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I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I swear, from where I’m standing, I see every person visit the table, pour food on their plate, and head off to eat.
I’ve been here so long that people are finishing dinner.
This is ridiculous.
My fingers start to tap, my annoyance growing by the second.
“Here it is,” she calls out.
Thank God.
Natasha reaches over to me and swipes at her phone, showing me a document. I don’t even bother to read it. Rookie mistake, but I’m near passing out.
“Is that all?” I ask.
She claps her hands together. “It is.”
I give her the fakest smile I can muster. “Great.” I turn on my heel and walk toward the food.
When I get to the table, I stop short.
Goddammit.
The table is almost all out of food. It’s slim pickings. I have nothing to eat. As I’m about to admit defeat and sulk back to my hut, footsteps approach behind me.
“You missed the food.”
My jaw clenches down.
In another place, in another world, I’d find his voice irresistible. The gravelly way he speaks, the way he looks at me, but today is an important reminder that nothing about Paxton Ramsey is genuine.
He has everyone fooled.
I turn to look at him. Only an hour ago, he was making my knees weak as he taught me how to start a fire. Now I feel dumb for allowing myself to feel that way.
“Yeah, apparently Natasha had to speak to me. Not that it needed to be done now . . . .” I roll my eyes.
“Were you okay with the pictures being leaked?”
“Do you mean was I okay being a pawn in your silly plotted charade?” I level him with my glower. “Yeah, sure, I’m fine with being used.”
He shrugs, which manages to piss me off more. “It’s for the greater good.”
“I would have liked to be privy to the plan.”
Instead of being blindsided when I thought you had changed. That we were changing.
I bite my inner cheek, a habit I picked up over the years not to tell my dad what I was really thinking.
“You’re being a bit dramatic.”
“I haven’t eaten in over thirty-two hours. I’m tired and pissed. Just leave me alone.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I cut him off. “Bullshit. You knew exactly what you were doing. You can’t help but be a dick. Not telling me? Good plan, asshole. I let my guard down, and they likely got the pictures that’ll work perfectly for their lies.”
“You haven’t eaten in how long?” he practically growls, missing the important part in all of this.
“That’s all you heard?” My hands fly up into the air. I’m two seconds away from throwing a Teagan tantrum, and I can’t do that.
I spin around and stalk toward my hut, desperate to get away.
“Where are you going?” he yells at my back.
“If there’s no food, I’m going to bed.”
My lack of food has the ground dipping below me, and I sway, almost face-planting. My sugar levels are seriously low.
“Hold up, Mallory.”
I’m about to object, but then strong arms steady me, guiding me toward a table.
Once Paxton is sure I’m safely sitting, a plate of food is pushed in front of me.
“Eat,” he commands.
I narrow my eyes at his plate. “Where did you get that?”
“Don’t worry about that. Just eat before you pass out.”
I look up at him. “Is this yours?”
“And if I told you it was?” he asks, and I push the plate away. “Exactly. Now eat. I can’t have you passing out.”
“Why do you care?” I retort.
“Because, believe it or not, I’m not a complete asshole.”
“Two hours ago, I might have agreed.”
A hand reaches out and touches my hand that is resting on the table. I raise my chin and meet his stare.
“Please.” His voice sounds different, and I find I’m too weak to argue.
Picking up my fork, I look at the plate, contemplating eating it.
It was a nice gesture, sure.
But I don’t for one moment allow myself to believe that this is anything more than another ploy. Something else for Natasha to snap a picture of.
22
Paxton
@Stargossip: Is anyone else thinking these latest photos from the Twisted Lily set are another ploy to convince us all that things are going swell?
@SuckMyToes: Whatever the angle, I won’t complain about shots of Paxton Ramsey . . . YUM!
@SpeakEasyToMe: @SuckMyToes You’re not wrong! The man’s FIRE!
@Deathtothesystem: They’re all evil, and the photos are trash!
“I’ll be back in a few.” Standing from the table, I head toward one of the few restrooms used by the whole staff. I make quick work, wanting out of here as soon as possible. It’s fucking gross. On the walk back, I watch her from across the expanse as she pulls out her phone and attempts to find service.
Good luck.
She really is stubborn.
Or at least she is when it comes to me.
