Page 69 of The Puck Decoy

Brianna. Of fucking course, I should have known. I wonder if she ran to her daddy first or mine.

“Is that who left that lipstick on your neck? Because if so I hope you enjoy sloppy seconds, she's been through half the team at least ten times over,” I toss back, not giving him an inch of anything to work with, and I can see his patience floundering.

“Jett Michaels is one of my biggest investors, and you almost cost me that fucking relationship because you couldn’t play nice with his daughter. I taught you better than that, Joshua,” his tone is dripping in so much disappointment that it almost drowns me.

“I’m sure the satisfaction of riding the mayor's dick cheered her back up,” I drawl, hitting him where I know it will anger, his pride, and his hands fly out just like I knew they would.

He throws me back against the door, forcing it to bang against the wall, and his only saving grace is the fact Hallie has somehow slipped out of bed, and tossed on one of my jerseys with her leggings to cover herself. It’s the only thing that keeps me from attacking him. I want his anger, I want his rage, I want to look him in the eye one last time and let him feel like he owns my whole fucking world, just before I rip it all out from under him.

“Watch your fucking mouth, boy,” he snaps, revealing the man I know all too well, and for once Daemon surprises me, he doesn’t attack, no instead he silently holds up his phone and starts recording him.

“Go on, hit me, I dare you, let’s see what your precious little voters think about that,” I taunt with a smile, and only then does he notice the phone, releasing me instantly. I push off the door and allow my height to tower over him. “I’m not as easy to keep in line anymore, Mayor, so if I were you I’d watch your back.”

I see the moment his fists clench and I prepare myself for the hit, it won’t exactly be the first, but before my father can decideone way or another, Daemon’s hand lands on his shoulder with a thud. “You need to leave, now,” he warns, his tone like icy death, and whatever my father sees in his eyes makes him visibly swallow.

It only takes a second for him to regain his composure though, straightening his suit, as Hallie comes to stand beside me, slipping her trembling hand into mine.

“How’s your father these days, Mr. Forbes?” he asks, focusing on my best friend like he is a new bug he wants to squish beneath his expensive loafers. “Been to visit him in prison lately?” The question is meant only to taunt Daemon, throwing his past in his face like that, and I panic at the thought it might push him into his usual darkness.

Yet my best friend only smirks as he replies coldly, “Not since the day I put him there.” His response makes me smile, because soon we will have more in common than we already do.

When my father grunts and steps back he sees that he is now surrounded. Hallie is at my side, holding her head up high, a mask of disapproval that I know isn’t fake covering her face. Daemon is staring my father down like he will gut him on the spot if he makes one wrong move, and Levi and Landon are watching from down the hall as if they have never truly seen the truth of their mayor before, and they haven’t.

I know the moment my father realizes he made a mistake by coming here, because for the first time in my life when he brings his stare back to mine he looks wary of me. Not once in his arrogant life has he ever taken a step back and looked at the family I have built for myself in my team, at how they would have my back. No, instead he’s floundered at parties and fundraisers, telling anyone who will listen that I am following in his footsteps. Taking him down is going to be more enjoyable than I thought.

“You can see yourself out,” I tell him dryly, not giving him any more ammunition, and also not wanting him here for another second longer.

My father’s face is that of thunder as he turns and stalks down the hall and towards the stairs, and none of us move until we hear the slam of the front door. Only then do I share a look with Daemon, who nods before slipping back off to the comfort of his room.

Landon looks at me in horror as if wondering if my father has always been that way, and Levi moves to step towards me, an apology no doubt on the tip of his tongue, but I halt him in his tracks. “Not now,” I spit, pushing back inside my room with Hallie and closing the door behind us.

Before I can even open my mouth her lips are on me, her body pressing against me, and every ounce of tension within me disappears instantly. Her hands slip between my own and she squeezes it three times.Are you okay?

My own hand squeezes her three times in return.Yes, I’m okay.

Only then do I pull back and bring my gaze to hers. “Now where were we?” I ask with a devilish smile, dipping down and picking her up until her legs wrap around my waist. “Ah that’s it, I was about to lick my cum clean from your pussy and then fuck your pretty little throat in the shower.” I pair my words with the hard slap of her ass, and just like that, my father’s visit is forgotten about, and I lose myself in my wife yet again.

I definitely need to remember to send him that thank you note.

Without classes to keep us apart, Josh and I spend the next few days wrapped up in one another, and I have never been more sated in my life. Whatever green light that flashed between us to kick-start the physical side of this whole fake marriage, has been beaming ever since. Josh hasn’t kept his hands off me, and reminds me multiple times a day exactly who I belong to. We fuck in the shower, in the car, in the kitchen, on the stairs, and that’s after Maddie banned us from our house until we get ourselves under control. Her words, not mine.

If I had my way, I would never have control again. I would give it all to Josh and live happily ever after, but every time I have that thought, another darker one hits me. After the visit from his father the other night, Josh has been in constantcontact with Lincoln, conspiring with him about his plan to take his father down, and all it does is remind me that this whole thing has a deadline.

I’m not sure what Josh’s plans are after dealing with his father, but I’m sure our imminent divorce will be discussed at some point, and I don’t even think years of masking could prepare me for it. I love him, I love him so fucking deeply that it makes my heart physically ache, and somehow not having him at all was easier than what we are now. Before I could lie to myself, I could tell myself it was all one-sided and there was never any hope between us, but then he came into my room and dropped to one knee, and gave me so much hope that it made me sick.

We haven’t discussed what we are, yet the word wife falls so freely from his lips that I have almost convinced myself this is all real. We sleep together, we wake up together, we eat together, and we fuck so much that I can still feel him even when he isn’t inside me.

I am so deeply, and madly in love with him, and it’s honestly both the bestandworst thing that has ever happened to me.

“You ready, Tink?” Josh asks, striding into the bathroom where I am applying my last coat of mascara, sending my stomach into somersaults.

He looks just as stunning as always with his blond hair perfectly tousled, and his blue eyes sparkling with mischief as he comes to a stop behind me. His hands freely landing on my hips, like I am his to touch however he pleases, and I am I guess, but how freely he lets himself have me is still taking some getting used to.

“Almost,” I smile, praying he doesn’t see the sadness still lingering in my eyes at the thought of losing this, but thankfully he is too distracted.

Today is the day we are going to the center and putting on an extra lesson for Penelope. Ever since Josh found out about her,he has been in constant contact with Callia to coordinate seeing his sister, and apparently the little girl hasn’t stopped talking about today since we last saw her at the diner, earlier this week.

The morning after we discovered the truth, we both went over to my house and sat Maddie down and told her everything, and sadly she didn’t even seem surprised. I guess, like Josh, she is used to her father’s shitty behavior by now. She agreed to come with us today so she can also use the opportunity to get to know Penelope better. Yet much to Josh’s dismay, where Maddie goes, Nova follows, and with Nova comes both Alexander and Archer. The two of them heard the words ice rink and were instantly sold, complaining it was their last chance to have fun and skate before going home for the holidays. That only left Jake Harper, whose girlfriend has already left for the holidays, so of course he was in too.

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