagement."

"I'm sure," I said, taking my champagne from him and looping my hand throughhisarm.

I knew exactly what Elizabeth had been telling Lucas. That it was my fault Harrison and I had broken up, that I'd let my best opportunity for a decent marriage slip through my fingers, blah,blah,blah.

I'd heard it all before. I didn't need arepeat.

"Well?" Elizabeth said impatiently. "Why did Harrison ask you todance?"

"None of your business," I said. "Why don't you go pester someone else before I throw this champagne on you and you melt?" I said in the sweetest voice I couldmuster.

Elizabeth sent me an icy look. In one of my fits of teenage rebellion, I'd dumped a bucket of water over the balustrade at Winters House onto Elizabeth when she and Aiden were on their way to a benefit just likethisone.

Her filmy chiffon dress had not stood up well to the dunking. Neither had her makeup or her hair. In one glorious rush of cold water, she'd transformed from a movie star to a drowned rat. Aiden had grounded me for a month, but it had beenworthit.

"I've been getting to know your new boyfriend," she said, inclining her head towardLucas.

I tightened my arm around his, tucking myself into his side. The evening had started off promising, but in the past few minutes, the company left much to bedesired.

I scanned the crowd for rescue. None wasforthcoming.

Damn.

Looking up at Lucas, I said, "I'm sorry I danced with Harrison. He's an ass if he doesn't get his way. It was easier to dance with him than argueaboutit."

"What did he want?" Lucas asked in a quiet voice. We were both aware of Elizabeth listeningavidly.

"Nothing. Just adance."

Lucas narrowed his eyes at me. He knew I was lying. So didElizabeth.

"No," she said in that sharp, snotty voice she used when she was about to start telling me what to do. "He wants to get back together with you. Angela said she overheard him telling Brad that he wanted another shot now that you weren't distracted by thatcompany."

Lucas made a sound in the back of his throat I couldn't interpret. Whatever he was thinking, they weren't happythoughts.

I wished I were still fifteen and reckless enough to shove Elizabeth off her high horse, literally, and storm away. Sadly, my manners had improved in the last nineyears.

"I'm not interested," I said, not sure if I was talking to her or to Lucas. "I'd rather die alone than get back together with Harrison. He slept with half the country club when we were together, or don't yourememberthat?"

The last part was directed at Elizabeth. She sniffed and raised her chin, looking down at me with the haughty know-it-all expression I'd despised through myteens.

"If you'd been home taking care of him instead of wasting your time at the office, maybe you'd be married now instead of single, unemployed, and living inadump."

"Shut up," I hissed through my teeth. "You have no idea what you're talkingabout."

"I don't? I know Aiden tossed you out of the company. All those years of sacrifice for nothing. Now look at you." She eyed Lucas with a sneer. "He's certainly nice to look at, but you can't dress up a thug and parade him around like he'sourkind ofpeople."

I dropped Lucas's arm and raised my hand, so ready to slap her my palm itched for the sting of impact. Lucas grabbed my wrist, forcing my arm back tomyside.

"Not worth it, Princess," he said under hisbreath.

"Are you sure? I think it would be very worth it." Looking Elizabeth in the eye, I said, "Divorcing you is the smartest thing Aiden ever did. You were never good enough for him. You're a cold, manipulativebitch."