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Ethan gets the real thing. I just get to teach her how to fuck him.

"What's Ethan make of all this?" I hear it leave my mouth. The edge is already on it and I can't sand it off in time. I sound angry. "You fake-dating another man, on national TV, and kissing him. He's fine with that?"

Cade's fork stops halfway up. He looks at me. Not a glance. He’s giving me a full look, the one he gives when he's looking for something, and I feel everything come apart. I sound jealous because I am.

"Huh." He sets the fork down. His voice stays easy. His eyes do not. "That's an awful specific thing to be worked up about, Hunter."

I glance at Margot, she's gone as white as her walls. I messed up. My eyes snap back to Cade's.

"Especially for a guy who's just doing a job."

Chapter 12: Margot

I turn to my brother, trying to calm my racing heart, before a fight breaks out.

"Cade, it's my job to make it look real. Let's not read into this. Once the deal is in contract, and the stadium is secure and keeps its money, Jax and I can go back to our real lives."

My damage control voice comes online fast and smooth.

I steal Cade’s beer and sip it, buying time to think of anything that can convince Cade. "I've spent weeks coaching Jax to look exactly that jealous on cue. Honestly, it's my best work."

Jax leans back, the mask sliding into place like it never slipped. "She's not wrong. I sound convincing. Right on brand."

Cade's eyes go from Jax to me and back. I hold the careful blank face I built a career on.

He doesn't quite let it go. "Since when do you kiss a marketing assignment that way? I know there was tongue."

I feel my face burn up and besides me I see Jax go still. There definitely was tongue.

I make myself laugh. "Since the marketing assignment's worth nine figures and the brand wanted fireworks. You want me to call Meridian and promise them less?" I arch a brow at my brother. "I can lose the whole account if you'd prefer and lose my job as well."

That does it. Cade lifts both hands in surrender, because nobody has ever won an argument with me about my own job, and the suspicion goes back in its box. For now.

"You're good at this." He points his fork at me, pride in it. "Scary good, actually. When'd you learn to lie like that?"

Around the time I started lying to myself about my feelings. "It's a marketable skill."

The dinner finally reaches the end. When Cade stands and stretches, he runs the play I should have seen coming, because he's been running it since I was fifteen when boys started circling me.

"Walk out with me, Hunter." He claps Jax on the shoulder, friendly on top, iron underneath. "Give me a ride, save me the taxi surge pricing."

And there it is. He’s not leaving Jax alone with me. Not after what Jax said.

Jax reaches for his jacket. "Yeah, man. Of course."

Cade hugs me at the door, long and hard, his mouth at my hair. "I’ll see you tomorrow. But Thursday. Come watch your brother put your fake boyfriend into the boards." He kisses the top of my head. "See you later."

And then they're both gone, and the apartment rings with the quiet they leave behind.

I tell myself it's over. I survived it, which is all I ask of a day anymore.

I'm still elbow deep washing dishes when the knock comes.

I open the door, and Jax is standing in my hallway, jacket half zipped, hair wrecked from the wind, wearing a look I have no defense for. He’s come to fight.

"I dropped him at his hotel." His voice comes out rough. "Then I turned the car around and drove back to you."

"Jax."