I need you to go along with it and pretend that we've never met before.

"Please," he begged softly, taking another step towards me, "Please don't say anything about us."

"You can't be serious," I said, desperately hoping for the words to be true. As the silence lingered, increasing the uncomfortable uneasiness of the room, I slowly realized, this was no joke at all. And yet, there I was, shaking my head with a smile as I let out a laugh. "This is insane. This is fucking insane, do you realize that?"

Hunter shifted on the balls of his feet, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. "I know this must be-"

"No, you don't know anything, actually," I interjected, holding up a finger to silence him. "Because if you did, you would never ask me to do something like this."

"Angel-"

The angry flame returned to the pit of my stomach, hearing him speak. "Don't call me that."

"Dylan..." he said with a cautious tone, "I know I have no right to ask you to do such a thing. But, I only want to be here for Lily's birthday."

"What an interesting way for you to go about things then," I mocked, cocking my head slightly to the side as I forced a smile on my lips. "Now, if you would excuse me."

Enough was enough. I was not participating in one of Hunter's stupid games any longer. My sister needed to know the truth - Hunter and I knew each other. What harm was that going to do? Probably a lot less than following along with his scheme all for a little kid's sixth birthday party. As I moved to step around him, his hand found its way to my waist, stopping me in my tracks.

"Ang- Dylan," he quickly corrected himself. "Don't you think I have to be pretty fucking desperate to ask you to do something like this for me?"

Hunter's close proximity put me into a haze - a trance of sorts. I could feel myself sinking further into his ocean blue eyes, wishing a wave would come and take me away so I wouldn't have to deal with this any longer. His eyes flickered quickly to my lips, before back to my eyes. He didn't make any movements; he only held my gaze.

I wish my heart had an off switch. I hated myself for thinking at this moment how badly I wanted him to kiss me.

If only there was an easy fix to falling out of love. That would certainly solve my problem. Not all of them - clearly there were bigger issues I had aside from Hunter Grayson - but it would be a welcomed start.

"Just give me one minute," he said, dropping his hand. "Dylan?"

My side suddenly felt cold without his touch, leaving me vulnerable to agreeing to dumb things like hearing what he had to say.

"I know this seems insane to ask of you over a birthday party, but I had no idea you were going to be here. I thought you were in Europe."

I scoffed. "Well, that makes it all better."

"No, I only meant that..." he paused. "I showed up here because I thought you were in Europe. I thought I could have one birthday with my niece before all this shit blew up... because either way, whether they know now or two weeks from now, it's all going to."

I could have asked him what the reason was - but I already knew. It was because of our relationship and the extremely apparent lengths he went to keep it a secret. "Why did you lie?"

"Because I saw you and I didn't-"

"No," I shook my head, stepping forward. "When this whole thing started. Why didn't you tell anyone about us?"

"Dylan... that's too complicated-"

"Then make it simple."

Hunter averted his eyes to the ground as he ran his hand through his hair. "Because I fell in love with you. And I tried to get you out of my system and it never worked."

"So you lied to everyone?"

"Yes," he said quietly, tilting his head back up. "I didn't know what else to do." He ran his tongue across his bottom lip. "Dylan, there's still a lot of shit you don't know about. And I promise to tell you all of it - everything you want to know. I just can't right now without them," he nodded his head towards the door, "Getting suspicious."

"You really think getting some information is worth lying to my sister over? Really?"

"What's something you want from me? More than anything else?"

I mumbled under my breath out of anger, "For you to leave me the fuck alone."

"Done."

"What?"

"If you help me, consider it done. I'll disappear from your life completely."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Hunter. Aren't we technically family now? How on earth would that ever be possible."

"If you keep our past a secret until after Lily's birthday... I promise I'll leave you alone forever. No future parties... or family events... or showing up at Christmas. None of that."

"You can't promise that."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes, I can. I've done it plenty of times before."

"How do I know you won't keep this going after her birthday? That you won't show up at the next family thing?"

"Because despite what you may think, I do love you, Dylan. And if I have to prove that by never coming around again, I will." Hunter's hand went to my cheek before I realized what he was doing. His thumb grazed my bottom lip and his eyes were fixated on the spot. "I love you, Dylan," he repeated, appearing lost in his own words.

He leaned closer. The smell of his cologne overpowered my senses. I knew I was weakened by love - that horrid four letter word - because as his lips inched closer to mine, I could feel my insides burn for his touch. I was so far trapped under his spell that he could lie about our past in front of the sister I had reunited with for the first time in seven years, and I still wanted to be kissed by him. It was pathetic, really.

"You have a really funny way of showing it then," I spat, pulling away from his touch.

He let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't you think it kills me to ask you to do something like this? Clearly, I'm fucking desperate, Dylan." He averted his eyes from mine, looking to the wall of photos. "I'll pay you."

"What?"

"I'll pay you. Name your price and I'll do it," he said, taking a step forward.

"What makes you think I'd be desperate enough to take money from you?"

"You got kicked out of your apartment and you have no job, no post-graduate education, and no inheritance money coming in."

Ouch. That wasn't something I was ready to hear as a weapon used against me.

"You can't be fucking serious."

"I don't joke about money."

"So, what, then? You're going to give me twenty bucks a day in exchange for my silence for two weeks?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "Less than three-hundred dollars is barely worth a day's work putting up with your shit."

"A thousand dollars."

Clearly, he was in the mood to bargain. I rolled my eyes and walked towards the door - a strategic move to see how truly desperate Hunter Grayson was. That was still quite a bit of money for someone like me who - as so kindly put by him - had no place to live, no job, no higher education, and no savings. However, I still didn't think raising the price to seventy dollars a day was worth-

"You could do a lot with fourteen thousand dollars."

