Autumn’s heart was beating wildly against her chest, anxiety curling in the pit of her stomach. Ever since she’d made the decision to tell Balen how she felt, doubts and insecurity consumed her. Maybe she was reading too much into this, imagining something that wasn’t there. Could she do it? Could she open herself up to him? Did she trust Balen with her heart? Did she trust him to always be honest and to stay true to her?

As all these questions continued to assault her, there was one answer she was sure of… she would regret it if she didn’t at least take a chance on him and find out.

After turning off the shower, she quickly dried and changed into her yoga pants and tank top. She glanced out the window as she combed through her hair and was surprised to find Balen gone. Maybe he was in the kitchen. At the thought, a smile tugged her lips. He’d make a breakfast-lover out of her yet.

Setting the brush on the counter, she opened the bedroom door and stepped in a puddle of water. What the hell? And then she heard it, the shower running down the hall in another bedroom. Was Balen showering? Why hadn’t he come in and joined her?

A niggle of unease rippled through her. His words on the beach last night returned to haunt her, feeding her insecurity. Autumn, we need to talk… Before her doubt and anxiety had a chance to fester, the doorbell rang.

Autumn went to answer it, but before she could reach the door, the ringing turned into persistent knocking. She opened the door and was shocked to find a stunning redhead standing on the front step. The woman appeared equally surprised to see her, but that startled look quickly morphed into anger as she took in Autumn’s wet hair and braless state. She knew this looked bad, and what the woman must think. Crap. She didn’t want her getting the wrong idea.

“Well…if it isn’t the woman of the hour. Or the minute, the second, whatever.”

Ignoring the snarky greeting, Autumn painted on her warmest smile and held out her hand, introducing herself. “Hi, I’m Autumn. You must be looking for Connor. I’m sorry, but he isn’t here right now.”

The last thing she wanted was to get Balen’s brother in hot water with his girlfriend. Maybe it was a leap to assume they were involved, but by the death glare this woman was giving her, she had “jealous girlfriend” written all over her beautiful face. A face that oddly bore a striking resemblance to her own. Strange…

Autumn’s gut dropped as the woman’s eyes connected and locked on hers, the flicker of disbelief crossing her face made her wonder if she wasn’t having the same thoughts.

Autumn’s extended hand went untouched.

“Why would I be here to see Conner?” she snapped venomously.

Wow, this woman was a raging bitch. Seriously. “Because this is his house…” Autumn replied, having a hard time not returning the sarcastic bite.

A bark of laughter erupted from her that would have made the wicked witch envious. “No, it’s not. Who the hell told you that? This is Balen’s house.”

What? Autumn’s heart stuttered inside her chest and then skidded to a stop as her mind raced to catch up with what this woman was saying.

“He didn’t tell you?” The redhead’s caustic laugh was like barbs burrowing into Autumn’s flesh. Her face must have betrayed her confusion, because the laughter grew sharper, meaner.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Balen’s deep voice rang out behind Autumn, startling her. She spun around in time to see him approaching; his determined stride eating up the marble floor. She’d never seen fury flashing in his amber eyes. Combined with the sheer size of him, Balen Kroft was an intimidating man when he was pissed off. But the woman in the doorway seemed completely unfazed by his anger.

“My God, Balen, she looks just like me. Couldn’t you have at least changed it up a little bit? Think you can replace me that easily, huh? A new and improved version? Is that it?”

“That’s enough, Monica,” Balen growled, visibly tensing.

Monica? This is Monica? Balen’s Monica? She was going to be sick. Nausea churned in the pit of her stomach, bile burning the back of her throat.

“So this is her? My replacement?”

And she might as well have been. The similarities between them were eerie. Autumn’s hair was a shade or two darker, and she had a few more pounds on the statuesque woman. Her predecessor may have had some help of surgical enhancement, but all in all, measuring herself against the competition, Autumn felt like the Great Value version of the irate beauty.

“You were supposed to be on a plane out of here two days ago. You need to leave, right now!”

But his threat fell on deaf ears. Tears filled the woman’s eyes, and for a split second, Autumn thought she was going to cry. Then she swayed, her hand shooting out to steady herself on the doorframe. “Christ, Monica, you’re drunk…”

“Are you taking her to Nationals?”

Autumn had no idea what the woman was talking about. Again, Autumn’s confusion must have shone on her face, because through her tears, Monica’s smile widened to a malicious flash of straight, white teeth. “Look at her. She has no idea what I’m talking about. She doesn’t know who you are, does she? Holy shit, you haven’t told her? God, Balen, you’re such a fucking hypocrite, you know that?”

Balen bolted past Autumn and out the front door, grabbing Monica’s arm. “That’s it. You’re leaving.”

His low warning growl made the fine hairs on the back of Autumn’s neck tingle. Or maybe it was the words shot at her like poison darts as Balen manhandled Monica, marching her down the steps. She stumbled along, yelling over her shoulder, “He’s been lying to you, sweetheart! He doesn’t care about you! He’ll use you and toss you out like the trash you are! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

“Where’s your car?” Balen snarled from the lawn as he dragged her toward the driveway.

“I got a cab. Oww, Balen, you’re hurting my arm.”

“Fuck!” he snarled, dragging her toward the Jeep. “You’re leaving if I have to put you on a goddamn plane myself.”

