Vesper’s POV
Last night was strangely peaceful.
Jaxon was an ass till the end, but slept off, and I woke up trapped.
Not kidnapped or endangered.
Just… aggressively held hostage by a very large hockey player breathing against my back.
Does he breathe this way in the Ice?
Jaxon’s arm was locked around my waist, my back pressed against his chest, while warm morning sunlight spilled across the bed like this situation wasn’t deeply inappropriate.
For one horrifying second, I forgot how to breathe.
Then I became painfully aware of everything at once.
His hand rested low against my stomach.
The warmth of his body behind mine.
The fact that, sometime during the night, I had apparently rolled directly into him like my subconscious had personally betrayed me.
My face heated instantly.
I started trying to carefully move his arm when his grip tightened slightly instead.
A rough, sleepy sound left his throat behind me.
“Stop escaping,” he muttered against my hair.
My stomach flipped stupidly.
God.
This man was going to ruin my life biologically.
Before I could recover enough dignity to insult him properly, a sharp knock suddenly echoed through the villa.
Both of us froze.
Another knock followed immediately, and it sounded official.
Could it be the Court officials?
Shit.
I sat upright so fast the blanket nearly strangled me.
Beside me, Jaxon finally opened his eyes slowly, completely calm, while I was internally planning my funeral.
“You look panicked.
Take it easy,” he murmured.
“Because strangers are here to evaluate whether we’re psychologically stable enough to raise a child.”
His gaze dragged lazily over my messy hair, flushed face, and oversized shirt hanging off one shoulder.
“You already look convincingly married.”
I ignored the stupid little reaction that caused in my chest.
Another knock sounded downstairs, and I jumped off the bed immediately.
Then paused.
An idea formed instantly.
If the court wanted proof of intimacy, then fine.
I’d give them a performance so believable they’d probably need therapy afterward.
Didn’t fix my clothes.
Didn’t even bother hiding the fact that I’d clearly slept beside someone.
Behind me, Jaxon watched silently from the bed, amusement flickering across his face.
“You’re scary when you strategize before breakfast or meeting someone.”
I ignored him and headed downstairs quickly and pulled open the front door without hesitation—
Then slammed it shut again.
My heart slammed down heavily into my stomach.
That’s not him, right?
I opened the door again, and Elias stood there.
Perfectly dressed in a charcoal suit, as he’d personally walked out of a magazine titled Rich Men Who Destroy Women Emotionally.
For one second, neither of us spoke.
His eyes moved over me slowly.
And because the universe clearly enjoyed humiliating me, there was a visible mark near my collarbone from sleeping against Jaxon all night.
Elias’s jaw tightened almost invisibly.
“What the hell are you doing here?
How did you find this place?” I asked sharply.
His eyes finally lifted back to mine.
“I knocked.
You opened the door.
A fairly straightforward process.”
God, I used to think this man was charming.
“I mean this house, Elias.”
He slid one hand into his pocket casually.
“A relative of mine owns it, and we have a court settlement.”
My stomach tightened slightly.
Before I could ask what the hell that meant, his gaze sharpened again.
His eyes flicked toward the inside of the villa again before returning to me.
“Should I assume you spent the night entertaining your husband?”
The word husband sounded almost insulting coming from him.
I stared at him in disbelief.
“You show up uninvited at seven in the morning, and somehow I’m the rude one?”
Something dark flashed briefly across his face, but it was gone so quickly I almost missed it.
Then his expression smoothed out again.
“That’s unfortunate,” he said calmly.
“Because your marriage just became my business.”
My irritation sharpened instantly.
“What does that mean?”
Elias reached into his suit jacket and handed me a file.
Legal documents.
I felt dread immediately.
“I’m representing Julian Bennett regarding Sunny’s custody case.”
The air left my lungs.
For a second, grief hit so hard it physically hurt. Get faster updates on g.com.
Elias watched my expression carefully, and for once, his voice softened slightly.
“Vesper—”
”No.” I stepped back instantly.
“Don’t fucking call my name.”
His brows pulled together faintly.
“The court has concerns,” he said coolly.
“Your unstable work history.
Public scandals.
Emotional environment.”
I laughed once in disbelief.
“Emotional environment?
Oh, please, I’m married.”I spat with pride even when I never wanted this arrangement.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“You expect me to believe this marriage is real?”
I stepped closer before I could stop myself.
“You lost the right to question my relationships outside court.
Don’t stand there, as you know me too well.”
That hit exactly where I wanted it to, and Elias went completely still.
For one tiny second, I saw actual emotion crack through his usual control, but it.
“You’re still angry.”
”Oh my God, Elias.” I laughed sharply.
” Wake up from slumber, the world doesn’t revolve around you.”
His mouth twitched despite himself, and his gaze dragged over me again slowly.
“This doesn’t feel like love, Vesper.
You are going the wrong direction.”
”Well, it’s a good thing no one asked for your opinion.”
Before he could answer, a deep voice drawled lazily behind me.
“She usually gets meaner when men interrupt her before coffee.”
Every nerve in my body reacted instantly, and I turned.
Jaxon walked downstairs shirtless, black sweatpants hanging low on his hips, while he dried his damp hair with a towel, as if this entire situation bored him.
Which somehow made him even hotter.
And unfortunately, Elias noticed me noticing.
Jaxon stopped beside me casually, close enough that his hand brushed lightly against my lower back.
Then his eyes landed on Elias, and everything changed.
The teasing vanished instantly, and the room suddenly felt colder.
“Hey, brother,” Jaxon said flatly.
Elias straightened slowly.
“Still alive, I see.”
Jaxon laughed once without humor.
“Disappointing for you?”
My eyes moved rapidly between them.
Wait….what the hell?
No way.
Elias stepped closer slowly until his voice dropped near my ear.
“You’re only with him to get my attention.
I’ve always known you’re always obsessed with me, so you think doing this with him will punish me?” he murmured quietly.
“Tell me I’m wrong?”