Fake Marriage (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

“It’s the least I can do since he tricked me into using me against my sister. By the way, is she going to castrate me?”

He laughed. “Maybe.”

At least I’d knocked Trina up because when my sister was done with me, more children might be out of the question, I thought.

We got to work on the house. Now that the porch was secure, we scraped off the old paint and prepared it for a new coat.

“Do you think Trina will be impressed by the house and investing in the restaurant, or will she be pissed that you took Stark money to fund your future?” Wyatt asked as we took a break. We sat on two old resin chairs on the porch.

“I don’t know. It could go either way. She’s unpredictable like that.”

“That’s why you like her, right?”

I laughed. “I guess.”

“But she’s the one, right? Or is all this effort just to do the right thing for the baby?”

I looked at him surprised. “I love her. I agreed to that dumb bet to win her.”

“Knocking her up—”

“Don’t talk to me about knocking a woman up,” I snapped, not sure why I was annoyed at Wyatt’s questioning my level of commitment to Trina. “You were fucking my sister—"

He held his hands up, one with his beer bottle, in a surrender position. “Don’t get your boxers in a bunch.”

“Yeah, well, you can’t tell me you didn’t fake marry Sinclair to win her either.”

He laughed. “Settle down, Ryder. I’ve never seen you get so riled.” He sat back in his chair. “It must be love.”

He was right. I was agitated. That agitation grew to panic when I saw my sister’s car pull up. I instinctively rested my hand over my groin just in case she really did plan to hit me where it would hurt most.

“Tell her that,” Wyatt said as he stood to greet Sinclair and Alyssa.

“What?”

“That you did Stark’s gig for love. Sinclair is a sucker for love.” He walked down the steps and kissed Sinclair as she stepped out of the car.

“I’m a sucker for what?” she asked, quirking a brow.

“Love, baby,” he said, putting an arm around her. I hoped he was holding her back.

“Daddy, we got some stuff for the baby,” Alyssa said to Wyatt pointing to the back seat.

“Let me help you.” Then to Sinclair he said, “Try to be nice.”

Sinclair pointed her scowl on me as she came up the porch steps. “Do you have something to tell me?”

“I love Trina?” It came out as a question as I wasn’t sure what would protect me from Sinclair’s wrath.

Her scowl didn’t let up. “You’re blaming Trina for betraying me?”

I swallowed. “No. She was my motivation. She and the baby. Stark paid thirty grand, which I’m using to buy the Salvation Station and fix my home for Trina and the baby. I didn’t know it was a political fundraiser until I got there.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Thirty grand? Jesus.”

I nodded. “People think I’m a flake. That I don’t care about the future. Well, I sold my soul and betrayed my sister for my future. For Trina and the baby.” I lifted my chin, daring her to hit back at me.

She frowned. “Don’t overplay it. But really, you’re buying the Salvation Station?”