Page 21 of Fake Out Forever

“Oh, honey, I’m fine. I promise. You kiss my nephews for me and tell them that Auntie Maya has tons of presents for them. I’ll be home soon. I love you, Sabrina. Don’t worry about me.”

“I love you, too. And I do worry. It’s my job as your older sister.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. Be careful, Maya.”

When she ends the call, I roll over to watch the snow fall through the window. I allow my thoughts to drift back to Cade and his spectacular chest. My eyes start to close when my phone rings again. I don’t bother to look at the screen.

“Sabrina, please stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”

“This isn’t Sabrina.”

The tone in the male voice makes my blood run cold.

“Father?” I bolt upright.

“Enjoy your little tryst, Maya. Make the most of it. But know this…”

I suck in a deep breath.

“You will never be in a relationship with the likes of Cade Wylie. It’s not what we have planned for you. You will marry Richard Stein on January eighteenth. We have the venue selected. The invitations have been sent. So, get it out of your system, Maya. Do what you will. But when you return home, there will be no mention of Cade Wylie. Do you understand?”

My body is vibrating in fear from head to toe. “Father…”

“Hush. Do you understand what I am saying to you?”

“Yes.”

The call goes dead.

And a part of my soul dies.

The weight of the world crushing my chest. As soon as this storm ends, my life will be over. I want to cry, to scream. But I can’t. I’m too numb.

My sister betrayed me. My father is forcing me to marry a horrible man for financial gains. My dream of building my own life, my own house will never come true. I’m trapped.

I squeeze my eyes shut, consumed by an overwhelming sense of dread.

If I ignore my father, I know what he’ll do. He won’t do anything to me. He’ll ruin Cade.

I won’t allow that to happen.

As soon as the storm is over, I will leave. If I’m lucky, I have two more days with him.

And I’m going to make every minute count.

11

MAYA

“Please, no more!” I drop off the couch onto the floor. “You have to stop! You’re killing me!”

“No can do, duchess.” Cade tickles me some more. “A bet is a bet.”

“Gahhhhh!” I wiggle like a worm, all the while loving the torture.

Yesterday was a good day, but today has been a spectacular one! While the snow continued to fall, we baked more cookies and made enough to leave out tonight for Santa. We watched two Christmas movies and ate a delicious Italian Christmas Eve dinner. Then we decided to have a Christmas trivia contest. I lost. But I won. Being tickled by a devilishly handsome Cade is not a bad thing.

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