Author: Roni Loren
Jace groaned and raked his hands through his hair. “No, that’s not—God. When did this get so damned complicated? Now she’s got three guys fighting over her?”
The couch squeaked as Andre rose and headed to refill his glass. He grabbed the bottle and poured, his back to Jace. Seconds passed, Andre staring down at the glass but not drinking.
“I’m not fighting you for her, J,” he said, his voice quiet. “I want you both . . . I love you both.”
The admission hit Jace in the chest like an anvil, stealing any ability to draw breath, much less respond.
Andre loved him? Not like dude-you’re-my-best-friend love. He could tell from Andre’s tone, the hunch of his pose that this was something much more serious, something he’d been holding back for a while.
Shit. He’d shared women with Andre for years. They’d both enjoyed fooling around with each other during some ménages, but never had he considered that Andre wanted anything more than that. It’d always been . . . casual. Even though Andre was admittedly bisexual, Jace knew his friend had always strived for a traditional relationship. A quick, anonymous fuck with a male sub at The Ranch on occasion, maybe. But being in a relationship with a guy had never been on Andre’s radar—not with his job and his very strict Catholic family. It would flip his life on its head.
Jace set his head in his hands. He didn’t know what to say. Or even how he felt. He enjoyed being sexual with Andre. And it’s not like Jace had any hang-ups about his own sexuality. He was primarily attracted to women but had never believed in restricting himself to some label. But a committed relationship? A true triad with another man and woman.
“Andre, I—” He looked up.
“Don’t say anything.” Andre drained the glass, his back still to Jace. “It doesn’t fucking matter anyway. Evan’s going to move to L.A. She didn’t make Dr. Dan leave tonight—not after he was a complete ass-hat to her. And not after he got hard seeing me naked. She made me leave. Her loyalty lies with him.”
“But why would she want to have a sham for a marriage?”
“Fuck if I know, brother.” He turned to look at Jace, his eyes a swirl of emotion. “Maybe she’s figured out that love is more trouble than it’s worth.”
With that, Andre headed toward his bedroom and shut the door behind him, the quiet snick more deafening than if he’d slammed it.
TWENTY-THREE
Evan stormed into the house, seeing red. How she’d managed to drive home without breaking every traffic rule in the book was a miracle. Her knuckles ached from gripping the steering wheel so hard. How dare he? How dare Daniel talk to her like that, break her camera, throw a fucking hissy fit like he was her real lover?
She shoved open the door to Daniel’s office, the heavy wooden door hitting the wall with a loud thud. Both Daniel and Marcus jerked their heads up from what they were viewing on Daniel’s computer screen. Daniel rose from behind his desk. “Evan—”
“What in the hell was that?” she demanded, cutting him off.
Daniel’s fist hit the desk. “You’re asking me that? You were the one fucking your brains out with some stranger in front of a goddamned camera.”
Marcus stepped around the desk and sat in a chair on the opposite side, obviously wanting out of the line of fire.
She threw her hands out to her sides. “And what the hell difference does that make? You wanted me to find a lover. I did.”
“At a club. A private club where no one would see you.”
“He’s from the club. And no one saw us except you.”
Daniel turned, ripped a page from his printer, and slammed it down on the desk. “Tonight. But what about when you decided to screw Jace Austin? You know who saw you then?” His booming voice rattled her eardrums. “Somebody with a goddamned hi-res camera!”
She stared down at the photo he’d laid out on the desk, her profile coming into focus. Her skirt hiked up her thighs, head tipped back in pleasure, Jace’s hand between her legs. Jace’s face was obscured by the thin metal railings of the balcony, but there was no denying the clarity with which they’d captured her own visage. She gasped, her hand going to her mouth. “How did you get that?”
“The gossip site that’s running the story tomorrow sent me a heads-up. An anonymous source sold them the picture. They haven’t figured out who the guy in the picture is yet—though Marcus could tell right away—but there’s no denying it’s you. They wanted to know if I had a statement.” He sank into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, Evan. The newspapers will pick up on it after that.”
