my sister and heard my fake boyfriend fall into step behind us.
“Is my hair okay?” I whispered to my sister.
She smirked at me. “Your hair is fine.”
I was just about to sigh with relief when she continued, “But your mouth is most definitely swollen.”
Heat bloomed on my cheeks as I touched my fingers to my lips.
“Morgan, Parker, there you are!” Fairchild’s voice carried across the foyer. He gave Rhys a salacious smirk. “Those are private family rooms down there, but I’ll let you off since I know you’re a man with an appetite. I understand that.”
Ugh.
I shivered in revulsion and felt a comforting hand on my lower back. Glancing over my shoulder at Rhys, I wanted to move away. However, the unhappy look on his face stopped me. The man was a contradiction. I was completely discombobulated by him.
No matter what he said, I had to end this deal. My feelings … well, my feelings were now involved, and after what just happened between us, I knew this man had the power to hurt me.
Deeply.
Nope.
This game had to be over.
“Jackson and I were talking, and I’ve decided to invite the Horus team and their partners to my lodge in Colorado Springs. I think”—his shrewd gaze landed on Rhys—“it’ll be a good way for us to bond as a team. And to make sure all team members feel like they’re an important cog in the wheel of Horus Renewable Energy. I’ll consider any team member who doesn’t decide to participate in this event a team member who doesn’t want to remain at Horus.”
Rhys’s hand on my back pressed deeper, and I swallowed a howl of frustration. Fairchild’s words from earlier came back to me, words I’d forgotten when things heated up with Rhys.
“Perhaps you can convince him not to be a fool and accept this invitation.”
Oh my God. Fairchild was so goddamn determined to get Rhys to fight, he was going to force us to spend the weekend in Colorado so he could persuade him.
My eyes flew to Jackson who did not look pleased about our current discussion.
“Well?” Fairchild’s gaze came to me.
I hated him.
I had never hated anyone other than the person who had left Theo on the side of that road, but right then, I hated Franklin Fairchild.
Was my job important enough to push Rhys into doing something I knew would harm him emotionally?
Even after the horrible argument we’d just had, I couldn’t do it.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able—”
“We’ll be there,” Rhys cut me off.
My gaze flew to his, but he was studiously avoiding it.
“Good.” Fairchild clapped Rhys on the shoulder. “I’ll give Jackson the details.”
The jerk stalked off, happy with his wicked machinations, and as soon as he was out of earshot, my sister said, “Why do I feel like I’m missing something?”
Jackson and I shared a weary look.
We were all just flies caught in Fairchild’s net. Trapped by his whims.
My boss turned his attention to Rhys. “It looks like you’ve made quite an impression on Franklin.”
Yes, Jackson knew exactly what this “team-bonding” trip was all about.
“Lucky fucking me,” Rhys bit out.
I winced. “Easton, Jackson, I need a word with Rhys.”
My sister threw me a concerned look, her earlier amusement gone now that she’d been witness to the tension with Fairchild. However, like Jackson, she murmured her assent and they left us alone in the foyer.
“You don’t have to do it,” I said. “My job is not worth it.”
Rhys’s gaze softened. “You are a contradiction, you know that, Tinker Bell?”
Uh, what did he say earlier? Pot meet kettle. “How am I the contradiction in this scenario?”
He didn’t answer. His expression grew taut. “I shouldn’t have acted how I did or said what I said. I’m apologizing. It won’t happen again. Now, you’re paying me to help you keep this job, so we’re going to that lodge. Fairchild can bug me all he wants while we’re there about getting in that ring. Doesn’t mean I’m going to.”
“But—”
“It’s cool, okay?” He sighed. Heavily. “Can we get the fuck out of here?”
Yes. Although I did not look forward to the car ride home with Rhys, I really, really wanted to leave. “Let’s go.”
He frowned. “We’re not saying goodbye to your parents?”
I blanched at the thought of having to lie again to their faces. “Uh, no.”
And just like that, Rhys’s expression shut down. “Right,” he muttered, as if he’d tasted something bad.
Confused, I could do nothing but follow him as he marched out of the house to collect his car.