Pretend

5b. Kade

I pull up in front of her house, and my mouth drops. No way do her parents live here. I should have recognized the address. Some of the wealthiest families in Santa Barbara live here. It’s not the most expensive house in this area, but it costs enough for me to be sure her family hangs in some of the highest circles of society. I’m surprised I didn’t realize her family before.

Larkyn dresses like she doesn’t come from money. Yet, she was relieved when I said I would pay her hospital bills, though she would never tell me that. Something doesn’t add up.

She glances over at me and slowly pulls her hand out of mine. I let her pull away in my disbelief. Dammit.

“My parents are rich,” she says shrugging. She’s out of the car before I realize it.

I race after her to put my hand around her waist again.

“Stop running off on me. I’m your date, remember? Start pretending as if you like me.”

She sighs. “Sorry, just distracted.” Her body stands straight ahead in front of the large brick house with an arch over the front door and gorgeous deep pink flowers lining either side.

We go to the front door, and she rings the doorbell.

I study her. I thought this was her parents’ house. This party is for her. Why doesn’t she just walk in?

The door opens, and a gentleman dressed in a tuxedo answers it.

I thought I was going to be overdressed, but I’m underdressed. And Larkyn is way underdressed in her sundress.

Shit. I should have offered to buy Larkyn a dress for tonight if she didn’t own one.

“Welcome, Miss Veil,” the doorman says, holding the door out for us. “You’re twenty minutes late, I believe.”

She glares at him. “I know. And it’s Larkyn Day. Call me Larkyn or if you insist, Miss Day. I’m not a Veil.”

So many questions whiz around in my head, but at least one is answered. The reason I didn’t recognize Larkyn came from money is that her last name doesn’t match her parents’. The Veils have as much money as my father did. I didn’t realize they had two daughters. Just—

“Anastasia,” Larkyn says to her sister, who looks nothing like Larkyn.

Anastasia is wearing a sparkly red dress showing off voluptuous curves I happen to know she bought. I know because I’ve slept with her. s**t. s**t. s**t.

I try to hide my face by turning away from Anastasia and hoping she doesn’t notice or remember who I am. She was pretty drunk that night. That night is one of the reasons I instated my don’t date anyone from this town rule.

“Hello, Larkyn. It’s nice to see you finally made it to the party our father is throwing in your honor. You would think you would be one of the first to arrive,” Anastasia says.

I hate her. We are twenty minutes past when the invitation said to arrive. Most people come after the invitation time to a party.

I grip Larkyn closer to my body, knowing she needs the support if she’s going to survive her horrible sister.

Larkyn leans into me, and she takes a deep breath against my chest, ignoring her sister.

“Where is our father?” Larkyn asks.

“Smoking a cigar. He needed something to calm his nerves after thinking you might not show up.” Anastasia steps toward her sister glaring at her, still ignoring me. “But don’t worry, I will be announcing a surprise to liven this party up.”

Larkyn scowls. “Good, then the party can be all about you instead of me.”

Anastasia smirks and notices the arm wrapped around Larkyn’s body. She looks up at me, and she laughs.

“You always did go after my sloppy seconds,” Anastasia says before brushing past us, still laughing.

Silence.

“What did Anastasia mean about sloppy seconds?” Larkyn asks, her body rigid as she forces her lips upward as guests walk by.

I can’t lie. There is no point anyway.

“I slept with Anastasia in college.”

She nods like she knew the answer.

“Great. Just great.”

She struts forward confidently, and I know there is no way she is going to fall in her heels, not now. My hand slips from her side momentarily, before I catch back up. She takes two glasses of white wine from the waiter because white wine and champagne are the only options waiters are serving at this party. Then she dashes off out back, with me at her heels.

Five minutes pass without her talking to me. She hides in the corner at the backyard, sipping her wine and sculling. Hating me. Loathing her sister. And hiding from the party.

“I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, Anastasia was horrible in bed. It only happened once because we were drunk. And if I had seen you first, she wouldn’t have been an option.”

That makes her smile though she tries to hide it. “You’re lying, but knowing she’s bad in bed does make me feel better.”

“She was awful, one of my worst lays. All fake, and she thought all she had to do was lie there and let me do all the work. Not that I mind being on top, but give me something. Kiss me, touch me, moan, anything,” I say, probably pushing this too far.

Larkyn bites her lip and is silent as she stares at me with her big eyes. “I don’t think I need any more details. Picturing the two of you together isn’t exactly making my day better.”

She takes another sip of her wine, and her gaze catches the attention of a herd of chatty women in sparkly floor-length dresses. It’s Larkyn’s party, but they give her nasty glares as they judge her sundress, appropriate for most graduation parties in the world, except in the world of snobs in this town. To these people, a dress like the one Larkyn is wearing is meant to be worn at casual events, not for a special occasion.

