"You're WHAT?!"

Katherine's shocked exclamation rang out over the pulsing beat of the music, drawing curious glances from the other customers crowded into the trendy bar. Beside her, Raphael choked on his cocktail, sputtering inelegantly into his sleeve.

I winced, holding up a placating hand. "Keep your voice down, will you? It's not exactly public knowledge yet."

Katherine leaned in, green eyes sparkling with excitement and concern. "Noreen Hunter, you can't just drop a bombshell like 'I'm getting married' and expect us not to react! Spill, now. Who's the lucky guy? And why am I just hearing about this now?"

I sighed, toying with the stem of my wine glass. I pulled them into our private booth, the pounding bass of the DJ's set muffled to a dull roar by plush velvet curtains. It was the perfect place to share secrets...and the weight of mine suddenly felt unbearably heavy.

"It's...complicated," I hedged, avoiding Katherine's piercing gaze. "Let's just say it's a strategic move that will secure my position at Hunter and keep the board off my back. The details aren't important."

Raphael snorted, dabbing at the damp spot on his shirt. His dark eyes fixed on me, "Not important? Noreen, you're talking about a lifelong commitment. Of course, the details are important!"

I shook my head, a rueful smile tugging at my lips. "Not lifelong, Raph. It's a temporary arrangement. Two years, max. Enough time to get the old guard to back off and let me run my company in peace."

Katherine studied me, a knowing look in her eye. "Spill it! Who is he? Do I know him?"

I stiffened, my fingers tightening involuntarily around my glass. "Why so curious? Can't you just trust me blindly on this one?"

She shrugged, taking a delicate sip of her luridly pink cocktail. "With your terrible luck in men, no, I can't..."

Raphael laughed, throwing his head back and the deep sound filling the room. His dark skin shone as the blueish light caught him. I stared at him in disbelief, shaking my head.

Swallowing hard, feeling the phantom press of James's hands on my skin, the searing heat of his mouth against my own. Memories of that fateful night, of gasping breaths and tangled sheets, threatened to overwhelm me. With an effort, I pushed them aside, focusing on the cool stem of my wineglass and the pounding beat of the music.

"Okay, you do know him, Kat," I admitted at last, my voice barely audible over the noise. "It's James. But it's a business deal, nothing more."

Katherine's eyes softened, her hand resting on my arm in a gesture of comfort. "Oh, hon. I know you. You wouldn't be doing this if you had any other choice. But are you sure it's a good idea? After everything he put you through?"

I shrugged, a bitter laugh bubbling up in my throat. "Good idea? No. But it's the only play I have left. The board backed me into a corner. It was either marriage or forfeit everything I've worked for. I won't let them take that away from me."

Raphael leaned forward, his brows knitted in concern. "But why James? Surely there are other options, other men who would jump at the chance to be with you, even if just as a sham."

I shook my head, a wry twist to my lips. "None with the 'pedigree' or connections to satisfy the board. And only some who understand the stakes quite like James. He needs this just as much as I do."

Katherine sighed, her expression troubled. "I just worry about you, Nore. I remember how he treated you in uni and the mind games he played. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

A pang of affection tightened my chest, a warm rush of gratitude for my fiercely loyal friend. "I know, Kat. And I appreciate your concern more than you know. But I'm not that naive girl anymore. I'm going into this with my eyes wide open. James can't hurt me like that again."

Even as the words left my mouth, I felt a flicker of doubt. Memories of that night at my apartment, of waking up in his arms and feeling the traitorous rush of desire, rose unbidden in my mind. I pushed them down ruthlessly, burying them deep. I couldn't afford to dwell on this mistake forever, not when my future hung in the balance.

Katherine must have sensed my inner turmoil because she simply nodded, gently squeezing my arm. "Okay. If you're sure this is what you want, I'm behind you one hundred per cent. But promise me you'll be careful? Don't let him get too close. You're the strongest person I know, but even you have your limits."

I mustered a smile, returning her squeeze with one of my own. "I promise. Now, enough about my impending doom. Tell me about this weekend's getaway with your bingo paramour! I want all the scandalous details."

Katherine grinned, launching into a spirited retelling of her plans, and just like that, the sombre mood lifted. We spent the rest of the evening laughing and trading stories, the spectre of my coming nuptials temporarily forgotten in the warm glow of friendship and spirits.

Raphael told us about his own dramas. His dream job at the Michelin-starred restaurant was not as dreamy, and he had quit. To our surprise, he announced his plans to open his own restaurant soon, extending us invitations once everything was finalised.

✦﹒✦﹒✦

It was well past midnight when Katherine and I stumbled back to my house, pleasantly buzzing and leaning on each other for support. We collapsed onto the plush sofa in a tangle of limbs and giggles, the room spinning pleasantly around us.

As the laughter died down, Katherine turned to me, her expression suddenly serious. "Nore...are you really okay with all of this? You're putting on a brave face, but this is me. You don't have to pretend with me."

I sighed, leaning my head back against the cushions. The alcohol had lowered my defences, and suddenly, the weight of everything came crashing down on me.

"I'm scared, Kat," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm scared of what this means, of how it will change everything. I'm scared of being tied to James, of giving him that kind of power over me. And I'm terrified that..."

I trailed off, unable to voice the deepest fear lurking in my heart. Katherine reached out, taking my hand in hers.

"Terrified of what, hon?"

I swallowed hard, forcing the words past the lump in my throat. "Terrified that I might be fooling myself. That maybe...this is a fool's errand, and James will just use the forced proximity to torment me again...I-I cannot rehash that hell again; I don't think I will be able to withstand it again."

Katherine was silent for a long moment, her thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. When she finally spoke, her voice was gentle but firm.

