The next day is a blur of confusion.
At exactly six in the morning, a huge stack of papers is delivered by courier. I answer the door of my little apartment on the third floor of a row home with a frown.
“Carly?” the kid asks me.
“Yeah?”
He thrusts a stack of papers into my chest. “Enjoy,” he says as he speeds off down the hall, probably out to his next delivery.
I stand there, dumbfounded, before dropping the papers on my kitchen table. A minute later, my phone rings.
“Sign the end, initial every page,” Davis says to me.
“How’d you get my number?”
“It’s on your resume,” he says, laughing.
“Oh. Right.”
“The contract is airtight and it includes all of the provisions we spoke about yesterday.”
The memory of the day before drifts back to me. Sitting in that room, negotiating a marriage with that gorgeous asshole…
“Are you there?” he asks.
“I’m here. It’s going to take a while.”
“You have two hours. A car will be there by eight to bring you to my office.”
“Where we met yesterday?”
He laughs. “That was my Philly house. No, you’re coming to Bison’s office to meet my staff and to announce our engagement. Wear something sexy.”
“To your office?” I ask, head spinning.
“Okay, fine. Dress appropriately. But wear something sexy underneath.”
I call him an asshole but he already hung up.
I spend the next hour signing frantically to give myself enough time to get ready. It occurs to me that he wants me to speed through this, but I have to trust him, at least a little bit
Not entirely though. Never entirely.
Never again.
I hesitate over one provision toward the end. The Signee pledges to do everything in her power to please the Party, including but not limited to, massaging, cooking, cleaning, other Wifely duties, listening, laughing, spending time, hugging, holding hands, and so forth.
I sigh, but I sign.
Over and over like that, I sign. Little clauses pop out to me, little things that make me think I’m making a huge mistake, but that number hovers in my mind: eight million dollars.
And the ring on my finger. Five hundred thousand.
A down payment for my services.
I stare at the ring when I finish the last page with forty-five minutes to spare. I haven’t taken it off, even though it feels weird on my finger.
I’m his fiancée. And this is my engagement ring.
Fake. It’s all fake.
I stand, shake my head, and take a shower, trying not to picture all the things that would please him as I let the water run down my naked body.
Bison’s main headquarters are right in the heart of Philly off Market Street, a few blocks away from Rittenhouse Square.
It’s a beautiful building, glass and spacious. The security guy buzzes me in right away like he expected my arrival. I ride the elevator to the thirty-third floor, and as I step out, I’m greeted by Davis’s smirking face.
I’m a little surprised to see him right here. He’s wearing a dark suit, slim fitting and perfect for his muscular proportions. He steps toward me and kisses my cheek.
It takes all my willpower not to pull away.
“Very good,” he whispers in my ear. “Remember. You’re mine now.”
I smile when he pulls away even if I want to stab him in the face.
“Ready, honey?” he asks me.
“Ready,” I say.
He takes my hand. The receptionist waves as we pass, and Davis introduces me on the fly.
“Hi,” I manage to say before he whisks me into the back offices and in front of a huge crowd of people.
They start cheering right away. I stare at them and only barely keep my jaw from hitting the floor. Davis raises my hand above my head, the one with the ring on it, like I’m a boxer and I just won a fight.
He basks in the cheers and I keep a smile plastered on my face. The people are mostly young tech-looking types, which doesn’t surprise me one bit. It’s the kind of crowd I wish I were a part of.
I guess I am now, at least in a way.
The cheers eventually die down and Davis speaks up. “Okay, team, thanks for that amazing welcome. Everyone, this is Carly, my fiancée. She’s visiting the office today, so be nice. Try not to spread any bad rumors about me, okay?”
He gets a laugh at that stupid joke and he beams at them like a motivational speaker on stage.
“Now, get back to work.”
I wave as they clap again and slowly disperse. We stay standing there in the entrance, watching them go, before Davis turns to me.
He pulls me against him and kisses my cheek again. “So far, so good,” he whispers. “Don’t be so scared, though. You love me, remember.”
“Right. We’re in love.” The words sound automatic, like a robot is saying them.
He smirks, like he’s loving how this is driving me nuts, and leads me further into the office.
I meet so many people I can barely keep track of them. Junior programmers, team leads, accountants, lawyers, marketers, sales people, all the positions you’d need for an enormous and successful company like Bison are represented.
Davis seems to know them all by name. It’s actually amazing. He even points out a summer intern.
“Leo!” he shouts, and the young kid with frizzy hair grins.
“Sup, Davis.” He nods as Davis gives him a fist bump as we walk past.
“Do you really know everyone?” I ask Davis.
“Of course. They’re my people. I’m nothing without all of them.”
