Page 94 of Faking with Three

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” she snaps.

Marcus and I exchange a glance.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that,” she says. “The stress of the last few days has been a lot.”

I look at her, really look at her. Jax’s absence has taken a toll on her, it’s affecting her more than she understands. And then it hits me. She loves him. But instead of jealousy, I feel a sense of calm. Because when she looks at me, I see the same love in her eyes for me. And fear. She’s afraid of losing us, as well.

“I found her outside her apartment, she could barely stand up,” Marcus says, his brows furrowed.

“I’m fine,” Olivia says, decidedly. “But what are we going to do about her? I thought we had left her whole episode behind, but apparently not. This is going to get messy.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and rub the back of my neck. “Messy is an understatement,” I say, my tone bitter. “She’s not going to back off easily.”

Marcus sighs, leaning against the desk. “We’ll deal with it. Together.”

CHAPTER 29

MARCUS

Jill’s eyeslight up as she digs into her ice cream, a swirl of chocolate and vanilla melting faster than she can eat it. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair slightly messy from the quick walk to the café. She’d been so excited to sneak out and meet me, but that excitement comes with a pang of guilt.

“Your mom’s going to be furious if she finds out,” I say, watching her spoon another bite into her mouth.

“She won’t,” Jill says confidently, though her voice drops just a little. “I told her I was doing homework with Katie.”

I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “I don’t like that you have to lie to see me.”

Her shoulders slump slightly, and she looks up at me with those big, expressive eyes that have always been my weakness. “I don’t like it either, Dad. But what else am I supposed to do? She won’t even let us talk without making it a big deal.”

I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. I shouldn’t have to meet my daughter in secret, like I’m some kind of criminal. But that’s what it’s come to. Thanks to Charlie Green and her meddling, my relationship with Jill has become one more casualty in her crusade against us.

I force a smile, pushing down the frustration. “Well, at least we get to have this,” I say, gesturing to her ice cream. “And you’re going to owe Katie big time if she ever finds out you’re using her as an alibi.”

Jill giggles, the sound light and unguarded, and for a moment, it’s like none of the mess exists. “Katie would totally cover for me. She loves you. She still talks about that time you taught us how to make balloon animals for her birthday.”

“Balloon animals, huh? That’s my legacy?”

She grins. “Pretty much.”

I stir my coffee, the bitter smell rising with the steam. “You know,” I say carefully, “I don’t like that you had to lie to come here.”

Jill shrugs, not meeting my eyes. “I didn’t have a choice. Mom would’ve said no.”

“That’s not the point.” I sigh, setting my spoon down. “I don’t want you feeling like you have to choose between us. That’s not fair to you.”

She finally looks up at me, her big brown eyes filled with a mix of defiance and something softer, something vulnerable. “It’s not fair that you don’t get to see me unless I sneak out. I miss you, Dad. I’m tired of missing you.”

The lump in my throat is immediate. I swallow hard, forcing myself to hold her gaze. “I miss you too, kiddo. More than you know.”

For a moment, the only sound is the clink of her spoon against the bowl.

Jill is the first to break the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

She hesitates, stirring the remnants of her sundae. “What’s it like… with Olivia? And the others? Mom always says it’s weird and that it’s why everything’s so messed up.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I sit back, trying to steady myself before I answer. “It’s… different,” I admit. “But it’s also good. Olivia, Ethan, Jax—they’re important to me. They’re like family. And we take care of each other, in our own way.”

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