Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You-Chapter 135: Rival

Josh

I stir my iced coffee absently, my eyes flicking toward the door every few seconds.

She’s late. Only by ten minutes, but still.

I don’t want to be that guy. The clingy one. The insecure one. But something about the way Marcus was looking at her last night lodged itself under my skin like a splinter. I can’t shake it.

The bell above the café door chimes, and relief floods me as Hailey steps in, cheeks slightly flushed from the wind, her hair tousled in that effortlessly gorgeous way that always makes me forget how to breathe.

I stand to greet her, and she gives me a soft smile before sliding into the seat across from me.

"Sorry I’m late," she says, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I lost track of time at the studio."

"With Marcus?" The question slips out before I can stop it.

She freezes for a fraction of a second. Barely. But I see it.

Her expression smooths over. "We were reviewing edits."

I nod, forcing a smile. "Right. Of course."

She reaches across the table, resting her hand over mine. "Josh. What’s wrong?"

"I just don’t trust him," I admit.

"Marcus?" she asks. "And neither do I."

I look at her with surprise. "Really? Why?"

Hailey hesitates, her fingers tightening slightly around mine. "Because he pushes boundaries on purpose. Treats everything like a game."

I swallow hard, watching her closely. "Has he crossed a line with you?"

She meets my gaze again, and for a second, I see the flicker of conflict behind her eyes. "He has tried. But I didn’t let him."

I exhale slowly. Relief. Anger. A tangled mess of both.

"What did he try to do, Hailey?" I ask.

Hailey pulls her hand back, folding it in her lap. Her gaze drifts to the window. "He made a move on me, proposed that I sleep with him like those other girls at the studio."

"HE WHAT?" I say loudly, not caring that we are in public.

Heads turn. The barista behind the counter pauses mid-pour. I clench my fists and force myself to breathe.

Hailey flinches, her voice low and urgent. "Josh, please. Keep your voice down."

But I can’t. Not right away. Not when the image of that smug bastard leaning toward her, whispering that filth like it was normal, like it was inevitable, is now burned into my brain.

"He actually said that to you?" I say again, quieter this time, but no less furious.

Hailey nods, her expression unreadable. "I told him no. I made it clear. I even walked out on him."

"Jesus, Hailey..." I rake a hand through my hair, my leg bouncing under the table with barely contained rage. "He is a predator."

"He is arrogant," she says calmly, though her fingers twist around her napkin. "And used to getting what he wants I guess. That’s a dangerous combination."

My voice is tight. "And you are still going to work with him?"

"I don’t have a choice, Josh," she says. "This is my break. My chance. And I’m not giving it up because my boss is a slut."

I lean in. "You do have a choice. No job, no portfolio, nothing is worth being around a guy who treats you like that."

She looks at me, her mouth opening like she wants to argue—but then she stops. Swallows.

"I just didn’t want to make this your problem," she whispers.

"It is my problem, Hailey," I say, softer now. "Because I like you a lot."

We sit in silence for a long moment. Then I speak again. "I’m going to talk to him."

Her eyes snap to mine, alarmed. "Josh—no. Please don’t."

"I’m not looking to make a scene," I say. "I just want him to understand that he doesn’t get to talk to you like that. Or touch you. Or proposition you."

Hailey reaches across the table again, gripping my wrist. "I can handle Marcus."

"I don’t want you to handle him alone," I insist.

"It’s not just my career in line. Your modeling..." Hailey starts but I interrupt her.

"Fuck modeling. This whole thing was an accident anyway. I will just go back to my old job and forget about Marcus. So should you," I say.

Hailey shakes her head. "You don’t get it, Josh. This was an accident for you, but it wasn’t for me. This is a career opportunity for me. I can’t blow it no matter what," she argues.

I lean back in my chair, the fight draining out of me for a moment as I take her in—chin high, eyes burning, hands trembling slightly. God, she’s strong. Stronger than me in ways I didn’t even realize until now.

I get it. I really do. She’s worked her ass off for this.

Still, I hate that she has to grit her teeth and endure it because some creep has power over her future.

"Okay," I say quietly. "Okay. I won’t go after him. Not unless you tell me to."

Her eyes soften. "Thank you."

"But, Hailey, if he touches you, if he corners you, if he so much as looks at you the wrong way again, I need to know. Promise me," I say.

She hesitates, then nods. "I promise."

I nod back, but it still feels like a war I can’t fight. Like I’m stuck on the sidelines while she walks straight into the fire.

"You’re not alone in this," I say. "Not ever."

She squeezes my hand, her thumb brushing over my knuckles. "I know. And I really appreciate you being so...protective."

I give her a faint smile, but there’s a storm building in my chest that no amount of hand holding can calm.

"And I don’t want you to quit modeling. Not when you look so damn good in those leather jackets," she teases me.

"Oh yeah?" I say, raising an eyebrow. "So that’s what’s keeping me around? The jackets?"

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. "Not just that. Looking at your body when you are shirtless is also a treat," she says as she gives me a flirty smile.

I gasp. "Hailey Jameson! Don’t let your brother hear how you have been thirsting over his old rival!"

She laughs, the sound light and genuine, and it melts some of the tension still coiled tight in my chest.

"Oh please," she says, rolling her eyes. "You were never his rival." She suddenly stops smiling and looks at me like she is unsure about something. "I mean, you were not, right? You and Sarah never..."

I blink, caught off guard. "Sarah?" I echo, straightening a little in my seat. "You think I...?"

She shrugs, but it’s too casual to be real. "I mean, you two were always around each other back then. So I’ve heard."

I lean in, resting my forearms on the table. "Hailey, Sarah and I never dated. Not once. We were friends. Best friends in a way siblings would be."

Hailey’s eyes search mine like she’s trying to catch a lie before it can slip past her.

"Best friends," she repeats softly. "So nothing ever happened between you two?"

I shake my head. "Not even close."