Chapter 24
WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE CAT MOBILE WAS AWFUL. UNTIL THE MYSTERIOUS GUEST ARRIVES. #PLOTTWISTUNWANTED
AXEL
“Nice car,” Frank said, that smirk still plastered across his face as he stood to shake my hand.
I forced a smile, wondering if they could see my molars grinding to dust. Dakota, you beautiful, diabolical vixen.
“My fiancée is a prankster.” Fiancée. Shit. I was supposed to still call her my girlfriend until we’d officially and publicly become engaged. Thanks, Dakota, for making me slip.
I shook Carl’s hand and settled into my chair, immediately surprised to see a fourth place setting. Menu. Water glass. The works.
What the hell?
This was supposed to be just the three of us. If Dakota had somehow orchestrated a way to crash this meeting, I’d figure out some creative form of revenge that would make today’s stunt look like child’s play.
“Your fiancée did that?” Carl’s eyebrows shot toward his hairline.
“I’m sure she assumed no one would see it,” I lied smoothly.
Dakota, I’m coming for you.
“How did she manage to trap you in a … was that a bunny car?”
“Kitty,” I corrected, taking a steadying sip of water.
“A kitty car,” Frank repeated, like he was testing the words. “I didn’t even know such things existed.”
“They’re probably for special occasions. Bachelorette parties, tourists.” Why am I defending the world’s most ridiculous business model?
“But how’d she get you to actually drive it?”
I set down my water before I crushed the glass. “It’s a long story.” I placed the napkin on my lap. And folded my hands in front of me so I wouldn’t punch the table. “We like to prank each other.”
“Prank wars?” Carl leaned forward, intrigued.
I shrugged. “Keeps things interesting. Though I’ll admit, this one wasn’t my favorite.”
The two men exchanged a look and burst into laughter. The kind of genuine, belly-deep laughter that should have made me feel relieved they believed my story.
Instead, my ego clawed up my throat like a rabid animal.
“Well, this sounds like a woman I’d like to meet,” Frank declared.
“Indeed,” Carl added, wiping his eyes.
Great. My business meeting had officially become the Dakota Fan Club meeting. I had a few choice words about that woman. None of which were appropriate for polite company.
“Of course,” I said carefully. But when they exchanged another meaningful look, unease prickled down my spine. “Someday.”
“I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed watching you two together online,” Frank admitted. “It’s refreshing to see young love in action.”
I managed another sip of water, hoping my smile looked genuine. Part of it was real, the relief that our charade was working, that we were controlling the narrative. But the lying about who we were in public versus private? That part made my stomach churn.
“Truthfully,” Carl said, steepling his fingers like a judge about to deliver a verdict, “after that incident with the photo of you and that political wife, we had some serious reservations.” He paused, letting that land.
“But seeing you with Dakota … well, who hasn’t had a heated lovers’ quarrel—am I right? ”
“Exactly.” I forced the word out, my eyes drifting again to that mysterious fourth chair.
“So, you two are the real deal?” Frank’s tone went flat, all business.
What a loaded question. “Of course.”
“Good.” Frank’s chuckle held zero humor. “Because my PR team raised an interesting possibility: that you two might be staging this whole thing to clean up your mess.”
Anxiety slammed into my chest like a freight train. “Really?” I kept my voice shocked, innocent, as if to say, Who in the world would do such a thing?
Me, apparently. I’m exactly the kind of hypocrite who would do such a thing.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here I was, pretending to be something I wasn’t, just like my parents had done all those years.
I opened my mouth, tempted to come clean.
To tell them that my personal life had no bearing on my business skills, that I had a track record worth their investment, that we were all human beings capable of mistakes.
But I couldn’t. Not with everyone else in the cross fire.
So, I smiled and cleared my throat. “That’s … quite an imagination they have.”
“We like what Dakota’s done for your image,” Carl continued. “And by extension, your business’s image. Stability is important to us.”
“Naturally, we’d like to meet her,” Frank added. “See you two together with our own eyes.”
The way he leaned forward slightly, holding my gaze like a silent warning, told me everything I needed to know.
Translation: we had to sell them on our love story or watch my deal die. The problem? Their radar was up. They were actively hunting for cracks in our facade, and one slip—just one—would destroy everything.
“That sounds perfect,” I said. “How about you come to my place? Dakota and I can cook dinner for you.” Shit. I’ll have to clear out my office, make it look like she actually lives in my bedroom. “Or better yet”—I backtracked—“we could go to Dakota’s favorite restaurant—”
“Your place.” Carl’s tone brooked no argument. “Next Friday.”
I swallowed my pride, my ego, and what remained of my moral compass. “Looking forward to it.”
Crap.
Selling our love story through carefully curated social media posts was one thing. Having two sharp-eyed businessmen poking around our lives, asking pointed questions, looking for tells? That was a whole different level of terrifying.
And it wasn’t just my ass on the line. Knox trusted me to protect his sister, and despite the fact that Dakota was currently driving me insane, I wasn’t about to let her family pay the price.
“Oh, one more thing,” Frank said casually. “We’d like you to meet the newest member of our team. He’ll be joining us for dinner next Friday too.”
My blood turned to ice as a familiar figure approached our table, hands casually slung in his pockets and that infuriating smirk working across his face like he owned the world.
No. Goddamned. Way.
“Axel,” Frank said cheerfully, “meet Mathew.”
Are you kidding me?
Of all the people who could have a hand in my deal, my future, my company’s survival, it had to be Dakota’s ex. The same Mathew who’d been pissing on his fire hydrant, trying to win her back, kissing her in my own damn foyer while I looked on like some jealous stalker.
The universe had officially declared war on me.
“Mathew.” I stood, extending my hand with what I hoped passed for professional courtesy. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Indeed.”
As Mathew and I shook and released hands, Frank and Carl exchanged a look.
“You two know each other?”
“We only recently met,” I admitted. “It turns out, he used to date Dakota.”
The older gentlemen exchanged another look.
“We had quite the memorable introduction,” Mathew said. “Had some car trouble that same night actually.” His gaze locked on mine. “Funny how these things happen.”
My prospective business investors looked between us, sensing undercurrents they couldn’t quite identify.
“Car trouble?” Carl asked.
“Oh, just some vandalism in the parking lot,” Mathew said with a casual shrug, never breaking eye contact with me. “You know how it is downtown. Sometimes, people get … territorial.”
I had to soften my eyes to make it less obvious I was glaring at him.
“That’s unfortunate,” I said evenly. “I hope you got it sorted out.”
“Eventually.” Mathew’s smile sharpened. “Though I have to admit, it’s fascinating what some people will do when they feel … threatened.”
“City violence, eh?” I gave him a shrug of my own.
If Frank or Carl suspected any of Mathew’s implications, they didn’t show it. They seemed too intrigued by the fact that Mathew was Dakota’s ex.
“Well,” Frank said, “this dinner just got a lot more interesting, now didn’t it?”
Mathew’s eyes glittered with something that made my blood pressure spike into dangerous territory.
You want a war, motherfucker?
You’ve got one.