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He patted the cushion next to him. "Sit. I'll heat it up."
I perched on the sofa, setting Patches beside me as Novo went to the kitchen. When he returned with a plate and glass of water, his eyes fell on the stuffed dog.
"Friend of yours?" he asked, nodding toward Patches as he handed me the plate.
I felt my cheeks warm. "Ricky gave him to me. His name is Patches." I flushed. Why did I say that? I didn’t even name him. Ricky did.
Novo settled back on the sofa, keeping a respectful distance. "Nice to meet you, Patches," he said seriously, and I nearly choked on my bite of pizza.
"He’s not mine," I rushed out. “Ricky gave him to me,” I repeated.
Novo's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes shifted. "Well, he's here now. And he looks like he's been loved."
I glanced down at Patches with his slightly matted, worn ear. "I... make sure he’s out if Ricky comes around," I lied, then immediately regretted it. What did it matter what I did with a stupid stuffed dog? I certainly wasn’t about to admit he’d spent any time in my bed.
"Nothing wrong with that," Novo said, his voice matter-of-fact. "I've got a buddy in the club who's a combat vet. Sleeps with a stuffed bear his daughter gave him."
I blinked, trying to imagine an intimidating biker like Novo cuddling a teddy bear. The mental image almost made me smile.
"What?" Novo asked, catching my expression.
"Nothing," I said quickly, taking another bite of pizza to avoid answering.
Novo watched me eat for a moment, then cleared his throat. "So, sleeping arrangements. Like you said, there's only one bedroom."
My stomach clenched. "I have a folding bed," I said, nodding toward the closet. "I was going to set it up out here."
"No," Novo said firmly. "You'll take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
"But—"
"This isn't up for debate, Matty." His tone was gentle but left no room for argument. "You've had a rough day, and you need proper rest."
I stared at him, trying to understand what his angle was. Carrington had insisted on sharing the bed from day one, claiming it was part of maintaining our cover. And James... I shuddered slightly at the memory.
"I'm too big for your bed anyway," Novo added with a slight shrug. "My feet would hang off the end."
That was probably true. My queen-sized bed would be cramped for someone of his size. Still, I felt guilty. "The couch isn't very comfortable, and not much longer."
"I've slept in worse places," he said simply. "Finish your pizza, then we should both get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be busy."
"Busy?"
"Yeah. I need to get some of my things. We need to sort out how this living situation is going to work, and..." He paused, studying me. "We should probably talk more about expectations. For both of us."
I nodded, my appetite suddenly diminished again. I set the half-eaten slice down. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you agree to this?" I gestured vaguely between us. "To marry me, I mean. Ricky said you weren't even registered with the agency."
Something flickered across Novo's face, too quick for me to identify. "Money," he said after a brief pause. "Two million is a lot of cash."
"Oh." I felt my face heat. What a stupid question. Of course, it was the money. "Why else would someone marry a stranger?" I added, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice.
Novo was quiet for a moment, his blue eyes studying me. "Why did you pick me? After what happened with the others, you must have been scared."
I picked Patches up and clutched him to me, finding comfort in his soft fur. "Ricky and Calvin vouched for you. And..." I hesitated, not wanting to admit how desperate I'd become. "I'm running out of time. The trust fund terms state I have to be married for two years before my thirtieth birthday. That's less than twenty-six months away now."