Chapter nineteen
Rylee
I’m going to need a damn good vibrator.
T he anger and possessiveness in his voice catch me off guard. I try not to read too much into it. He wouldn’t want people talking about his wife cheating any more than I would like people talking about my husband cheating.
“Fine,” I say, hating how breathless I sound.
Luc stands, walks to his desk, and dials a number. “Bring two chef specials to my office.” He hangs up and leans against the desk, his gaze steady and intense, watching me in a way that sends a shiver through me. I’m not used to feeling this nervous.
“So, what happens next?” I ask, hoping to break the silence.
“First, you’re going to eat. Then we’ll talk.”
Bossy much?
I nod, trying to focus, but the possessive edge I saw in him earlier lingers in my mind, stirring a reaction in me that I’d rather ignore. Focus on your sister , I remind myself firmly, not on him. I’m going to need a damn good vibrator if I’m going to survive this.
A knock at the door snaps me out of it. I sit up straighter as Luc opens the door and takes a large brown bag from the person. It smells like grilled burgers, onions, and spices. My stomach growls, loud enough that I catch the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
He places the bag next to me and sits. He pulls out a box and hands it to me before grabbing his own. When I open the lid, my mouth waters. This is the prettiest burger I’ve ever seen; double steak patties, caramelized onions, bacon, melted cheese, jalapenos. I take a bite, and a moan slips out as the juiciness hits me. “Oh my God.”
When I open my eyes, Luc is watching me. His gaze darkened. “Careful with those sounds, Trésor.”
Trésor? The nickname makes my heart skip, and I swallow the bite of my burger faster than I should. “This is the best burger I’ve ever tasted,” I say, ignoring the heat creeping up my neck.
I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I’m devouring the burger like I haven’t eaten in days—which, if I’m honest, I mostly haven’t. I was too busy wrestling with what to do. Ignoring Luc’s amused gaze, I focus on each bite as the flavors hit, one after another. I take the last bite and glance over, noticing Luc’s half-finished burger’s still on his plate. I raise an eyebrow, and he chuckles, passing it over without a word.
I finished off his half, finally leaning back as he hands me a bottle of sparkling water.
Wiping my mouth, I catch his warm gaze on me. “Stop staring at me.” I scowl at him.
“Promise me you won’t starve yourself again,” he says, his voice gentler than I expected.
“I wasn’t starving myself.”
He raises an eyebrow. “You just inhaled two burgers in under five minutes.”
I frown. “It was one and a half. And I did not inhale it.”
He laughs. “I’ve never seen anyone eat a burger that fast.”
“Shut up.” I scowl, but I can’t help the laugh that escapes my throat, the sound breaking through the tension. But then a pang of guilt creeps in, tugging me back to reality. I shouldn’t be laughing, not with everything going on with my sister.
“I ate. Can we talk about it now?” I turn to face him, my heart pounding a little faster.
Luc places the bag on the floor, scooting closer, his gaze searching mine. “What made you change your mind? Was it because of what happened earlier?”
My shoulders tense, and I drop my gaze to the couch, not wanting to go there.
“Rylee.” He says my name softly, and my eyes lift to his at their own instinct. There’s something about the way he says it, like he’s reaching past the walls I’ve put up. “What happened?”
A heavy breath escapes me. “It’s my sister,” I say. “She called me… and told me that my mom’s boyfriend hit her.” How does he do that? Pull the words out of me.
His expression darkens, and he leans in. “I’m so sorry. I’ll do everything I can to help. I’ll make sure you have the best lawyers. You’re going to get custody of her. I promise.” His hand reaches out, and his fingers curl around mine, squeezing gently. I glance down, and though I should pull away, I don’t.
It’s not something he can guarantee, but somehow, I believe him.
“Thank you,” I whisper, softer than I intended. “So… what are we going to tell people?”
“We’ll say we met when you were visiting Mia that summer. That we fell in love as I showed you around the city, but you had to go back to New York. Since then, we’ve kept a long-distance, non-committed relationship, and with your company going bankrupt and the expansion, you moved here to be with me.” He pauses, his gaze holding mine. “Most of that is true.”
Except for the part about falling in love. My chest tightens at the thought. I almost wish it was true.
“But aren’t people going to think you hired me because we’re… we…” I wave a hand between us awkwardly, avoiding the word, because we’re not real.
“We’re dating?” He tilts his head with a hint of a smirk. “You can say it. How are we going to convince people we’re in love if you can’t even say we’re dating?”
“Fine. Because we’re ‘dating.’” I make air quotes with my fingers.
His chuckle is low, almost smug. “I don’t care what they think. But if you’re worried, I’ll talk to HR.” He pauses, his expression softening. “Besides, you’ll get to prove yourself. I’ve seen your work, and you’re good at what you do.”
The compliment throws me off balance, and I’m not sure how to respond.
“But first…” he continues. “We need to raise some suspicions. Let someone ‘catch’ us. I know just the person, and believe me, she’ll spread the word like wildfire. Then we’ll be forced to tell people the truth, and we can say we just didn’t want them thinking I hired you because you’re my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” The word slipped out easily from his lips but feels strange to me.
“Would you prefer, fiancée? Wifey?” He smirks.
“Stop being so… French.” I wave a hand at him.
“French? What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know, just… stop being so flirty.”
“No can do, baby.”
“New rules,” I say, holding up a finger. “No flirting, no nicknames.”
He grins, crossing his arms. “I’ll try my best. But no promises.”
This is going to be a fucking disaster, I know it. But I love my sister so much, and that’s the only reason I’m agreeing to this.
“Thanks for lunch, but I’ve got to get back to my office. I need to go over some things with Leon.” I stand and turn, throwing him a glance. “And don’t go telling people I inhaled two burgers in under five minutes.”
He laughs, a rumbling sound that sends a warm shiver up my spine. Why does his laugh have to be so damn sexy?
I’m reaching for the door when his voice stops me. “Are you sure you don’t want to take the rest of the day off?”
“Giving me special treatment already?” I tease, glancing over my shoulder.
“You are special,” he whispers, his sincerity settling over me like a warm breeze. I freeze, my hand on the door, fighting the lump forming in my throat. My mother’s words playing in my mind.
You think you’re special? That he’d choose you over me? He just wants what hasn’t been ruined yet.
The memory still stings. One of her boyfriends had made a move on me, and when I told her, she blamed me. I was only seventeen. That was the final straw.
My grades were good, so I finished high school early and left home, cutting all ties with her—until today. I only wish I could’ve taken Luna with me.
I push the memory aside and force a smile, but he doesn’t smile back. He just watches me, like he’s seeing right through me.
Don’t smile at me if you don’t mean it. Don’t pretend you’re okay when you’re not.
How can he see the things that others don’t?
I hold the smile and look as if nothing’s wrong. I need to keep it together, to stay happy, because I know what happens when I let myself feel anything else. I hate those ugly feelings, the ones she used to make me feel—small, broken, unloved. And there’s only one thing that ever made me feel better, but I promised myself months ago that I wouldn’t go back there. I won’t go back to burning myself.
I’ve got to prove I’m stronger than that. I’m not her, nor will I ever be. Before he can say anything else, I push through the door, letting it close softly behind me.