Page 54 of Fractured Faceoff

The day slipped by in a blur of consultations and paperwork. Surprisingly, pretending to be in a relationship with Jared wasn’t as difficult as I’d imagined. Besides the awkward HR visit and a lunch that felt more like a business meeting, nothing much changed. It was a relief, honestly. I could focus on my work without the emotional drain.

Just before five, a knock echoed from my office door.

"What's up?" I asked, looking up from my computer.

"And here I thought you'd be excited to see me," Jared drawled, leaning against the doorframe with that infuriating smirk of his.

I rolled my eyes. "You’re right. How could I contain my joy?"

He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "What say you come over tonight? There are a couple of points we still need to go over." He cocked his head to the side. "I'll cook."

"You? Cook?" My skepticism must have been written all over my face.

He shot me a look, one eyebrow arched in challenge.

"Yeah, okay," I relented, grabbing my phone from the desk. "I'll just text Autumn so she doesn't worry."

Jared’s smirk softened into something almost genuine as he watched me type out the message. "You tell her?" he asked. "About us?"

“Yeah,” I said, pulling my gaze from the screen.

“What? What is it?” He leaned in, curiosity dancing in his eyes.

I hesitated, the words sticking to my throat like cotton.

“Come on, sugar,” he coaxed. “You can talk to me.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t like lying to Autumn. She’s my best friend.”

He nodded slowly, as if weighing my words. “You’ve never been good at it, anyway.”

“It’s not even that,” I replied, crossing my arms defensively. “I just… I don’t like it.”

Jared stepped closer, his fingers brushing against mine on the desk. “Look, Isla, sometimes you have to protect people from themselves. This… this thing between us? It might just be what you need right now.”

“I know,” I admitted, glancing up at him. “I get that. I just… I don’t like it.”

His expression shifted into something softer as he squeezed my fingers gently. “You’re a good person, sugar. Brody never deserved you.”

My heart skipped a beat at his touch, warmth flooding through me despite the unease bubbling beneath the surface. But I looked away, discomfort prickling at the edges of the moment.

“I thought he loved me,” I murmured, feeling vulnerable under his gaze.

“Yeah? Well, love doesn’t mean much when it’s mixedwith betrayal.” He paused, letting his words settle between us. “And once he realizes the two of us are together, he'll realize that and he'll regret it all. You'll see. You just have to do some uncomfortable things first."

I bit my lip and pulled back slightly, creating space that felt necessary yet unwelcome. “But what if this whole thing blows up in our faces? What if Autumn finds out? What if they all find out?"

“She won’t,” he assured me firmly. “No one will. We’ll handle it when it comes up. Besides,” he added with a teasing grin that almost distracted me from my worries, “you’re dating the Southern Serpent now; how could she not be thrilled?”

I rolled my eyes, exasperated yet amused by his unwavering charm. “You know, you could have just texted me.”

“I’m your man,” he said, a grin stretching across his face. “I’ll walk you to your car. Plus, this will just add credence to our story.” He winked and held the door open for me.

With a sigh, I grabbed my bag and stood up. “Fine. Just don’t trip over your own ego on the way.”

We strolled toward the parking lot side by side, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement. My mind buzzed with conflicting thoughts about our arrangement as we reached my car. Jared stepped ahead and opened the door for me, his posture casual but his expression sincere.

“Follow me, okay?” he asked as I slid into the driver’s seat.

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