Page 45 of Mr. Wicked

Or that I was going to be the ideal boyfriend and fiancé and husband.

I didn’t give a shit how badly I wanted to kiss her last night. How hard my cock had been while I’d held her by the back door of the bar. How I’d gone home and jerked off in the shower, thinking of her incredible body and her tight, wet pussy and the softness of her skin and her incredible taste.

But this was a business transaction.

Nothing more.

And before she signed that contract—if she decided to sign—I planned on telling her that.

“I’m eager to hear what it is,” Jovana replied to the crisis manager, her voice soft, her eyes darting to me and then back to Laura.

“I promise I’m going to get to that proposition soon, but before I do, I want to give you a little backstory, so you understand what prompted this meeting,” Laura said. “I don’t know if you’ve recently been following the media or if you’ve seen any of the articles or Alerts that showed Grayson on a yacht in Saint-Tropez?”

As Laura paused, Jovana’s face flushed.

Oh, she fucking saw them, all right.

And I was sure if we weren’t in Laura’s office and if Jovana weren’t so well mannered in front of my team, that would have earned me another middle finger.

“I subscribe to Celebrity Alerts,” Jovana said, swallowing, “and, yes, I received the one about Grayson.”

“Then you know exactly what I’m referring to and how that Alert—combined with the photos and videos and the subsequent article in Boston College’s newspaper, causing an influx of TikToks and reposts—has implied that Grayson has a very strong opinion when it comes to marriage.”

Implied.

Oh, she’s fucking good.

Jovana nodded.

“Since you’re not a member, I don’t know how much you know about Hooked, but Grayson founded the marriage arm for the app, so the result of that footage going viral hasn’t been very positive for the company. If I’m being frank, Hooked has found itself in a bit of a media storm.”

“I’ve seen some of the things that have been shared online.” Jovana’s hands were under the table, but the way her shoulders moved, I could tell she was fidgeting. “I just don’t understand why I’m here.”

I didn’t blame her for being uncomfortable. The whole fucking setting was stifling.

“Hooked has hired me to ease the media storm, and in order to do that, I have to create a different narrative that shows Grayson in a more”—Laura glanced at me—“relatable manner.” She smiled at Jovana. “Once things shift and the storm calms and the media stops discussing Grayson’s antimarriage announcement and his extracurricular activities”—she cleared her throat—“Hooked can continue to grow the way they intended.”

“So, how does that involve me exactly?” Jovana asked.

Laura’s hand touched the table, not far from where Jovana’s bottle of water sat, the PR crisis manager’s way of warming up her guest. “Dear, Grayson needs to get married.”

Jovana’s brows instantly rose. “Wait ...” Her mouth dropped as she stared at Laura, her hand flattening against her chest, pushing as if she were trying to control the beating of her heart. After a few moments of silence, she looked at me and said, “Are you suggesting that person be me?”

“Yes,” Laura answered. “After spending the evening researching you, learning you’re an influencer, and seeing the presence you’ve established and the reputation you’ve earned among your followers, we feel you would be a perfect fit.”

Jovana’s eyes didn’t move. They stayed on me. Her expression aloof, but her posture telling me that the news was shooting straight up her spine. I watched it circle in her head, the pieces clicking together, until she eventually focused on Laura.

Before Jovana could respond, Laura added, “But the marriage wouldn’t happen immediately. Assuming you’re interested in the position, which would be treated like a business transaction, Grayson would publicly court you for one to two months, and then he would propose. You would move in with him. A wedding would occur. Honeymoon.” She tapped the folder. “Everything is spelled out in here, but I want to highlight some necessary requirements that I really want you to take note of.” She pushed her glasses higher. “Remember, the purpose of this is to change Grayson’s narrative, so you’d be required to go on dates with him in places where you would be seen. You would have to convince your family and friends that this is a man you’re in love with. We would want him featured on your Instagram feed, even having a presence in some of your TikToks.”

I knew all about influencers. We’d hired several in the past to market Hooked.

I just thought the bar was her only gig.

“You want me on fucking TikTok?” I burst out.

Laura glared at me. “Jovana has a large social media following. Having you appear in her feed would be a tremendous benefit for Hooked.”

My head shook, immediately rejecting the idea.

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