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)
“Nothing,” he says, leaning back.
“Nothing?” I stare at him in alarm. “You can’t be serious.”
His hands spread. “This is the price of marrying me. You think you can wear the boss’s ring and everyone will just ignore it?”
“No, but—”
“But you hoped nothing would change, and now you’re realizing how naive and short-sighted that was.”
I grind my jaw. “I am not naive, only I hoped you’d have a plan to break the news to the staff in a way that doesn’t make me look terrible.”
“How is that, exactly?”
“I don’t know,” I say, throwing up my hands. “They’re all going to assume I’m some money-grubbing gold digger or something.”
“Why?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious.
“Because you’re rich!”
“And women can’t marry rich men out of love?”
“Not in this case they can’t.”
“I should be insulted.”
“Yep, you should.” I lean forward. “Adler, I can’t work if everyone staring at me and talking behind my back all day. You have to help me.”
He pauses for a second, considering. “I don’t think I do.”
“Is that how our fake marriage is going to go? You get the benefits and I get all the crap down on the floor?”
“If you think this is easy on me, you’re fooling yourself.”
“Oh, I feel so bad for you. Poor boy gets the wife he needs, a future baby, and access to his rich daddy’s money. What a terrible situation.”
Now it’s his turn to look annoyed. “There are people in my life that counseled against marrying you.”
“Me? What the hell do they have against me? Actually, never mind, forget it, I really don’t care.” Except I definitely care and I will be thinking about that little nugget for the next forever.
“I can’t help you, Casey. Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t. Think about how it’ll look if your husband-slash-boss orders everyone to be nice to you. You don’t want them to assume favoritism, right? That’ll all but guarantee they will.”
I sit still, thinking about it, and I hate to admit that he’s right. If I get Adler involved, that’ll only make things worse. “How the hell am I supposed to deal with this then?”
“Keep doing what you always do,” he says.
“Easy for you to say. You’re used to people whispering about you.”
“Not really, but I’m serious.”
“I should ignore it? That’s your advice? Gee, thanks, that’s some brilliant stuff.”
“Some people are never going to get over it,” he concedes with a dismissive gesture. “You can write them off. No matter what you’ll do, you’ll always be my wife, full stop. But to everyone else, you can still be Casey if you keep on acting like Casey. Show up for work. Do your job.”
“With goons hanging around watching over my shoulder? Yes, I noticed your little care package.”
“My goons are meant to keep you safe, and they are nonnegotiable.”
I give him a look. “Everything’s negotiable with you.”
That makes him smile. “Mostly, yes, that’s true, but not in this case. Your safety will not be not be compromised for anything.”
I let that sink in. It’s almost sweet—if it weren’t so damn annoying.
How does he expect me to be regular old Casey with my own freaking security detail?
But that’s his point: I can’t be regular old Casey anymore. That version of me is gone now that I committed to this deal and married Adler.
Even if I haven’t changed, the way everyone’s going to perceive me has.
Or at least it will.
“Fine,” I say, standing up.
“That’s it? No argument?”
“You said it’s nonnegotiable and I am respecting your wishes.” I tilt my chin up. “Got a problem with that?”
“Not at all.”
“Good. I’m going back to work now.”
“Are you taking my advice?”
“Yes, I am.” I walk to the door but look back. “Big Dan is annoyed.”
“He’s one of my father’s old creatures. I assume he’s unhappy that you’re my wife. I also assume it’s awkward for him to have to manage the woman that married his boss.”
“I can see how that would make things difficult for him. I’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sure you will. And, Casey? Please, next time don’t pull me out of a meeting so we can brainstorm your feelings.”
“That’s not—” I grab the doorknob. “You were almost nice. You know that?”
“No, I wasn’t. See you tonight, my wife.”
I glare at him then slam the door behind me.
Square and Tattoo are standing in the hall, waiting. I give them a look, arms crossed. “All right, you two are with me.”
“He didn’t budge, huh?” Square asks.
“Not an inch. But you’d better improve your lingering skills.”
“We’ll blend in more,” Tattoo promises. “Well, I will, I don’t know about blockhead over here.”
“Don’t push it, cocksucker.” Square glares at Tattoo then marches off.
I am not going to enjoy having these two around.
Chapter 14
Casey
I survive my shift. It doesn’t get much better—the gossip mill’s still churning when I’m back on the floor—but I manage to push it from my mind better.