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CHAPTER SEVEN

“I came to say goodbye and to make sure you know Mom’s going to lose her mind when she finds out what you’re about to do,” Seth says, stepping into the library after dinner.

After the tension between Jodie and me, my parents pretended nothing had happened, though I’m fairly certain both of them know there won’t be a wedding anymore.

My girlfriend, however, switched right back to sweet mode, as if none of it ever happened.

“She’ll throw a fit for a day or two. She always does when things don’t go her way.”

“It’s worse than that. Mom was already picking out names for the kids. She said, quote: ‘It would be a dream to have a Walton-Seymour grandchild,’ unquote,” he mocks, referencing the union of Jodie’s old-money surname with ours.

“Jesus.”

“Well, either way, I’m heading out. You made the right call, bro.”

“How did you know I wasn’t going through with it?”

“I’m your younger brother. Back when you weren’t such a dick, you were my hero. I learned to read your silences,” he says, and I might be touched if I didn’t know the only difference between Seth and me is experience. Give him a few more years, and he’ll be just as much of a bastard as I am.

“Should I be moved by that?” I ask, swirling the whiskey in my glass.

He places a hand over his heart in mock pain. “Actually, yes. I came to tell you that dumping the leech was the right move. And I don’t say that because I have something against Jodie, personally. I’m just thinking about our bloodline. I can’t imagine merging our family with hers.”

Right then, Morrison walks into the library. “Yeah, it’d be like crossing the Medicis with the Lannisters? 1 . The world’s not ready for that level of toxicity,” our cousin says dryly, and Seth laughs.

“How’s the master’s going?” I ask my brother.

“You suddenly care about my coursework, when you’re standing at the edge of your own life decision?”

“There’s nothing to decide. It’s done. I just have to inform Jodie.”

Seth pauses at the door, turning back. “You’re a cold bastard, LJ.”

“What do you see in front of you, little brother? A mirror?” I smirk. We were forged from the same mold.

“You ever hear of karma, LJ? Because one day, it’s coming back to bite you in the ass,” he says, walking out.

“Karma’s for the weak. Same as destiny,” Morrison mutters, pouring himself a drink and settling into the armchair beside me. “But Seth’s right about one thing: your mother’s not going down without a fight.”

“I don’t care,” I say, taking another sip.

“Seth's right again. You’ve turned into an even colder asshole than the two of us.”

“You are older. You should be my mentor.”

He grins. “Who says I’m not?”

I raise an eyebrow in disbelief. Morrison still has a heart—mine’s long gone.

“We’re all damaged,” he says, leaning back. “None of us should be passing on our genes.”

“I want heirs.”

“At any cost?”

“Within reason.”

“What changed during dinner?”

“What do you mean?”

“You walked in conflicted but not decided. Something tipped the scales during dinner.”

“Whatever I saw in Jodie tonight didn’t matter. I knew this afternoon, right after surgery, I wouldn’t marry her. My heart rate never spiked. It stayed steady. That’s how I always feel with Jodie.”

“And what does that mean? You’ve changed your mind? You want someone who makes your pulse race now? I thought you didn’t want to fall in love.”

“I don’t think I can love. But I also can’t spend years living with someone who puts me to sleep. I thought she was perfect for me, but she’s not.”

“Why?”

“Besides what I just said, I found out today she’s been lying. Or rather, acting. For months, since we started dating.”

He freezes mid-sip. “And how the hell did you figure that out tonight ?”

“She slipped. Let a flicker of anger show. I don’t mind people with tempers. But I do have a problem with liars.”

“So that’s it? She pretended to be someone she’s not, and by your standards, she’s out?”

“Exactly. There won’t be love in any marriage I agree to, but there will be a very clear deal. There has to be honesty. I need to believe it can work. She’s been faking it all along. And now I know she wants more than I’m willing to give, I’m not walking willingly into that disaster.”

“You can’t back out. I already told my parents,” she says, sitting beside me in the car.

I glance at the rearview mirror and wonder if my bodyguards are bored out of their minds.

I’ve been listening to her complain for forty-five minutes straight.

In moments like this, I wish I hadn’t been raised with the fucking manners of a prince.

I wish I were the kind of man who could leave a woman talking to herself.

But I’m not.

“If you already told them, then you’ve broken our agreement.”

“I’m not a damn corporation.” She finally drops the sweet-girl act and lets the aggression show.

Jodie’s tried everything tonight. She offered to suck my cock in the car, she offered sex—a night of whatever I wanted to do with her—cried, and talked about what society would think if we broke up, though I doubt society even knows we’re together, since I keep my relationships out of the spotlight.

And now, she’s trying to appeal to my family loyalty.

After all that, I turn to look at her in silence.

Realizing she’s let the mask slip, she tries to slide it back into place. “Forgive me. I lost my temper. I never curse. It’s your fault.”

“I wouldn’t have minded if you’d cursed from day one.” I’ve had enough. “I wouldn’t have minded seeing you lose control.”

“Then I don’t get it.”

“You’ve been pretending. I was honest from the start, when we first began seeing each other, and especially when I handed you the prenup draft. Honesty is non-negotiable for me.”

The tears return. “Okay, so what? I pretended to agree with everything you wanted because I wanted us to work. I thought maybe, after we were married, I could make you fall in love with me.”

I take a moment to think about how to answer. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, if we’re even talking about actual feelings, which I doubt, but I’ve never lied in my life, and I’m not starting now. It’s a Seymour trait—we may be bastards, but we’re not liars.

“I could never love you. That’s exactly why I chose you.”

It takes her a few seconds to process the words, and I genuinely have no idea what to expect next.

Screaming? Curses?

What I don’t expect is for her to unbuckle her seatbelt and climb onto my lap.

“I can be what you want.”

“No, Jodie, you can’t. If you want a real marriage, you need to find a man who wants the same.

” I put her back in her seat. “If we get married, I’ll break you.

There will never be feelings from my side.

I’ll keep fucking other women, because that was part of the contract.

I never promised fidelity and never wanted it from you, either.

Now, be the lady you were raised to be and go inside.

I’ll call later to make sure you’re alright. ”

“Don’t be a damn gentleman, LJ!”

“It’s not intentional,” I say, unbothered, “and it’s not personal. I’d say the same to anyone.”

“Son of a—” She covers her mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m losing it. I’m sorry, my love. You’re right. We both need rest.”

“There’s no ‘us’ anymore, Jodie. It’s over.”

“No.”

I get out and open her door. “Go inside.”

“Please.”

“Don’t do this to yourself.”

“Why did you change your mind?”

“We’re not starting over.”

“Come back in two days. Once you’ve calmed down.”

I take her hand and kiss the back of it. “It’s over, Jodie. I hope you find happiness.”

“I’ll never be happy without you, Lazarus. I want us—together.”

She keeps repeating it like a mantra until she finally disappears inside the building.

I return to the car but don’t drive off right away. Instead, I sit there, thinking about the mess I’ve created.

In my defense, when I first considered proposing to her, I saw it strictly as a transaction. Even before we ever slept together, I told her I wasn’t interested in romance.

Next time I go looking for the mother of my heir, I’ll have to choose more carefully.

1 ? The Medicis were an Italian dynasty known for their political power, wealth, and social influence. They were also an extremely toxic family. The Lannisters are a fictional dysfunctional family from the Game of Thrones series.