"Noreen, listen to me. Your feelings and doubts are valid, okay? It's natural to doubt the future after what he put you through. James hurt you deeply, and that kind of wound doesn't heal overnight. He might get close to you again, but this arrangement is fuelling all that fear, those memories you've hidden deep down all these years.

She paused, making sure to catch my eye before continuing. "Just promise me you'll protect yourself, okay? Don't let him worm his way back in until he's proven worthy of your trust. And if he derails, just reach out to Raph and me; we are here to help and protect you."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them back furiously. "I promise," I managed, my voice thick with emotion. "I won't let him hurt me again. I won't let anyone hurt me again."

Katherine smiled, pulling me into a tight hug. "That's my girl. Now, what do you say we open another bottle of wine and toast to your fabulous single life while you've still got it? Any items in your single's bucket list we need to cross?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

I laughed, the sound watery but genuine. "Deal. But you're on glass duty. I'm not letting you near another bottle after last time." I snorted, and her last question, "And NO, Kat. Nothing to cross..."

Katherine giggled, already rising to retrieve the glasses. "How was I supposed to know the bottle would explode like that?"

She placed the glasses on the open kitchen island and leaned over the marble surface, her fingernails clicking against it. "Not even finding a certain green-eyed university sweetheart and reliving those reckless, wild nights?"

"As tempting as it sounds, he's who-knows-where, and I have an image and reputation to keep... especially before my not-so-romantic wedding." I shook my head, missing her antics.

"I have good detective skills!" she offered with a broad smirk as I filled our glasses with the dark liquid. "Maybe he can mysteriously stumble into your bathroom. And you know what happens there, stays there..."

"Kat, don't even think about it!" I warned her playfully.

I grinned, feeling the tension slowly begin to drain from my shoulders. No matter the future, I knew I would always have Katherine in my corner, ready with a quip and a bottle of merlot. And for tonight, that was enough.

✦﹒✦﹒✦

Hours later, I lay in bed, my mind fuzzy with wine and exhaustion. Katherine had long since retired to the guest room, leaving me alone with my thoughts...and my phone, which buzzed insistently on the nightstand.

Frowning, I reached for it, my heart stuttering as I saw the name on the screen. James. We had agreed to keep in touch as part of our arrangement, but I hadn't expected to hear from him so soon.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I opened the message and felt my breath catch in my throat. There, staring up at me from the glowing screen, was a photo of my bed—rumpled sheets and tangled blankets in a soft light.

My pulse quickened, heat rushing to my cheeks as I remembered the fiery, passionate kisses and smouldering gaze that night. That night I tried to bury and still blamed on too much champagne.

But now, with the evidence staring me in the face and the wine singing in my veins, I felt that same traitorous hunger stirring to life. Before I could think better of it, my fingers flew over the keys, typing a response.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself, my heart pounding as I watched the text bubble appear on the screen. James's response came swiftly, three pulsing dots followed by a message that made my breath hitch.

I bit my lip, heat pooling low in my belly at his implication. This was dangerous territory, this flirty back and forth with a man who had once been my bully. But the alcohol and the late hour were my friends for bad decisions, and I found myself typing back, my fingers almost moving of their own volition.

His response was immediate, the words practically scorching my screen.

I tossed the phone aside, my skin flushed and tingling. What was I doing, indulging in James' flirtation? I was supposed to guard my heart, not baring it for the man who had once crushed it so callously beneath his heel.

But even as I chastised myself, I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips or the warmth that suffused my chest at the thought of James lying awake, thinking of me. We were playing a dangerous game, one with stakes higher than either of us could fathom.

But in that drunken moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. Tonight, I would allow myself this slight indulgence, this fleeting taste of power over James.

Even if it was just a beautiful lie.

✦﹒✦﹒✦

The following day dawned bright and early, the sun streaming through my bedroom window and chasing away the lingering haze of sleep. I groaned, burying my face in the pillow as the events of the previous night came rushing back in vivid technicolour.

Damn it, Noreen! I had drunk texted James. I had drunk-texted flirty, suggestive messages that made me want to crawl under the covers and never come out. I wanted to block his contact, if not only to prevent these situations in the future. But our arrangement stopped me from it.

A soft knock at the door interrupted my spiral of mortification. "Nore? You alive in there?"

Katherine's knock washed like a wave of cold water through me, pulling me out of my pity party.

"I'm up," I called back, dragging myself out of bed with a herculean effort. "Just give me a minute."

By the time I emerged from my room, showered and dressed and feeling marginally more human, Katherine was waiting in the kitchen, two steaming mugs of coffee at the ready. She took one look at my haggard expression and winced sympathetically.

"Rough night, huh?"

I sank into a chair, reaching gratefully for the mug offered. "Yeah, you can say that," I said, avoiding her knowing gaze.

She snorted, sipping her own coffee with a sceptical air. "...What's going on? You were never a morning person, but you are awfully quiet today. Still overthinking what we discussed last night?"

I sighed, running a hand through my still-damp hair. "It's nothing, Kat. Just...too many drinks for one night. And a lot to start planning."

Her eyes softened. "Hey, it's okay. If you need help planning the wedding, I will happily support you!" she chirped.

I mustered a smile, squeezing her hand in gratitude. "Thanks, Kat. Don't complain later if you get flooded with tasks and giant guest lists."

She grinned, the sombre mood broken. "That's what best friends are for. What do you say we hit up that new brunch place down the street? I hear their mimosas are to die for."

I laughed, feeling the tension begin to drain from my shoulders. "More alcohol, Yay!" My lack of enthusiasm earned me a sour look from her, but I conceded. "Lead the way."