Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Hello.”
“Did I wake you?”
My heart instantly somersaults in my chest when I hear Niko. I’m definitely in trouble.
“No…” I murmur, unsure of what to say to him.
“I didn’t get to come over there today. I had to work.”
“Oh.” I feel lame. I don’t know what to say to him and there’s a part of me afraid I’ll beg him to come here and make love to me. “I’m sorry you had a bad day.”
“It’s better now, or it will be.”
“It will?”
“As soon as you tell me you signed the contract,” he explains.
“I haven’t yet,” I respond, exhaling and not bothering to hide my annoyance.
“But you’re going to,” he says, proving he can hear the defeat in my voice.
“I still think it’s stupid.”
“Then, why are you agreeing?”
“Because I figure it didn’t matter. I mean, we’re getting married.”
“We are. That means instead of coming home to a cold bed, I’ll be coming home to you.”
“Is that really what you want?” I ask, needing reassurance.
‘That’s something you don’t have to doubt for a minute, Emilia.”
“I could come over…” I volunteer, biting my lip immediately and wishing I could take the words back.
“You could, but I’m not going to let you.”
I frown. “I thought you wanted…” I stop talking. It sounds weird to add the word me. It makes me sound desperate. I feel that way, but I don’t want to sound it.
“I don’t want you out on the road this late,” he explains, which doesn’t make me feel a lot better.
“Oh.”
“It’s more than that, though.”
“You’re going to have to explain it to me, because I’m confused, Niko.”
“I have more respect for Maxwell than to take his daughter’s virginity without a marriage, sweetheart.”
I hate that I blush, but I do just the same. My only solace is that Niko can’t see it. “You don’t know that I’m a virgin,” I mutter, despite my embarrassment.
“You’re right, I don’t. Are you saying you’re not?” The urge to tell him I’m not is so strong that I almost speak the lie. Before he can respond, his laugh stops me. It doesn’t feel as if he’s laughing at me and honestly, I can’t remember ever hearing him laugh, so I don’t mind it. “You’re special. I’m not going to treat you like you’re not.”
“Was Katherine special?”
Shit.
I didn’t mean to ask that. I pinch the bridge of my nose and hold my head down wishing a black hole would appear and swallow me up.
“We’re not going to talk about Katherine, Emilia,” he says, and I can hear the annoyance in his voice.
“Why?”
“Because what I had with her is not what we will have.”
That’s about as vague as vague can get, but I’m not about to embarrass myself more by asking him to clarify. I’ve lost enough dignity.
“Okay,” I respond quietly.
“She’s in my past. I’m sorry I hurt you, Emilia. I never meant for you to find out. That was never my intention, but it’s over and it won’t enter into our future. Do you understand?”
“Yes. It’s fine,” I lie. It’s not fine at all. He didn’t say he’s sorry he slept with her and kept dating her after our engagement. He said he didn’t mean for me to find out. That’s completely different.
“Why does it sound like you’re upset then?” he sighs, letting me know he’s upset with me.
“If I agree to all of this and we go through with the marriage, I won’t have you still seeing other women. That might work for some couples, but it doesn’t work for me. I think it would destroy me.”
“I told you she’s in my past. Still, Katherine’s been good to me—”
“I bet,” I grumble.
“I forget how young you are.”
“It doesn’t matter. I need to go. Zoe and I are spending the day at the beach tomorrow.”
“Have fun. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”
I can’t wait. I think sarcastically. “Goodnight, Niko.”
“Good—” I click off my phone before he can finish. It’s probably childish, but I don’t really care. He already thinks I’m a naïve child anyway.
I stare at the contract again and although I want to rip it up, I pick up the pen beside it on the nightstand and sign it.
Screw it. Who am I fooling? I never had much of a choice anyway. I was always going to marry Niko. I never had a choice for several reasons—including the fact that I secretly want to.
I just hope I don’t regret it.
CHAPTER 20
Niko
“Did you have fun tonight, Emilia?” I ask as I settle beside her in the limo.
“It was nice,” she murmurs, making me frown.
She’s been a little distant all night. I wish I understood what’s going on inside that pretty little head of hers. She’s not talking though, and I’m left guessing. Understanding women has never been my strong suit. That’s why I’ve avoided serious relationships.
“Your father says you enjoy the orchestra.” God, I hope she does, otherwise I’ve wasted two hours of my life that I will never get back. I mean, I don’t hate classical music, but if you give me a choice on how to spend a Friday night, this wouldn’t be it. If it made Emilia happy, I could get used to it—if she showed me how much she appreciated my sacrifice…