Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“And what is it that I have to prove?” he drawls, crossing his arms over his chest.
When I was running out the door this morning, he said he was going into the office, so I’m not sure when he followed me here, but, oh well, it’s not like I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “You tell me.”
His jaw tics, and I know I got to him.
Men have such fragile egos, and him knowing that I despise the ring he spent hundreds of thousands on has to irk him.
“You left your phone at home,” he says, handing it to me. “Figured you might need it.”
I take it from him, almost feeling bad that I hurt his feelings.
I scan my phone to pay for my coffee and muffin and then step to the side so the line can keep moving.
“So, when’s the big day?” Nicole asks, trying to ease the tension.
“Valentine’s Day,” I tell her.
“Oh, that’s sweet,” she coos. “Have you decided where you’ll be having it?”
When I glance at Kane, waiting for him to answer, he says, “That’s up to Brielle.”
“Me?” I scoff. “What do I have to do with it?”
Nicole snorts out a laugh, and Kane glares.
“You’re the one planning it,” he says.
“Oh, great,” I hiss. “Not only are you forcing me to marry you, but you’re also making me plan the damn thing? Would you like me to pay for it as well?”
He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a black card. “Put everything on there.”
“Oh!” Nicole squeals. “This will be so much fun. We should book the Mayfair House Garden and—”
I love Nicole, but the woman cannot read a room to save her life.
“You know this is a fake marriage, right?” I whisper so no one will overhear. “We don’t need to do anything special.”
Nicole pouts. “But remember how much fun you had planning Dani and Matteo’s wedding? And as your maid of honor, it’s my job to make sure you’re a pampered bride. We can do a spa day … manis and pedis. It will be so much fun. Plus”—she glances at Kane, still holding his card between his fingers—“he’s paying”—she waggles her brows—“so why not give yourself the wedding of your dreams?”
“Maybe because the wedding of my dreams was supposed to be with the man of my dreams,” I blurt out. Or at the very least, with a man who loves me, I think to myself.
Nicole’s gaze turns sympathetic, and I instantly regret voicing my thoughts. I don’t want anyone to pity me.
When I sneak a glance at Kane, knowing he must have heard what I said, he shows zero emotion, and for some reason, that annoys me. He knows he’s hurting me by forcing me to marry him, yet he doesn’t give a shit. He has one goal in mind, and I’m nothing more than a stepping stone to get him to where he wants to be.
Well, fuck him.
“Whatever.” I pluck the card out of his fingers. “In that case, let’s go shopping. I need to buy my maid of honor a special gift.”
Nicole grins, and Kane remains stoic.
We’ll see how stoic he is when I max out his card and show him what he’s getting himself into by marrying me.
Hell, maybe if I spend enough, he’ll realize I’m not worth the hassle and call the whole damn thing off.
“C’mon, bestie,” I say, grabbing my coffee and muffin with one hand and Nicole’s hand with the other. “We have a wedding to plan.”
15
Kane
“Maybe because the wedding of my dreams was supposed to be with the man of my dreams.”
I’m in the middle of a meeting with Ena Odell, my tech consultant, at the restaurant in the country club, discussing how to take Morgan Enterprises to the next level, but the only thing I can focus on is Brielle. It wasn’t just what she said, but how she looked when she said it, like she genuinely wanted to marry her dream man and that couldn’t possibly be me.
Who says I can’t be her dream fucking man?
My thoughts go back to when Brielle and I spent the night together. She was looking for the perfect balance of control.
Her dumbass ex had given in to her every whim, which was why he bored her. But with me, while I gave her the control she craved, I also set boundaries she needed.
“You might’ve given me the control that night, but the next day, you took it away.”
That night was supposed to be just that—one night. But like the deadliest spider, she spun me into her web, and rather than risking being caught and killed, I pulled her out and dragged her down with me. Because the thought of never being with her again was unfathomable.
The problem is, forcing Brielle to marry me meant taking away her control …