It wasn’t in my nature to bluff. When threatened, I hit back.
I hit hard.
However, I couldn’t murder Nico without the Family backing me, plus I’d risk pissing off every greaseball from here to Montreal. Nico had powerful friends who’d hunt me down. I could strike him down and die, or I could bide my time. And if I chose to wait, I needed to buy a ring. Book a venue for our party. Move her in the house. I had to tell Michael I really did knock up his sister.
Liana’s hopeful face filled me with dread. The words stuck in my throat. She would not be okay with this.
“Li, he needs to think I got you pregnant.”
A strained laugh burst from her clamped lips. “This is so insane.”
“I know.”
“A pregnancy can’t be faked. You fudge all the tests you want. My flat stomach gives it away.” Liana’s incredulity slashed through my calm. “What about my mom, my friends, the coworkers who’ve seen me drinking, and God, what about Michael?”
“You’ll have a miscarriage.”
“Then we’re right where we started, and I’m not fabricating a goddamned miscarriage.” She groaned, rubbing her eyes. “I’ll leave town.”
“Then he’ll figure out I lied and kill me. And he’ll force you into Killian’s arms, except you’ll probably be passed around because you defied your husband-to-be.”
“What if we—”
“We’re engaged, Li. We’ll make it look good. We’re not telling anyone this is fake. Not Michael. Not your mom. Nobody.”
“Why not?”
“The more people we let in on the secret, the more potential leaks.”
“Vinn, this will never work. You may have bought me a month—maybe two—and then it’ll be obvious I’m not pregnant.”
I couldn’t dwell on it. “One crisis at a time.”
“Tell him it was a false positive.”
“No,” I ground out. “The only reason Nico backed off was because he thinks you’re pregnant. No man wants a woman who’s carrying another guy’s kid.”
Her mouth twisted. “Well, that’s a lousy attitude.”
“Sorry. I live in the real world.”
“Faking a pregnancy is too much.” She slid off the couch, shaking her head. “It’s despicable. I can’t do it.”
I marveled at her ability to blaze past the actual problem.
“You think I want this? I have to tell my best friend I knocked up his sister.” Christ, just imagining it made me sick. “You’re the hapless victim. I’m the bastard who ruined you.”
She flinched. “We don’t have to do any of this!”
“Unfortunately, we do. He’s not letting this go.” I mimed a pistol and tapped my temple. “I had a fucking gun to my head. So did your brother. I saved us by the skin of my teeth.”
“Ohmigod. Are you okay?”
The tenderness in her gaze was ill-fitting for the heat stirring in my chest.
“I’m fine. Let’s discuss what we’re telling Michael.”
She shook her head, pained. “No, Vinn.”
“Trust me. I don’t like it, either.”
“He’ll never forgive us.”
“Yeah, but he’ll be alive. As long as he’s breathing, he can hate me all he wants. Mike sucks at hiding his feelings. One look at him, and Nico will know I lied…” I trailed off, my stomach hardening. “You don’t want me dead. Do you?”
She was stricken. “Of course not.”
“Good. There’s hope for us.”
“Vinn, there is no us.”
“You better adjust your attitude quick, because he’s coming over. He’ll expect us to act like a couple.” I strolled to the couch, and she joined me, fidgeting with the pillow. “Understand?”
Liana swallowed hard. “All right.”
“Okay.”
I steeled myself for the disaster. It’d be unpleasant. He’d despise me, but he wouldn’t kill me outright. I patted my lap.
“Climb on, Li.”
She touched her throat. “What?”
“Don’t make a big deal out of it. He should find us together.” I waited, but Liana stiffened as though I demanded a blowjob. “You shoved your tongue in my mouth not too long ago.”
“This is different,” she whispered. “It’s more intimate.”
“That makes no sense.”
Liana said nothing, her hands balled at her sides.
“Get on me.”
Finally, she obeyed. Liana acted like my clothes were soiled. Halfway between her awkward shuffle over my legs, I grabbed her waist and yanked. Her ass hit my thighs with a satisfying thump. She rolled on me, stiffening when I pulled her into an embrace.
Liana burrowed deeper, her curves rubbing my groin. She plastered her face to my neck, her breath misting me. When she wound her arms around me, I understood what she meant. This was disturbingly intimate. My one-night stands were hollow by comparison, because even with my dick inside them I’d never felt so close to someone.
Her bra strap slipped down. I pushed it over her shoulder, a mistake, because Liana’s softer-than-silk skin made me wonder about the rest of her body. I had a fantastic view of her cleavage, the hem of her tank blocking everything I ached to explore. I played with that loose strap as my cock begged me to rip it off.
Liana seemed to sense the change in temperature. She fiddled with my buttons, sliding them in and out of their holes, teasing my chest. The temptation to kiss her overwhelmed me. Ignoring it wrenched at me. It felt wrong, like smothering a kitten. I wanted it to grow, but Michael was due any second.
I couldn’t summon the energy to ask her to stop. She grazed my abdomen, her fingers like little fire wands. She trailed them over my pecs, stroking my head, her touch massaging.
My frown lines disappeared. I melted into her, lost in a tide of relief.
Her lips brushed my ear.
A fist hammered the door, yanking me from the moment.
Liana dug her nails into me as Michael’s greeting drifted inside.
Fuck off, Michael. “Let yourself in!”
He murmured something. A key scraped the lock, and the door opened and slammed. His shoes clipped the floor, the echo growing louder. The anticipation shot my veins with adrenaline.
I adopted a somber expression.
Michael strolled in, talking a mile a minute. “Sorry I’m late. I had to rush home and console my very upset wife. Took ages to leave, and then I hit traffic in the Pike. You know how it—goes.”
Michael gaped at us. His eyes bugged out at Liana, who still sat on my lap. “What are you doing?”
Liana’s arms slipped from my neck, but she kept them on me. Heat tingled my skin as her frosty blues swept over me and stabbed in Michael’s direction.
“Nothing.”
“That’s not an answer.” Michael pivoted at me, his voice rising. “Vinn. What the fuck?”
My mouth went dry.
Out with it. “So, we’ve been dating for a while.”
He rolled his eyes. “Jesus, relax. I know you were only doing it for Nico’s benefit.”
“No, Michael. It’s the truth.”