If only his enemies could see him now. A crime lord snuggling up to a woman who at that very moment still belonged to another man.
Chapter Three
Waking up alone in a strange bed was new for Rose. She used the en-suite bathroom and found a robe to wear. Sliding her hands inside the pockets, she tentatively stepped out of the bedroom.
The carpet was so soft and lovely beneath her feet. Nibbling on her lip, she moved toward the end of the corridor and came to a stop as she caught sight of the dining room. Jared, her not-so-mystery mystery man from last night, sat at the table. He had a cup to his lips and before him was a plate, from which he was eating.
“It’s about time you woke up. Sit,” he said.
Even in the cold harsh light of day, he looked sexy, which was so unfair.
The soft carpet changed to wooden floors.
He nudged out a chair, and she quickly perched on the edge. The sound of his chair scraping back made her jerk, but she remained in her seat, watching him. He left the room. What did she do?
Seconds later, he came back with a plate in his hands. He put a mat down in front of her, then the plate, handing her a knife and fork.
“Eat, I’ll talk.”
Fluffy pancakes waited for her.
She wasn’t exactly big on the whole sweet kind of breakfast. Her normal breakfast routine was toast.
Rather than complain in case he took her food away from her, she cut into a pancake, putting it to her lips and chewing. It was good.
“I need you to sign these.” He clicked his pen, opened up a file, and handed it to her.
She frowned and leaned over. “Divorce papers?”
“Yes, sign them.”
“I don’t understand.”
Jared put a small box in front of her. “What part don’t you understand? I’m aware you were seeking a divorce from Sean. Last night, he already signed these papers. All you’ve got to do is sign them. Your marriage will be over by the afternoon, and you’ll belong to me.”
She put her fork down and opened up the velvet box. “That’s a…”
“Wedding ring.”
“Belong to you?”
As she lifted her gaze, Jared didn’t say a word. He was making her do all the work. Typical male.
“You mean … you’ll be my husband.”
“Exactly.”
“But.” She didn’t know what to say and this wasn’t what she expected. “No. I don’t know you. There’s no way I’m going to marry you. You’re crazy!”
“I’m crazy?” he asked. “You married a man and stayed with him hating him.”
“How did you—that’s none of your business!” She wanted to sign those divorce papers but with Sean, she knew what she was getting. This man, he was a mystery, one she didn’t want to have to deal with. It wasn’t lost on her that he lived in luxury and the danger that surrounded him was not in her mind.
Gambling. Women. She knew he wasn’t a man who lived on the legal side of things. Far from it.
“My business or not, you were going to leave him and divorce him. Unfortunately, you waited too long. You’re now mine.”
“Your wife!” she snapped.
“Exactly. Now let’s get this paperwork done.”
“Why would you even want a wife?”
“Does it even matter?” he asked.
“This may be a boring conversation to you—”
“What part of me looks bored?” he asked. “I’m actually finding this entire conversation amusing.”
She didn’t find it funny or entertaining. “I’m glad one of us is.”
“What was so wrong with last night?”
“You can’t talk about last night.”
“You mean I can’t say anything about how damn good it felt to feel your pussy wrapped around me?” he asked. “Or how wet you were? You think I didn’t feel you rub that pretty cunt on my face? You wanted to come and I bet Sean never came close. He’s a selfish prick, and it’s time you realized it as well.”
She covered her face. “You can’t say those kinds of things to me.”
“Why not? You’re going to be my wife. Just sign here.” He pulled out another file from underneath the divorce papers. “I don’t believe in a lavish affair.”
“This can’t be happening. There’s no way this is so easy for you.”
“No? Money talks. My position talks.”
Staring at him, she held the pen in her hand. Signing the divorce papers wasn’t going to be hard. She quickly put her name to the page and signed her life apart from Sean’s. It felt good, exactly how she thought it would. Taking a breath, she smiled.
The next, she couldn’t do it. “I don’t know you. I don’t want to be married to you. I only know your name.”
“You know how good it is to have my tongue in your pussy, my fingers up your ass, and my dick balls deep inside you. I also want to point out that I spunked inside you last night, and you could be pregnant with my child.”
“Do you have to be so crass?”
“Stop pretending to care how I speak to you. You know you want it.”
“You’re crazy.”
“And I promise you that while you’re married to me, you’ll be safe and satisfied. No more boring sex.”
“I don’t get any of this.” She spread her hands out across the marriage documents. “This makes no sense.”
“Does it really need to? You got married the conventional way, and your life was boring. I’m offering you a second chance with the promise of it being damn good.”
She nibbled on her lip.
“Sign the papers, Rose. It’s the only guarantee that you’re not going to get hurt.”
“You think I don’t know what kind of person you are? Your threats, the gambling, the sale of a wife for a wife. I know.”
“Then you know if you don’t sign that, your life is forfeit. Sean took a lot of your time already, don’t let him take your life.”
****
“Stop it,” Jared said.
Rose wore the dress he’d left out for her. It came above the knee and was black, which enhanced her vibrant red hair. No makeup because he didn’t want to cover up her beauty. He’d also picked heels tall enough to make her dependent on him. The bottom of the dress kept riding up and she continued to tug it down, but he got glimpses of her full thighs. They looked even better wrapped around his waist.
“I can’t believe I even did this. It’s crazy. I should tell you to fuck off!” She growled the words.
Putting his hand on her knee, he slid it down until he cupped her between the thighs. His lawyer had taken care of the necessary documents and what he needed to make this woman his wife. The moment he’d put some clarity onto what Sean had done to her, she’d signed her life over to him.
“I told you not to wear the panties,” he said.
“You got me in the dress. Don’t push it.”
She cried out as he gripped the panties, his knuckles brushing across her slit as he tore them from her.
“Hey!”
His driver knew to stay silent. Replacing the panties with his hands, he pushed two fingers deep within her. She was wet and he used her cream to move up to her clit. Kissing her neck, he licked over her pulse. “Stop pushing your skirt down.”