Bossed By My Brother's Best Friend

CHAPTER 14

LILA'S POV

I arrive at Liam's house, pulling into his driveway with unsteady hands and a decision that feels both terrifying and inevitable sitting heavy in my chest.

The house is dark.

No lights on in the living room, no familiar TV glow in the windows, no sign of Liam's truck in its usual spot.

I step out of the car, and my phone vibrates as I'm grabbing my boxes from the back seat.

‘Liam:’ Got called away for pack business. Won't be home until tomorrow evening. There's leftover pizza in the fridge.

I stare at the text, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He's not home.

Which means I have a whole extra day before I have to lie to my brother's face about moving in with his best friend to be his fake mate for a year.

The relief is so intense I actually have to lean against the car for support.

"Thank you, Goddess," I whisper to the empty driveway.

I grab my boxes and head inside, dumping everything in my room before collapsing face-first onto the bed. My phone's still clutched in my hand, Liam's text glowing on the screen.

Tomorrow evening. That's when I'll have to tell him.

My stomach churns just thinking about it.

I should text Wade. Tell him I'm in. Make it official before I lose my nerve and chicken out like the scared little omega Connor thinks I am.

I pull up Wade's contact, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.

What do I even say? "Um, hi, so I've decided to let you parade me around as your fake girlfriend for a year because my ex told me I'm worthless and I want to prove him wrong. Also, I kinda need the money. When do I start?"

Goddess, my life is a mess.

I type out five different messages and delete them all before finally settling on something simple.

‘Me:’ About what we discussed. I'm in. We should talk.

I hit send before I can overthink it, then immediately regret it.

What if he changed his mind? What if he found someone else? What if this whole thing was just some weird power play and he never actually…

My phone buzzes.

‘Wade:’ Good. My office. Tomorrow morning. 9 AM sharp.

That's it. No "glad you agreed" or "looking forward to working with you" or any normal person response. Just a command.

Of course.

‘Me:’ I'll be there.

I set my phone down and stare at the ceiling, my heart racing.

I'm really doing this.

I'm going to be Wade Cross's fake mate for a year. I'm going to attend pack events on his arm, smile for photos, pretend we're madly in love or whatever mates are supposed to be.

And I'm going to lie to Liam about all of it.

The guilt hits me like a ton of bricks, and I roll over, burying my face in the pillow.

Liam's going to kill me when he finds this out. Or kill Wade. Probably us both.

But maybe he won't find out. Maybe we can pull this off, and in a year, I'll walk away with enough money to start over somewhere new. Maybe even leave this pack entirely, go somewhere where people don’t know my identity and don’t look at me like I’m weak.

Maybe.

I barely sleep that night. Every time I close my eyes, I see Connor's face, hear his words echoing in my head.

‘You'll be nothing without me.’

‘You think any Alpha's going to want you?’

Fuck him.

Wade wants me. Even if it's fake, even if it's just for show, he chose me.

That has to count for something.

~~~

The next morning, I'm at Meridian Enterprises at 8:45 AM, fifteen minutes early because I'm terrified of being late again.

My stomach's in knots as I ride the elevator up to the fifteenth floor, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw up the coffee I forced down this morning.

The office is mostly empty this early. A few people are at their desks, but not the usual bustle. Mr. Richard's not even at his station yet.

Thank Goddess for small mercies.

I drop my purse on my desk and smooth down my dark grey dress, trying to look professional and put-together when I feel like I'm about to fall apart.

At exactly 9:00 AM, Wade's office door opens.

"Miss Reeves," he says, his voice sending shivers down my spine despite my nerves. "Come in."

I take a deep breath and walk into his office, and he closes the door behind me with a soft click that feels way too final.

He's in another expensive suit today, this one jet black, and he looks every inch the powerful Alpha CEO. Put-together, controlled, completely in command.

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure I'm sweating through my dress.

"Sit," he says, motioning to the chair across from his desk.

I sit, my hands folded in my lap to keep them from shaking.

He doesn't sit. Instead, he leans against his desk, arms crossed, studying me with those intense blue eyes that make me feel naked even when fully clothed.

“So, are you sure you want to do this?” he asks.

"Yes."

"No second thoughts? No doubts?"

"I have about a million doubts," I admit. "But I'm still saying yes."

Something that might be approval flashes in his eyes. "Good. I don't have time for people who can't commit."

"I can commit," I say, more confidently than I feel. "I agreed, didn't I?"

"You did." He moves around the desk, pulling out a folder and setting it in front of me. "This is the contract. Read it. All of it. If you have questions, ask them now."

I open the folder with trembling hands.

The contract is intimidating as hell. Pages and pages of legal jargon and clauses and terms that make my head spin.

But I force myself to read it carefully, and the key points become clear:

*Duration:* One year from date of signing

*Compensation:* $1,000,000 paid in monthly installments

What?!!!

*Residence:* Live-in arrangement at Wade's primary residence

*Public Appearances:* Attend all required pack events, business functions, and social gatherings as Wade's mate

*Confidentiality:* Strict NDA regarding the nature of the arrangement

*Physical Intimacy:* As needed for maintaining appearances (this clause makes my face burn)

*Termination:* Either party may terminate with 30 days notice, with financial penalties for early termination without cause

I look up at Wade, my throat tight. "One million dollars?"

"That's the amount we agreed on."

"We never discussed an amount."

"I'm discussing it now." His expression doesn't change. "That's what you're worth to me for a year of your time. If you think it should be more, negotiate."

My eyes widen. "No, I just... that's a lot of money."

"It's a lot of work." He leans back against the desk again. "You'll be attending events multiple times a week. You'll need a new wardrobe, new jewelry, everything befitting an Alpha's mate. You'll be scrutinized by everyone in the pack and the business world. Trust me, you'll earn every penny."

My hands are shaking as I flip through the pages. "And the physical intimacy clause?"

"Exactly what it says. We may need to kiss, hold hands, and appear affectionate in public. Nothing you're not comfortable with." His eyes lock on mine. "Though based on our history, I don't think comfort will be an issue."

Heat floods through me, and I hate how my body responds to just the memory of what we've done.

"What about..." I hesitate. "What about s*x?"

"What about it?"

"Is that part of the arrangement?"

His expression shifts, a predatory glint passing across his face. "That's separate. What happens between us physically, outside of public appearances, has nothing to do with this contract. If you want me to f**k you, omega, you just have to ask."

Oh f**k.