The Price Of Pretending

Please tell me

you're the only on

or of the hospital's waiting room. The fluorescent lights buzzed abov

I'm not for

s sharp on the other end, but I heard the worry hiding underneat

ch turne

osition for you. And it was time you st

to win. I want

now. Or keep watching your sister

ed between us,

I final

uite. Maddox

didn't want to face him again. But hospital bills didn't pay the

levator like I had n

maybe

utes early. Tha

enthouse office. He stood with his back to me, gazing

e it

had already bought. He wore black on black, exuding a cold elegance,

e time to wa

s did know how to make

l st

vy

cie

st saw him, since he crushed my design pitch in front of an entire b

yla gave you

here to say

brow. "Before yo

o hear it. I do

oward the desk, unbuttoning his cuffs. "But y

own. "You're e

ourse

hatever game you're pla

a pawn. You'll

What does th

ble. My name was printed on the tab

porarily. You need

u've probably got ten

take my last name and disappear in the tabloids." He tilt

ring." I rolled

I'll cover your sister's entire treatment. Plus two hundr

ght. "You loo

Especially things that

isgusting

u're de

marry the man who ruined my career and humi

de. I think the idea of watching her suffer while you scrape pennies together m

y m

ou won't fall in love with me. Whic

"You think this

he same room. No actual intimacy. Appearances

at do y

my back. And silence about my

ce fro

d wolf-like. "That'

ack. "This

oba

even li

on't h

sell myself to you

think you'd sell your pride to save your s

at the contract. My heartbeat

medical bills

ry c

e needs lon

ver it

be for the public? A

to be convinci

f I sc

ounded more l

d it open. Cold legal terms blink

me, hands sliding

expect you to act. And you're good

owly, meeti

pretending you have

t made people punch walls. "Sign

ut. "Don't give me dead

lking in here

between us, louder than

uld have thrown the contract bac

I di

n was right a

desp

k about it

morrow and say yes." He

kes you

dying tonight, you'll realize pr

thout another word, my hand

oors closed, I heard

this

a war

vy

oked

or me. I won'

t what made my

iting in the hallway ju

't supposed to k

if I ever crossed him again,

me, he wasn