03

Jackson's pov

"Don’t." He stepped back quickly, creating distance. "Don’t make this worse."

"I’m not trying to," I said. "But pretty boy, last night has been replaying in my head like a tape, I can also see that the memories still mix into your thoughts. You can’t deny that."

"I can," he snapped, with a shaky voice. "I have to. You don’t get it. If this gets out, if anyone finds out, I’m done. My father will destroy me. Avery-she....this whole thing will blow up in my face like a canyon."

"I’m not going to say anything," I told him, raising both palms. "My lips are sealed."

"Good," he said too quickly. "Seal them. Stitch them. Glue them shut if you have to."

I smirked. "I’d rather seal them with yours."

His expression twisted. "Are you serious right now?"

I bit my lips, I was being reckless. Intrigued by my one night stand, by my sister's husband-to-be.

I shouldn't be doing this, I knew Avery really liked him....even if this marriage was arranged.

But when I took a glance at his soft baby blue eyes, I couldn't stop the possessive thoughts from tumbling back in.

"I didn’t even want to come to this engagement party. Avery practically dragged me. And now, here you are. In a pastel nightmare. And still the only thing I can think about."

"Don’t," he said again, "Don’t mess with me like that."

"I’m not. I won’t say a word to anyone. I also don’t want anything from you. No blackmail. No favors. Just don’t avoid me."

"I have to avoid you!" he hissed. "Don’t you get it? If anyone finds out that I....we....my life will be over. The engagement will collapse. My father will have a heart attack. The company will crash. And I’ll probably be buried somewhere out back in the Maddox garden!"

"I said I won’t say anything," I repeated, gentler this time. "You don’t owe me anything. But stop acting like you’re the only one who’s terrified."

"Because I have more to lose than-"

Before he could complete his sentence, I heard heels clacking against the tile. We both turned. It was Avery.

"Well, well, well," she grinned, walking over in her obnoxiously happy way. "Look at you two, acting all serious. Did I interrupt something dramatic? Should I be concerned?" She joked.

Liam practically turned to stone beside me.

"You know," she continued, nudging my side. "I was just telling your dad earlier how Jackson was pissed when I called him this morning."

"I wasn't," I muttered.

"You were," she laughed. "You said, and I quote, ‘I swear to God, Avery, if you drag me out of this bed, I’m going to murder you. I’m with the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on and you just ruined it.’ Ring any bells?"

Liam coughed, violently.

Avery turned to him, oblivious. "Jackson’s such a drama doll, isn’t he? Always crawling into the hottest twink's arms in every city. I swear, one of these days, he’ll shock us all and finally introduce the family to his mysterious lover."

Unfortunately sis, it wasn't a twink.

It was your soft, perfect, lean and manly finacé.

"Anyways," Avery chirped, tossing her hair, "Don’t take too long out here getting to know this troublesome brother of mine. We still have to attend to the guest, amongst other things."

She leaned in, pecked Liam on the lips and skipped her way out.

A twinge of guilt poked my side as I felt like wiping her lip gloss off his lips.

Oh Jackson, you crazy dipshit. Avery likes him.

My mind seemed to scream at me, but I still didn't listen. Not when he blinked his long lashes at me.

~

Liam stood frozen.

His hands were still clenched by his sides, and for a split second, I thought he might actually scream. Or throw up. Or both.

Instead, he looked at me, exhaled shakily, and whispered, "I can’t do this."

"You already did by staying put together," I said calmly. "And if it makes you feel better, you were phenomenal at it."

He glared, his cute jaw tightening. "This isn’t a game."

"I know it’s not," I said, stepping closer. "You think I don’t know what is at stake here? You think I don’t feel like absolute trash for even looking at you right now?"

"Then stop looking."

"Can’t." I leaned against the railing again, giving him space he clearly needed. "Your pastel shirt’s too distracting."

He groaned and turned away, hands on his hips, staring out at the dark garden like the bushes held the answer to this hellhole we’d walked into.

"I’m marrying your sister," he muttered. "I’m marrying her."

"You said that twice."

"I should say it a hundred times."

I tilted my head. "Are you in love with her?"

His silence was long. Too long.

"That’s what I thought."

"It’s not that simple," he murmured, his voice almost inaudible. "My dad..... yours... this whole thing was put together for the family name, the businesses. I didn’t even have a choice."

"So you’re a trophy for trade. Cute."

"Jackson," he warned.

"I’m just saying, Liam," I pushed, watching his shoulders tense. "You’ve been pushed around your whole damn life, haven’t you? Always told what to do. Where to go. Who to kiss. What to sign."

He said nothing. But the silence told me everything.

And it pissed me off.

"You kissed me at the club because you wanted to. That wasn’t arranged. That wasn’t business. That was real. That was your choice."

He took a deep breath.

"I know it was my choice, and it was reckless, careless and...."

I placed my fingers on his lips to silence.

"And you still want more, don't you?"

His eyes widened as he slapped my hand away.

"After the engagement party, do us both a favour and go back to Carrington. Just put this behind us and I'll act like nothing ever happened."

I chuckled.

"Well pretty boy, that's too bad."

"What?" He raised a brow.

"Cause I'm staying."

And without thinking, I captured his lips with mine again.