Chapter 12 #2
“You know,” Miles said as the three of us moved through the hallways. “You don’t need to take Bryce with you. I can come with the two of you instead. Plans change. No one is going to care.”
“Do you want to come with us?” I asked, blinking at him. Why didn’t he say so earlier ?
“He can’t,” Julian cut in. “Damen has him working on something today.”
Miles pouted.
“Besides, Bryce would care,” Julian pointed out. “He’s been looking forward to this.”
“But Bianca isn’t concerned about Bryce’s feelings,” Miles said.
Why did they have to say it like that? I wasn’t a terrible person. It wasn’t my life’s goal to hurt Bryce.
Besides, I was obligated to do this. I owed him. He was helping me by pretending to be my husband. How could I deny him a measly shopping trip?
Darn it.
“No, I have given my word,” I said somberly. “I must see this deed through to the end.”
“You don’t need to make it sound like a death sentence.” Julian raised his eyebrow. “And I’ll be with you. Don’t worry.”
We entered the living room, where Bryce, Finn, and Brayden sat around Damen’s coffee table. They were speaking to Damen and Titus, but the conversation stopped at our entrance.
Damen’s mouth pressed together as his eyes traced over me. “You look sick, baby girl,” he said. “Are you sure you’re up to—”
“I’m perfectly fine,” I interrupted him as I pulled on my skirt. There was no way he could talk me out of this. I was still angry at him. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment all day.”
Bryce sat up, alert, but I ignored him.
Damen sighed, glancing at Julian, and inclined his head toward the dark mantle. Julian, in response, touched my shoulder. “Go sit with Brayden for a minute. I’ll be right back. Get something to eat.”
Then, Miles and Julian left me to join Damen and Titus on the other side of the room .
A giant platter of various pastries was on the table, and I was tempted to grab some. But my ex-best friend was watching me in a way that made me want to puke. Then, there was something about how Brayden bounced in his seat as he watched me.
I wasn’t sure how to handle the two of them.
So, instead of going to the couch, I retreated to an empty corner of the room. It was far from the fireplace and colder here, but I didn’t care. Hopefully, they’d get the hint.
Of course, luck was not on my side. And at my weakest moment, Bryce struck. He left his seat, hands in his pockets, and stepped beside me as he leaned against the wall. His presence caused the hair on my neck to stand up.
What did he want?
He wasn’t talking, nor did he seem inclined to do so. And he hadn’t even brought a pastry with him!
He sure had a lot of nerve. “Can I help you?” I asked.
“I forgot to tell you earlier. I got the thing.” Bryce lowered his giant frame toward mine, his pose severe and intimidating.
I fought back a shiver. I had no idea what he was talking about.
Then, I recalled his mission. Relief raced through me as warmth flooded my veins once again. The air in the room grew light, and I grabbed the sleeve of his white shirt, meeting his gaze. I was so grateful.
“Thank you!” He might not be so terrible after all. This might work.
“Not a problem,” Bryce said gruffly. “Though I’m not certain why you’d need it.”
The warm feeling vanished, and my hand dropped back to my side. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t imagine you sleep with it.” Bryce’s words were strange, but his expression was genuinely bewildered. He rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re not a child.”
Heat—a different sort now—washed over me, and my jaw locked. It took everything in me not to stomp on his feet. Only knowing it wouldn’t hurt him—since I had no shoes on—stopped me. “What I sleep with is none of your business.”
“What are you two talking about?” Titus materialized by my side—his body still warm from the fire—and I covered my face in preparation for my shame. This was precisely what I’d been trying to avoid.
Titus moved closer, but his focus remained on Bryce.
“What is Bianca sleeping with?” he asked. His question seemingly echoed through the room.
Silence followed, and everyone’s attention turned to us.
Now, I really wanted to die.
“This is your fault!” I glared at him between my fingers.
“I only asked you a question. You never told me what you wanted me to do with it!” Bryce frowned as he crossed his arms. “That pink monstrosity cannot stay in my room. It’s giving people the wrong idea. Brayden keeps making fun of me.”
How dare he blame his inability to be discreet on me! It wasn’t my fault he sucked at covert operations. “I never said you had to keep it on your bed!” I pointed at him. “You’re the one who put it there, so maybe you secretly want it.”
“That thing is yours?” Brayden choked on his coffee as his face paled. “Now I feel bad.”
“All right, just stop.” Miles stepped between us, shielding me from Bryce’s disdain. “Before the rest of us have heart attacks, can someone please explain what you’re talking about?”
