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“Speaking of dancing. You broke up with your boyfriend, didn’t you?” I watched Cori blink a few times. There it was in her eyes. Son of a bitch, I knew it. “There was never a boyfriend, was there?”
“No, there wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“The hell it doesn’t! Your kisses weren’t acting, and don’t you dare lie to me!”
“Will, we’ve been working together for months now, and you’re a great guy.”
Jesus. This kept getting worse and worse.
“This is not happening, Cori.” I squeezed the hell out of the steering wheel. “I’m out. You’re on your own.”
Silence filled the inside of my Mercedes as she fidgeted with the strap of her purse. She had fooled me, and I felt like a damn idiot. My heart hammered violently against my ribs. Any second an epic volcanic eruption would occur.
For the remainder of the drive, not a single word was spoken. When I pulled up to her apartment, she turned to face me with wet eyes.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall for you.” She grimaced, batting her lashes. “But if you back out now, Abe will be furious. I could lose my job. We can dial back the physical contact and not look like we’re so hot for each other.” She flinched when I shot daggers at her.
My jaw clenched so hard, I thought I might break my molars.
Instantly I flashed back to a conversation we’d had the day before SJI’s end of summer picnic. Cori seemed aggravated about our “lukewarm PDA.” Jason hadn’t questioned it, but that afternoon Cori had changed the game.
“We aren’t convincing enough. You need to act like you’re with me. Like you want to fuck me. Am I that unattractive you can’t even fake being into me?” For such a young, innocent-looking woman, she had quite the filthy mouth.
Stunned silent, I stared at her. Seagulls squawked. Kids squealed in the water. Life was happening all around our rendezvous spot in Redondo Beach. When I finally found words to respond, all I could say was, “What do you mean?”
“We have to look legit, like a real couple. I don’t think Jason’s buying our act.”
“Well, yeah, I’m not a goddamn actor!”
“We can’t afford to blow my cover. Too many man-hours have gone into taking Jason down.”
I seethed inside. I was so tired of hearing about her cover and the FBI’s goals now that I suspected they were all lying to me. Assholes.
“How exactly do you want me to make us look legit?” If it weren’t for Axel forcing me to stick with the fake affair, I wouldn’t be here at the beach with this woman. I’d be with Miranda, making up for the months of hell I’d put her through.
“Try initiating some kisses for once. Hold my hand. Look into my eyes like you want to rip my clothes off… and in Vegas, spend the night with me.”
“Spend the night with you? No!”
“Not for real.” She laughed, a nervous crackle in her voice. “I have a boyfriend, you know.”
“I don’t want to do this. Find another way to get Jason.” I hated pretending to sound weak with her, like I was afraid, when in reality, I was ready to go ballistic on them. Prison time didn’t scare me. I could afford the best lawyers money could buy to get me off on temporary insanity, which wasn’t a far stretch. I felt insane after all these bastards put me through.
“Sorry, it’s too late to turn back now. Jason’s after your money—your family’s money—your investors’ money. You’re just going to have to suck it up. Take one for the team.”
The discussion had ended, and Cori won the argument. Thinking about it now, I realized there was nothing fake about her feelings for me. Was it real for her, just as it had been heartbreakingly, soul-crushingly real for Miranda?
Had Cori admitted that none of her shows of affection were fake?
“What are you saying?” I roared, making her flinch again. Her eyes widened nervously. “We didn’t have to be kissing and groping each other like we were?” My lungs constricted, pulse thumping in my ears. I had never been so enraged in all my life.
“Please calm down. I didn’t mean to fall… in love with you.”
I glared at her, shaking my head. “No!” I honest to God couldn’t keep my head straight anymore. What was real and what was fake?
“I promise, no more. Listen, I got word from an informant after we deplaned. A new meeting with Mario is scheduled in TJ. If we can get Jason, all of this will be over… all of it.”
“It’s over now. I don’t care if Jason’s going to Tijuana or what he’s doing next. I’m done. Now get the hell out of my car. I have to get home and beg Miranda to forgive me.”