Larkyn’s eyes drop, and she winces then curses under her breath. I’m not sure if it is because she is pissed at the women, or if her leg is aching again. She lifts her injured leg up and rests it on top of her other foot. She finishes her wine, planning on getting drunk to deal with both her pain and the disgusting stares.

I have a better idea.

I finish my wine, though the stuff is disgustingly sweet.

“Come on. I may not be able to take away the torment you are dealing with in your leg unless you let me take you home and forget about the party.”

She snaps her head to me. “Not going to happen.”

I nod. “But at least let me help you with your other problem.”

“I don’t have any other problems,” she lies.

I link my fingers in her hands again, and she shivers. I’d smile, but I’m too pissed off. Yet, I do love how much something so simple affects her. I bet I could ask her any question right now and she’d answer because she’s too focused on my thumb lazily tracing the outside of her hand. I don’t know how many boyfriends she’s had in her life, but none of them have known what to do with her body, that much is clear.

I take my time as she hobbles in pain across the grass to where the women are watching us with narrowed eyes like they can’t figure out who I am.

Every time she winces or curses, I press a little further to a pressure point in her hand. Her hand warms, and she stops groaning in pain every time I do. Every curse earns her a kiss on the hand. Both the touch and the kiss seem to help because by the time we approach the women, she’s smiling and I know that at least part of the smile is genuine.

“Hello, ladies. How do you know the woman of the hour?” I ask, pulling Larkyn against my side as I wrap my arm around her waist. I want to do a lot more, but that won’t win over these kinds of women. These women already look at her like she’s trash. I won’t add to the stereotype it’s clear these women are giving her.

“Oh, we’ve been best friends with her mother and father since before she was born. You know how families like ours run together forever. How do you know Miss Veil?” one of the women asks for the group. But everyone peers over their drinks, none of them recognizing me. But then, why would they? I rarely ever come back to this town.

I’m not going to convince these women by playing their games. They are too good, and Larkyn hasn’t been playing for years if she ever played at all.

“I’m Kade King.”

Eyes widen, and whispers ring out.

I grin. I have their attention now.

“I’m so glad you are back in town Mr. King. I don’t think you’ve met my daughter, Aubrey, yet. I’ll fetch her,” the woman says.

I smirk. I’m sure the woman would like to introduce me to her daughter. But it’s not happening.

Larkyn is glaring at the women. Pissed. I think she’s angrier at them than she was at Sebastian.

I tug on her hand, watching her stumble in front of me for a second, so I have an excuse to pull her tight against my body. Pressing her back to my front. My c**k grows uncomfortably hard in this position. But I’ll deal with the pain.

“Down girl,” I whisper into Larkyn’s ear, before kissing her tenderly on the neck.

A moan escapes, and my d**k is never becoming soft again. It’s going to be hard the rest of the f*****g night.

“Larkyn is my girlfriend,” I say, kissing her cheek.

She closes her eyes as I do, and when she opens them again, her eyes are fierce balls of furry, ready to fight anyone who argues we are anything other than boyfriend and girlfriend.

My statement earns us more whispering and stares. I’m not sure if it helped Larkyn or not, but damn does it feel great to say, even if it’s not the truth.

“That’s nice. But really, you should meet Aubrey. She’s graduating from law school in a couple of weeks, and I think the two of you would hit it off,” the woman says.

My mouth drops open. I grew up in this world, with women like her. It’s one of the reasons I hate this town. I’m tired of daughters pushed on me.

“That’s nice, Mrs. Jackson. And feel free to introduce Aubrey to Kade. Maybe she can date him when I’m finished with him. She’ll be waiting a long time though. Because I don’t plan on giving him up, ever,” Larkyn says, storming away, her hand interlocking with my hand automatically as she pulls me away.

I chase after her willingly.

She stops just before we make it to the pool area, which is surrounded by a younger crowd.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m just so tired of never being enough for these people. Of course, we aren’t going to keep this ruse up forever. After today, you are free to date Aubrey or anyone else you are interested in. I can’t stand that they always get to win.”

I tuck a strand of her curls behind her ear. She wore her hair down, unlike most of the women here. She doesn’t understand she’s the most beautiful woman at the party. She’s not afraid to be herself, while everyone here is too worried about impressing others to think for themselves.

“Don’t worry about it. If you hadn’t said it, I was going to. I can’t stand for them to win either. After today is over, we will find a way to make our breakup epic. We will find a guy for you to date who is way better than me,” I say, not liking the words spilling from my mouth.

She smiles weakly. “Thank you.”

I nod.

Gripping her hair a little firmer now, I watch as she closes her eyes and her face molds to my hand.

Her eyes flicker open a second later when I stop. Mortified.

“I’m sorry. Did I just moan? I don’t know what’s gotten into me,” she says, with pink cheeks.

