CHAPTER THREE: Rules
While you're my wife, you'll do as I say. No exceptions. All you have to do when you stand beside me is smile and look pretty. You cannot speak to the media about our relationship without my knowledge. Yada…yada…yada.
There's eight more pages of these, gosh. The nerve of this guy. Not even the courtesy of showing up?
"Tell him, he can shove this sheet up his ass if he can't come see me himself," I say pointedly to the young man Damian sent over.
He seems flustered by my statement, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I'm not moving forward with the agreement unless he's the one sitting across this table," I stare at the man unblinking until he rises to go make a call.
Wow, I didn't think that would work.
Still, even if I was getting married to the president of the country there's no law preventing him from making time to see his future wife.
To think that I had to leave the library early for this. He gave me an address for our meeting and a dress, only for me to get to this high-end restaurant and be escorted to a private room with no sign of Aaron.
Having his…employee read out his 'rules to me feels so 'Master to subordinate' and I don't like the way that feels.
I did my research on Aaron Rutherford, he's...to say the least, powerful.
His family owns the NETHENS Conglomerate. He's the COO, second in command to the head of the entire conglomerate— his father. Money has never been an issue for his family in over a century.
That's the same man that walked into a corner side club and asked me specifically to marry him. Why he chose me, I don't know.
I know why I chose to do this though, but I don't like him treating me like he's doing me a favor. I mean he is, but this whole agreement wouldn't come to fruition if I decide to tap out.
I need him, he needs me. He made it clear by what he did at my brother's hospital.
"He'll be here in a few minutes, ma'am," the young man says, snapping me away from my thoughts. I smile, thank him and then he leaves the room.
I might be getting a little too cocky, I think to myself as I take a sip of my tea.
A few minutes pass as I try not to think too much about it and Aaron walks through the doors.
Before I see him, I feel his intense presence filling up this room. I hear him as he walks in and take a seat across from me.
The expression on his face hits me like a brick. It's so rigid, you'd think he just got news of the death of a loved one.
His demeanor is way different from when we were in that room together, I don't know if it's the tailored three-piece suit, or the fact that his hair which I remember as a neat mass of curls, is now gelled back making his jawline and high cheekbones prominent.
My lips part to speak but before I can make any sounds he says, "I'm hoping you didn't pull me out of a meeting just because you missed my face,"
I bite down on my lip, stopping the string of vile words about fly out and slide the contract over to him, "When I called you and agreed to this contract, I believed that you wanted this as bad as I did. The only way I see this working out is if we do this as a team."
"Leona, you're smart. Don't delude yourself. A team? That's not what this is. Partners, maybe but definitely not a team," he takes the contract from the table and glances through, "this isn't a real marriage, your job is to make it look like one to outsiders."
I take a shaky breath in, "Sure, I just think-"
He cuts me off before I can finish my sentence, "I'm not asking for your thoughts, Leona. Just to do as I say," his voice is cold, curt, leaving no room for an argument.
It's clear who holds the power in this room and this realization leaves me feeling a little vulnerable.
He gets up on his feet and takes my hand in his, motioning for me to stand. I don't know when I do but, the next second his hands are on the sides of my waist and his face is inches from mine.
I feel my chest tighten up as his hand glide up my body, the back of his fingers brushing the curve of my neck. A soft gasp escapes me as my eyelids flutter shut.
I should stop this, but the part of my brain that knows better doesn't even know it's supposed to exist right now.
I feel his hand cup my face, feel the breath from his parted lips on mine, and then I feel it. The moistness of his soft lips taking over my mouth. He's slow at first, as if gauging my response.
He leans into me and the kiss starts to feel more intense, more…passionate? I sink into the feeling of his lips on mine and kiss him back, my hands find their way to his sides, holding onto him before my knees give out and then, ever so abruptly, it ends.
His voice is a hoarse whisper when he speaks, "You need to convince the world we're so madly in love," he takes hold of my thigh and pushes me unto the table so fast, I can't help but let out a little whimper, "we're so blinded with lust, we can't keep from fucking in the bathroom stalls."
"You have to make them believe in a romance that brings two strangers together and have them at the alter in two weeks," his expression hardens as he retracts his hands, "even though that's not the case between us."
He takes a step away from me, slipping his hands in his pockets as he watches me adjust my dress and stand up straight. I'm trying to act sane but my head is reeling.
Was the kiss just now...an act? If it was, then I'm already failing this role.