Page 29 of Twisted (Never After)

He goes willingly, backing up a few paces and running his tongue over his bottom lip.

“What do youmean, a couple of months?” I force out.

“I mean your father is a very sick man, Yasmin. Or are you living in a delusional world where he isn’t going to die any day?”

His words attack my chest like splinters, plunging deep and sharp. “I don’t…” I shake my head, pressing the back of my hand to my overheated face. “He has more than a couple of months, Julian, please.”

Julian blows out a breath, his eyes calculating, as though he’s trying to decide whether I really believe what I’m saying. But why wouldn’t I? I know he’s sick and that he’ll eventually get worse until he passes, but to pretend he’s worse off than he is, it’s just cruel. I know realistically, hospice is a six- month death sentence at best, but…a couple of months?

Slowly, Julian steps back in again, his hand reaching out and cupping my cheek, lifting my face until I meet his solemn stare. “He doesn’t, gattina.”

I blink rapidly to clear the sudden fogginess from my eyes, the warmth of his touch sending ripples of unexpected comfort through me.

The feeling catches me off guard and I rip my face away. “How the hell wouldyouknow?”

He smirks. “Upset that Daddy didn’t tell you first? Looks like you’re not the favorite after all.”

I stuff down the storm that brews at his words and shake my head. “It doesn’t make any sense. He wouldn’t expect me to get married in…” I pause, my brows furrowing. “He only hasa couple of months?”

Julian nods. “Listen, we can hope that Aidan will find the lamp in time. I’m sending him to Egypt with my best people. But if I haven’t been able to uncover it by then…”

He trails off, but I know what he’s saying. Odds are low that Aidan will find it at all, let alone within the amount of time we need.

“So I’m fucked,” I deduce. “This isyourfault. You’re the one sending Aidan on this stupid mission that he isn’t even qualified to be on instead of helping me find a better solution.”

“You could always just tell your father the truth.”

Silence rings through the air. That seems so simple, doesn’t it? But after our meal together, the thought of it sends me into a tailspin. My breaths start coming quicker and my stomach cramps until I’m resisting the urge to physically curl into myself.

“I can’t,” I whisper.

Julian slips his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “There is another option.” He shakes his head. “No, never mind. You wouldn’t be interested.”

Annoyed, I hiss, “Don’t assume you know anything about me.”

“Fine.” His brows rise. “If Aidan doesn’t find the lamp in time, you could marrymeinstead.”

My mouth drops open in shock, and I stare at him blankly, waiting for the punchline. Only he doesn’t give me one.

Uncontrolled laughter bubbles in my chest and surges up my throat, escaping into the air. “Are you kidding me right now? Why would I ever marryyou?”

“I told you that you wouldn’t be interested,” he replies. “But it does make the most sense, in my opinion. You convince your father you’re in love with me. It gets him off your back and keeps you from having to tie yourself to someone who’s expecting the world.”

I tilt my head and watch him. “And what about you?”

“Whataboutme?” he replies.

“I mean…you’re just willing to go along with it? I don’t believe there’s a selfless bone in your body, Julian Faraci. What do you get out of this? What’s the trick?”

He tsks, shaking his head. “No tricks. Just me wanting to get Ali’s attention off you and back on things that matter.”

My chest cramps, but I push the jealousy over Julian’s relationship with my father to the side. “I’m not marrying you.”

“I’m not asking you to. I’m just saying we pretend. For a little while, until the boy returns with the lamp. Unless, of course, you’d rather be paraded in front of suitors until your father takes his last breath.”

“And when he wants a wedding before then?” I ask.

Julian grins. “Then we give him one. Doesn’t mean it has to be signed on the dotted line.”