I frown a little bit. That’s not the answer I expected. I figured it was a morale thing, or a weird business school power move, but I didn’t expect that level of humble self-awareness.
“Come on,” he says. “My office is over there.”
We stop in front of a big glass door with shades covering it. Davis pulls me inside, into one of the biggest office spaces I’ve ever seen.
One half is a conference table complete with projector and screen. The other half has a couch, two chairs, a coffee table, a desk, a little bar in the corner, bookshelves, and filing cabinets.
There are two people sitting at the conference table, their laptops and papers spread out around them. I recognize the first guy from my job interview.
“Carly, you know Jeremy,” Davis says.
“Hey again.” Jeremy grins at me.
“Hey,” I say.
“He’s my personal assistant. And that fine young lady is Avah.”
I look over at Avah. She’s tall, dark-skinned, natural hair, wide eyes and full lips. I think she could be a model in another life.
“Hey there,” she says.
“Avah is my right-hand lady,” Davis says. “She’s the number two in the company.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
“They know about our arrangement,” Davis says, dispelling my curiosity.
“Oh, okay,” I say.
“And I think it’s fucking insane,” Avah says. “I told him not to do it, but hey, whatever. It’s his life, he can spend it in jail.”
“Oh, right,” I say. “I can spend it there with him, I guess.”
She winces. “Sorry.”
I smile at her, shaking my head. “No big deal. He’s an asshole, but he pays well.”
“He pays you?” she asks. “He just begs me to show up and I keep doing it.”
I laugh as Davis rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay, I get it, I’m the worst.”
Avah grins at me. “That’s right, and don’t you forget it.” She winks and heads over to her stuff, gathering it up. “I have a meeting with the update lead in a few minutes, Davis. When’s the ceremony?”
He checks his watch. The word “ceremony” sticks in my skull like a catchy piece of music.
“An hour. So make it quick. You’re my best man.”
She blows him a kiss and leaves the room. Jeremy smiles at me. “Can I get you anything, Carly?”
“No, thanks,” I mumble.
“I’ll be right outside.” He gathers his stuff and follows Avah out.
“His desk is right out there,” Davis says, walking over to a little wardrobe in the corner. He takes off his jacket and hangs it up.
I can’t help but stare at his muscular arms.
“Right,” I manage to say.
He grins at me and sits down at his desk, gesturing for me to sit in one of the chairs. I obey, sinking down into the seat.
I stare at him, head spinning. “I heard her say… ceremony,” I finally say.
He nods, grinning huge. “That’s right.”
“Like a… wedding ceremony?”
“Bingo.”
“Today?”
“In an hour.”
“Shit.”
I lean back in my chair and he laughs.
“That’s how every little boy dreams his future bride will react upon learning of her upcoming nuptial.” He gives me a mock swoon.
I don’t have the energy to joke back. “I didn’t know it was happening today.”
“It’s today,” he confirms. “No reason to wait. It was in the contract.”
I glare at him. “That huge stack of papers it took me over an hour to breeze through?”
“That’s the one.” He grins bigger.
“You did that on purpose.”
“Sure did.”
“You asshole. What else did I sign away without realizing it?”
“A lot,” he says, leaning toward me over the desk. “I think you’ll find most of it very, very stimulating.”
I sit there, staring at him, trying to decide if I want to slap him, scream, or kiss him, when there’s a knock at the office door.
“There she is,” he mutters. “Come in!”
The door opens and a small woman walks in. She’s wearing a smart pant suit, violet-colored, with high heels that make her tiny frame look only marginally less tiny. Her hair is blonde and cut short and she’s holding a nice leather portfolio.
“Elaine, meet Carly,” Davis says.
I stand and shake the small woman’s hand. I realize that she’s probably in her fifties when I originally mistook her for twenty.
“Pleasure,” she says. “Are you ready to get fitted?”
“Fitted?” I look back at Davis in horror.
“And hair and makeup,” he says. “You’re getting married, sweetie.”
Instantly I snap back into my role. Clearly Elaine doesn’t know about the truth of this, so I’d better be careful.
In fact, I’d better be careful at all times from now on.
“Right, of course. You’re helping with that.”
“Come this way, sweetie,” the small woman chirps. “You’ll make such a pretty bride, I swear, Davis sure knows how to pick ‘em. Long legs, great boobs…”
She chatters away as I slowly follow her.
I throw one final look back at Davis. He’s grinning his head off, his eyes on my ass, and a thrill runs through my chest.
I stand in front of the mirror and stare at myself.
I’m wearing a freaking wedding dress.
