And what do I care? If she screws this up, the experiment’s over, and I can concentrate on my real relationship with Alayna instead of this farce. That thought perks me up. “No, you’re right. You should meet.” I stroke Alayna’s thigh as I speak, claiming her as mine. “Now you’ve met.”

“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily, you oaf.” Celia smirks. She turns to Alayna. “Believe it or not, we’re actually friends.”

Friends. Is that what we are? It’s how I’ve always referred to her. She knows my secrets; I know hers. We share a bond. I suppose it’s the closest thing to friendship that I know. Perhaps that’s why I tolerate her as I do—for the sake of friendship. Except it’s more than that. We’re tied together. I tolerate her because I have no choice.

Sighing, I enter into the game. “What do you want, Ceeley?” It’s a double-edged question that fits the scene we’re playing, as well as our personal play.

“I wanted to personally thank Alayna for this whole charade.” There’s a gleam in Celia’s eye and I find myself worrying for Alayna. She held her own against my mother’s bitchy insults. Can she handle Celia as well?

I tense as she leans toward Alayna. “You can’t know how dreadful the idea of marrying that pain in the ass has been,” she says with a teasing grin.

Alayna returns a nervous smile. “Um, I can imagine. He’s not the settling-down type.”

Her statement bothers me. It shouldn’t, because it’s true. This strange connection with Alayna has made me forget who I am. I take my hand from her leg. Maybe that will make it easier to remember.

“Wow,” Celia laughs. “You already know him so well.”

“It’s nice to talk to someone else who knows,” Alayna says.

“But isn’t Hudson amazingly good at pretending?” Celia’s line is for me. It’s a game within a game within a game. She’s pushing my buttons and I have no idea what her motive is.

And Alayna’s caught in the middle. “He is. Quite good.”

I don’t like Alayna’s subtext. Does she think that what we have isn’t real? I can’t defend our relationship. Not here in front of Celia. But I can’t get us out of here.

“I’d love to continue this wonderfully entertaining conversation, but I see someone I need to talk some business with.” I stand and hold my hand out. “Alayna?”

She doesn’t move. “Go ahead, H. I’ll hang with Celia.”

“We’ll be fine,” Celia insists. “And we’ll end our conversation with a pretend catfight if you want to up the charade.”

What I want is to pull my lover out of her chair and drag her away from my so-called friend. Can I really leave them together? “No catfight. In my script, you’re friendly toward each other.”

“Then she and I should sit and chat, since we’re supposed to be friends.” Celia winks at Alayna, and my fist balls at my side. “Right, Alayna?”

“Right.” Alayna returns the wink. “And since we’re friends, you should call me Laynie.”

Aw, f**k. Celia’s good—I forget that sometimes. Why wouldn’t Alayna fall under her spell?

I have no choice but to leave them. Together. Alone. “Friendly, not friends.” I take a deep breath but it doesn’t help. “Fine. I’ll be back shortly.”

Since I hadn’t really spotted a business associate, I make my way to the lobby bar. It’s crowded and I have to stand in line. While I wait, I send a text to my assistant to get some gourmet coffee and leave it at Alayna’s door. She’s wearing an elastic band to remind herself to get some, and if things go as I plan, she’ll be too worn out to get any later. Plus the gift will keep her thinking about me while I’m in Cincinnati the next few days.

My chest clenches at the thought of time without her. I consider asking her to come with me and quickly dismiss the idea. She has a job and I have my own work. I’ve never taken a woman on a business trip with me; why would I start now?

And what the f**k is Celia talking to Alayna about?

I’m anxious and on edge. When I get my Scotch, I down it quickly. The burn feels good, feels appropriate. It also does what I mean for it to do—it calms me.

Why am I worried about leaving Celia and Alayna alone anyway? Maybe it’s even a good thing. Celia will feel like she’s a part of the scheme. She’ll feed Alayna details that make our story more believable. There’s nothing that could go wrong.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that everything’s at risk. Celia is the only person who can expose me. That’s never been a concern for me before. I’ve never cared what people knew about me. If someone discovered my sadistic experiments, what did it hurt me?

With Alayna, I care. I don’t want her to know my secrets. I want to protect her from that hideous side of me. I will protect her.

But then I see Alayna rushing toward the exit. I try to convince myself she’s simply looking for me, that my mother came back and delivered a snide remark. Except my mother is standing on the other side of the foyer and has been there the whole time I’ve been at the bar.

I reach out and gently take Alayna’s arm. “Where are you going?”

She throws me off of her. “Don’t touch me!”

“Whoa.” I put my hands up in surrender. There’s no way this can be what I imagine it to be. No way would Celia tell her this was all a scam. So I just have to figure out what really happened and then I can make it right. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with you would be the more appropriate question.” Alayna’s eyes dart to the door.

“Alayna.” I hush my voice and step toward her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you’re making a scene. You need to calm down and save whatever this is for later.”

I start to take her elbow, but she pulls away. “There isn’t going to be a later—I quit.” She runs past me and out the doors.

“Alayna!” I don’t care that I’m shouting as I follow her outside. I don’t even care that my mother is watching all of this. All that matters is stopping Alayna.

I’m about to reach for her again when she turns to me on her own. Her eyes are filled with tears and my stomach tightens. What has hurt her? I know somehow that it’s me and I can’t bear to hear it from her lips. Yet I need to know.