The minute the words leave my mouth, I know I shouldn't have said them.

Dean sits up from his lounged position, the neck of the beer bottle glistening as his fist tightens around it. "Seriously, Kara? You actually think I'd rape someone? You may not know me as well as you did, but this is me."

The hurt in his voice is palpable, and I swear his face turns a shade of green with nausea.

I shake my head, sighing. "I apologize, that was a low blow."

I want to ask more questions, or go home and Google everything about the story, but I refrain. The reality is, he probably has to deal with this kind of stuff all the time, and for the first time I think about how annoying and difficult that must be for him.

"Don't apologize just yet, because you're going to hate me more when I tell you what I need from you."

What he needs from me ... the words have me shivering in anticipation and wanting to sprint in the other direction at the same time. Because for as much as I despise him, and what he did, my heart also wants to go running right back to him.

I stay silent, the organ in my chest beating double time.

"I came back for you. Selfishly, to try and fix my problems. I'm not going to sugar coat this, Kara ... I am in some deep shit. This is bad, it's already affecting my career and who will work with me even though it's completely untrue. And I need to do something to stem the blood gushing from the open bullet wound this has left in my life."

"What the hell does that have to do with me?" I pace in front of him, not wanting to sit on any surface in this living room.

News had gone around town when William Jacobs had passed away, although it was no surprise to anyone that he'd laid in a pool of his own filth for three days before he was actually found. The drunk piece of shit deserved what he had coming to him, in my opinion, and from the years of abuse I'd seen Dean take, I can't say I missed him. This house was in horrid condition, but besides that, every single surface held a memory. It had been years since I'd stepped foot inside, and I was already itching to get out.

"For years, everyone has wondered about this mysterious girl in all of my songs. It's a conspiracy theory at this point, there are full websites dedicated to finding out who you are essentially. And it’s probably the only thing that could overshadow these allegations. So, my agent and I, we came up with a proposal for you."

You know those moments in life when dread fills you, but you don't know why in that exact moment? Like the universe is preparing you for some fatal blow?

His blue eyes study me, and then he drops the right hook directly into my gut. "I want you to be my fiancée. Well, pretend to be. There would be a contract, you would live with me. I would provide whatever you needed, you'd be handsomely rewarded, and we could end it in a year or two when this all blows over."

Now I knew I had to be in the twilight zone. My ears couldn't even process the syllables that had left his lips because they were just too ludicrous.

"Are you fucking crazy?" It's all I can get through my brain, which is basically mush now.

"Kara, hear me out, please. It's not crazy. This could be a great opportunity for you. We have some of the best hospitals and private practices out in California, your career could take off. Think of how many influential people I know, people you could work on. You would want for nothing. The ring would be just for show—"

My brain nearly explodes when he says ring, and he essentially lights the fuse of my temper with the match of his voice.

"What do you take me for, some kind of prostitute?! I don't care about your money or connections, Dean. In fact, I would have been perfectly happy if I never had to see you again in my life. I was fine before you came back, and now I'm being chased down in parking lots and ambushed at my friend's wedding. A ring!? You have got to be fucking kidding me. Actually, I have no idea why I'm still even entertaining a conversation with you."

I storm toward the door, anger flickering through every pore.

"You said you were fine. Not happy."

They're the last words I hear before I slam the front door, shaking the entire ranch down to its foundation.