I barely recognize myself. I’ve been standing here for ten minutes now, staring at my reflection, while Elaine hovers around, fixing little things and nervously chatting away.
As soon as we left Davis’s office, it was like going into a NASCAR pit crew or something. A bunch of stylists descended on me in this back room with a big mirror along one wall. They did my makeup, my hair, even painted my nails. And then, at the end of it all, they brought out my dress.
It’s beautiful. I hate myself for admitting it, but it’s perfect.
“He picked it out,” Elaine says absently as she plays with my train. “Pretty, right? He has very good taste, that Davis does. He’s very talented.”
“He is,” I mumble, staring still.
I find it hard to believe that Davis would pick something so… tasteful.
It’s a simple dress with a scoop neckline that just barely shows a hint of my breasts, lacy long sleeves, a simple bust, and a wide lacy skirt. It’s elegant, simple, and timeless.
“I tried to sell him on another one, but he insisted on this one,” Elaine says. “Set him back a hundred thousand dollars, but what’s that matter to a man like him? Oh, I’m sure you know all this already, dear.”
I stare at myself, horror descending. One hundred thousand dollars. Five hundred thousand for the ring.
I’m wearing six hundred thousand dollars.
For a second, I want to scream.
But I do look pretty. I really do. Actually, I look like someone else, like a fairy tale version of myself.
It’s terrifying.
There’s a knock at the door and Avah pokes her head in. “Ready?” she asks, and does a double take. “Wow. You look hot. But classy hot.”
I smile at her and I feel some of the ice inside of me break. “Thanks.”
“You okay?”
I nod. “Fine.”
She frowns and gives me a look that says, you can run away if you want, but I just smile again.
“Really, I’m fine.”
“Okay,” she says. “Nerves are normal. Anyway, we’re getting started.”
Elaine clears her throat and steps back. I have to tear myself away from the mirror.
I plaster a smile on my face.
“Let’s do it,” I say. “Let’s get married.”
Avah smiles at me and steps fully into the room. I stare at her and for a second, I feel like the ugliest person ever. She’s wearing a gorgeous blue dress that follows her curves perfectly, stylish and chic, showing just enough of her breasts to be alluring but still on the right side of appropriate.
She offers me her arm and I hesitate, but I take it. She’s taller than me, but it doesn’t matter. She’ll upstage me anyway.
Not like it matters. This is a fake freaking wedding, after all.
Although it’s legal. And as far as anyone else is concerned, it’s real.
Avah leads me from the back room into the main office. It’s completely transformed now into an open space with chairs on either side. The staff is sitting in them and they cheer as I enter, standing up and grinning like mad.
Avah walks me down the aisle. Davis is standing up front with Jeremy and a man I assume is a minister. He’s older, gray, round-faced, round glasses, kind smile. Avah leads me to my spot, deposits me across from Davis, and stands back behind me.
“I thought she was your best man,” I whisper to him.
“I decided to lend her to you for now,” he whispers back, grinning. “Well, actually, she made me. But still.”
I smile and feel some part of me loosen up. Davis’s grin is genuine as he takes my hands and the minister begins.
“Dearly beloved,” the minister begins, stops himself, then clears his throat. “Employees of Bison, we are gathered here to witness the union of Carly Miller with Davis King…”
As the minister goes on, I stare into Davis’s eyes, keeping a smile plastered on my face.
I keep drifting between confusion, revulsion, anger, and excitement. I don’t know what any of it means or why I’m putting myself through this, and then I meet Davis’s gaze again, his handsome eyes burning into mine, and I’m reminded what I’m here for.
Money. Lots and lots of Money.
And this man. My husband…
“Do you, Carly, take this man as your husband, to have and to hold, until death do you part?”
“I do,” I say softly.
“And you, Davis, do you take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, until death do you part?”
“I do.” Davis smirks, eyes staring into mine.
I’m marrying this man. Right here, right now, I’m marrying him for real. It’s insane and I can barely understand what’s happening. I mean, yesterday I was just another girl going on a job interview.
Now I’m marrying a rich asshole to get him a green card.
“By the power invested in me by the State of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
I don’t have time to think about this part. Davis comes at me, pulls me against him, and kisses me.
The room goes wild. Clapping, cheering, hollering, like it’s the end of the Super Bowl and their team just won.
It would be disorienting if I could hear any of it at all.
As soon as his lips touch mine, I’m in a new world. It’s the same world as before, but in this world, I’m kissing Davis. I’m kissing the man I’ve hated for years, ever since he broke my heart. I’m kissing the one person I’ve always promised I’d never touch.
And I really, really like it.
That’s the worst part. It feels so good, like it’s the culmination of years of want and desire just flooding through me.
