Page 67 of The Elusive Billionaire

“Clover is and always will be family, as are Pops, Moose, and Chief,” he says.

“But we should probably keep some details away from Pops,” Madi says with a grin. I’ve been so focused on Savvy that I didn’t even see Madi hiding behind her. “We can’t trust him to keep any kind of secret.”

“Agreed,” I say. The man’s middle name ismenace.

“So…what now?” Madi asks. She’s practically bouncing on her toes. Giddy is the word I’d use to describe her, and it makes me uncomfortable as hell.

“First, I think the fake part of this relationship should stay between us,” Braxton says, eying me curiously. “It is fake, right?”

Savvy nods while scowling at me. “Obviously.”

Why does her anger make me feel like a little kid on Christmas morning for the first time in my life? I never had a traditional Christmas morning as a kid, and by age thirteen, all holidays were focused on Sage.

“It can’t get out to anyone else then,” Braxton says.

“I won’t keep it from Clover or Elle.” Savvy crosses her arms, the same way she did during the bathroom incident a few days ago. Her cheeks flush when she catches me staring at her tits, and she’s quick to drop her arms to her sides. Is she remembering too?

“Of course.” Braxton smiles at Savvy, and she visibly relaxes.

It makes me want to punch my beloved brother in the throat. I don’t like that he gets her softness while I’m stuck with the thorns.

It’s your own fault.Fucking conscience.

“Moose and Pops will have their suspicions though.” Madi’s scowl now matches Savvy’s. “Especially since Pops pushed all Grey’s triggers to get us to this point.”

“That could be a problem.” Braxton chews on his lip while he thinks. “We have to convince everyone that this is real. The chemistry between you two should do the trick, but that means you need to really pack on the PDA.”

“No,” Savvy all but growls.

I shrug. “Fine by me.”

She narrows her eyes and purses her lips. “We just spent nearly an entire week with you telling me how much you hate me. Hate. With a capital H. Why are you suddenly so keen to be my husband?”

Why, indeed? I don’t have an answer for her, but I do know that witnessing her struggles changed the chemistry of us—of me—and now I’ll burn the world to the ground to keep her by my side where I know she’ll be safe and cared for.

It’s that fire that matches hers that has me lurching forward, and before I know it, we’re standing toe-to-toe as I lower my voice to just above a whisper. “Maybe I like the idea of watching you…submit.”

She snorts, and spittle hits the side of my face, which makes her laugh out loud. But when she reaches out and wipes it away, I lean into her touch as though I’m helpless to do anything else.

“The day I submit is the day I die.” Can she hear the lie in her words? Because I can.

“So…morbid, dear wifey.” I lean in, fully aware that we have an audience, just not giving a shit. She fills a void that’s resided in my soul for months, possibly even years, and under the guise of helping her, I allow myself to explore it. “But you do submit, Monroe,” I rasp into her ear. “Even if it’s in private, you’re still submitting. In fact, that might be how I like you best.”

“Y—you’re an asshole.” She shoves me away with two shaky hands on my chest.

Point for me.

“I’m really going to love this game of ours, Monroe. I think you will too.”

“Not likely.”

A knock on the door interrupts us, and we all turn to see Quinn and Sage enter the room. She’s visibly annoyed, but I don’t comment on it because Sage is upset—it’s written all over his face.

I don’t want to believe that Quinn is guilty of treason, but she’s not family, so I won’t trust her. Finding a replacement will be a real bitch though.

“What is it, Quinn?” I ask.

“Clover’s trying to reach you.” She makes a point of looking at everyone except Savvy. “All of you. She received a…threat at her home.”