Page 109 of Power Play

I’ve never been a fixer, but this situation is making me want to be the ultimate problem solver. She shouldn’t look so upset. She shouldn’t look so mad at the world. She’s sunshine and happiness and everything good in the world.

Not… not whatever the fuck this is.

“Stay. Married.” Piper says each word slowly and frowns. “Why would we stay married when you just yelled at me because?—”

“Youyelledat her?” Hudson asks. He rises to his feet and towers over me. “I know you’re pissed about this but that doesn’t give you the fucking right to?—”

“I didn’tyell,” I grind out, standing and matching his stance. “I’d never yell at her. I was frustrated and raised my voice. I didn’t fuckingyell. I would never do anything that made her?—”

“Both of you are yelling right now and you need to stop. Sitdown,” Piper snaps, and we drop to our seats. “Liam, there’s no logical reason for us to stay married. I know we’re pretending to date for Alana’s wedding, but that doesn’t mean we have to?—”

“Hang on,” Hudson interrupts. “You two are going to pretend to date for a wedding? What the hell is that about?”

Piper finally looks at me. She subtly shakes her head, and I understand what she’s saying.

“It’s a long story,” I grumble. “And you’re never going to hear it.”

“You’re allowed to have your secrets. I won’t pry. As for this whole wedding debacle, there are two options here. You call your lawyers and they’ll get the annulment going. It’s very clear neither one of you was of sound mind, so it shouldn’t be hard tojustify the dissolution of the marriage. The other option, like I said, is staying married.”

“And what would be the benefit of that?” Piper asks.

“My health insurance,” I blurt, and for the first time since I woke up, I finally feel like I can think straight. “Our insurance is lightyears better than yours.”

She blinks. “Why would I want to be on your insurance? That’s not logical enough of a reason to stay married.”

“Migraine medication. Access to doctors who can help you diagnose and treat. Chiropractors. Acupuncturists. Massages. It’s all covered under our plan. And if it’s not, I can pay out of pocket for it.”

“Absolutely not. I’m not going to be indebted to someone because they want to pay for some of my medical work.”

“Helping someone because you’re able to doesn’t mean they’ll be indebted to you. It’s the right fucking thing to do,” I say, furious she’s lived a life where she’s had to repay someone because they were nice. “And think about it, Piper. We’re already keeping up this charade for my family. It’s not like it’s going to be a major inconvenience.”

“So, what, I’ll live with you? Introduce you as my husband?” She bursts out laughing and touches the ring on her finger, sobering just as quick. “I don’t want my next marriage to be a sham, Liam. I want it to be because I love the person. Because they love me. Because we want to spend the rest of our lives together, not because we were intoxicated. That’s not us. You’ve said yourself you don’t want a relationship. Why burden yourself with something so unnecessary?”

“I’m going to side with Liam on this,” Hudson says gently. “You’ve been through a tough legal battle, Piper, but this seems like something you could benefit from. You set an end date—the end of this season, the end of next season, whatever you decide. After you get what you can out of it, you go your own way.”

“I need to think about it.” Piper gnaws on her bottom lip. She wrings her hands together and stares at the floor. “This is a lot to digest when I feel like crap.”

The look Hudson shoots me from across the living room says to keep my mouth shut and not protest.

So I don’t.

“Thinking it over is a good idea,” he agrees, looking between us one more time. “If you two are good, I need to make sure the rest of the team is alive.”

“Yeah, go.” Piper tucks her chin. “Thank you for coming by and explaining everything to us. I think it goes without saying we’re going to keep this between the three of us for the time being, right?”

“My lips are sealed,” Hudson promises.

“I’m, uh, going to go too. I’ll give you some space,” I say. I don’t want to leave like this, but I know it’s for the best. “I’m really sorry for what I said, Piper.”

“Thank you,” she mumbles.

Hudson waits for me to grab my stuff. When we’re out in the hall, I groan.

“This is the worst day of my life.”

“You’ll figure out a solution.”

“Happy fucking New Year, right?”

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