The casual way he included me in that statement, like my life was automatically part of his calculations now, made my heart do a cartwheel in celebration. When had that happened?
“Same,” I said quickly. “We can kiss the whole fake engagement goodbye. I hate that my parents might lose their house, but they’d rather lose their house than their daughter.”
Though saying it out loud twisted my stomach into knots. I didn’t want them to lose their house. Especially if they were about to lose their daughter anyway.
Oh my God, was this seriously a fork in the road right now?
Thank God for survival skills. Your brain makes things feel so surreal, you don’t fully feel the fear or absurdity of it all.
“If the crime family thinks you were never really interested in Victoria Webb—” Blake started.
“I doubt that’ll matter,” Axel cut him off.
“And the public buys it too, then it might stop the speculation about the Webb marriage,” Blake continued stubbornly. “And if they stop poking around about the marriage, they won’t continue hunting, and they won’t find the crime family ties; the press will move on to another story.”
“There’s no way faking some romance makes a difference,” Axel pressed. “If they feel we screwed them, we screwed up everything they’ve been working for, it won’t matter.”
“Unless you’re actively working to undo the problem,” Blake pressed.
“He’s right,” Ryker agreed. “A love story online that the public buys might convince the public there was never anything between Axel and the wife, and if that’s true, then the happy couple can publicly reconcile, and the press backs off.” He scrubbed his face, resuming his pacing. “Plus, if you two stay in the public eye … if you manage to stay this viral, maybe even become the nextitcouple … if you have eyes on you at all times, that makes it far harder for them to eliminate you quietly.”
“You can’t be serious.” My voice cracked. “You think we should actuallycontinuewith the fake engagement?”
“I think it’s your best shot.”
Then perhaps we need a crime-family crisis consultant. Maybe they make those, the same as they make PR crisis managers?
“I agree with Dakota,” Axel said. The fact that we were on the same side sent a strange thrill through me, even under these circumstances. “If we might have a crime family after us, we need tangible, realistic protection. Parading around at dinnersand posing for influencers will just broadcast our location everywhere we go.”
Finally, something we agree on.Mark your calendars, people.
“Crime families know how to find people hiding with fake identities in holes in the forest,” Ryker said. “Trust me, them knowing your location isn’t the problem. They’ll find you regardless.”
“Well, that’s super comforting,” I said flatly.
“If you stay viral, all eyes will be on you everywhere you go.” Jace nodded slowly. “Witnesses. Cameras. Social media.”
“Good luck killing America’s newitcouple,” Blake added.
“Unless they just break into the penthouse and slit our throats while we sleep,” I pointed out.
Something dark flashed across Axel’s face at my words, and his hand moved another inch closer to mine. Not touching, but close enough that I could feel the tension radiating from him.
“That’s not going to happen.” His eyes met mine with an intensity that sent my heart into more cartwheels. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The promise in his voice, the protective edge to it, sent something warm and dangerous spiraling through my body. When had Axel Pierce started looking at me like I was something worth protecting?
“Look,” Ryker said, ignoring my cheerful observation, “the more you two look obsessed with each other, the less of a threat Axel ever looked to the marriage. And that’ll make the heat die down on the political couple. Win-win.”
“You’re speculating,” Axel argued.
“You’re right,” Ryker admitted. “Butspeculationisn’t the right word. In my line of work, I’ve worked with victims of organized crime families. I know them better than anyone else in this room, and they are businesspeople. You either help themor you’re still a liability.” He stopped pacing, fixing us with an intense stare. “There are no guarantees. But out of everything we’ve discussed, this is your best option.”
This cannot be happening.
“Maybe we’re overreacting,” I suggested weakly. “I mean, we’re just assuming this guy will be blood-killing angry. Maybe Tony Romano won’t come after us.”
Every pair of eyes in the room looked at me like I’d just suggested we all start a book club that specializes in fairy porn.
