Page 124 of The Proposal Pact
“Sooo, here’s the thing—”
Vassar’s quickly darkening gaze, makes me stop and bite the inside of my cheek. “You know…I never knew I could hate a phrase more than I do this one.” He locks his teeth, gritting out, “Keep going.”
“So, here’s the thing—”
“Sophia Lovinski, is there a fucking man in our house right now?” Clover shouts.
“Lovinski? Who the fuck is Lovinski?” Vassar shouts even louder, and I take a deep breath.
I’ll be…you know…right back,I mouth, motioning toward my room and scurry out of there as fast as my feet can take me, shutting the door behind me as I pant against it. My husband’s murderous eyes watching me.
“Sophie! Who the fuck is there?”
“My brother,” I whisper-shout, mortification written all over my face as I rip off Clover’s T-shirt and the crotchless panties, and throw on my leggings and Clover’s sweatshirt that I stole weeks ago.
“Did you just say your brother?” His eyes grow so wide I didn’t know he could do it before. “Jesus—” He tries to get up from thebed, but ends up groaning in pain as the handcuffs dig into his wrists, stopping him.
I wince and run up to him, unlocking them, quickly.
“Yeah, my brother and his wife.”
“Jesus…what are they doing here? Did you know they were coming?”
“Obviously not.” I let out a shuddering breath.
“Wait a second.” Clover narrows his gaze on me. “Please tell me he already knew you were married?”
I worry my lip, shifting from foot to foot and that’s all the answer he needs before cursing as he pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I—I…there just wasn’t a right time to do it.”
“Sophie.” He snatches his sweatpants from the floor. “We’ve been married for over a month! I thought telling him was the whole point!”
“It was and then I got scared and…whatever. I can’t take that back now, can I?” I worry my lip, staring out the window at the little piece of ocean you can see from here.
“He’s going to disown me, I swear. This has got to be the last straw for him, and what am I supposed to do then? He’s all I’ve got, and I’ll be all alone, and—”
“Hey.” Clover is right there in front of me, tugging my poor lip free from my teeth with his thumb while caressing my cheekbone with his other hand. “Look at me, Sophie.”
I do and my breath hitches at what I find there.
Warmth, care and…and feelings. I find feelings.
“He’s not all you’ve got. Not anymore.” Clover kisses my lips softly. “Let’s go meet your brother.”
Clover takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, and we step out of the bedroom. But now all I want is to run back inside that room and demand to know what that means.
Sucks to be me today, because I’m not getting what I want.
Kira sits on the couch, looking menacing and beautiful as usual, while Vassar stops his pacing across the room when he hears the door open, and I can see his jaw clench even from the distance.
I think that’s my superpower, making the men in my life lose their shit because of me.
Clover leads me toward him with sure steps, his presence next to me like a rock I can hide behind. “Callum Lovinski,” he greets my brother, extending his free hand toward him without letting go of me.
Vas eyes it for a second and when he shakes it—albeit a bit too hard—I release a small breath.
“Vassar Levidis, and this is my wife, Kira.”
