The Billionaire’s Bride by L. Steele

8

Ava

"Choose?" I swallow. "You’ll let me choose?" My heartbeat ratchets up. I stare between them. They can’t mean what I think they do. "Really?"

Edward smirks. "We mean, we’ll let you choose how to set up a schedule to spend time with us."

"Oh." My muscles relax. What the hell? Guess I am not ready to let either of them go…yet. What does that say about me?

"A schedule?"

Baron nods. "You pick a time to meet each of us, separately."

"This way, you get to know both of us…individually," Edward adds.

"It will give you more information to base your final decision on." Baron’s features close and his gaze intensifies. No doubt, he thinks the final decision will be in his favor. He wants it to be in his favor.

And if it isn’t? What will he do then? How hurt will he be? And it’s inevitable that someone will be, right? At some point, I’ll have to choose one of them. And the other one, whoever it is, will be upset and angry, and likely, never forgive me. Likely, this would end their friendship too. One forged in such difficult circumstances that it should be able to weather anything.

But this…this is so personal, so emotional. Will the two of them be able to get through it? Would they be able to see past whoever is the inevitable winner and understand it’s for the best? And if they can’t? If they stop being friends, if they hate themselves…more than what they do now, will I be able to forgive myself?

"This…" I jump up to my feet, "I can’t do this."

"What do you mean?" Baron snaps.

"It’s because of me that the two of you are pitted against each other. I don’t want to come between the two of you."

"Trust me…the disagreement between us existed prior to your coming into the picture." Edward smirks.

"That’s not how it seems to me." I fold my arms around my waist. "The seven of you are supposed to be friends, right? At least, from what I’ve heard from the girls, you guys stick together. You have each other’s backs."

They both nod.

"So, imagine how it seems to me when I see the two of you hating each other… Thanks to me."

"We don’t hate each other," Baron murmurs.

I chuckle. "Sure could have fooled me."

"We just have too much stuff from the past between us." Edward leans forward. "It means our friendship will always be fraught with…tension."

"But it doesn’t feel right that, ultimately, one of you is going to lose."

They both freeze.

"Or didn’t you realize that?" I roll my eyes. "How did you think this was going to end? The three of us becoming one big happy family? I mean, I am going to have to choose, right?"

They stare at each other, anger evident on both of their features.

"This is what I mean," I snarl. "One of you is going to lose. And both of you hate to lose. One of you is going to end up hating the other. Your friendship will be over, thanks to me. You won’t be the Seven any longer." I rake my fingers through my hair. "How do you think that’s going to make me feel?"

"Slow down, Eve," Edward cautions, "you’re getting ahead of yourself."

Baron glances from him to me, "He’s right…on this." He rubs the back of his neck. "Let’s take it one day at a time. You don’t know how or where this is going to end up. We are both mature enough to realize that one of us is going to get the girl." He winces, "And of course, I want it to be me."

Edward glares at him and raises his hand. "I mean, we are both sensible enough to realize that one of us is going to emerge the victor. Besides," he kicks out his legs, "fact is, we’d rather you choose one of us than someone else."

Baron stiffens, then nods. "For once, he’s talking sense," he mutters. "If… When you are ready to choose, it will, hopefully, be one of us."

"You are okay with that?" I scowl.

"Not exactly," Baron’s lips twist, "but if this means I am, at least, in the running to be with you, then well… It gives me hope, and I’d rather have that…than lose you."

"Agreed." Edward strokes his chin. "As long as I know that there is a possibility that I get to be with you…it gives me a fighting chance. And fight for you, I will."

"I am not giving up easily, Eve," Baron rumbles. His features soften. "You know, I’ll do anything for you… If it means I need to put up with—" he stabs his thumb in Edward’s direction, "so be it."

I scowl at him, "You sure about this?"

"No, I am not." His scowl deepens.

When I stare at him, he raises his hands. "I mean, of course, I don’t want to share you, but if it means, at the end of this, I have a chance of having you to myself, then," he raises his shoulders, "fair enough. It’s worth a shot."

I blink between them. "You guys okay to shake on that?"

Baron’s jaw hardens. "No," he snaps.

"Nope." Edward sets his lips.

I blow out a breath, "And you guys think this is going to work?"

"We’ll make it work." Baron’s features firm. "We have to."

"You bet; we’ll make sure it does." Edward squares his shoulders. "Though I must warn you," he glances between me and Baron, "I am going to pull out all the stops." He narrows his gaze on Baron. "I haven’t come this far to lose."

"Save the speech, Chase." Baron yawns, "By the time I’m done, you’ll wish you had cut your losses and run."