He unceremoniously dumped the woman in the front passenger seat and marched around the front of the vehicle. He stopped before getting into the driver seat, as if just now remembering Autumn was standing in the doorway. When he turned to look at her, regret flashed in his eyes. “Wait for me here. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He didn’t give her time to respond. Instead, Balen climbed into the Jeep, fired up the engine, and tore out of the driveway. The tires squealed as he backed onto the road and then slammed on the brakes. The SUV lurched, the engine roared, and the tires once again protested the abuse. Seconds later, Autumn was still standing in the doorway. It took her several more before her brain finally engaged her feet, and a few more after that before her heart started beating again. The pain in her chest was crushing.

Balen had lied to her and not just once. This was his house. Why had he let her believe he was an unemployed beach-bum? She felt like a fool. Monica’s mocking laughter echoed repeatedly in her mind. She doesn’t know who you are, does she…?

No, she didn’t. But Autumn was about to find out. Slamming the door, she marched back to the bedroom and snagged her cell off the bed. Autumn’s hands were shaking as she opened her internet browser then typed Balen Kroft into the search engine. Page after page popped up, filling her screen with photos and articles. She opened the first one, a Wikipedia site.

Balen Kroft, age 25, three-time National Champion of the World Surfing League, two-time champion in the Titans of Mavericks and official spokesman for Red Bull sports drink, V3 Rocket, and Mr. Zog’s Sex Wax…

Net worth, thirteen million… Oh my God. Those were the only words her mind could form as she speed-read through the article. By the time she’d finished, shock had given way to fury. He lied to me.

Autumn closed the page and opened the next one. It was a BuzzFeed article dated yesterday. The headline read: From Sex Tape to Sweetheart. Is Kroft for Real? Below the heading was a picture—of her! “Oh my God…” Autumn’s heart dropped into her stomach as she stared of the image of her and Balen having dinner. The picture was from the first night she’d gotten to the island. Who had taken this? Was it a setup? Nausea churned in her gut as she read on…

Can Balen Kroft clean up his act and save his career? It’s no secret in the surfing community that Kroft is a bit of a wild child. But as recent allegations of a sex tape scandal hit the media, many fans and sponsors are left wondering, has he gone too far this time? Earlier this week, I sat down with Kroft’s agent, Bradford Billings, for a full-disclosure interview where he tackled this and many other tough questions.

Through her blur of tears, she read the interview, learning more about Balen Kroft than she ever wanted to know. Her heart ached, the tightness in her chest growing so unbearable it was difficult to breathe. When the air finally left her lungs, it was a shuddering sob. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she discovered the things Balen had done, the trouble he’d gotten into with his sponsors as a result of countless indiscretions. It was all an act. As the realization hit her, Autumn’s stomach pitched. The effort he was making to clean up his image and save his contracts... This was it. This was the reason he’d been with her—to improve his image and save his career. God, it all made sense now. Why he’d lied to her about who he was. He knew she’d never go along with it. It never would have been believable. Swallowing past the emotion lodged in her throat, Autumn studied the pictures of her and Balen together. Photos he’d taken under the guise of helping her fill her scrapbook. He lied to me… He was using me this whole time!

Oh God… She had to get out of here. Another sob broke from her throat as she frantically searched the room for her shoes. After finding one in the corner and one under the bed, she slipped them on and ran out of the room. She was headed down the hall when the front door slammed. Balen. She couldn’t see him now—not after what he did.

“Hey, Bay! You home?”

Autumn skidded to a stop in the hall and was about to race back into the bedroom to make her escape out the French doors when Balen’s brother came around the corner, catching her in the hall. He took one look at her tear-stained face and his hands flew up like he was under arrest. “Hey, whoa… Autumn, isn’t it?”

She nodded, wiping at her cheeks.

“What the hell’s going on? Are you all right? Where’s Balen?”

No, she wasn’t all right. She needed to get out of here. Now. “I need…” her voice hitched in a hiccupping sob. Taking a deep breath to steady her ragged breathing, she tried again. “I need to leave. Can you…” Deep breath. “Can you please…take me…back to…my villa?”

Connor’s gaze shot past her shoulder. “Where’s Balen?” he asked again, his tone cautiously laced with concern.

“He had to leave. I need a ride or…the number for a cab…please. I can’t…stay here.”

She knew Connor wanted a better explanation, but it was the only one she could manage without breaking down. Maybe he realized that too, because a moment later, he nodded his head toward the door. “Car’s in the driveway.”

She followed Connor out and he pulled his cell from his pocket as he descended the steps, beating feet to the SUV parked in the driveway. The phone was to his ear as he opened the car door and climbed into the Hummer. Autumn had a little trouble boosting herself into the front passenger seat. When she finally got in, she heard Connor barking into his cell, “I don’t know where the hell you are, or what you’re doing, but you had better call me back. Now.”

He disconnected the call and tossed his cell into a cup holder. Connor started the engine, placed his hand on the gear-shift, but then stopped to look at her before putting the SUV into reverse. She prayed he wasn’t having second thoughts about taking her to the villa.

“Look, I know it’s probably none of my business, and you don’t have to tell me what happened if you don’t want to, but I at least need to know that you’re okay before I take you somewhere and just leave you there. Are you hurt?”

She wiped at the fresh wave of tears pouring down her cheeks and shook her head.

Connor continued to watch her another moment or two, then, as if decided, nodded. “All right then.”