Page 13 of The Pucking Fake Marriage

For being the kind of girl who’d pine after the man who ruined her life.

When I open my eyes, I’ve come to a decision. I have enough control over my mind to do the right thing. And that’s how it’s going to go. If Ken asks about what happened in Las Vegas, I’ll deny it. And thenI’ll make sure that he never so much as touches me again.

It’s the only way.

Ken is looking at me. His eyes are notfilled with desire the way they were in Las Vegas. On the contrary, it’s difficult not to wither under his hard, merciless glare. I stare at him for a moment, confused, a part of me waiting for his accusation.

And then it hits me.

Ken had no idea that this restaurant was mine when he walked in here. He’d merely come to have dinner. It was a complete coincidence. All he’s pissed about is the fact that I’d left him high and dry in Las Vegas.

I’m woozy with relief. He hasnoidea. That’s good. Great, even.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I say, looking up at him. My words break the silence, and Ken’s friends shift fromfoot to foot. Evidently, they think it’s a bad idea to speak when Ken is in such a mood.

I disagree. Now that I’m reassured he knows nothing, I can finally force him into a place he belongs—my past.

Ken doesn’t break from staring at me reproachfully. He doesn’t speak, just stares. And even if I’ve summoned all the self-assurance I’ve got in this world, my knees still buckle.

Somehow, he’s taking my abandonment harder than I expected. Not just hard, even. He’s staring at me like he’s two inches from throttling me.

A full minute must’ve passed before he finally opens his mouth to speak. The restaurant is completely silent. Even Troy has stopped whimpering. And then…

“Iwillsee you around, Charlie.”

It’s not a request. Not even an order.

It’s a threat.

He knows where to find me now, and he’s going to keep coming.

Until I offer him amends for abandoning him in Las Vegas. The kind of amends he’s going to like.

The kindI’mgoing to like, too.

Damn.

For a moment, I wish he knew about the other thing.

I want to say something and challenge him, but there’s no time for that—not that I can figure out what to say, anyway. He turns and marches out, followed quickly by his bewildered friends.

My knees finally give way. I groan as my legs weaken, slipping from underneath me. Haley catches me before I hit the floor, or rather, Troy’s bleeding body.

“What the hell just happened?” she cries, her eyes wide. “YouknowKen? How do you…?” She stares into my white face. “He was so mad. Did you do something to him?”

Bile claws up my throat. I realize then that I can’t do this alone. If I’m going to get through this, I’m going to need to start relying on someone.

And there’s no better person than Haley.

I clutch her so tightly that she winces. “Haley,” I gasp, my voice coming out in a strangled whisper. “I need to tell you something.”

FOUR

THE LONG CON (CHARLIE)

“Youmarriedhim?”

It’s five hours later, and Haley is staring down at me as if I am insane. We’re back to our messy apartment in Point Breeze, a two-bedroom fifteen minutes away from our restaurant. We only have one oversized recliner, the kind that can only sit one person at a time. Which is good enough because Haley has been pacing since I fessed up.

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