Page 62 of Impending Consent

I felt that twist of envy again. My siblings had found their matches in partners who complemented them. I had a sham marriage rooted in alcohol, impulse, and my selfishness.

But…

Rival's hand was weighted on my thigh, linking us in a way that felt just as natural. I dropped my eyes to the connection and smiled before I looked at him. When he caught me watching, he winked, and I playfully rolled my eyes, making him laugh. Okay, so maybe this wasn't all pretend.

"So, Rival. What exactly do you do for a living? Beyond building accent walls, that is." My father’s tone was blank.

"I own a custom wood and design business. I specialize in one-of-a-kind pieces, mostly commissioned work."

"Is it lucrative?“

Okay then, let’s get right to it…

"I have a steady client base and make enough to support myself and my wife, so yes."

"But not enough to afford a place in your wife's building, I assume."

"Daddy," I hissed.

"I own my home," Rival said, unfazed. "A historic Victorian in Inman Park that I've been restoring for the past couple years.It's not a high-rise penthouse but it has character so I have no complaints."

"And where is Sailor living now? Your 'character-filled' home or her apartment?"

"We're at my place currently. It's part of our arrangement."

I flinched at his choice of words and my father's brow rose.

"Arrangement? That’s an interesting term for a marriage."

"What I meant was, it made sense for us to live together in one place rather than splitting our time."

Oh fuck…

My father wasn't buying it. He put down his fork and his eyes locked on me. "Sailor, what's really going on here? I know you. This isn't you. You don’t do ‘character filled’ homes and living in someone else’s space."

I felt everyone's eyes on me and all their thoughts—TJ's disappointment, Skylar's concern, my father's suspicion, and my mother's quiet assessment. Indi and Gray were neutral because they had been in the Addison hot seat before.

"What's going on…" I started slowly, "is that I got drunk and married a man I barely knew because I wanted to sleep with him and he wouldn't unless we were married."

Everything in the room went silent. Skylar closed her eyes briefly, TJ sighed, and my mother set down her wine glass.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Sailor," my father muttered.

"You wanted the truth. That's it. I was impulsive and selfish, and now I'm stuck in a marriage for a year because of a prenuptial agreement I drafted that will cost me half my assets if I try to end it early. Happy now?"

My father's expression hardened. "Do you have any idea how irresponsible?—"

“Spare me the damn lecture. I know exactly how irresponsible it was. I don't need you to tell me."

"Clearly you do since you made such a reckless decision."

"Torrance." My mother placed a hand on his arm. "That's enough."

"No, it's not. Our daughter has tied herself legally and financially to a man she admits she barely knows. I have the right to say whatever the hell I want about this to her."

"Not like this, with accusations and judgment," my mother said firmly.

"I'm not a child. I made a mistake. A big one, but it's mine to deal with, not yours."

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