Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The pasta boiledwhile I stirred the meat sauce. I eyed the timer and wiped my fingers on the apron tied around my waist.

“You testing out a new dish for the hubs?” Taylor asked mockingly.

She was scarce these days, and I didn’t know what else to do to get her to talk to me.

I thought back to the conversation I’d had with my father three weeks earlier. After my conversation with Taylor, I had cried my eyes out then woke up the next morning and cornered my father. I’d gone over the details and realized there was something that hadn’t added up. Taylor had known about the deal with Elias, but that plan was temporary. He was only supposed to invite her, get her to wear his jacket, and spread the word that he’d finally hooked up—that was it. Then they’d go their separate ways.

The conversation I’d overheard that day at brunch didn’t match Taylor’s version, so I’d curled up in the leather chair in front of my father’s office and asked him an uncomfortable question.

“You said she’d marry someone her own age…” I tucked my knees under me and braced my hands on the arms of the chair.

My father’s eyes narrowed, but a few seconds later his greying brows arched toward his forehead. Dad always looked like that actor Pierce Brosnan, especially now with the silver threading through the sides of his head.

“What are you…”

“Brunch a few weeks ago—I overheard your conversation.”

His brown eyes softened, his body melting into his chair. “You don’t know what you heard.”

“Then tell me, because from here, it sounds like you were making more of a deal than what my sister understood. How bad is the New York office?” I jumped right to it because I didn’t want to be treated like a child, didn’t want him to pretend.

He shook his head, rubbing his jaw.

I didn’t actually expect him to answer, but after a few loud sighs, he leaned forward, meeting my eyeline.

“I need someone there I can trust. I was hoping it would be your sister…but there are complications.”

“The board?” I ran my finger along the leather threading of the chair, trying to calm my nerves.

“They’re pushing back on this. I need someone there, and they aren’t budging on the marriage clause. What you overheard was me bullshitting them to buy time. There was no guy, no person talking in the city…I just needed more time to figure out a solution. I had made a deal with that twat Elias for the sake of appearances. I thought if they organically met and made it seem serious through the event I had and past graduation then the board would back off.”

That didn’t end up happening, though, thanks to Decker and me.

It only took me a few seconds to think it through. My article was dead. Everyone was going to be talking about my last name once I got back to school, and there would be zero chance any of them would root for me to land the internship now that they knew my father owned stock in Kline Global. Maybe this was the best solution all around.

“I’ll do it.”

His eyes went wide, his mouth gaping.

“I’m serious…I’ll do it,” I reassured him, sitting taller in the chair.

“I can’t ask you to do that, Mallory. I’d never ask you to—”

“You aren’t asking. It should have been on me to do it instead of Taylor. She’s always wanted to please you.”

He smirked with the slightest shake of his head. “She’s always acted like she owes me something. I’ve never told you this, but her biological father isn’t a good man…he’s dangerous.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Dangerous as in…?” I waited for him to fill in the blank.

“Think The Godfather, then add in Fight Club and mix it with Dexter.”

I blinked. “Oh shit.”

“Yeah. He lives in New York, and I knew Taylor even offering to take that office was a big step for her. I never intended for her to go. I wanted to fight the board, get more time, find someone, but I’m out of time, kid. I’m in a corner, and if you wanted to take it…I’d be grateful.”

“And the marriage clause?” I could do it. I would do whatever it took to keep Taylor from this.

My dad’s silence was answer enough.

“Do you have someone in mind?” I swallowed the thick anxiety eating away at my nerves. My stomach swirled like it had been tossed into the washing machine. I forced my mind not to think of Decker, but the attempt only brought back memories of him holding me in the dark, asking me to promise something I shouldn’t have agreed to.

“They do. You actually met him already at the dinner benefit.” My dad’s face started to look a little green. His lips thinned; his brows became a determined shelf.

“Jeff?” I almost crossed my fingers, hoping I was wrong.

His nod sealed my fate. “He asked about you after that night. You left an impression, so that’s a good start.” I almost laughed at his attempt at encouragement.

I stood; my dad matched the movement.

“Mallory…”

“I know, Dad. We’re family, and this is what family does.” I smiled even though my stomach felt like I had shoved a pair of scissors through it. This would mean I couldn’t have Decker ever…this would mean the end.

Maybe it was just as well. We’d started off so wrong, and what would Taylor think if I just kept seeing him? She’d think I was rubbing my happiness in her face.

