Page 74 of Wild Card

“Well, as you know, your father has wanted to see your sister take the family business more seriously, and that includes finding a suitable gentleman she could inherit the dealings with, someone who would look good on the cover a magazine, of course, along with providing deliciously gorgeous children and being a supportive backbone for our little girl.”

She’ll marry someone her own age…my father’s words came back with a hard knock in the heart. That paired with finding out Decker had known…my throat felt like it was swelling shut, and I hated so much of what Jackie had just said. My mind had picked up several words like stones on a beach, ready to toss them back into the bay, hoping they’d hit with a splash. Sister…inherit…little girl… I hated how she always acted like Taylor was my dad’s biological kid when she wasn’t.

He wasmydad and herstepdad. That was just how it was, plain and simple. Jackie didn’t include me in their mother-daughter trips or their conversations or spa weekends, and yet here my stepsister was, on the cusp of inheriting my father’s business. I wouldn’t have minded if it was Taylor’s dream, if she really wanted this, but I knew her, probably better than anyone. She hid behind this thin composure of luxury, but deep down she was a quiet soul looking for purpose. I saw it in the way she tried different recipes and secretly stuck her nose in one of those historical books, and not the fiction kind. She loved reading about the history of America, especially during the early 1900s. She was more than all this.

My father’s phone call started to swirl in my head like a bad cocktail.

I had made it more than clear several years ago that I would never help run my father’s business in any capacity, not when I was still so hopeful about being a featured writer and landing the Kline internship. That idea tasted like ash in my mouth now. Maybe it was time to step up and help out…maybe it was time to be the dutiful daughter so it stopped falling on Taylor’s shoulders.

“Well, I haven’t seen anyone around, but I am happy for her. That sounds great.” I tried to seem happy, merely because it would make these conversations go smoothly, and ultimately, I loved my dad. But honestly, I had no idea what in the hell she was talking about. I hadn’t seen anyone around with Taylor, but we’d been so off since I had started dating Decker, and then with her sickness. I was so caught up with trying to connect what Jackie had said to what I had seen with my stepsister that when the doorbell rang, I honestly didn’t think anything of it.

Unless she meant…

She can’t mean Decker.

I grabbed a flute of champagne from a floating tray and tossed the entire thing back, all while fastening my eyes on the enemy. Jeff moved in behind me, a little too close for comfort. He was definitely playing the date role like he was up for an Oscar. My eyes tracked with Decker as he moved with Taylor, making introductions around the room. I hated how much I wished it were me standing there with him. My stomach twisted. Why were they doing this, acting like nothing had happened, and wasn’t she supposed to be marrying someone?

God, what if that was Decker’s ultimate revenge plot? Him marrying Taylor…it would rip my soul out.

I had nearly perfected the art of ignoring the looks Decker kept sending my way and how every time I moved around the room, he’d try to rotate toward me. Seeing him in a suit was just as heart-stopping as it had been the first time, but seeing Taylor on his arm all night was just too painful. She laughed and giggled at everything he said, and each time I found it harder to love my stepsister.

Finally, after nearly an hour of Jeff smiling and flirting with me, I noticed a familiar set of navy eyes that also had inflamed bruising. My feet halted as I took in the rest of his face, the swelling of his nose and the white tape across it, the purple bruising on his jaw. What were the odds of Elias and Decker both showing up bruised? Either they’d had a rough practice, or they had gotten into a fight. Even with the imperfections on his face, he was all swagger and grace with those broad shoulders and stacked muscles. His blond hair was styled neatly in a way that made it look swept back and over, almost like a movie star. After everything had happened the week before, I hadn’t even texted him back to tell him I wouldn’t be going. He had swung by my house to check on me, bearing flowers and some Chinese food. I’d accepted them, only because I was so confused about the roles everyone was playing. Taylor didn’t seem to trust him, yet she’d agreed to marry him. Or had she?

She had received that card, but I thought that was by chance…then Decker had said he’d handpicked the girl he wanted back there, but did that mean she knew about all of it? Decker still hadn’t told me about their past and what had happened, so I had no idea what on earth had really gone down. Truthfully, I was just unsure of how I felt about the guy. He had always been nice to me, so what motivation did I have to be angry with him? In fact, I should have just invited him as my date so I wasn’t stuck with handsy Jeff.

Elias’s eyes found mine, and a seductive smile lit up his face as his gaze seemed to travel the length of me, staying especially focused on my chest. I snickered into my drink; he was being so obtuse, and he knew there was zero chance of anything happening between us.

I smiled back, playing along, and when he got close enough, because the champagne had started hitting, I threw myself at him, clinging to his neck as if we were long-lost lovers. I kept laughing even as his hands went to my hips, gripping me tightly. It was meant to be fun, a joke, but before I could pull away, his lips suddenly landed on mine.

That…I wasn’t expecting, but even as the temptation to mess with Decker sat on the fringe of my mind, I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t kiss him just to hurt Decker. Instead, I pushed him away, dipping my head so no one would see the devastation I didn’t know how to hide. It was there in the middle of my father’s house that I realized with absolute certainty that I was in love with Decker James. He had lied to me, screwed me out of a story, and played me like a fucking fiddle, and yet…he still had my heart, and I had no idea how to get it back.

“What in the hell happened to your face?” I asked, jokingly running my thumb over the bridge of his nose.

“Just a rough day at practice.” He laughed it off, but I didn’t miss how his eyes flashed over my shoulder, where I knew Decker was standing. Something had happened between the two of them.

Elias brought his focus back to me. “Want to introduce me to your famous dad?”

My stomach churned as I considered the likelihood of him now playing me. He obviously already knew my dad, and who had invited him to this party in the first place? Setting the champagne on a traveling tray, I nodded and walked toward my father.

“Hey Dad, I want you to meet someone.” Right as we stopped next to him, a circle started to form. Some of Dad’s shareholders were there. Taylor came in next, and there on her arm was Decker. A few other friends and associates were there, listening and talking to each other, all vying for my dad’s attention.

Dad’s eyes narrowed as he watched Elias, which only confirmed that Elias was a big fat manipulator. Why would he want me to bring attention to him? Why pretend?

“Weren’t you and that Juan boy dating?” My dad’s left eyebrow shot up while his hard gaze landed on me. I nearly choked on my drink.

“Uh…no. Juan is my best friend, Dad.” My gaze briefly darted to the man I had been dating, hoping to see something register there, but he was stone cold. His jaw clenched tight, his arm wrapped around my stepsister’s waist. My fingers itched for more alcohol.

“Oh, well I just figured since he was always around.”

The circle watched us while my face burned.

“Hello, sir, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Elias Matthews.” He stuck his hand out, covering for me. My father slowly took it with a solid shake, but his eyebrows caved in like he wasn’t sure why he was shaking Elias’s hand. I didn’t know either. I hated politics and pretending. This was all ridiculous.

“You’re what to my daughter?” My father glared at Elias.

“Well…I’m not sure yet. We’re still discovering that for ourselves.” Elias looked over and smiled at me, and I nearly choked on my tongue. Why had he said that? Frozen, my heart thundered in my chest as I waited for Decker’s reaction. His mossy gaze caught mine like a jagged piece of glass. The hurt in them nearly robbed me of breath. The bruises on his face added such a brokenness that I wasn’t used to seeing. I wanted to reach for him, drag him away, and figure out what was happening there, but he’d hurt me. Lied to me. He’d promised me notes for a story he knew I wouldn’t be able to publish.

My dad’s jaw ticked, his eyes sweeping between Elias and Decker, and my gaze kept landing on the latter. My dad was like a detective, always knowing these little intricate things about me.

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