Page 116 of The Fake Husband Deal

I paced the room again, suddenly feeling a little less drunk.

If they were right, I needed to tell Lior how I felt about him. Between me and his company I was the consolation prize, but still a prize. Fuck, I’d take being second best any day if it meant being with Lior.

Lex’s phone rang, so he left the room to take the call.

“Pizza’s here,” Ellie said.

Five minutes later, the newspaper served as protection for the coffee table covered in pizza boxes. It would end up in the trash later where it belonged.

Lex came back as we were tucking in.

“I have to go deal with something.” He held the photos in his hand. “Can I take these? I want a better look at them.”

“Sure.”

Emery stood, but Lex went over to him and gave him a kiss. “Stay here and enjoy the pizza. I’ll see you at home later.”

I forced myself to eat some pizza and switched to water to sober up.

My head was a muddle of thoughts.

Things I now knew: there was a chance Lior loved me back.

Things I didn’t know: why Ellie had ordered seven pizzas for six people.

When they all left, taking the leftover pizza, I called Jax and Tanner. I updated them on what was going on, and they decided it would be best if Jax stayed at Tanner’s for now.

I was relieved to find out he wasn’t mad at me. Just mildly inconvenienced about the work situation, but since he’d already built up a few days of vacation, he was happy to let it all die down. Hopefully, his absence from the hospital would get the reporters moving.

After speaking to Jax, I pulled my big boy pants up and messaged Lior.

Noah

I know I said what I said, but can we talk?

Please?

Lior

Of course we can. I’ll come to your place tomorrow night.

When Lior canceled the next day, I called my brothers. Once again, they descended on my apartment and kept me busy. Lior reassured me he was trying to fix things and would be in touch, but patience was never my forte. I was going out of my mind.

My anxiety increased with every day that passed. Even after Lex told me he’d been helping Lior with the photos, I still couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t see me.

I scanned the online news to see if anything else had come out about us. Then, I started buying the actual paper. Considering the hassle the reporters had given me when the news broke, it was now dead silent.

Even Jax had returned to his apartment. We’d hung out, which was a way to stop me from driving out of the city to Lior’s place.

Was this what Lior was doing? Managing the press?

I needed to see him, so after a meeting with Adam about a new client, I left my office and stormed into his building. The receptionist didn’t stop me when I walked past her, which felt like a win.

The wind was blown out of my sails and into the water when I got to the elevator and none other than Pierce was waiting there.

“This is going to be a painful ride up,” he said.

“Afraid I’m going to punch you?”