Page 53 of Pretend You're Mine

He watched me intently, as if he could see the battle raging inside. “Just let go, Creed. Trust me.”

His words washed over me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt the tight grip on my heart begin to loosen. I exhaled slowly, and as I did, I leaned closer, closing the distance between us, the pulse of my heartbeat in my ears.

And then, with a sudden rush, I closed the gap. Our lips met softly, tentatively, a hesitant exploration, like we were rediscovering each other. Avery’s warmth enveloped me, pulling me in, and I found myself melting into him. The kiss deepened, transforming uncertainty into something beautiful, igniting a fire that had long been buried beneath layers of shame and regret.

When we finally broke apart, breathless, I looked into his eyes, searching for affirmation. “I love you, Creed.” His words were a gentle caress, brushing against my heart and filling the empty spaces I thought would remain forever void.

A rush of warmth flooded my chest. “I love you too,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper, but the sincerity behind it echoed louder than any battle cry I’d ever heard.

In that moment, the shadows of my past began to fade, replaced by the light of something new—something worth fighting for.

CHAPTER 33

AVERY

I sat on the couch in my apartment, watching the Chicago skyline stretch into the early evening. I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was. Creed and I had found something real between us—something I’d never experienced before. For the first time in my life, I felt truly at peace. Safe. Loved. It was everything I’d longed for but never thought I’d have.

But despite that sense of fulfillment, there was still something gnawing at my conscience. When I’d left Michigan the last time, I’d done it under a cloak of silence, slipping back into Chicago without resolving anything with my family. That unfinished business had lingered like a shadow ever since.

Driving back just for one conversation didn’t make much sense, though. The trip was too long for a single showdown, so I decided to make a call instead. It was time to confront the ghosts I’d left behind.

With a deep breath, I dialed my mother’s number. The phone rang twice before she picked up. “Avery, my dear!”

“Hello, Mother.” My voice steady, though my pulse quickened.

“I’m so glad you came to your senses,” she gushed, her tone filled with motherly pride. “When Becca told me that Creed wasjust a fake boyfriend, I was so relieved! You know what they say—everything works for good to those who serve the Lord. Now you can finally look for a suitable partner to settle down with. I know?—”

“Mother,” I interrupted, feeling the familiar tension tightening in my chest. Suddenly, I caught the low murmur of voices—voices I recognized all too well.

My jaw tightened. “Can you switch to video? I think it’s time we had a real talk,” I said, keeping my voice firm. “I want Nathaniel and Joseph to hear this, too.”

There was a brief pause, the air thick with unspoken questions. “Alright, Avery,” she replied, her tone shifting with unease as the video feed came on, revealing the familiar living room—and my cousins, sitting nearby, looking like they’d been caught off guard as they glanced toward the camera, their expressions unreadable.

“Hey, Nathaniel. Joseph,” I greeted, my tone clipped.

Nathaniel arched a brow. “What’s this about, Avery?”

I glanced at my mother settling onto the couch next to them, who appeared puzzled but curious. “I need to get a few things straight. And you both need to hear this too.”

Mother’s expression faltered, confusion knitting her brow. “Avery, what is this?—?”

“Even though Creed and I started as fake boyfriends, it’s real now. We’re committed to each other, and I don’t want you to ever mention setting me up with any woman—or anyone else, for that matter.”

The shift in the room was palpable, even through the screen. Joseph rolled his eyes. “Oh, so this is about your little rebellion?”

Nathaniel scoffed. “You really think you can just wave a magic wand and make us all accept your sexual preference?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “That’s cute.”

Joseph leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, a smirk plastered across his face. “You’ve always been dramatic, Avery. Are we supposed to believe that yourrelationshipwith Creed is anything more than a phase? It’s not like you’ll ever be able to provide this family with an heir,” he shot back, his tone condescending.

My jaw tightened at their dismissive tones, frustration bubbling to the surface. “You don’t get it,” I said, my voice rising as anger ignited within me. “You’ve never understood me. I’ve spent my whole life feeling unworthy of my father’s love, like I didn’t measure up to you two. He always wished he had sons who could carry on the family legacy—straight men who could provide heirs for Branson Resorts.”

The words poured out of me, raw and unfiltered, as I gestured toward my cousin. “But you clearly don’t realize that gay couples can have children, too. It’s the twenty-first century, for crying out loud. For someone who thinks so highly of himself and his superior intelligence, it’s astonishing that you haven’t grasped that, you jackass.”

My mother was obviously torn between the son she gave birth to and the sons she’d inherited when their father, her late husband’s brother, passed. “Avery, please?—”

“Mother, no,” I interrupted, frustration boiling over. “This isn’t about trying to smooth things over. I’m finally taking a stand for myself.”

I swung my gaze at my cousins and pointed an accusatory finger at them. “I felt like a shadow, and you both took advantage of that. My father is dead. Iamhis son, and I deserve to run Branson Resorts. Not you. I’m the heir, and I’m damn qualified to do it. I’ve been working my ass off, and I’m doing a damn good job.”

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