“Well, Allegra does come with more money than a high school maths teacher,” North sneered.
Hurt flared across my chest. I knew we were lying to my sister and North and I hated it … but the insinuation that Jared might only want me for my money hit a little too close to home. My family name and wealth were the only things people ever saw when they looked at me. I expected it from most people. I had not expected it from North who had fought so hard to prove to Aria that she was more than that too.
I tried to tug my hand out of Jared’s but he held tight.
“I don’t give a fuck that you just insulted me,” Jared responded in a low, dangerous voice. “I do give a fuck that you just insulted my wife. I don’t care who you are. You watch your mouth when it comes to Allegra.”
My pulse raced at the waymy wifesounded on Jared’s lips.
As if realizing what he’d just said, North turned to Aria. Her wounded look said it all. His expression tightened at his mistake, and he gave her a tender grimace of apology before turning it on me. “I did not mean that the way it sounded. Of course, anyone would want you for all that you are, not who you come from. I’m just concerned that it was a nicebonusfor McCulloch who runs a farm. And we all know that keeping a profitable farm is not easy.”
Jared cut me a dark look. “I’m going to kill Theo.”
I felt the need to call Sarah so she could warn her husband he was in deep shit.
“Jared is managing fine. It’s nothing to do with the farm,” I hurried to say. “And for your information, I knew about Sorcha. I hadrelationshipsas well, you know.”
“Taka Aikawa?” Aria queried curiously, seeming to forget for a moment the bomb I’d just dropped.
How did she know about Taka?
“The actor?” North eyed me curiously.
Taka Aikawa was a Japanese American actor who’d become a member of Ardnoch a few years ago. We might have hooked up a time or ten after being introduced three years ago at an Ardnoch Estate New Year’s Eve party. His dad was a famous director, too, and I always liked that Taka just saw me as an attractive female and not as Wesley Howard’s daughter.
“How did you know about that?”
Aria shrugged. “I have my ways.”
“Security better not have reported it to you.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t make out with men in public places on the estate, then.”
I opened my mouth to argue that a few kisses in the estate gym was not making out when Jared squeezed my hand. “Taka?”
There was something unexpected in his eyes. Not jealousy. Concern, perhaps. Oh. Did he think I’d given up a serious relationship for our marriage?
“So, you knew about Sorcha but Jared didn’t know about Taka?” North’s tone was that of a shit-stirrer. I never knew he was such a stirrer of the shit until this moment.
“He didn’t know because it wasn’t serious,” I promised my new fake husband. “We just hooked up a few times.”
Jared gave me a sharp nod of acceptance.
“And that doesn’t bother you?” My brother-in-law narrowed his eyes. “Because if Aria had been screwing someone else while we were in our ‘no-strings’ phase, I’d have probably killed him.”
“Not true,” my sister threw over her shoulder.
“I’d have at least hit him,” North argued. “And eviscerated him in my mind over and over again.”
Aria’s eyes glinted with amusement as she met my gaze. “That I do believe.”
Her simple warm look gave me hope that maybe she might get on board with this marriage after all.
Until Jared ruined it with, “I guess I’m just more secure. After all, Allegra didn’t marry Taka, did she?”
Why was his arrogance so goddamn hot?
North coughed into his fist. “Arsehole.”