I groaned, and shame prickled at me, replacing my annoyance. When I responded to Miles, I couldn’t even look at him. Instead, I studied my chewed fingernails. “It’s my rabbit. I asked Bryce to get it for me from my dorm. That’s the only thing I wanted.”
There was a moment of silence before Bryce cleared his throat. “It’s not quite how it sounds. I, too, was confused at first.”
I peeked up at Bryce as he spoke to the others.
“Confused about what?” I asked.
He ignored me. “She’s referring to a stuffed rabbit toy. It’s filthy, worn, and possibly diseased; she should not be sleeping with it.”
“Don’t make fun of me!” Indignation hit me, and I glowered at him. “And don’t say it’s filthy. I wash it all the time. And just so you know, I don’t even keep it in my bed! You know what? I regret asking for your help.”
“What is it?” Damen’s eyebrows were raised in question. “Why is that the only thing you sent Bryce to get from all your possessions?”
I covered my hot face again. But, thankfully, I was saved from answering. Julian had pushed to my side and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Does it matter why she wanted it?”
“No.” I could almost hear the frown in Damen’s voice. “I was just wondering.”
“Besides, that brings up a good point.” Julian’s hand squeezed my arm. “We should be headed out soon.”
“You’re ready to go shopping?” Bryce sighed, lowering his crossed arms. “I added you to the account—”
“Julian.” I pulled at his shirt, interrupting Bryce. This was the perfect revenge. “Julian, when we go shopping, will you pay for me?”
His brow furrowed. “But I thought that—”
“Please?” This was going against my every instinct, but I persevered. “I’ll add it to my tab.”
“Of course,” Julian replied, rubbing his thumb in circles over my arm. “But please stop doing that. You don’t need to pay me back.”
“ I’m paying you back, ” I said.
“Yes, dear,” Julian said, patience lacing his voice.
“It doesn’t matter.” Bryce shrugged, eyeing me. “You can be as stubborn as you want, I’m still coming. But you’re overlooking something rather important.” I frowned at him as he continued, “You need shoes.”
“You didn’t even grab shoes?” Damen lectured. “How neglectful.”
Bryce glared at Damen. “She said she only wanted the one thing.”
“Why are you so literal?” Damen said in a scathing voice.
Finn stood and shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked at me. “You left a pair of shoes in my car.”
My breath caught, and, for a moment, I forgot to hate him.
His words gave me hope, although I had no idea which pair he might be referring to. “Which ones?”
“How am I supposed to know?” Finn shrugged. “They’re blue. They’re fancy. And they have buttons.”
“My Tory Burch flats?” I covered my mouth. How could I have forgotten? I’d changed from them the day we acquired my Tamara Mellon wedges. Not all hope was lost.
“You were wearing Burberrys the other day, too.” Bryce was giving me a curious look. “Are you obsessed with shoes?”
“I am not obsessed!” My happiness faded into embarrassment within seconds, and I glared at Bryce. “I just like to take care of my feet.”
“Are they all luxury brands?” Bryce stroked his chin, seemingly in deep thought. “That’s surprising. Abigail is extremely frugal. But even if you convinced her, that’s hundreds for each pair. ”
“Well, they weren’t from her .” I wanted to wipe that contemplative look right off his face. Besides, how did Bryce know anything about women’s shoes?
“He got them for me.” I pointed at Finn, and his face turned red. “And I earned them.”
“You earned them?” Damen glanced at his brother. Suspicion laced his tone now. “How exactly do you earn shoes?”
“I took care of him.” I shrugged, not sure why they cared. “He likes things done a certain way.”
“Why,” Finn said, rubbing his temples. “Why is it always this way?”
What way? I frowned at him.
“Bianca.” Julian gently turned my face toward his, his voice laced with concern. “What do you mean by ‘take care of him’? Like… how?”
“Um.” I glanced at Finn for help, but he still wasn’t looking at me. I fought the urge to throw something at him. My eyes returned to Julian’s, who seemed increasingly tense.
“In the bedroom?” I said slowly, thinking through the chores. “And then the kitchen, the living room, and—”
Julian looked as if he might break, but he’d asked, hadn’t he?
“The bathroom, too,” I added with a casual wave. “He’s got some weird standards in there.”
“Finn!” Julian growled, and Finn opened his eyes. “You have ten seconds to explain yourself!”
“She was cleaning!” Finn snapped, stepping back. “Geez!”
Damen and Bryce, who’d stepped forward, stopped, and Titus and Miles’s twisted expressions cleared. But it was Brayden who spoke next.
“Cleaning?” He covered his mouth, clearly scandalized. “But you have servants!”
“That’s not the problem,” Damen replied. “Why— ”