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“Pay up,” Troy says. Adam grumbles and reaches down…into his shoe? Before passing over some cash.

Next to me, Mike’s surprisingly chill. He only chuckles and says, “Should’ve known someone was taking bets.”

Should he have? Why? When have we ever acted like a couple before this week?

I’m so confused.

“Congratulations, you two,” Eve singsongs from across the table. She’s got her braids up in a big, elegant-looking knot this morning. If Ella were here, she’d be in love.

Next to her, Alexis nods. “Always thought you two would make a great couple,” she agrees.

That’s awfully nice. Too bad it’s all a lie.

Here I thought these people were my friends, but they don’t know me at all. Or maybe more accurately, they don’t know Mike. Everyone is convinced he’s the world’s nicest guy. He gives them rides. He helps them with their finances. They don’t know how he is behind closed doors.

But you like it.

You love it.

You wake up every morning, hard and aching and desperate for him to touch you.

I try not to squirm in my chair. Mike’s fingers dig into my leg. It’s the first time he’s done anything physically painful to me in days. And it burns me up that it feels…nice. Grounding?

Maybe because it’s familiar. It makes sense. Since Billie died, things between us have been clear. He’s the one who gives me what I deserve for his sister’s death, and I’m the one who takes it. The new softness between us doesn’t quite feel right. Or maybe it feels too right?

“I agree,” Ravi says. I’ve almost lost track of what everyone’s even talking about until he adds, “You two do make a good-looking couple. And you’re already practically family.”

Right. Even as I force a smile, all I can think is this is about the one-millionth time I’ve regretted this decision since Mike and I made this dumb agreement.

Lots of people ask questions after that, but he waves them all off with a vague explanation of “We’re seeing where things go.”

Which is good because I don’t have a clue what to say. Even though most people here know about Ella’s school interview, saying we’re practicing looking like a couple so we can fake it in front of some snotty rich folks sounds ridiculous. I spend enough time feeling behind the ball as it is.

The only person who looks like they’re not buying this act is Ravi’s boyfriend, Liam. The older man’s giving me a subtle eyebrow raise that looks like it’s full of questions. Maybe because I never mentioned having a boyfriend or anything when I met him at Brennan’s office. Or maybe when Mike went in there after I did, something he said gave it away?

I think I remember him saying he’d been in the military. And Ravi said before that the guy was some sort of investigator, so maybe he sees things other people don’t? Hard not to envy that skill. Either way, we’re not exactly doing anything wrong, but the man’s stare makes my leg bounce.

Mike’s palm presses down hard on that bouncing leg, making me go still. Then, right there, with our friends all around us, his palm slides upward until his finger traces my dick under the table again.

“You’ve got to stop that,” I mumble under my breath.

Nobody seems to hear me except Mike himself, who huffs a laugh.

This must be hilarious for him. He acts as if nothing at all is wrong while he orders himself an egg white omelet with spinach and then tells the waitress, Lee Anne, that I’ll have the same.

“What the frick are you doing?” Not wanting to make a scene, I whisper into his ear when the waitress leaves. “You’re ordering for me now?”

“Isn’t that something couples do?” He bats his lashes at me. Anyone else doing it would probably look stupid. Mike and his naturally thick lashes somehow make the fake innocence look classy and cute.

What am I even thinking right now?

“We’re not that kind of couple. I can order my own food.” Never mind that an egg white omelet with spinach actually sounds good.

“You can order for us next time. You know what I like.” There’s this dimple that pops out in his cheek when he smiles just so. I’ve hardly seen it because he never much grinned at me that way, but it’s there now.

His suggestion sounds innocent enough. Until he squeezes my leg under the table. Again.

Man, I’m going to be so relieved when this is all over. I’ve never been more mixed-up, and that’s saying something. I’m horny and actually kind of angry, because for the first time I’m not clear on what’s going on between us. For years I understood what we were to each other. Now, I can’t shake the idea that Mike is playing me.