Still, there were things I needed clarity on, so on my way out, I turned and asked, “Just curious—do you know who invited Elias Matthews to your event that night?”

Dad moved papers around his desk before settling them into a pile.

“I did…by accident. He’d wanted a meeting with me, and at the time I was so exhausted I just told him to show up at the dinner and catch a moment of my time there.”

Decker had been telling the truth, which meant that the entire dramatic production Elias had put on after he walked into the library had all been total bullshit, and I’d walked away from the man I loved without giving him a second glance for a lie.

How ironic.

Elias won.

* * *

I had visitedwith Jeff Larkin the previous week, having dinner at a five-star restaurant where we were sure to be seen by anyone who apparently mattered. He was tall and broad-shouldered with a nice chin. I thought there was a dimple there when he smiled the one time. I’d fought back the urge to laugh when he’d shook my hand. One month earlier, I had assumed I’d be attending an internship then eventually working as a paid staff writer at Kline Global; now I was going to be married to a stranger.

Taylor found out about the news at our family brunch a few days after I had agreed to everything. She abruptly left the patio in a huff of anger.

It’d been ice and silence since.

I had decided on this dinner as a way to officially apologize to her and try to smooth things over. I was leaving for New York in a matter of days, but before I did, I wanted my sister back.

Straining the pasta, I rinsed it then added the sauce and pulled the garlic bread out of the oven.

“Taylor, this dinner is for you,” I said meekly, wiping my hands on my apron again. Dad’s security team had been briefed about the fact that everyone in school knew who we were, so they were now stationed in a more visible location. I had a driver, at Jeff’s request, and a personal security detail named Leo at my beck and call.

My sister subtly inhaled the smell of dinner and tightened her grip on the napkin in her hand.

“Here.” I handed her a plate then grabbed mine before sitting across from her.

We ate in silence for a few minutes before Taylor finally broke it.

“I hate that you’re doing this.”

“What else am I going to do?” I shrugged, swirling the pasta with my fork.

It was pathetic, really. I mean…I had no backup plan. I’d need to finish my degree, but for nearly four years, I’d majored in journalism, and now I wasn’t credible thanks to my story on the Devils. The whole school had heard I’d gotten my wrists slapped and shut down; that paired with the truth about my father was a painful pill to swallow. I was leaving. I hadn’t even stepped foot in my journalism class since the meeting with the faculty and lawyers.

“You could still apply at other papers. You don’t have to give up your dream just because your dream job isn’t available. What if you intern somewhere else and you end up back here? You can’t just give up on it,” Taylor argued, moving the food around her plate.

I swallowed and took a sip of my wine. I’d tried to offer some to Taylor, but she’d turned it down for ginger ale, claiming her stomach was upset.

“And what about Dad?” I asked. “Don’t pretend you weren’t going to do exactly what I’m doing now.”

“Yeah, but I don’t have any dreams, Mal. I have no plans…I don’t mind being the arm candy for some stranger.” Her words were strained. Maybe she thought I wouldn’t pick up on it or the fact that she kept wearing baggy sweatshirts, but my sister had a secret, one I had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to keep to herself for very long.

“I’m older than you. It’s my job as the older sister to do this.”

Her eyes shot to mine, fast as lightning. “Did you just say sister?”

Here was my opening, to finally explain to my little sister that I loved her.

I spun on my stool until I was facing her. “Tay, I’m so sorry about what I did to you with Decker. Of course I consider you my sister. I love you, and I’ll be damned before you go to New York. It’s my job—let me do this.”

She had tears in her eyes, some already crawling down her cheek. “But I’ll miss you.”

I laughed, reaching forward to swipe at her tears. “Then come with me, or come visit…but we’re not done, and New York isn’t even that far. I’m just a few hours away.”

She sniffed then threw herself at me. “I love you.”

I rocked back, taking her in. My heart swelled a million times the size of a normal organ, I was sure of it. “I love you too.”

We ate our pasta, talked about life after our non-graduations, and then stayed up all night watching trashy television while I thought of the one thing that still plagued me, the one thing that, after all these weeks, still wouldn’t budge.

A pair of mossy eyes that saw me in ways no one else ever would.

* * *

Taylor couldn’t stayup for long. We’d watched a few shows and she’d passed out on the couch, further convincing me that something wasn’t right with her. Once I covered her up, I walked to my bedroom, flipping off lights as I went.

