Page 42 of The Donor’s Dilemma

Her hand slipped over Theo's, a movement Petra noted, and she took deep breaths intended to calm herself. It didn’t work.

“Funniest story,” Petra went on, dark eyes watching Verity. “Theodor was so young, all jumpy, and he, well, he was sucking neck!”

“Petra…” Theo tried but she wasn’t listening.

“He was having his fill and that old baron walked in. Lover boy nearly jumped out of his skin! Blood everywhere!” She cackled, throwing her head back and clapping. “Daddy dearest only saw the blood though and sent for a doctor! That quack declared Theodor had consumption, what with the blood and being cold and everything. The whole village got quarantined! Good god, it was funny!”

The rest of the room clearly didn’t agree.

She took another swig of champagne, banging the bottle down on the table. “When did you two get so fucking boring?”

Elliot laughed. “Probably when we started working nine till five, Petra dear. It’s far past our bedtime.”

She rolled her eyes with a snarl. “Fine, go.”

They stood as one, Theo and Elliot nodding to her as she promptly ignored them, finding some cured meat and washing it down with more champagne.

The moment they left the room Theo’s arm was around Verity’s waist and it didn’t leave until he pushed her into the car. They didn’t even say goodbye to Elliot and Marcy, only fled as if Petra might change her mind and demand their company. Or worse.

“You okay?” he asked, pulling out of the car park into the midday sun. It really was late.

“Fine, are you?”

He didn’t answer, hands tightening on the wheel, eyes darting to the mirror.

“Who was she?”

No answer.

“Theo?”

“I’m sorry, Verity.”

“For what?”

“All of it. For having to pretend like that.”

Her eyes snapped to him. He might as well have slapped her.

“Pretend?” she asked.

“Pretending we’re… together.”

That wasn’t…

The plan was to make people think they were a couple but that… that was different.

“That wasn’t pretending,” she said.

His nose scrunched, mouth opening to talk then thinking better of it.

“That wasn’t fucking pretending, Theo.”

“It has to be, Verity.”

“Well, it wasn’t. You can lie to yourself, but we both know.”

“No.”