Love Arranged (Lakefront Billionaires, #3)(33)

“I’m not interested in selling my car,” I say with a detached voice.

“I’m not talking about that, and you know it.” His body is riddled with tension.

I can make an educated guess about what he’s insinuating, but I want to hear him say it aloud so he has to face his own bad idea.

“I’d rather you clarify so I don’t get pissed for no reason.”

He holds my cold stare without looking away. “I want you to leave Lily alone.”

“And you think money is going to do the trick?” I laugh.

“That’s not what I’m offering.”

I tilt my head. “Then what do you possibly have that I could ever want?”

“You wanted my endorsement, right?”

His question makes me pause. “Don’t tell me you’re going to back out of our deal now.”

He shakes his head. “No, but what if I could get you more?”

Okay, I’ll bite for curiosity’s sake. “Like who?”

“A lot of people around here owe me favors. I’m talking about influential, well-connected people who probably have more in common with you than they realize.”

“And you’d call in those favors for me? I’m touched.”

His jaw ticks. “I’m doing this for Lily.”

“Because you want me to stay away.”

He nods.

“In that case, I don’t think she’d be too happy to hear about this conversation.”

If he keeps clenching his jaw, he won’t have any teeth left to grind. “She doesn’t need to find out.”

“Ah. Well, that’s a problem, then, because we don’t keep secrets from one another.”

“But you have no problem keeping them from us?” he snaps.

“Seeing as I’m not in love with you, no, I don’t.” My calculated reply only makes him twitchier.

“You can’t expect me to believe you two fell in love.”

“I mean, whether you choose to believe it or not doesn’t make it any less true.”

His forehead creases with concern. “I know if I loved a woman, I wouldn’t be so quick to hide it from the world.”

My lips curl at the corners. “What if I told you it was all her idea?”

Pushing Julian’s buttons has become one of my favorite pastimes. I bet it eats him up inside to know the pseudo-sister he puts on a pedestal would lie to him because of me.

“There’s no way she would suggest it.” Julian shakes his head.

“Hm.” I give him a quick once-over, noting his rigid body language. “Think about it. What would I stand to gain by keeping our relationship a secret? If anything, I’d get to piss you off in a whole new way.”

His lips press together, their color turning white.

I can practically hear the gears in his head turning as he considers who benefited most from keeping the relationship a secret.

I thought I was done, but I can’t help myself as I say, “And Julian?”

He lifts his chin in silent acknowledgment.

“There is absolutely nothing you can offer me that would convince me to leave Lily—whether it be money, endorsements, or a guaranteed election victory. So bring up the idea again and I’ll show you what it’s like to be my enemy.” I get into my car and drive away, ignoring Julian glowering in my rearview mirror as I head home.




It takes Manny precisely twenty minutes to find out about my “relationship.”

MANNY

You and Lily are a thing?!

MANNY

WTF man. How could you not tell me? I thought we were close.

MANNY

And she calls you BABY?

MANNY

I’m kind of jealous.

Since I feel slightly bad for keeping my fake secret to myself after he helped me fix Lily’s car the other night, I reply right away instead of leaving him on read.

ME

It was a secret.

MANNY

No shit. I understand why, but to find out the news from my mom?

MANNY

That’s cruel. Even for you.

It’s good to know word is already spreading, but I don’t know how it’s being received, so I throw Manny an invitation in exchange for information.

ME

Come over tomorrow and I’ll explain.

MANNY

Will you make up for the betrayal and let me take the Gullwing out for a ride?

He could mess with your car, the whispering voice replies, my obsession with safety always rearing its ugly head at the most inconvenient times.

You don’t have to worry if you’re inside of it with him, I reply, fighting off the intrusive thought.

But what if he crashes with you in the passenger seat?

A cold, uncomfortable feeling spreads through me.

ME

Only if you’re okay being a passenger.

MANNY

I’ll convince you to let me take it out for a spin one day. Mark my words.

I’m sure he’ll try his best, but my controlling thoughts are stronger than any negotiation skills he has.

ME

Best of luck.

MANNY

See you tomorrow, lover boy.

With Manny placated, I lock my phone and walk inside my house. It’s funny living in one that Julian designed given how much he detests me.