My bedroom was already dark, but once I flipped on the twinkle lights, a dark figure came into focus.

“Decker?” I faltered near the dresser, my heart squeezing in my chest. “How’d you get past security?” I pulled off my sweatshirt, throwing it to the ground. I needed pajamas, but I didn’t want to completely strip in front of him. That would take us somewhere we shouldn’t go.

He perched against the wall closest to my desk, holding a stack of papers in his hands.

“So, this was your story?”

Oh god.I was going to die. Definitely die.

“Uh…” I stepped closer. I just wanted to grab it out of his hands and hide it. “Yeah.” I’d finished the story before it was taken from me, and every now and then I still looked over it, just because I believed it was worth reporting on. It really was a great story idea, and the students of RFU would have loved to see into the Devils’ world.

“It’s good, Mal. Really good.” He flipped a page then gently set it down on the desk.

I cleared my throat, grabbing the papers and tossing them into the wastebasket. That was where they belonged.

“What are you doing here, Decker?” I brought my hands to my hips, trying to shove away the itch to wrap them around him.

“I finished the semester and graduated.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and I realized we were too close.

My regular issue with proximity never flared when Decker was around, but now I wished it would kick in, warning me to get away from him. Instead his scent wrapped around me like a warm, familiar hug.

“I heard.” Juan had told me. He’d said Decker had graduated and was moving back to Pinehurst.

God, this was awkward.

He took a step toward me, and I wanted to take one back, but he was like an animal—he’d see it as a challenge. So I stood my ground and let him crowd me.

Another step brought him directly in front of me. His hand grazed the back of mine, up my arm and into my hair. I closed my eyes, ignoring how foolish I was being by allowing him to touch me. I should have pushed him away, kicked him out, called Leo…because even if I believed he hadn’t known Elias was there that night and he wasn’t using me, even if I could overlook the fact that he had known I’d lose my story and about my sister being in an arranged marriage, I was on a different path now, and it wouldn’t be fair to lead him on.

His other hand was up, his warm fingers grazing along my collarbone, cupping my jaw. He tilted my head back and stared down at me.

“Tell me it’s not true.” Eyes the color of moss crawling along stones stared down into me. I had nowhere to retreat, and worse, I didn’t want to.

“What?” I wet my lips, tasting the lime flavor on them from the chips I’d devoured earlier. I could barely raise my voice above a whisper.

His eyes moved over my face, like he’d find his answer by merely looking at me. “You moving to New York, getting married…” He swallowed, shuddering as he finished. “Elias.”

My eyebrows dipped, confused. “The New York part is true.” I lowered my lashes as I confessed that the marriage was true too, but then I splayed my hands on his chest. “Not sure what the Elias thing is.” I scrunched my nose, curious as to what in the hell he was talking about.

A gentle tug on my hair had him tilting my head back. “The marriage to him…”

I snorted, trying to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge. “No. It’s some guy named Jeff. He was at that party, the one talking to me before Elias got there.” I shrugged, because talking about my future husband with the guy I loved was surreal.

A low rumble came from Decker’s chest, and with his closeness, I felt it in my bones. “Are you fucking kidding me, Mal?” His grip tightened on my face, and that raw possessiveness was making heat slice through my core.

“What do you want from me, Decker? You fucked me and got what you wanted from me. You even made sure my story wouldn’t run.” My hands turned to fists on his chest, clenching his shirt. I was torn between wanting to pull him closer and push him so far away from me that I had time to run away, all while my mind screamed at my lie. I knew he said he’d tried to talk to someone about it, but that lawyer’s words about how steps would have to be taken in order for me to have authority were stuck on repeat in my head. Either way, this was better. I had to push him away. He’d still used me, still lied.

“It wasn’t about that and you know it.”

I felt my nose burn and my damn chin wobble because I believed him, but now there was no way I’d ever have him, and that would never be fair to either of us.

I ducked my head, pulling free of his hold. “You need to leave.”

“You’re not marrying someone, Mallory, unless…” He pushed his hand into my hair, gripping the back of my neck, his voice hitching. “Unless it’s me.”

I lifted my eyes, catching the look in his. Even under the low lights, they gleamed bright and sure, and…I broke.

I blinked and tears slipped down my face. He couldn’t keep doing this to me.

“Decker, you used me. You’ve ghosted me, you’ve fucked me and lied to me…I’m not marrying you. I’m not anything with you. I’m moving to New York, I’m helping my dad with the branch, and I’m marrying a stranger.”

