Page 68 of Between Commitment and Betrayal
I folded into him, whimpering and clinging. I took because I knew we wouldn’t be able to soon, that this marriage and our secret was about to become a colossal misstep. With that thought, I pushed him away and held my mouth, breathing hard as I closed my eyes, trying my best not to indulge any further. It wasn’t realistic, I told myself. “We can’t do this. You’re having a pissing contest with these men because you slept with me, Declan. And for what? Nothing between us would ever actually work.” He glared at me. “Declan, get real. I’m the girl who you thought was a burden without any experience a few months ago. You essentially told my father you didn’t want to babysit me and that I was ruining your sanctuary.”
“And you were.” He nodded, still letting his gaze run up and down my body like he might be picturing me naked.
“Exactly. And my past can ruin your reputation in the press.”
“I don’t care about the press.”
“Well, I do.” I tried to keep going. “And we’re from different lifestyles. We’d never be compatible.”
“You feel pretty compatible when you’re screaming my name.”
“You’re on another level right now, you know that?” I shook my head at him. “Let’s just focus on the original plan. We’re together and married if the press asks. For those close to us, we can tell them it’s a marriage of convenience.”
He stared at me as I paused. I wasn’t sure why I did. Maybe I wanted him to demand that this marriage was more than that, that we could be more than that. But he only asked, “Is that what you want?”
I took a deep breath, trying to hold onto my logic rather than following a silly little hope dancing around in my head. “Yes, it’s the smart thing to do. You can talk with Anastasia and Piper and see how they want to run with it. I’ll let Wes know.”
“So, he’s that close to you?”
“He deserves an explanation, Declan. I trust he’ll be discreet with the information. And as for the public, I don’t think they need to know anything else.”
He hummed, those eyes searching me for answers he wouldn’t find. I was closing the box and locking it before the media came looking for bread crumbs.
I moved toward the door and opened it. “It’ll be good for us, Declan. This is the plan.”
For another ten seconds, he stood there, a pillar of vibrating emotion, and I wasn’t sure what would erupt. “Be home at a reasonable time, Everly, or I’m coming to find you.” Then, he walked past me out the door and held up three fingers. “Three times now you’ve opened the door instead of me.”
Why did him counting like that send shivers down my spine?
22
DECLAN
Dinner with Piperand Anastasia ran later than I wanted it to. I’d even made the effort to go to one of HEAT’s low-key restaurants, Vibe, at the hotel across the skywalk from the gym so that they wouldn’t want to stay late.
Still, they both ordered drinks and kept talking like I didn’t have somewhere to be. As if I didn’t need to get home to see if Everly was back from her date with Wes. Instead, I had to pretend I wasn’t pining over a girl that wasn’t sitting at the table with me.
“So, this marriage is a complete curveball but I’ll just run with it.” Piper laser focused on me as she said the words. “It’d be great if we dropped something other than the fact that you’re married. I mean, you could do an exclusive interview as a couple or if you want to be honest and discuss Carl’s will…”
She wanted all the details. She waited, her eyes trying to cut through to the truth.
“There’s nothing to disclose in regard to that. The HEAT empire is secure.”
“Has any sort of probate started or—”
“Piper, you’re on my PR team.” I set down my drink firmly. “You kill stories that don’t line up with mine and you put out the ones I want. That’s why you’re the best, am I right?”
“Declan, it’s easier when I know what I’m going up against.”
“This time, your job might be a little harder. You’ll get it done or I’ll find someone else who will.”
Anastasia tsked softly but when I swung my glare her way she immediately looked down at her phone. “I’m just so disappointed in Carl.”
“Me too,” Piper pouted. “I realize we haven’t been seeing eye to eye lately, Declan, but Everly over Anastasia? You and Anastasia have been close for years. I’m shocked that he’d have you marry a stranger who doesn’t run in our circle whatsoever.”
Anastasia nodded her curled hair in complete agreement and it was glaringly apparent to me now how offensive both of them truly were. They didn’t see past themselves at all. They were entitled, arrogant, and ignorant.
“Oh my God.” Piper’s jaw dropped as she looked past me. “She’s still going to date Wes?”