The same thing that seems to have stirred my d**k up, and won’t calm down. I’m surprised she hasn’t noticed. If she has, she hasn’t commented on it or stared.

I hear the laughter from the crowd behind us. We may not be able to win with the older group, but the younger ones will be easier to convince. And if she has an ex-boyfriend here, that’s where he’ll be.

“Let’s have some fun,” I say, with playfulness in my eyes and grin.

She c***s her head to the side as I pull her quickly toward the crowd. She tries to keep up, but she can’t in her heels on the uneven grass. So I scoop her up, making sure her dress is still covering her ass as I run with her in my arms toward the crowd that is now silent.

They are all staring at us. Studying us, to determine what is going on. Now is the time to make the biggest show I can.

She’s laughing, but it’s not enough.

I grab her neck and pull her lips to mine. We kiss. I intended to keep it pure. Innocent. Our lips mashing together, but nothing else. That went away the second her moist lips touched mine.

Her lips part for me, and I can’t not jump at the invitation. I slip my tongue into her mouth, not expecting her to be good at kissing. But damn. She knows how to kiss.

Her tongue dances with mine as she makes soft whimpers against my lips. Her hands tangle in my hair. And my c**k presses harder into her body. There is no hiding how she makes me feel now.

Larkyn slowly ends the kiss, somehow having more restraint than I do. There is a twinkle in her eye when she c***s her head to the side laughing. She loved that damn kiss as much as I did.

She mouths thank you.

But I don’t want her to thank me. I want her to want me. I want this to be real. I could use a hot fling with someone as innocent and pure as her instead of dealing with the experienced wenches that only want two things: to bear my children and steal my money.

I hear the hooping and hollering from the guys. I feel the shocked expression and whispers from the girls. They believe the act. My d**k has decided our show is more than just pretend too.

I need a distraction if I don’t want to walk around all night with a hard-on. And we need a grand finale to cement in their minds our relationship status.

I give her a warning with my eyes.

“No,” she squeals.

And then I toss us into the pool.

When we come up for air, Larkyn is laughing, and I pull her to my body to kiss her again.

Her lips taste even better now that her body is soaking wet, and fully pressed against my body. Other people start jumping in now that we have. She smiles against my lips, knowing she is now a hit, at least with the younger crowd. They’ve all been secretly dying for a chance to dive into the pool all day.

“Larkyn,” a stern voice says over us, and my body freezes. I think my balls climb up in my body a little at the sound.

Larkyn sighs, like she was waiting for this to happen, but she doesn’t try to wiggle out of my arms.

“Hello, father,” she says, staring up at a man.

I follow her gaze. I’m used to fathers glaring at me with unease and trepidation. I’m used to them eyeing me suspiciously, not sure if they like me with their daughters. But then when they realize who I am, they are doing everything they can to impress me.

But I’m not sure meeting her father while soaking wet was my best idea. I just needed a distraction from what she was wearing to keep everyone from thinking too hard about us. Now it seems stupid.

“Are you going to introduce your friend and spend some time with your family at your party? Or are you just going to play, instead of handling your responsibilities, as always?” her father says.

Larkyn takes my hand and leads me to the stairs of the pool, where she climbs out, kicking her heels off on the top step. I guess the heels don’t matter now she’s soaking wet. She doesn’t seem pissed at me for putting her in this predicament though.

Her father starts walking into the house, and we follow. I snatch a towel off one of the chairs and wrap it around Larkyn, who gives me a curt smile and her own warning stare before we head into the house.

Her father is now standing next to, what I presume is, her mother. Both dressed to the nines, while we are dripping on their marble floors. s**t. Stupid.

I open my mouth to start charming her mother. I know I can at least handle that, but Larkyn squeezes my hand, and I stop. She wants to handle this. I’ll let her, as long as she includes the part where I’m her boyfriend.

Her father eyes me again as he puts his hand around his wife, pulling her to him uncomfortably.

“Mom, dad, this is Kade King, my boyfriend,” Larkyn says.

Her mother smiles and her dad stiffens. I wasn’t brought here to make an ex-boyfriend jealous. I was brought here to stick it to her parents.

I grin widely as I pull Larkyn to me and kiss her on the cheek.

“You’ve raised a wonderful daughter, Mr. And Mrs. Veil. And you have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you,” Mrs. Veil says.

Larkyn’s father ignores me though and stares at his daughter. He shakes his head disappointedly, which confuses me.

Anastasia decides to join in on the fun, with a man in tow who looks like a sad puppy following his master’s orders. They stand silently by, watching the exchange.

Larkyn stares her father down, daring him to deny we are dating.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. King, but can I offer you a piece of advice?” he asks, but it isn’t a question. And he doesn’t look at me when he speaks. He looks at Larkyn.