A painful sound emanated from somewhere inside him, and suddenly he let me go.

“You know we’re good together. You know we can get past this—why are you doing this?”

“That was my last shot at my dream. What you likely see as a harmless waste of time was my last chance, circling the drain. You knew I couldn’t write it, and yet you still toyed with me.” I deflected, trying to steer clear of why I was doing this, because I had to…because duty was better than heartbreak.

“I know, and I tried to fix it. I went to the city that day to try to ask for permission for something so you could publish it.”

“You said that already, and I still don’t know what the hell that means.” I tried crossing my arms, but he wouldn’t give me room to do it.

We were stuck in this vortex of pain and hurt, neither of us capable of breaking free and just ending it once and for all.

“It doesn’t matter. They wouldn’t budge anyway unless I…” He shook his head, swallowing hard. “But what I’m feeling for you, Mal…I don’t know what to do. I think I’m…” His eyes searched mine with an intensity I wouldn’t recover from.

I’d heard enough.

“Go, Decker.” I pushed him away as hard as I could. To make sure he left and we didn’t end up against my bedroom door; I grabbed my cell and dialed Leo.

I heard Decker make a pained sound behind me, felt his hand grip my hip and tug me back against his chest, but before he could say anything more, Leo opened the door and stalked in.

All muscle and neck, he glared down at Decker, but I was still facing away from him, so I couldn’t see his face. I moved, and Leo took my place.

“Mal, don’t do this. Let me fix this…just wait, I’m begging you!” Decker raised his voice over Leo grumbling for him to shut up. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I screwed up, and I…”

Leo pulled him out of the room and pushed him toward the door. I knew Decker could fight him, but Leo was a Mack truck. There would definitely be some work involved, and maybe he understood that with me calling Leo, it wouldn’t be worth it. I didn’t want to talk anymore. It was too painful.

I focused on my breathing while bringing my hand to my chest, belatedly realizing I was standing there in just my bra and yoga pants. My heart was beating so hard I worried it would just burst through my rib cage.

“Mal?” a soft voice asked behind me.

I couldn’t breathe. What if that was it? What if that was the last time I saw him, and his last image of me was getting told that I was marrying someone else? I’d never see him again. I had said yes to my father because it was the right thing to do, and I knew Taylor wasn’t telling me something. She couldn’t get married to a stranger.

“Mallory, you okay?” Taylor came up and rubbed my back.

I finally turned and buried my face into her shoulder. “He’s gone, Tay.”

She rubbed soothing circles into my back while making soft sounds. “He won’t give up, Mal. If it’s meant to be, he’ll be back. If he loves you then he won’t give up.”

“It’s better if he does. I can’t be with him.” I wiped at my eyes, needing to put this behind me.

Taylor made a sound in the back of her throat. “Mallory Shaw, stop it right now. That marriage clause is for you to marry someone—anyone. You can marry a homeless guy off the street and they wouldn’t care. They just want you to be married, and I know Decker James would—”

“No, I couldn’t do that to him. He has his whole life in front of him…” I hiccupped on a sob, even though he had said those words to me. You’re not marrying someone, Mallory, unless it’s me.

Still, I couldn’t do that to him. It was too final, and we were only temporary…from the very beginning, he was never going to be mine. It wasn’t like I could cheat destiny and steal from a deck that didn’t belong to me.

I turned into her arms and hugged her. “I’ll be okay, Tay. I know it. This is better.”

“You don’t have to pretend with me. I know you better than anyone, even if it doesn’t seem that way. I’m your sister, Mallory.” She continued to rub my back, which only made my tears fall harder.

It wasn’t until we’d climbed into my bed and I let her cover me with a blanket that I started to fall asleep, but it was her telling me a story about a girl who was lost, following after a compass she couldn’t seem to grab a hold of. She would follow as closely as she could manage, but at the end of each day, she went to bed totally alone and lost. Then along came a handsome prince who promised to take care of her, to wipe away her memories of living in the dark and hand her a new compass, one that would lead her to the people she loved. But he lied. Instead he abandoned her, leaving her with something she knew not how to care for.

I blinked away tears as I felt Taylor spill her own. The story niggled at something in the back of my mind, like she was telling me something, shrouded in fiction. I wanted to ask her about it, but my mind shut down and I slipped into a deep sleep.