“Daniel, I—I don’t know what to say. I thought the balcony was private.”
He glanced up. “How could you be so careless? This could blow up everything.”
Her stomach flipped over as she found her way into the chair next to Marcus. “I’m so sorry.”
Marcus put a hand on her knee and squeezed. “Take a breather. Both of you. This isn’t a done deal yet. We just have to spin this. Make it work for us instead of against us.”
“And how do we do that?” Daniel snapped. “I’m supposed to be the fucking relationship doctor!”
“Calm down, Danny,” Marcus said, eyeing Daniel with what Evan now recognized as the look of a dominant giving his sub an order. “People in relationships cheat sometimes. It happens. So we have Evan admit that she’s made a mistake. You admit that with all the travel, you’ve been neglecting your own relationship. And then you both talk about how you are committed to each other and are going to work it out.”
“Wait a second,” Evan said, her eyes widening. “I have to be painted as a cheater.”
Marcus’s brows furrowed. “Well, of course. There’s no other way.”
She looked from him to Daniel with disbelief. “Oh, yes there is. Like we have an open relationship. Or, I don’t know, how ’bout some honesty for a change and you tell people you’ve discovered you prefer men.”
“Absolutely not.”
“No!”
Both men shut her down in unison, and she wanted to knock their heads together.
“Evan, I can’t do that,” Daniel said, his tone lowering from pissed to pleading. “People aren’t going to accept either one of those. I’ll lose all but my most liberal of fans. Everyone else will write us off. We’ll lose the TV deal before we can even blink.”
“So instead we’ll just sacrifice my reputation? Make me out to be the whore who cheated on my oh-so-perfect fiancé?”
“I’ll take the blame for neglecting you. Talk about how sometimes cheating is a couple’s problem, not just the individual who strayed.” He reached for her hand across the desk. “Sweets, I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need you to go along with this. Don’t kill our future before we even get started. Will you do this for me?”
She stared down at his offered hand, her insides twisting into a sickening knot. Daniel had saved her once upon a time. Had protected her with unwavering ferocity when they were on the streets. The reason she’d never been raped, beaten, or killed while they were out there was because of him. The big brother she’d never had.
How many times had he taken a fist to the jaw on her behalf? Or worse . . .
Besides her mother, he’d been the only one who’d ever been truly loyal to her. The only one to always be there no matter what. She inhaled a deep breath and laid her hand in his open palm. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
Both Marcus and Daniel seemed to sag in their chairs with relief. Daniel laced his fingers with hers. “Thank you, Evan. This means everything to me.”
She sighed. “Just tell me what I need to say and do.”
“We’re not going to make you do the talking. I don’t want to make you lie blatantly on camera. We’re going to send you to a hotel for a few days until the initial flash of interest burns out.” Marcus flipped over the picture, which was still lying face up on the desk. He tapped it. “And you need to let Jace Austin know that his affiliation with this company—and with you—is over, effective immediately.”
She pulled her hand from Daniel’s, her full attention switching to Marcus. “What?”
He frowned. “We can’t very well have him associated with the book or show in case he’s identified as the guy you were sleeping with. And you certainly can’t continue any contact with him. The press will be watching you like a hawk.”
The room suddenly felt twenty degrees colder and like all the air had been sucked out of it. No more Jace? Ever? And his business . . . “You can’t pull the affiliation. Jace’s store is depending on it.”
“He should’ve thought of that before he fucked my fiancée,” Daniel snapped.
She smacked her hand flat against the desk. “You gave us fucking permission, Daniel! He’s a member of The Ranch.” She wet her lips. “And . . .”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “And what, Evan?”
“And we have a past.”
“What are you talking about?” Daniel leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“He was the one, Daniel. The one I loved. The one I ran from. . . .”
Awareness dawned over Daniel’s face. “The guy who got you pregnant?”
She nodded. “He doesn’t know about that part though.”
“Christ,” Marcus groaned. “This could really blow up if the press finds out who he is and digs that far into either of your pasts.”
Fear curled over her spine. No . . .
