Page 55 of Fire of the Fox

“I wasn’t actually going to do anything,” he said.

I glanced at him as his words sliced into me.

He had just finished pulling up his pants over light blue boxers, and I noticed he looked human once again. He looked over at me, his mask suddenly back on, hiding whatever emotions had previously been there. “I was seeing something, I guess.”

Yup. He was totally onto me.

“Besides,” he continued, “I don’t sleep with virgins, which you are. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for taking that or worrying about being gentle. Don’t worry. You and I are still strictly business.”

Closing my eyes, I shook my head and sat up on the edge of the bed. His words left me feeling like a balloon that had lost all its air. The fact that he didn’t want me like that shouldn’t bother me. This was strictly professional between us. I knew that. Sadly, my heart decided it didn’t care.

Even more gut-wrenching was him using this tantalizing moment only to see if his hunch was right. It wasn’t because he enjoyed his skin on mine or because he enjoyed seeing how I reacted to his touch. It was all for the sake of seeing if I’d give in to the temptation and cross that “just business” line. I wanted to be sick just thinking about him realizing there was more to this for me. If I couldn’t keep things professional and stoic the way he wanted, he’d get rid of me. He could decide to take back the deal, and in turn, rip away my chances at getting my money for Italy. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let him know I was falling for him.

I decided to ignore the last part of what he said since there was nothing I could say to that without giving him the wrong idea and further risking my chances of staying on his good side. Instead I went with, “You shouldn’t mess with people like that.”

“Why?” he asked, watching me. “It’s not like this relationship means anything to either of us.”

A wave of disappointment overtook me. If it hadn’t been obvious before, that should’ve made it. This meant nothing to him. I was here for one purpose and one purpose only: to be Rune’s fake girlfriend. Nothing more. His words were a bitter reminder that my feelings were futile.

“You’re right. It means absolutely nothing.” I shot to my feet and marched to the door. Flinging it open, I headed into the living room without looking back.

Chapter Twenty-Three

AKIRA AND BASSEL sat on opposite ends of the couch, watching the TV. Marlow was lying on the floor between the TV and coffee table. He stared up at the ceiling as he whispered the word rain in a chant-like fashion.

When Akira saw me, he smiled until he read something on my face that I was trying desperately to hide. Embarrassment. Anger. Disappointment. Sadness. I was a tangled ball of emotions with a shitty poker face.

“Bria, sweetie. What’s wrong?” Akira asked, getting up from the couch to guide me next to him on the loveseat.

Shaking my head, I put on a happy face and sighed. “He’s a lot to deal with sometimes. That’s all.”

“Do you want me to beat his ass?” Bassel asked.

I laughed. “That’s definitely a tempting idea, but no. It’ll be okay.”

“What did he do? Or should I say what did he do this time?” Akira asked, giving me a pointed look.

I shrugged, not wanting to talk about whatever it was that just happened between us. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Before they could respond, Rune walked in. I didn’t look at him as he sat down across from me in the high-backed chair. My eyes were transfixed on the window, watching the sky turn gray as the clouds flooded it with a promise of rain.

Akira glared at Rune as he offered me a warm mug of coffee and a cookie. After he took some for himself too, he set the plate back on the coffee table and said, “Rune, didn’t you have some stuff that you wanted to go over with everyone here?”

He nodded. “A few things. First, I finally talked with Ardley. He’s in on what’s really going on, so he’ll act as an ally over there. He’s also going to vouch for us and pretend he’s met Bria and me for get-togethers before. He’s already making up stories to feed his parents about Bria, which will no doubt get to my mother eventually.”

The idea of Myra and the rest of Rune’s family already knowing about me was enough to make me want to rock in a dark corner. It made this feel real, more so now than ever. But it was also a good idea. Showing up randomly without them ever hearing about me would surely cause some suspicion. Ardley was doing us a favor.

“Sweet,” Bassel cooed. “Even better since it’s technically not a lie, either.”

Ears perking up, I turned to Bassel with a curious brow raised. “What’s not a lie?”

Those were lies. We hadn’t met Ardley for any get-togethers, so how was it technically not a lie that we’d met him?

“Bassel,” Rune warned.

Glaring at Rune, I repeated, “What’s not a lie?”

“Anyway,” Rune started, completely ignoring me. “Next we need to decide how long Bria and I have been together, as well as how we met. You know my family will ask questions like that.”

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