Page 26 of Married As Puck
Helping this hotshot.
“Why? What’s wrong with him?” I ask, but the words stab deeper than I expect.
Cameron gives me a death glare, but I focus on Collins. Collins just looks at Cameron with a smirk.
My fingers curl tight around my wrist until I feel my own pulse hammering there. Cameron hasn’t moved, hasn’t looked away from Collins. His eyes are blazing with rage.
Collins speaks again. “Cam, it’s simple. Since the world already thinks that the both of you are married, we should use that to our advantage. Who knows. We can even spin the story to say that you were defending your wife and that’s why you beat up your teammate who said degrading things about her, trust me, people love a husband who defends his wife’s honor and it’s even more beautiful that you are famous.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Cameron rolls his eyes and walks to the kitchen, probably to get a cigarette or something.
Married. Pretending. Public appearances. My head spins. The thought of being tied to Cameron, even for a lie, makes my chest ache. And yet—opportunity. Maybe, I could trust him and who knows? I could get back at my overbearing boss and her plastic lapdog.
“One condition.” My voice trembles, but I force it out. “I play your wife only in front of cameras. Otherwise, I’m just me. No pretending in private. No… fake intimacy. That’s my line.”
Collins doesn’t even pause. “That’s all he needs.” He answers before Cameron can open his mouth.
My chest tightens, pulse racing. I ignore Cameron because he doesn’t like to speak much anyway.
“Good,” Collins says briskly, clapping his hands once like a deal’s already been signed. “We need to move fast. Photoshootthis afternoon. Public appearances start tomorrow. You two—married, happy, convincing.”
I pinch the inside of my arm, hard. It hurts, so this is real.
“Enough.” Cameron’s voice cuts sharp across the room. He straightens, arms folded like steel across his chest. “I have had enough of you acting like God over my life, making decisions for me like I’m not fucking here. You don’t get to storm into my house and dictate my life. I pay you, Collins, and not the other way around. So, watch it.”
Collins smirks, unbothered. “Your life is the brand, Gray. Without me dictating, you’d have buried yourself years ago.”
“Without you dictating,” Cameron snaps, “I’d still have my sanity.”
Their voices bounce off the walls, ricocheting back and forth. I stand there frozen, eyes darting between them like I’m watching a match I didn’t buy a ticket for.
Collins leans forward, elbows on the counter, his voice low but cutting. “You think you can go it alone? You can’t. Every headline, every deal, every contract—you’re not here because of talent alone. You’re here because I built a machine around you.”
Cameron slams his palm flat on the counter, the sound making me flinch. “You built a cage. That’s what you did.”
My mouth hangs open. I can’t stop staring at them.
Without even glancing my way, Cameron mutters, “Close your mouth, Sparks, and excuse us.”
Heat floods my cheeks. I snap my jaw shut, embarrassed he even noticed. I take half a step back, desperate for an exit.
But Collins doesn’t let me go. He gestures sharply in my direction. “She stays. If you two are going to be married, she’d better get used to everything—arguments, deals, all of it. Living together means no secrets.”
“He’s moving in five days,” I mention, but none of them hear me.
Cameron’s head jerks toward him, eyes blazing. “This isn’t your decision.”
Collins smirks, leaning back in his chair like he’s already won. “It’s the only way this works. And deep down, you know it.”
I freeze in place, caught between them, wishing more than anything the floor would open up and swallow me whole. My eyes move back and forth between them.
Collins jabs a finger toward Cameron. “You think you can keep playing this sport without structure? Without someone pulling the strings where it matters? You don’t have a clue what goes on behind the scenes. You just lace your skates and show up. I’m the reason doors are open for you at all. After everything you’ve done to sabotage your chances of making it, do you have any idea just how hard I work to ensure that you’re still relevant?”
Cameron’s jaw tightens, his fists curling at his sides. “And at what cost, Collins? You don’t consult me, you don’t even ask what I want. You just pull stunts, and I’m left cleaning up the mess. You want me to fucking lie about being married? Pull this random person I don’t even know,” Yes, he’s pointing at me, “And make her lie too?”
“She just agreed to it. She’s willing to help you.”
My mouth falls open, the words bouncing between them. I don’t even realize how obvious my gawking is until Cameron suddenly snaps, still glaring at Collins but speaking to me. “Brie, you donot have to stay here and listen to this, just leave and go do something else.”
