When I opened my eyes, it took me a moment to figure out where I was and what had happened. I was curled up in August's arms, my head resting against his chest, breathing in his scent. I should have pulled away. That kind of intimacy was dangerous. But there was nowhere else I wanted to be. August looked at me with concern and explained that we were at his grandmother's house, safe at last. I wasn't entirely sure what happened next. Suddenly, I was kissing August as if it were our very first kiss. The next thing I knew, I was clinging to him, kissing him like he was my lifeline. I lost myself in his mouth, forgetting all the consequences of giving in to a man like him. If his sister hadn't called for him, I would have given myself to August right then and there. Once he left the room, I regained a little of my sanity. I got out of bed and changed into fresh clothes. Someone had brought our suitcases, so I'd have to ask August how long we'd be staying here. Our room was just a

Camille's POV My cousin didn't seem to realize how much danger she was putting herself in. She'd nearly been attacked at home, and now her future brother-in-law had been shot. If it were me, I would've run as far away as possible. What was the point of having money if it meant risking your life? I'd only come to the hospital to make sure she was okay, but not only was she fine, she was obviously falling for her fake fiancé, who wasn't looking so fake anymore. I hated being pessimistic, but I was afraid that if she slept with August, everything would fall apart. He'd lose interest, and my cousin would end up trapped in a loveless marriage built on resentment. I'd only meant to stop by for a few minutes, and now here I was, sitting in the room of a man I'd never met, who'd just woken up from major surgery. The poor guy's family was following some kind of "security protocol," whatever that was supposed to mean. August had gone off to deal with something, and Isabelle was busy up

August called to let me know he'd be taking a short trip and would be back in two days. My life had been turned upside down over the past few days, and the memory of what we'd almost done in the shower was still painfully vivid. As much as I loved being back home, I still didn't feel completely safe, even knowing there was a security guard stationed outside. Now that the security lockdown had been lifted and we were no longer confined to the apartment, I decided to stop by my business partner's office and get some work done. I couldn't stay cooped up in that apartment playing the role of August's fiancée. Isaac was out at a construction site, so I spent the day with Valentina, who was thrilled to show me how she handled things around the office. She was sweet and innocent, and she didn't need to know what I was planning. Danielle had given me updated information on my ex-husband's contracts, including the deals he was close to closing. It was a little unethical, but I put togethe

I stared at the photo of August with a beautiful redhead dressed in something far too revealing. He'd texted to say he was back from his trip, but that he was stopping by the office first. I hadn't told him I'd started working again or that I'd be out all day. Instead, I'd left him a note in the kitchen before heading back to Isaac's office. But my mind wasn't on work. It was on that photo of August sitting across from a gorgeous redhead in an upscale restaurant. The picture had been taken from the side, but her plunging neckline was impossible to miss. It certainly didn't look like a business dinner. She was smiling, sipping wine, and the two of them looked completely at ease. I didn't know what to think. Our relationship was fake, but I desired him. I was ready to want something more. I was sure I wasn't in love with him. Even so, that picture filled me with jealousy and a knot in my stomach I couldn't ignore. August was August. He would always be August. Men like

I didn't know how I was supposed to feel. I didn't know what to make of August being jealous of Isaac. I hadn't expected to hear him say he hadn't been with another woman since the night at the nightclub, especially when everything suggested otherwise. I hadn't expected any of it to matter to me. I certainly hadn't expected to want August this badly. This was supposed to be simple. Straightforward. No room for confusion. Now everything was tangled, and to make matters worse, we were still sleeping in the same bed. None of it made any sense. I had to put an end to it. When we got home, I went straight to the shower. Afterward, I made dinner in silence, trying to sort through the mess in my head. Time was slipping away. Our wedding was only two months away, and the company I'd hired had nearly everything ready. All that was left was choosing my dress. But inside, I was a complete mess. "I don't think we should keep sleeping in the same room," I said, forcing mysel