Margo saunters away, giving her hips an extra swish as she heads toward her desk, and it causes me to smile. That naughty little minx knows how to play her part very well indeed. Hell, if she keeps that up, I might just begin to buy into it.
It’s unusually quiet in the office, and I turn my attention back to the front office staff who are all frozen in place with their mouths agape. That’s enough of a show for them.
“What are you all looking at? Back to work,” I order, and they all instantly go back to pretending to be in a huge rush.
I stalk past them all, and then come to a halt when I find myself at Margo’s desk. “Good work, Mrs. King.”
She smiles. “Let me know if they need an encore to buy it.”
I shake my head before turning toward my office. “I think we’ve stunned them enough for one day.”
I try to stay busy for the rest of the day by finalizing a few small deals I’ve been working on. When it’s nearly lunchtime, there’s a quick knock on my door before Jack comes striding in.
He has a huge grin on his face, so I know that he’s pleased to hear that people are buying into the little act with Margo. “You son-of-a-bitch. You’ve done it. People actually believe that you and Margo are in love. I never thought you’d be able to get her to go along with it.”
I lean back in my chair and my lips pull up at one corner. “Come on, Jack. You’re acting like you’ve just met me. You know I can close any deal. This thing with Margo is nothing but another deal.”
He plops down in the chair in front my desk. “So if this is just a deal, it means that you’ve promised her something.”
This was the part of my plan that I dreaded explaining to Jack, but I knew it had to be done. I stand up and then smooth my tie down before heading over to the bar. I flip two glasses over and pull the glass cork from the crystal decanter before pouring the scotch.
“Shit,” Jack mutters as he pushes himself up from the chair. “If you’re pouring the liquor before one, I know you’re about to break some bad news to me. Please tell me that you didn’t give in to her demands and promise her something completely unreasonable.”
I sigh and hand him a glass. “What would you have me do, Jack? I can’t very well lose control of my father’s company.”
He shakes his head. “I get that, man. I do. But couldn’t you figure out something else to give her—write her a check or something? We’ll lose so much money if this Buchanan deal doesn’t go through.”
As much as it pains me to think about walking away from the deal I’ve been working on for months and losing out on all the money that we stand to make, it hurts way fucking worse to think about a bunch of old, greedy bastards running the company that my father built.
Margo
THE FIRST DAY WE WENT public was the hardest. Since then, rumors have been flying all around the city. Gossip in this town spreads at lightning speed, especially when it involves the Naughty King and the Feisty Princess willingly committing to each other. If I were on the receiving end of that news, I would pity the idiots for thinking a relationship like that can actually work.
Good thing I’m not in this relationship for something as silly as love.
I don’t believe in love. I’ve seen too much when it comes to relationships; not only courtesy of my mother, but also from the assholes I’ve dated. One, in particular, did a number on my heart, so I learned that in order to not get hurt, you have to keep your feelings on a tight leash at all times.
At this point, I couldn’t care less if people pity me and think I’m a dumb twit who Alexander will blindside. I’m doing this for me and the company that will rightfully belong to me someday.
I find myself curled up on a chaise lounge in one of the biggest private libraries I’ve ever seen. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve enjoyed reading. Sneaking my mother’s romance novels and reading them in secret was one of my favorite pastimes. I find that as an adult, whenever I’m feeling stressed, a steamy romance seems to take my mind off reality for a bit. And this feels like the perfect place to hide out other than my room while I’m trapped here.
“Alexander? Aggie?” I hear a female voice call from the front of the apartment. “Anyone here?”
The distinct sound of heels clicking against the marble alerts me that whoever is in here is heading my way. I slide a bookmark into place and then swing my legs over the side of the seat just in time to see a four-legged ball of fur bound in my direction.
The yellow lab pup jumps into my lap and instantly assaults my face with his wet tongue. I giggle as I try to pull him off me. “My, you’re a friendly thing, aren’t you?” As if to answer me, the puppy barks and then places a paw on my arm. I stroke his head and smile. “You’re about the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
“Jimmy Chew!” The voice from earlier sounds in the room I’m in. “There you are!” The moment my eyes land on the woman, I instantly remember her from high school. Diem looks exactly the same, with her long blond hair and bright green eyes, only now she’s a little older and more beautiful.
Diem rushes over to me. “I’m so sorry, Margo. Jimmy is obviously still in need of a few lessons with a good obedience trainer.”
I wave her off, surprised that she remembers me as well. “It’s no problem at all. I actually love dogs.”
She smiles. “Me, too.”
“His name is cute,” I tell her as I continue to pet Jimmy.
Diem sits on the couch across from me on the other side of the large wooden coffee table. “Thanks. Those are my favorite shoes, so when I was thinking about a name, that was the first thing that popped into my mind.”
“I think it’s an excellent choice.” I glance in her direction and feel the need to strike up a conversation so we’re not sitting here in awkward silence. “I was admiring your paintings the other day. They are quite good.”
Her smile widens. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you. I actually just sold my very first piece, so I’m hopeful that’s a testament to my having true talent.”
“Congratulations. Alexander told me that the other evening.”
Diem adjusts on the couch, and I can tell by the way she’s fidgeting in the seat that she’s uncomfortable. She’s probably wondering what in the hell I’m doing in her family home considering we never really spoke back in school.
She licks her lips and eyes me suspiciously. “So it’s true, then—the rumors about you and my brother being married?”
Looks like she knows exactly why I’m here. Word travels quickly in this city.
It shouldn’t shock me that Alexander didn’t tell his sister. I mean, after all, he didn’t mean to marry me or make me apart of his family, so I can see why he wouldn’t want his sister in all this. But it still doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do. If he wants people to believe that we are actually married, then he should’ve told his family, just as I told mine.
My lips pull into a tight line. Confirming this for Diem might piss Alexander off, but it has to be done.
“It’s true,” I say with ease that surprises me.
Diem tilts her head. “That must’ve been some trip to Vegas. I’m betting that Yamada was involved in some way.”
I nod. “I’m not positive because the details are all still a little fuzzy, but I think he was the ringleader of the whole thing.”
“I knew it!” she exclaims. “Honestly, I’m shocked. I was afraid the two of you would kill each other in Vegas. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine this happening, but I should’ve expected it. Whenever Alexander and Yamada get together, something crazy always happens.”