Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“That’s better,” he says as he carries me up the stairs.
“This is exactly what I’m talking about,” I say, fighting back panic. “You can’t just lift me up, you asshole! You need to tell me what you’re doing first.”
“I’m making this climb easy on you. And besides, you’re my wife, you deserve to be carried over the threshold.”
“Too late for that.”
“Never too late for anything.” He reaches the top and goes straight to the end of the hall toward the largest sets of doors.
“Where are you taking me? Hey, hold on, put me down, I can walk now. Hey, Adler—”
He kicks open the door and strides into an enormous master bedroom.
It’s huge, bigger than my living room back home. There’s a large king-sized bed, nightstands, a sitting area, a television, a fireplace, another door that leads to another balcony, a closet, and a bathroom. He dumps me on the bed and I bounce twice before I kick out, making sure he can’t come after me.
Adler only stands there, staring at me with this strange expression on his face—like it almost pains him to see me in his bed.
I get control of myself, brush my hair from my face, and sit up.
The room is all gray, black, and white. The only color comes from the drab paintings on the walls, though even those are plain. There’s hardly any personality in this space at all, like it’d been scrubbed clean of all human interiority and updated by a hotel’s decorator.
“You can’t just pick me up,” I say, glaring at him as I get onto my knees. “You can’t just dump me onto your bed. There have to be rules.”
“Here’s a rule,” he says. “You’re staying in here, with me, so long as we’re married.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “Absolutely not. How many bedrooms did we pass coming here? I’ll take the nicest one.”
“Out of the question. The safest place you can be is by my side, and that’s where you’ll stay.”
“Safest?” My eyebrows shoot up. “Adler, we’re in the Sunrise. This is the safest place on the strip. You really think I’m going to buy that I need to sleep in your bed for freaking safety? I can’t think of anywhere more dangerous.”
His head tilts. I’ve come to associate that look with a very deep frustration. “You got what you asked for, wife. Now you will accept my terms or we can always end this agreement.”
“Nice, that’s your move, isn’t it?” I shuffle off the bed, grunting with strain as I do it. I’m not very mobile, especially not from awkward positions. “Every time you don’t get your way, you’ll just blackmail me?”
“I don’t want to resort to that.”
“And yet here we are.” I gesture around us. “Seems like a great life.”
He stares at me, clearly annoyed, taking deep breaths. If he weren’t such a handsome bastard, I would’ve looked away by now—but I find it impossible not to stare when he’s in the room. He sucks up my attention, grabs it and won’t release it, and I resent him for that. Even if it’s not his fault.
“We’re entering into a long-term business deal.” He speaks quietly, but firmly. “We might as well try to get along.”
“Great idea. Let’s start by not blackmailing each other anymore, okay?”
“Only if you’re willing to give an inch.”
I bark a laugh. “An inch? I gave a freaking lightyear when I agreed to marry you.”
“As if you’re not getting anything from this arrangement.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m getting some money, but you’re getting a freaking baby. Which one of us has it harder?”
“You’re not doing anything millions of surrogates haven’t done before you.”
“Great, minimize, awesome.” I throw up my hands. “You’re impossible to deal with.”
“And you’re too damn stubborn.”
“Pot kettle black.” I put my hands on my hips, glaring hard.
He glares right back, nostrils flared. Both of us are pissed. I’m about to storm out of here, except I can’t really storm places—it’s more like an aggressive limping.
Instead, he turns his back to me and strides toward the fireplace, visibly composing himself. I give him a moment, waiting until he turns back, his tone softer.
“I want to make this work,” he says, which seems absurd to me, considering this isn’t real. “I want things to be amiable between us.”
“I do too,” I admit.
“But we’re going to have to do things in public.”
“Like what?”
“Kiss. Hold hands. Act like a damn couple. That’s part of the deal—we have to convince the board this is real. You think they’ll release anything if they catch wind of our arrangement?”
“I thought all you needed was a warm vagina and a baby?”
“That’s the letter of the law. They only give a fuck about the spirit.” He runs a hand through his hair, showing off a muscular bicep. God damn, this man is beautiful, and I hate him for it. “Sleeping in the same bed together will build a bond and create some intimacy, which we will need in the coming months. I need you to be on board with this, wholly and fully.”