Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“He said I wasn’t a man.” Victor’s grip tightened on the fork. “I didn’t have a wife, family, or responsibilities. A few months ago, I was in high school, asking permission to use the bathroom. What did I know about running a multimillion-dollar company? He doesn’t believe I can do this, and the stubborn ass is going to kill himself rather than give me a chance.”
Victor gestured between us. “I will prove him wrong. Once he sees I can handle a wife, a home, and kids—”
My eyes bugged at kids.
“—he’ll trust the company is in good hands. Mom is on board with this too. She’s been begging him to retire for five years.”
I studied him, searching for a trace of dishonesty. Victor held my gaze without blinking.
“Wow, Wilson. That’s almost... noble.”
He scoffed. “Don’t go getting a crush on me. I still wish my parents arranged for me to marry literally anyone else. Our forty-two-year-old housekeeper, June, would’ve been a better candidate.”
“If I was in danger of forming a crush, you just killed it dead. Actually, you killed any chance of me liking you when at our first meeting, you snapped your fingers at me and said to fetch you iced tea because you thought I was the help. You asked my net worth over dinner, and then after, I found you in the closet with said June’s daughter on her knees, blowing you. Enough pompous ass to last me a lifetime.”
“You’re no caramel sundae yourself, sweetheart. I didn’t know then that you were going to accept the proposal. I thought our families were still discussing. Last I checked, I wasn’t required to be faithful to some random girl who might marry me. And afterward, I apologized and asked you out to make it up to you three times. Each time, you blew me off.”
“Maybe because I was doing this thing called mourning!”
“We don’t argue in public, remember?”
Steaming, I stabbed my breakfast—mentally blowing up his head. It’s true we disliked each other from the very first meeting. He may have done this to help his father, and me to avenge Winter, but that did not mean we had to smile and kiss over becoming Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
“What are your other rules?” I snapped.
“We put on the show at parties and banquets. Plus, at least three times a week, we eat breakfast together—act the part of engaged couple,” he replied. “Friday nights, you have dinner with my family to prove to my father we’re responsible and committed. We can date other people, but discreetly—no one else can know.”
“What if I don’t want my fiancé to screw around on me? Especially since people are already calling me a trashy Dreg and saying I’m a gold digger. I bet your hookups would let it slip to embarrass me.”
Victor inclined his head. “You’re right. It’s too risky. Rumors get around easily on campus. Okay, no hookups.”
“You mean it?”
“Yep,” came out smooth. “You can meet my needs instead. That works out since I might as well find out now if you’re crap in bed. I’ll teach you to be the perfect wife in all ways.”
“Leave.”
Laughing, Victor stretched out, getting comfortable. “Damn, you can’t take a joke. If I stick my dick in you, it’ll snap off from the frostbite. Trust me, I’m delaying that for as long as possible.”
I resisted dumping his mocha on his lap. “Sweetheart,” I mocked, “that delay is not up to you, and you’ll be lucky if it ends after the ‘I dos.’ But I have a rule too. Outside the regularly scheduled sham, you don’t talk to me. You don’t text me. You don’t get in my way and I don’t get in yours. Deal?”
“Agreed.”
We shook.
We finished our breakfast in silence. Gathering up our dishes, Victor beat me to the tray return and took off though we were headed to the same place. Our deal didn’t include strolling through campus together.
Walking to the English building, I picked up stares along the way. Word about me was spreading and malicious rumors followed in its wake. It started this way for Winter too. First the whispers, then the nasty comments, Owen and his buddies stalking her, and finally, the attacks. If they followed the same pattern for me, things were about to turn quickly. I had to get to Owen before he got to me.
I entered the English hall, soaking in the air-conditioning washing over me. Students led the way into the classroom at the end of the corridor. I followed them in, and stopped dead in the doorway, my binder slipping out of my hand.
A bearded man with slicked-back curls stood at the chalkboard, writing the name Professor Anthony.
“Adonis?”
He turned his head, frown marring features even more handsome in the daylight. Shock blew his eyes wide.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted.