I pin him with a warning look. Has he forgotten how well I know him? “Don’t lie to me, Reeve. I don’t want to get into all our shit on Christmas morning, but I don’t want you keeping more secrets from me. Something is obviously on your mind, so spill.”
“Saffron keeps messaging me,” he admits, sighing. “I’ve told her nothing will happen between us, and I can’t hang out with her anymore, but she’s not giving up without a fight.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “She’s going to be difficult. I’m sorry.”
Acid crawls up my throat. “I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m really not. She’s a scheming bitch, and she’s not going to let you go easily.”
Reeve winds his fingers through my hair. “You know I love you, Viv, right? No matter what she says, you know you’re the only one I love.”
Raw fear shimmers in his eyes, sprouting goose bumps all over my arms. “Are you telling me everything?”
His Adam’s apple jumps in his throat as he nods, not making eye contact, and my stomach lurches painfully.
He’s lying.
I’m about to call him on it when Dad pops his head in the door, telling me it’s time to leave for church. We’re not a very religious family, but we attend mass at our local church every Christmas Day.
After church, we return to the house, and I help Mom with the dinner. Christmas and Easter are the only times of the year when Mom sends the staff home for the holidays and we have to fend for ourselves. I actually love it. Cooking a Christmas feast with Mom is one of my favorite things, and we always drink mimosas and chat while we’re getting everything ready. The men enjoy some drinks in Dad’s study while we are slaving away, but they know they’re on cleanup duty. We are all about equality in this house.
Conversation is flowing freely around the table as we eat our sumptuous dinner, but I notice Reeve is hardly eating anything, toying with his food and looking distracted. I place my hand on his thigh under the table and whisper in his ear. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you,” he whispers. His knee taps on the floor as his cell vibrates in his pocket.
“We’re in the middle of dinner, Reeve. It’ll have to wait,” I whisper back. Butterflies run amok in my chest as I take in his pale complexion and the tiny beads of sweat forming on his brow. “What did you do?”
“Not here.” He wipes his damp brow. “Please, can we go to your room to talk?”
“Turn on the TV,” Mom suddenly shouts, surprising us all. Her eyes drill into Reeve as she clutches her cell to her chest. “Turn on E-News, Jonathon,” she commands, in a voice that tells him not to question or challenge her.
“It meant nothing,” Reeve whispers, clutching my hand. “Just let me explain.” The panicked expression on his face matches the mounting hysteria in his tone.
Dad looks between Mom and me as he holds the remote out in front of him.
“Turn it on, Daddy.” I know this is going to hurt, but I won’t shy away from the truth.
“No!” Reeve jumps up, holding on to my hand. “Don’t look at that. Please, Viv. Come with me and I’ll explain.” He already knew this was going to happen, and yet he said nothing. Looking at him, I wonder if I know him at all anymore.
I wrench my hand from Reeve’s, turning around so I’m facing the TV mounted on the wall behind us, just as Dad turns on E-News.
The headline bores a hole in my skull, and my heart instantly cracks into a million broken shards.
REEVERON HOT KISS! WE’VE GOT THE EXCLUSIVE VIDEO THAT PROVES THEIR LOVE IS REAL!