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She nodded. “He doesn’t know about that part though.”
“Christ,” Marcus groaned. “This could really blow up if the press finds out who he is and digs that far into either of your pasts.”
Fear curled over her spine. No . . .
“The name change should protect you for now. And your foster care records are confidential. If we can smooth all this over quickly, no one will have any reason to delve deeper.” Daniel rolled his chair back from his desk and stood in a huff. “Go pack a bag. And get rid of Jace, Evan. Tonight.”
“But his business is going to suffer, and if they figure out who he is, he’ll look like a homewrecker,” she protested. “He doesn’t deserve either of those.”
“Karma’s a bitch,” Daniel said on his way out the door. “Maybe he deserves to hurt a little after what he put you through back then.”
She looked back to Marcus, hoping for a different answer, but his expression was resigned. “It’s the only way, sweetie. You were going to have to say good-bye soon anyway.” He stood and patted her shoulder. “What’s the difference if it’s a few weeks early?”
She shook her head. No difference.
She’d always known she’d have to walk away from Jace and Andre. But she never anticipated leaving destruction in her wake. And she never expected it to feel quite like this.
Like her stable existence was breaking apart beneath her feet.
Like she didn’t want to face a tomorrow that didn’t have Jace and Andre in it.
Fuck.
Panic, sharp and bitter, flooded her, turning her skin clammy and damp. No, she wasn’t this person anymore. And she wasn’t like her father. She didn’t have those kinds of destructive thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around herself, rocking as the panic charged through her system. Her nails dug deep into her arms, the pain a last-ditch effort to center herself.
She would not get this way. Not again.
She was stronger than this.
Leaving Jace and Andre . . . Would. Not. Break. Her.
She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out her phone. Her fingertips were numb as she scrolled through her contacts. He answered on the first ring. “Ev?”
She swallowed past the paralysis trying to claim her throat. “We need to talk.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Evan opened the door, fortifying herself with a deep breath, and let Jace into the hotel room. The last thing she’d wanted to do was meet with him in such an intimate setting, but she hadn’t had many other options. His loft and anywhere in public was out in case anyone was already watching her. And she definitely wasn’t inviting him over to the place she shared with Daniel. So her hotel hideout for the next few days had been the only option left.r: Roni Loren
Jace groaned and raked his hands through his hair. “No, that’s not—God. When did this get so damned complicated? Now she’s got three guys fighting over her?”
The couch squeaked as Andre rose and headed to refill his glass. He grabbed the bottle and poured, his back to Jace. Seconds passed, Andre staring down at the glass but not drinking.
“I’m not fighting you for her, J,” he said, his voice quiet. “I want you both . . . I love you both.”
The admission hit Jace in the chest like an anvil, stealing any ability to draw breath, much less respond.
Andre loved him? Not like dude-you’re-my-best-friend love. He could tell from Andre’s tone, the hunch of his pose that this was something much more serious, something he’d been holding back for a while.
Shit. He’d shared women with Andre for years. They’d both enjoyed fooling around with each other during some ménages, but never had he considered that Andre wanted anything more than that. It’d always been . . . casual. Even though Andre was admittedly bisexual, Jace knew his friend had always strived for a traditional relationship. A quick, anonymous fuck with a male sub at The Ranch on occasion, maybe. But being in a relationship with a guy had never been on Andre’s radar—not with his job and his very strict Catholic family. It would flip his life on its head.
Jace set his head in his hands. He didn’t know what to say. Or even how he felt. He enjoyed being sexual with Andre. And it’s not like Jace had any hang-ups about his own sexuality. He was primarily attracted to women but had never believed in restricting himself to some label. But a committed relationship? A true triad with another man and woman.
“Andre, I—” He looked up.
“Don’t say anything.” Andre drained the glass, his back still to Jace. “It doesn’t fucking matter anyway. Evan’s going to move to L.A. She didn’t make Dr. Dan leave tonight—not after he was a complete ass-hat to her. And not after he got hard seeing me naked. She made me leave. Her loyalty lies with him.”
“But why would she want to have a sham for a marriage?”