It’s our first kiss, right here, at our wedding, in front of a room full of strangers.
And just as soon as it starts, he pulls away. I stand by his side, flustered, as he grabs my hand and holds it up. The room cheers and we walk down the aisle together as music plays from somewhere. I’m totally overwhelmed again, flushed and blushing and breathing fast.
I’m married. I’m seriously married.
He leads me back to his office. He shuts the door, closing out the sound of the wedding. He pulls the blinds closed and suddenly it’s like none of that happened.
“Good job,” he says to me casually, walking over to his wardrobe and taking off his jacket again.
“Uh… thanks.”
“Very convincing. Especially the part where you loved every second of that kiss.”
I nearly gag. “Excuse me?”
He pauses, looking surprised. “When I kissed you, you loved it.” He cocks his head. “Or you are actually a good actress.”
“You asshole,” I say, anger flaring up again. “I didn’t enjoy that at all. You think I’d enjoy anything about this… this… ambush wedding?”
He laughs and sits down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have time to fill you in on all the details.”
“Did you pull this together overnight or something?”
He grins, shrugs. “Maybe.”
“How did you even make it happen? Seriously, Davis, what is with you?”
I stalk toward him, cheeks hot, this time with rage.
“Oh, come on, Carly. You know me.”
“I do know you. I remember a spoiled, selfish asshole. You haven’t changed.”
He laughs softly. “I’ve changed a lot. I can tell your temper hasn’t.”
I glare at him. “Whatever. It’s done, we’re married. Happy?”
“I am happy,” he says softly. “I think you are, too. Even though you don’t want to admit it.”
“I’m happy I don’t have to go through that again.”
He rolls his eyes and suddenly stands. “You’re telling me that if I kissed you, right here and now, you’d be upset?”
“Absolutely. We’re not acting right now.”
He comes around the desk, staring at me. “Liar.”
“I’m not lying.” I step back as he comes closer, nearly stumbling over the train of my dress. I curse and he closes the distance between us, grabbing me and pulling me against him.
I catch my breath and look up into his eyes.
“Come on, Carly,” he says softly. “You loved that kiss. And besides, you’re my wife now. Why not enjoy it?”
“There’s nothing to enjoy. Except the money you’ll pay me when this is over.”
He grins at me. “Maybe,” he whispers, leaning closer. My heart flutters in my chest. “But I think you’d rather get another taste right this second.”
We stay like that, suspended in the moment. There’s a voice in the back of my mind screaming at me, telling me to push him away, but I can barely hear that voice.
Because the louder voice is begging me to kiss him again.
I want to taste him, he’s right, and I hate it. I want to taste him so badly it almost hurts. He drives me absolutely wild, but he’s such a selfish asshole.
We hang there, suspended in the moment.
But the door opens, and Avah steps inside, breaking the moment. She looks at us, a little surprise in her eyes. Davis grins and steps away from me.
“What do you think?” he asks Avah without any preamble.
“It went well,” she says, ignoring what she just saw. My cheeks are bright red again, and I have to look away from them.
“They expect we’ll go on our honeymoon now, right?” Davis asks.
“Right,” she says. “Will you?”
He shrugs. “We’ll move Carly into my place and go from there.”
“Okay,” Avah says. “If you do go away, the jet is ready to take you anywhere—”
“Hold on,” I say, interrupting. “Move into your place?”
He cocks his head at me. “Of course. You think my wife is going to stay in her old apartment?”
I frown. Obviously, I hadn’t thought of that, but of course it makes sense.
“We’ll move you in starting tonight,” Avah says to me, smiling kindly. “I think you were already at his house yesterday?”
I glance at Davis and nod. “I think so.”
“Good. You’ll be comfortable there, don’t worry.” She glances at Davis. “He’s not all that bad, you know.”
Davis laughs. “A ringing endorsement.”
“For now, let’s get you changed again and head back to your apartment to pack, okay?”
I nod at her, grateful for her kindness. She leads me back through the office, back into the changing room.
As I put my old clothes on, I keep thinking about that ceremony and about the ring on my finger. Avah comes in and brings me the marriage license to sign, which I do without hesitation.
I’m in this now. Might as well make it official.
Once I’m done, Avah points at the dress. “That’s yours now,” she says.
I pause. “Isn’t it crazy expensive?”
She nods. “I’d sell it if I were you. Anyway, let’s go.”
I grab the dress, not sure what I’m going to do with it. I follow Avah out the door and through a back hallway to the elevators.
Back there, back in his office, my husband is working.
My new husband. The man I hate.
I don’t know how I got myself into this mess, but I won’t let him beat me. I’m going to earn that money and never, ever see that bastard again.