“The name change should protect you for now. And your foster care records are confidential. If we can smooth all this over quickly, no one will have any reason to delve deeper.” Daniel rolled his chair back from his desk and stood in a huff. “Go pack a bag. And get rid of Jace, Evan. Tonight.”
“But his business is going to suffer, and if they figure out who he is, he’ll look like a homewrecker,” she protested. “He doesn’t deserve either of those.”
“Karma’s a bitch,” Daniel said on his way out the door. “Maybe he deserves to hurt a little after what he put you through back then.”
She looked back to Marcus, hoping for a different answer, but his expression was resigned. “It’s the only way, sweetie. You were going to have to say good-bye soon anyway.” He stood and patted her shoulder. “What’s the difference if it’s a few weeks early?”
She shook her head. No difference.
She’d always known she’d have to walk away from Jace and Andre. But she never anticipated leaving destruction in her wake. And she never expected it to feel quite like this.
Like her stable existence was breaking apart beneath her feet.
Like she didn’t want to face a tomorrow that didn’t have Jace and Andre in it.
Fuck.
Panic, sharp and bitter, flooded her, turning her skin clammy and damp. No, she wasn’t this person anymore. And she wasn’t like her father. She didn’t have those kinds of destructive thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around herself, rocking as the panic charged through her system. Her nails dug deep into her arms, the pain a last-ditch effort to center herself.
She would not get this way. Not again.
She was stronger than this.
Leaving Jace and Andre . . . Would. Not. Break. Her.
She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out her phone. Her fingertips were numb as she scrolled through her contacts. He answered on the first ring. “Ev?”
She swallowed past the paralysis trying to claim her throat. “We need to talk.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Evan opened the door, fortifying herself with a deep breath, and let Jace into the hotel room. The last thing she’d wanted to do was meet with him in such an intimate setting, but she hadn’t had many other options. His loft and anywhere in public was out in case anyone was already watching her. And she definitely wasn’t inviting him over to the place she shared with Daniel. So her hotel hideout for the next few days had been the only option left.
Jace groaned and raked his hands through his hair. “No, that’s not—God. When did this get so damned complicated? Now she’s got three guys fighting over her?”
The couch squeaked as Andre rose and headed to refill his glass. He grabbed the bottle and poured, his back to Jace. Seconds passed, Andre staring down at the glass but not drinking.
“I’m not fighting you for her, J,” he said, his voice quiet. “I want you both . . . I love you both.”
The admission hit Jace in the chest like an anvil, stealing any ability to draw breath, much less respond.
Andre loved him? Not like dude-you’re-my-best-friend love. He could tell from Andre’s tone, the hunch of his pose that this was something much more serious, something he’d been holding back for a while.
Shit. He’d shared women with Andre for years. They’d both enjoyed fooling around with each other during some ménages, but never had he considered that Andre wanted anything more than that. It’d always been . . . casual. Even though Andre was admittedly bisexual, Jace knew his friend had always strived for a traditional relationship. A quick, anonymous fuck with a male sub at The Ranch on occasion, maybe. But being in a relationship with a guy had never been on Andre’s radar—not with his job and his very strict Catholic family. It would flip his life on its head.
Jace set his head in his hands. He didn’t know what to say. Or even how he felt. He enjoyed being sexual with Andre. And it’s not like Jace had any hang-ups about his own sexuality. He was primarily attracted to women but had never believed in restricting himself to some label. But a committed relationship? A true triad with another man and woman.
“Andre, I—” He looked up.
“Don’t say anything.” Andre drained the glass, his back still to Jace. “It doesn’t fucking matter anyway. Evan’s going to move to L.A. She didn’t make Dr. Dan leave tonight—not after he was a complete ass-hat to her. And not after he got hard seeing me naked. She made me leave. Her loyalty lies with him.”
“But why would she want to have a sham for a marriage?”
“Fuck if I know, brother.” He turned to look at Jace, his eyes a swirl of emotion. “Maybe she’s figured out that love is more trouble than it’s worth.”
