The Consequence of Revenge

“Okay.” Reid still looked nervous. He kept licking his lips and rocking back and forth on his heels, but I didn’t have time to worry about it. The rest of the camera crew swept in. Soon Becca was gone and I was getting ready to reject a few women and accept the one I wanted.

Life couldn’t be better. What could possibly go wrong?

Hours went by and finally it was time. The mood was set. Torches lit the walkway to the small hut where I was waiting. Each girl would walk down the aisle, wedding style, and offer me a bouquet. If I took the bouquet that meant she was the one. If I rejected the bouquet she was escorted off.

Each girl had left me a video to watch in which she pleaded her case to me.

And each video left me bored.

Until I reached Becca.

And saw a tear slide down her cheek as she said these past few weeks had been the best weeks of her life.

I couldn’t wait to get off the damn island and spend more time with her.

One by one, the girls walked down the aisle.

Cat and Sammy came first; both of them looked beautiful. I had a brief moment where I was thankful I’d met them—but it was brief, short-lived.

As promised, I rejected each one. Sam laughed while Cat cried, and I was half-tempted to purr in her direction and see if she hissed back. I restrained myself, just barely.

The other two cursed me out.

The fourth one looked up at me with hate-filled eyes, then made a cutting motion across her throat and whispered the word machete. Pretty sure that was a death threat.

“Let’s go.” One of the producers pulled her aside. The girl wasn’t willing to go without a fight. She kicked him in the shin, then lunged for me.

Reid went to help and got punched in the eye, but eventually, the last crazy was escorted away, leaving me with the one I really wanted.

Becca.

She slowly walked up the aisle. Her floor-length white dress shimmered in the moonlight, looking like a second skin. It draped across her body like the softest of silk, leaving a small train in the back. When she reached me, I placed my hand on the small of her back and felt nothing but skin. Backless. Thank God, I was going to make her twirl for hours in that damn thing.

“Max”—Becca grinned—“will you accept my bouquet?”

“You make it yourself?” I teased as cameras leaned in from all angles.

“Of course, I even put in a few weeds—I know how you love those.”

“As long as you didn’t hide Hades or a few cats in there I think we’ll be good.” I winked and kissed her softly on the mouth. “And yes, I’ll accept the bouquet.”

I expected music. I expected Rex to start clapping and say something like “That’s a wrap.” Instead nothing.

I looked up as Rex made his way toward us, dressed in a tux. Once he reached the front of the aisle he clasped his hands together. “Now that Becca is officially the last one standing, we’ll take a brief moment to show the viewers the votes.”

“Votes?” My eyes narrowed.

“Of course!” Rex laughed heartily. “Voting starts once we air the first episode, tonight. Viewers vote on who they think you’ll end up with. It doesn’t decide the show but it’s a way to get our viewers involved. By the time this airs, we’ll have live votes to report.” He checked his watch as if to confirm the time and then looked back at the cameras.

“But how would they even know? Based off a few dates?” I scratched my head.

“That”—Rex nodded—“and the hidden cameras.”

“Hidden . . .” I swallowed. “Cameras?”

Rex shrugged innocently. “It specifically says in both of your contracts that you refuse the right of privacy unless you’re using the toilet. We had cameras in every hut, every post, every square inch of the property.”

Becca paled and gripped my hand.

Rex kept talking. “Really, Max, you should have known, you initialed that part of the contract. Didn’t you read it?”

My teeth ground together. “Clearly not well enough.”

Becca’s eyes welled with tears. Shit.

“So, most likely they’ll vote for Becca. I mean, you were alone in that hut how many times? Don’t worry, we censored most of it. This is a family show, after all.”

I was going to kill Rex. I was going to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze.

“Now”—Rex motioned to the cameras as one of the men started the countdown and called for action—“this season we’re offering a different type of prize. The contestants have been told they can choose the money, the man, or both. But what they don’t know is, there’s a twist.”

“Lovely,” I whispered under my breath.

“After all”—Rex looked directly into the camera to my left—“how do we know the love is real? Is it love? Or is it lust mixed with greed? Becca—” Rex held out his hand. “Come here, my dear.”

Becca released my hand and stepped in front of Rex. Her entire body was trembling.

“Your choice . . .” Rex pointed to me just as Reid came out from the hut with a giant check in Becca’s name. “Do you choose Max? Or the money?”

A quarter of a million dollars or me? What sane person would choose me? Regardless of my money? Had I given her enough reasons to trust me? To trust me to take care of her?

“I—” Becca looked back and forth between me and the money. The more she hesitated the more my heart shattered. I tried to look at it in a logical way. I had money; I never had to worry about paying bills. Becca didn’t, but she should trust me, right? I could take care of her, I wanted to.