“Find another girl to date. Larkyn is only dating you for your money. I won’t give her any money unless she gets a grown-up job, which she can’t get without a degree. She thinks she doesn’t have to work. Work is beneath her. She’s just a spoiled, rich girl who will take everything you have without giving anything in return. She’ll live off your money until there is nothing left. Larkyn is like her mother in that way,” he says.

I see red. I’ve never punched anyone before, but right now I want to. I’ve only known Larkyn for a short period, but I know that almost every word he spoke is untrue. She doesn’t care about my money. She wouldn’t even take it when she should have. I don’t know how smart she is. I don’t know if she will graduate or get a job after college, but I know she is fully capable of taking care of herself.

I open my mouth to yell at the man when I realize Larkyn is ready to defend herself.

Her mother, on the other hand, looks bored. Likes she’s heard this conversation too many times to care anymore.

Anastasia is smiling smugly, behind her father.

“Excuse me, I need to talk to my father. Alone,” Larkyn says, pulling out of my arms.

I grab her hand at the last second, jerking her to me so I can taste her lips one last time, and prove to her father I am her boyfriend. That I’m not letting her go easily.

She gets lost in our kiss, forgetting her family is here until her father clears his throat.

She lowers herself down, after having to stand on her tiptoes to kiss me. I think I could get used to our height difference. Her body is so tiny I could easily throw her around in bed.

She walks away confidently, without any sign of the trauma that occurred to her body.

I’m left standing with the rest of her family. Her mother turns away to the bar to grab another drink, leaving me alone with Anastasia and her date.

Nope, I’m not going to stay around and make conversation with this b***h.

I follow after Larkyn, so I can be near whenever she finishes talking to her father. She might need comforting after dealing with him. I thought my father was an asshole; this man is just as bad or worse.

They dart into what I assume is an office, and Larkyn gives me a thank you, but I got this smile and wink before closing the door behind her, leaving me alone in the hallway still dripping wet.

I really don’t know what I was thinking.

I remove my jacket, now ruined, along with my tie, and start unbuttoning my shirt as I eavesdrop on the conversation behind the door.

I can’t hear everything, but I do hear…

You’re broke.

No job.

No degree.

No future.

Kade isn’t going to save you. You’re not worth the trouble.

All words spoken by her father. He’s yelling. Her voice must be softer, calmer because I can’t hear a word she is saying.

I sigh.

She needs me more than I thought. She needs me more than just for tonight.

I swallow hard, rubbing my neck, trying to figure out what to do next.

Anastasia walks over and places her hand on my bare chest. “Too bad we never got a second chance. We were good together.”

I frown, grab her hand, and remove it from my chest before she touches the priceless piece of jewelry that always hangs from my neck.

“Any chance we could work out if we gave it another shot?” she asks, moving her hips side to side as she bats her eyelashes at me.

“I thought you were here with a date?” I ask.

“I am, and he’s great. Tall, handsome, rich. Just not as rich as you.” She says you with a raspiness to her voice meant to seduce me.

“No.” I don’t give her any of the other words I’m thinking. I’m sick of women acting like this around me because I’m wealthy. I need to find a solution to my problem.

She sighs. “Too bad. Oh well, make sure you and Larkyn get a good seat to my announcement.”

“Announcement?” I ask although I remember her mentioning something about a surprise earlier.

She nods. “We have big news we’re sharing in about fifteen minutes if father ever gets done lecturing Larkyn. I don’t know why he wastes his time talking to her. She’s never going to listen. She’s a lost cause. I don’t know why my family decided to adopt her in the first place.

“My mother thought I needed a sister, I guess, and she didn’t want to f**k up her plastic surgery to have a second child of her own. So instead, she picked up some trash off the street and expected her to flourish in our world. Oh, well. She’s not our problem anymore.”

Anastasia rests her hand on my bare chest again, while I burn with rage.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I spat out.

She grins. “Don’t even try to defend her. I know the two of you aren’t actually together. I saw her at Sebastian’s party. I heard about the car accident. This is a pity date. Nothing more. Call me when you want a real woman,” she winks before walking off, but not before I spot the flashy diamond on an important finger.

Shit.

Anastasia is going to announce she’s engaged at Larkyn’s graduation party.

Not f*****g happening.

I stare at the door, trying to come up with a plan to ruin Anastasia’s night and make Larkyn’s.

I grasp for the ring hanging around my neck on a gold chain, as I always do when I need comfort.

And a solution forms. One I’m not sure if Larkyn will ever agree to. But it’s the perfect plan. One that will solve both of our problems. Women will no longer hit on me. And Larkyn will be able to show up her family and get everything she’s ever wanted. Money, security, and affection.

I need a few things. New clothes here, fast. And a diamond ring. Good thing I always carry a diamond ring with me.