Afterwards, they showered together.


    Scarlette stood by the mirror, running a blow dryer through her wet hair. Nichs lounged at the edge of the bed, eyes glued to her, almost like he was trying to figure her out.


    She was so gentle tonight—it threw him offpletely. Over the past few years, he''d gotten used to her cold stares and sharp words. This softness felt like a dream he wasn''t quite sure how to handle.<fnfcb2> The source of th?s content is find?novel</fnfcb2>


    Scarlette only half-dried her hair before ducking out, then came back with a ss of water and handed it to him.


    Nichs''s eyes lit up with surprise. "You..."


    What was going on? Was she sick or something, being this nice to him all of a sudden?


    Or maybe, just maybe, she''d finally realized that the one person who loved her most in this world was him. Maybe she''d decided to finally cherish him.


    He smiled, taking the water and finishing it in one gulp. "Sis, let''s get some sleep. I''m beat."


    He sounded so obedient calling her "sis," nothing like his usual rebellious self. Scarlette climbed into bed and was out cold the second her head hit the pillow.


    But she only slept for three hours. By six in the morning, she was up, dressed, and out the door without a sound.


    Nichs kept sleeping, hugging a pillow in her ce, totally unaware she''d already left.


    Scarlette didn''t even nce back. She just pulled out her phone and called Morgan.


    She had a big dealing up with a majorpany, and the only way in was through Morgan''s family. The catch? She and Morgan had to pretend to be a couple. That was the whole reason they''d teamed up in the first ce.


    Morgan was getting older, and his family wouldn''t stop nagging him to settle down. Scarlette, meanwhile, needed a boyfriend—at least on paper-to keep the gossip in the city from swallowing her whole.


    She met Morgan at exactly nine, clutching a thick stack of documents she''d reorganized that morning, determined not to let anything slip.


    Morgan wore a watch on his wrist, looking every bit the polished professional. Ever since Nichs had stirred up trouble at Morgan''s university, the school had pulled Morgan aside, telling him to keep his private life out of the headlines. It was a top school-if any scandal hit the news, it''d be a PR nightmare. Honestly, if Morgan weren''t so talented, he probably would''ve lost his job over Nichs''s stunt.


    Morgan''s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he nced at the backseat, which was piled with gifts-Scarlette''s careful preparations for today''s meeting with his aunt. She was the connection Scarlette had spent over a year trying to build.


    Morgan''s sses gave him that understated, mature vibe, but when he spotted a faint mark on Scarlette''s neck, his grip on the wheel tightened just a bit more.


    She''d rushed out that morning, covering most of the marks, but missed the one behind her ear-out of sight, out of mind.


    They pulled up to a vi out in the suburbs. Morgan hopped out first and helped her out of the car.


    His aunt was a legend a powerhouse businesswoman. Illness had forced her to move out to the countryside, but she still called the shots from her home office. Every major decision went through her. She was still a force to be reckoned with, just no longer out at those never-ending corporate events.