Page 14 of If You Claim Me

Flip knows me better than anyone. Of course he’s upset.

Before I can respond, he fires another question at me. “Is this some kind of revenge plan on his part?”

I cross my arms. That Connor’s world and mine overlap should be wildly implausible, but I’m still a little offended. “Because he obviously can’t be truly in love with me, is that what you mean?”

“He doesn’t deserve you!” Flip shouts. “He’s malicious. He always has been! He’s going after the people I care about!”

If that were really true, it wouldn’t be me Connor went after, it would be Tally. But Flip isn’t ready to pull himself out of Denial River yet.

“Are you saying I’m not strong enough to stand up for myself in the face of coercion?” I press.

He continues to pace the room. “Have you lost your mind?”

“Aside from the sandwich incident, he’s actually a decent guy,” Nate says.

“Don’t take his fucking side!” Flip snaps.

Tally steps in front of him and places a hand on his chest. “This isn’t helping.”

I sigh. I expected a meltdown. But Flip is already in a spiral, so I need to recalculate. He’s not reasonable enough to be given the truth and hear it. And beyond that… “You know what? I don’t owe you or anyone an explanation. Not everything is about you, Flip.”

He spins around, and his anger melts as his face changes to a mask of guilt and regret. I’ve said this exact thing to him before—when his sister, Rix, and his best friend, Tristan, were hate-turned-love fucking behind his back.

His choices had made it difficult for them to be honest with him. And his reaction now is doing the same for me. We stare at each other, our friends gathered around us, not taking sides, not judging, ready to step in if they’re needed.God, I love these people.They’re more than enough reason to go through with marrying Connor. Besides, I’ve already signed the paperwork, and I have afeeling getting out of it would cost more money I don’t have. Connor doesn’t seem like the type to half-ass something like this.

Flip raises his hands. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m shocked. I didn’t see this coming. At all.”

“I don’t think any of us did,” Hemi, the head of Terror PR and one of the Babes, adds.

I seriously hope I haven’t made her season impossible with this new development. Flip and Connor were at least civil at the end of last season. Fingers crossed they don’t go back to fighting in the locker room over their teenage stupidity—or this.

“I know.” I glance around the room. “Connor and I both go to Callie’s games.” It’s true, even if it has little to do with why I’m in this position.

“So you’ve been secretly dating each other?” Flip asks, the hurt in his voice slicing through me.

Lying will just make this more difficult, so I carefully step around the truth. “We know each other better than any of you realize.” Maybe even better than he and I could have known. “Connor and I have our reasons for getting engaged.”

“This sounds like a business transaction, not a marriage,” Flip says.

I can barely meet his forlorn gaze. Flip has deep convictions about love and marriage and what it all means. “I need you to set aside your personal feelings about all of this and just…support me, okay?”

“Are you in trouble?”

“No.”Not anymore, provided Connor follows through. I get the sense he isn’t someone who doesn’t keep his word.

“So you’re not in danger?” Flip presses.

“No. I’m not in danger.”

“And this isn’t coercion on his part?”

“You know I wouldn’t let that happen.” I’ve been forced into enough corners in my life. This one I can confidently navigate without falling on knives.

Flip nods slowly, shoulders deflating as he exhales a heavy breath. “This is something you want?”

“It’s the right thing to do,” I reply.

“You didn’t answer the question,” Flip presses.