Page 59 of The Worst Pucking Deal

“I... I’m fine,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible above the noise of the party.

She’s clearly anything but fine right now. But with Tom and Fabian here, I can’t outright ask her what’s going on. I can, however, make sure the dickhead doesn’t get closer to her. Shifting her slightly, I make sure his hand doesn’t touch her when he moves closer, silently insisting on a handshake.

“Want to shake my hand again?” I force a laugh. Then I make a fist, awkwardly fistbumping his hand. “That’s how we do it on the ice,” I explain, doing my best to make it seem more natural. I fail. There’s nothing fucking natural about this interaction.

Fabian laughs. “I like you, Sawyer. From what I heard, I expected you to be a lone wolf, but you seem fine to me.”

I shrug. “What can I say, my bunny brings out the best in me.”

As I lean down to kiss the top of her head, Fabian’s eyes flash with anger. Interesting. I shoot Tom a questioning glance, but he just shrugs. Dick.

“Bunny?” Fabian laughs, echoing my fucking name for Lucia. “After everything I’ve heard about her, she sounded more like a wolf.”

What is it with this guy and wolf anecdotes?

“Oh, God,” Lucia whines. “I-I’m sorry… I think I’m… I don’t feel well.” One look at her, and it’s easy to see she isn’t lying. She’s paler than a fucking ghost. Sweat beads on her forehead, and she’s trembling.

Fabian shifts closer, his eyes glued on the wedding band on Lucia’s finger. “So congratulations are in order,” he says. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Congratulations?” Tom asks, frowning in confusion.

Nodding, Fabian moves closer and grasps Lucia’s wrist, causing her to cry out in surprise. “I know a wedding band when I see one,” he sneers, giving up all pretenses about being nice.

“What the? No, that can’t be right,” Tom says. But as he looks down at Lucia’s hand, he realizes just how right it is. “Sawyer?”

Holding Lucia tighter, I give him a strained smile. “We weren’t going to announce it until after Christmas,” I say, making it up as I go. “But yes, we’re married.”

Tom holds my gaze longer than he needs to, searching in the depths for… well, I don’t fucking know. Whether it’s a sham or real marriage shouldn’t matter to him. He’s the one who wanted me to date Lucia. “I see,” he finally says. Looking away, his eyes sweep over Lucia. “Perhaps it’s best if you call it a night,” Tom suggests, with a forced smile, his disappointment clear.

“Of course,” I reply smoothly. Though I note the tension in his voice, I don’t give a fuck about anyone else but Lucia right now.

As we turn to leave, I overhear Tom’s voice, his tone apologetic. “I’m truly sorry about that, Fabian. I hope it didn’t spoil your evening.”

Fabian’s response is a low chuckle, tinged with amusement. “Not at all, Tom. These things happen, and I’m sure I’ll get the pleasure of catching up with Miss Ru-Carter another time.”

Lucia doesn’t ease her hold on me, in fact, the further we get away from Tom and Fabian, the more she shakes. After getting our coats, I guide her outside. When she almost falls for the third time in just as many minutes, I give up and carry her to my car.

Lucia

Idon’t think my body has ever been louder than it is in the silence of the car. My teeth are chattering, my blood rushes in my veins, and my heart is beating so violently I can barely hear the other two.

Fabian…

Fabian is…

Fuck.

Fabian is here.

I don’t understand it. It’s like there’s a fog making it impossible for my brain to comprehend what just happened. Rationally, I know exactly what’s going on; Fabian bought his way into my world and put himself in a position of pure power. Irrationally, my brain rejects the idea. Scoffs and tells me it’s not possible. But not only is it possible, it happened.

“Was his name really Fabian?” I ask again, hoping beyond belief that Sawyer is going to look at me with a smile and tell me “gotcha.”

“That’s what he said,” Sawyer replies, his tone as strained as the veins on his arms.

Despite the turmoil in my mind, I can’t stop looking at him as he sits there, bare-chested and tense and so handsome it’s hard to look away. Since I’m still shaking, he gave me his suit jacket and shirt to cover me. And since I didn’t have the words to explain I’m not freezing because it’s cold, but because I’m scared to the very marrow of my being, no amount of fabric will make me warm again.

The one thing I remember the most from living with Fabian and being his wife is how cold I always felt. Even during the hottest summer day in Rome, I’d be cold all the way into my bones. No amount of sun or Roman baths could heat me up. I didn’t feel warm again until my uncle took my deal and granted my wish; saving me from Fabian’s cruelty.

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