Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Someone else could be Mrs. Lucas Blaze right now.
I was the chosen one because she chose me... not him.
I put my head in my hands and try to calm myself. I knew the reasoning behind all this, but I swear I was starting to feel that this could possibly be real. That maybe, just maybe he was starting to feel something for me. Now I know that will never be the case. He married me because his granny wanted him to. It’s that simple. I will never mean more to him than some fake wife. I mean, he even told his assistant about the deal.
In my most calm voice, I tell him, “You’re right, Lucas. I’m sorry. I know why you married me. I just wish that you’d told me that Kelly knew all this was fake. I would have been prepared when she called me out.”
He takes his eyes off the road and looks at me. “She doesn’t know.”
I laugh. “Yes, she does. Trust me, she knows.”
He’s quiet for a minute, hands flexing around the steering wheel. “Shit. She probably saw the contract.”
I turn in my seat. “I never signed a contract.”
He lifts his hand and runs it through his hair. “I know. You didn’t want anything, and I wasn’t going to make you sign a prenup, so it was only drafted with no signatures. It’s probably on my desk.”
I lean forward. “Wait, so this contract says what? That I’ll marry you and you’ll give me money?”
He winces. “Uh, yeah.”
“Lucas... how much money is on the contract?”
He looks at me wide-eyed and then turns back to the road. “A million dollars.”
I gasp. “A million dollars? A million dollars! Are you insane?”
He shrugs as if that money is just a drop in the hat. No wonder Kelly called me a money hungry bitch and damn, a million dollars. I can sort of see where she’s coming from.
I put my head in my hands. “We should have known that we wouldn’t be able to keep this a secret. Of course people are going to find out.” I raise my head to look at him, on the verge of tears. “Lucas, I did this for you and for Granny. I didn’t ask for money. I didn’t ask for anything.”
He nods. “I know, Bella. I know.”
But I can’t let it go. “Do you have any idea how this makes me look?” I wave my hand in front of my face. “I mean, I know I shouldn’t care what people think, but this is Whiskey Run, Lucas. If Kelly knows, everyone is going to know. People are going to think I’m–omg–that I’m extorting money from your family. Your poor grandmother. This will kill her, Lucas.”
He reaches across the console and wraps his hand around mine. “She won’t find out. No one will. I’ll talk to Kelly. It’s going to be fine.”
I pull my hand from his and turn to where I’m looking out the window. I’m feeling all kinds of things right now. Hurt, betrayed, lonely, overwhelmed, and I can’t shake any of it.
“Bella, I promise, I’ll fix this.”
I nod. “Okay, sure, Lucas.”
I hate being this way. I know he didn’t mean it to happen, but it just seems like everything is falling down all around me. I should have been prepared for this instead of thinking that maybe, just maybe things could be different.
Lucas
Fuck, I feel like shit.
I carelessly left that contract on my desk and didn’t think about it again. I don’t even know why I printed out the damn thing. When my attorney sent it to me for review, I just hit print like I do with anything else he sends me.
I want to reach for Bella, but she’s already pulled away from me once. “I promise you, Bella. No one is going to know. Kelly won’t–”
Bella starts to laugh. “Right, I’m not going to put my faith in your assistant. It doesn’t matter anymore, Lucas. What’s done is done. Now we just have to face the consequences. All I’m asking is to keep it out of the newspaper or the tabloids. G doesn’t need to hear any of this. She’ll be so disappointed in both of us.”
Since I can’t touch her, I fist my hand and lay it on the console between us. “I know, and I promise–”
I don’t get the words out because my phone starts to ring. I see the caller ID on my screen on the dash, and it’s my brother Ford.
I hit the answer button. “Hey, Ford. What’s up? We’re on our way home.”
He’s quiet for a second, and both Bella and I lean up. “Ford?”
“She’s gone, Lucas. Her heart just stopped. I tried...” He stops and chokes a little before continuing. “I did CPR... so did Betsy. The ambulance just got here, and they couldn’t bring her back. She’s gone, Lucas.”