Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
“Because it’s going to be hard not to do that every time you walk into the room.”
Now she gets it.
She smiles, laughs, and kisses me more. I wrap her in my arms and hold her for a long time as we both come down from our peaks.
“I really should get to work now,” I say regretfully.
“You mean looking into Kyle and Clarice?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’ll make them pay. Be sure of that.”
Katie looks up at me, those adorable eyes fixed and stern. “I want to help,” she says. “I never liked Kyle, but I think I deserve some revenge.”
My lips twist into a smile, and I nod.
“I think so too.”
7
KATIE
Driving back to Kyle’s house feels wrong on many levels. Robert would kill me if he knew what I was up to.
I park out front and head inside. Kyle’s already coming down the stairs as I come into the foyer. He’s either tracking me with his phone, which wouldn’t surprise me at all, or he’s monitoring the security cameras out front.
“There she is!” he announces, raising both arms in the air. “She’s finally came to her senses!”
My stomach twists, but I force a smile. Gotta keep up appearances.
He’s wearing Gucci flip-flops with Prada sweatpants and a Versace tank-top, just in case someone out there didn’t know he came from a family with money. Of course, he didn’t earn a dime of that money. He just moved it from Robert’s bank account to his own.
To say he looks obnoxious would be an understatement.
He saunters right up to me and moves in for a kiss, but I press my palm to his chest and shake my head.
“I…I still need some time,” I say, keeping my voice low and vulnerable.
He starts to frown but stops, then slowly nods.
“I understand. You’re hurt. Seeing me with Clarice upset you. It’s okay, Katie. Jealousy is a natural human emotion.”
I barely stop myself from breaking out into laughter.
Jealousy? Is he kidding? I never even wanted to marry him in the first place.
But I keep my mouth shut and just nod, my eyes on the floor.
“Why Clarice, though?”
Kyle sighs. “To tell you the truth? It’s just stress from work.” Oh, right. All that work you do. “She came on to me, and I didn’t know how to turn her down.”
There’s not an ounce of truth to that entire story. Well, except for maybe the fact that Clarice came on to him. I’d believe that.
Tyson, one of the cleaning staff, walks by with his mop and bucket. Kyle quickly takes me by the wrist and pulls me into the drawing room. I do not want his hands on me, but I let him for now. It’s important he feels like he’s in control.
He closes the door behind us and walks up beside me, keeping his voice low.
“Listen, I know you’re probably still angry, but I need this wedding to go through.”
“Aw, Kyle,” I reply, playing ignorant. “You love me?”
My response shocks him. He almost scoffs and laughs but holds it together.
“Well, Katie, I’ve never told anyone this, but there’s a clause in my grandfather’s will saying that if I’m not married by my twenty-first birthday, I get nothing.”
“Oh, wow,” I reply in my best commiseratory voice. “That puts you in quite a jam, doesn’t it?”
Kyle nods quickly, looking more pathetic than ever in his pieced-together designer outfit. He actually seems quite sincere as he looks at me.
I bet that would change if he knew why I was really here.
“Katie,” he says, his voice strained, “I will give you ten thousand dollars if you go through with the wedding.”
“Wow, ten thousand?” I repeat. “That’s a lot of money.”
If only he knew his father spent almost ten times that buying me a new wardrobe.
“That’s right. Ten grand, a diamond necklace, a vacation to anywhere you want—doesn’t even have to be with me. I just need you to say I do.”
The muscles on the corners of my lips are starting to twitch. I have to pinch the back of my thigh to keep from smiling.
“You don’t have to sleep with me. I can get that from Clarice. I just need us to be married. On paper.”
I nod slowly. “On paper.”
His left leg twitches as he stares at me. “The wedding’s in five days, Katie. I need your answer.”
He’s really starting to piss me off now. But this is good, good stuff.
“And I guess you need me to finish planning it too?”
For the briefest moment, Kyle actually tries to show some humanity. Tries to pretend like he’s commiserating with me. And he almost pulls it off. Almost.
“You don’t want me planning it, Katie. Not if you want it to be any good.”
Well, he’s not wrong there.
“Okay, just to be clear,” I say slowly. “You’ll give me ten grand—and other things—to marry you just so you can get your grandpa’s money?”