With that, Andre headed toward his bedroom and shut the door behind him, the quiet snick more deafening than if he’d slammed it.
TWENTY-THREE
Evan stormed into the house, seeing red. How she’d managed to drive home without breaking every traffic rule in the book was a miracle. Her knuckles ached from gripping the steering wheel so hard. How dare he? How dare Daniel talk to her like that, break her camera, throw a fucking hissy fit like he was her real lover?
She shoved open the door to Daniel’s office, the heavy wooden door hitting the wall with a loud thud. Both Daniel and Marcus jerked their heads up from what they were viewing on Daniel’s computer screen. Daniel rose from behind his desk. “Evan—”
“What in the hell was that?” she demanded, cutting him off.
Daniel’s fist hit the desk. “You’re asking me that? You were the one fucking your brains out with some stranger in front of a goddamned camera.”
Marcus stepped around the desk and sat in a chair on the opposite side, obviously wanting out of the line of fire.
She threw her hands out to her sides. “And what the hell difference does that make? You wanted me to find a lover. I did.”
“At a club. A private club where no one would see you.”
“He’s from the club. And no one saw us except you.”
Daniel turned, ripped a page from his printer, and slammed it down on the desk. “Tonight. But what about when you decided to screw Jace Austin? You know who saw you then?” His booming voice rattled her eardrums. “Somebody with a goddamned hi-res camera!”
She stared down at the photo he’d laid out on the desk, her profile coming into focus. Her skirt hiked up her thighs, head tipped back in pleasure, Jace’s hand between her legs. Jace’s face was obscured by the thin metal railings of the balcony, but there was no denying the clarity with which they’d captured her own visage. She gasped, her hand going to her mouth. “How did you get that?”
“The gossip site that’s running the story tomorrow sent me a heads-up. An anonymous source sold them the picture. They haven’t figured out who the guy in the picture is yet—though Marcus could tell right away—but there’s no denying it’s you. They wanted to know if I had a statement.” He sank into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, Evan. The newspapers will pick up on it after that.”
“Daniel, I—I don’t know what to say. I thought the balcony was private.”
He glanced up. “How could you be so careless? This could blow up everything.”
Her stomach flipped over as she found her way into the chair next to Marcus. “I’m so sorry.”
Marcus put a hand on her knee and squeezed. “Take a breather. Both of you. This isn’t a done deal yet. We just have to spin this. Make it work for us instead of against us.”
“And how do we do that?” Daniel snapped. “I’m supposed to be the fucking relationship doctor!”
“Calm down, Danny,” Marcus said, eyeing Daniel with what Evan now recognized as the look of a dominant giving his sub an order. “People in relationships cheat sometimes. It happens. So we have Evan admit that she’s made a mistake. You admit that with all the travel, you’ve been neglecting your own relationship. And then you both talk about how you are committed to each other and are going to work it out.”
“Wait a second,” Evan said, her eyes widening. “I have to be painted as a cheater.”
Marcus’s brows furrowed. “Well, of course. There’s no other way.”
She looked from him to Daniel with disbelief. “Oh, yes there is. Like we have an open relationship. Or, I don’t know, how ’bout some honesty for a change and you tell people you’ve discovered you prefer men.”
“Absolutely not.”
“No!”
Both men shut her down in unison, and she wanted to knock their heads together.
“Evan, I can’t do that,” Daniel said, his tone lowering from pissed to pleading. “People aren’t going to accept either one of those. I’ll lose all but my most liberal of fans. Everyone else will write us off. We’ll lose the TV deal before we can even blink.”
“So instead we’ll just sacrifice my reputation? Make me out to be the whore who cheated on my oh-so-perfect fiancé?”
“I’ll take the blame for neglecting you. Talk about how sometimes cheating is a couple’s problem, not just the individual who strayed.” He reached for her hand across the desk. “Sweets, I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need you to go along with this. Don’t kill our future before we even get started. Will you do this for me?”