My feet abruptly stopped and I slowly turned back around. Holy shit. He meant a thousand dollars a day.

"Make it fifteen hundred a day and I'll consider it."

Hunter pinched his bottom lip, mulling it over. "Fine. But I need an answer by the time you walk out this door. You have five minutes."

"Five minutes? You can't expect me to agree to this within five minutes?"

"Fine, you're right. I'll give you seven. Think of each minute as being the additional thousand dollars I've just agreed to pay you."

It was quite humorous to realize how quickly my thoughts of him could flip. One moment I was desperately hoping he would kiss me. And the next, I was salivating at the thought of him disappearing from my life for good with how livid he made me.

God. He made me angry. The nerve on that guy to show up and ask me such a thing after everything he had put me through.

As I made my way out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen, I knew what I had to do. I had to tell her the truth. It didn't matter how desperate he claimed to be - who knew how genuine that even was. I didn't owe him anything. If anything, he owed me something for all the lies he had spun in my life for the past three fucking years.

Screw him.

"Delilah," I started, biting my lower lip. "I need to tell you something."

She peered her eyes up from her task. "What is it?"

Ethan entered the kitchen as I opened my mouth to blurt out the words, and, suddenly, all the courage I had built up evaporated in an instant. "It can wait."

"Two seconds in the door and she's already forgotten about her Dad."

"Oh, come on," Delilah rolled her eyes with a playful smile. "She's excited to see her Uncle. After all, it's not like she expected to see him today. And, speaking of which, neither was I."

"I know, but we've been trying to patch things up and-" Ethan cut himself off and cleared his throat. "Let's talk about it after."

I wasn't sure if he genuinely didn't feel like diving into the conversation, or if he assumed I was eavesdropping due to my close proximity - which, of course, I had been. Delilah seemed to understand his hesitancy towards continuing on at the moment, while I was instantly disappointed that the conversation died right before the good part.

Why did every family matter have to be some big secret? We would make a fantastic study for a family therapist with our complex dynamics. Maybe introducing a truth stick would do us some good - get us all to finally talk in an open and honest way.

Hunter had scooped Lily up into his arms, listening to her rambling about princesses... or dance... or colouring - I wasn't quite sure. Whatever it was that the little girl was excitedly telling him about, he was giving her his full, undivided attention. I never imagined him taking a liking to children. Actually, I never imagined children would take a liking to him due to his demeanour.

"Sorry about that," Delilah's voice pulled me from my thoughts as the two of us now stood alone in the kitchen. "It's not a subject he's very open about."

"Oh," I nodded, twiddling my thumbs. "Right, yeah, I understand."

"I'm glad Hunter's here early. Maybe those two can finally patch things up once and for all."

"Do they not get along?"

"They do it's just..." she shrugged her shoulders. "Complicated, I guess. But, I mean, look at our family. If there are two people here that understand complicated dynamics, it's us." Delilah turned her attention back to her cutting board. "I keep telling him to put their differences aside for Lily's sake. After all, she's the one that suffers the most by not being able to see Hunter. Did you know he's never even made it to one of her birthdays?"

I hummed a response, not knowing what I could possibly say to that.

"I love Ethan. He's an amazing dad and partner... but sometimes I wished he'd just listen to me when I tell him to put his differences aside with Hunter for Lily. I want her to grow up surrounded by love and family," Delilah said quietly. "We were so alone growing up... I never want that for her. She loves her Uncle and he deserves to feel welcomed in our home to see his niece."

When Hunter's head turned and his eyes met mine, I could feel the panic begin to set back in. This entire situation was insane. I knew what I needed to say; the words were screaming inside me. Yet, when I opened my mouth, they instantly died on the tip of my tongue. His eyes widened slightly as if he was reading my thoughts and was worried about what was running through my head.

Delilah let out a sigh. "Anyway, sorry. I needed to let that out. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"I... uh," I stumbled to find my words as my mouth instantly ran dry.

"Is everything okay, Dyl?"

"My luggage," I blurted out quickly. "My things are still at the hotel and I'll need to pick them up tomorrow."

"Oh, that's it? You had me worried for a second."

Hunter approached the kitchen island with hesitant steps. "Is there anything I can help with?"

Delilah gave him a smile as she continued to add items to the platter. "Just give me one more minute and you can bring this out."

His fingers tapped nervously against the countertop as the two of us stared at one another, allowing for the awkward silence to loom.

I hated him for putting me in this position. Hunter was pulling my heart in two different directions. If I told the truth, my sister and I would be starting off our new relationship with no more lies. If I lied and went along with his stupid plan, Lily could at least have her first and last birthday with her Uncle around... a fight in the kitchen could be avoided... and - selfishly - I could make some money. If he actually followed through on his word and did disappear for good, it's not like my sister would ever have to know the truth anyway. Right?

I hated him. But I hated myself more for still being in love with him.

And being in love with him was the only reason why - without thinking about the full ramifications of my actions - I extended my hand to him and said, "By the way, it's nice to meet you too. I'm Dylan." 

oo la la! looks like dylan agreed! :O 

01/26/22; with having a full-time job and focusing on wrapping up my other book HEADLINE (go check it out if you haven't already winkwink) i got a lot going on!! 

SO my current plan is to get chapters up AT LEAST once a week. but once everything else is done, I'll get up a more consistent schedule for yall <3 

hope y'all are staying safe my angels xoxox