She stared down at his offered hand, her insides twisting into a sickening knot. Daniel had saved her once upon a time. Had protected her with unwavering ferocity when they were on the streets. The reason she’d never been raped, beaten, or killed while they were out there was because of him. The big brother she’d never had.
How many times had he taken a fist to the jaw on her behalf? Or worse . . .
Besides her mother, he’d been the only one who’d ever been truly loyal to her. The only one to always be there no matter what. She inhaled a deep breath and laid her hand in his open palm. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
Both Marcus and Daniel seemed to sag in their chairs with relief. Daniel laced his fingers with hers. “Thank you, Evan. This means everything to me.”
She sighed. “Just tell me what I need to say and do.”
“We’re not going to make you do the talking. I don’t want to make you lie blatantly on camera. We’re going to send you to a hotel for a few days until the initial flash of interest burns out.” Marcus flipped over the picture, which was still lying face up on the desk. He tapped it. “And you need to let Jace Austin know that his affiliation with this company—and with you—is over, effective immediately.”
She pulled her hand from Daniel’s, her full attention switching to Marcus. “What?”
He frowned. “We can’t very well have him associated with the book or show in case he’s identified as the guy you were sleeping with. And you certainly can’t continue any contact with him. The press will be watching you like a hawk.”
The room suddenly felt twenty degrees colder and like all the air had been sucked out of it. No more Jace? Ever? And his business . . . “You can’t pull the affiliation. Jace’s store is depending on it.”
“He should’ve thought of that before he fucked my fiancée,” Daniel snapped.
She smacked her hand flat against the desk. “You gave us fucking permission, Daniel! He’s a member of The Ranch.” She wet her lips. “And . . .”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “And what, Evan?”
“And we have a past.”
“What are you talking about?” Daniel leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“He was the one, Daniel. The one I loved. The one I ran from. . . .”
Awareness dawned over Daniel’s face. “The guy who got you pregnant?”
She nodded. “He doesn’t know about that part though.”
“Christ,” Marcus groaned. “This could really blow up if the press finds out who he is and digs that far into either of your pasts.”
Fear curled over her spine. No . . .
“The name change should protect you for now. And your foster care records are confidential. If we can smooth all this over quickly, no one will have any reason to delve deeper.” Daniel rolled his chair back from his desk and stood in a huff. “Go pack a bag. And get rid of Jace, Evan. Tonight.”
“But his business is going to suffer, and if they figure out who he is, he’ll look like a homewrecker,” she protested. “He doesn’t deserve either of those.”
“Karma’s a bitch,” Daniel said on his way out the door. “Maybe he deserves to hurt a little after what he put you through back then.”
She looked back to Marcus, hoping for a different answer, but his expression was resigned. “It’s the only way, sweetie. You were going to have to say good-bye soon anyway.” He stood and patted her shoulder. “What’s the difference if it’s a few weeks early?”
She shook her head. No difference.
She’d always known she’d have to walk away from Jace and Andre. But she never anticipated leaving destruction in her wake. And she never expected it to feel quite like this.
Like her stable existence was breaking apart beneath her feet.
Like she didn’t want to face a tomorrow that didn’t have Jace and Andre in it.
Fuck.
Panic, sharp and bitter, flooded her, turning her skin clammy and damp. No, she wasn’t this person anymore. And she wasn’t like her father. She didn’t have those kinds of destructive thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around herself, rocking as the panic charged through her system. Her nails dug deep into her arms, the pain a last-ditch effort to center herself.
She would not get this way. Not again.
She was stronger than this.
Leaving Jace and Andre . . . Would. Not. Break. Her.
She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out her phone. Her fingertips were numb as she scrolled through her contacts. He answered on the first ring. “Ev?”
She swallowed past the paralysis trying to claim her throat. “We need to talk.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Evan opened the door, fortifying herself with a deep breath, and let Jace into the hotel room. The last thing she’d wanted to do was meet with him in such an intimate setting, but she hadn’t had many other options. His loft and anywhere in public was out in case anyone was already watching her. And she definitely wasn’t inviting him over to the place she shared with Daniel. So her hotel hideout for the next few days had been the only option left.
