Page 70 of Heartless Sinner

But here he is, this beautiful monster, offering me something that means so much to me.Faithfulness.Anton cheated on me two times that I know of, but there were more. Lucy told me she heard things. Other people did, too. I just didn’t want to believe them.

I was foolish and believed him when he said he made mistakes when he was drunk. That was before the abuse, so I softened my heart and forgave him.

“Does that work for you?” His voice drops to that low rumble that makes my knees weak.

“Yes. It does,” I manage.

“Good. The same terms apply to me. Every word.” The certainty in his voice hits me harder than any of his earlier declarations, and I can see he means every word.

Suddenly, this thing between us feels like it’s gone past sex, possession, and a contract I haven’t signed yet. There’s a layer of trust between us that I never imagined given the little time we’ve known each other and the fact that I tried to steal from him.

“Anything else, bellezza?”

I have one more question I think I should ask. “I’d like to start going to auditions as soon as I can. Will that be okay? Lucy thinks I have a better chance of getting a job if I can attend as many auditions as possible.” It feels good to even be contemplating acting again. I just hope it won’t be a problem.

“That’s absolutely fine. I just need to know where you are.” He nods, and hope sparks inside me, fueling my mind with possibilities. “Anything else?”

I think I’ve asked enough for today. “No. I think I’m good.”

“Alright.” He produces a sleek silver pen and hands it to me.

I take it and sign the contract in all the places I’m supposed to sign. As I do, I feel like I’m entering into a new sphere of reality where I have no idea what will happen to me.

I’m giving him a year of my life for freedom from Anton and a million dollars. Everything sounds great on the surface—as these things do—but what will

happen when I actually start the journey?

What will happen at the end of the journey when we say goodbye?

I don’t think it will be easy. Not for me. I glance back at him and find him watching me with that keenness. Holding his gaze, I slide the contract back over to him.

He takes it and signs it, then places the pen on top of the document. “All done.”

“What happens now?” I search his eyes for signs of emotion, wondering if he thought the same things I did—about the end. If he feels anything, I can’t tell. He seems to be able to switch effortlessly between one emotion and the next, but he only shows me what he wants me to see.

“We plan the wedding and meet people.” He gives me a clipped smile. “The wedding planner will come by on Monday. She will take care of everything to do with the wedding. Just tell her what you want.”

“Me? You’re okay with me telling her what I want?” I raise my brows as he nods.

“Yes. Juliet is a world-renowned wedding planner, so she’ll be able to do anything. And quickly. Just give her your ideas, and she’ll make it happen.”

“That sounds good to me.”

“Good. In the meantime, Maria will look after you when I’m not around.”

“What do the staff know about me?” I wondered about that the moment I got here.

“They know you’ll be my wife, and that’s all they need to know.”

“Okay.” That’s good. It means I shouldn’t have any trouble.

"This week, we’ll have all the wedding registration and legal documents to get through, then the wedding will take place at Oheka Castle on the last Saturday of the month.”

My eyes fly open. “Really?” I can’t hide my excitement. Oheka Castle is a dream venue where most celebs have their weddings and special parties. There’s no way I thought someone like me would ever be getting married there.

“Yeah. It’s tradition. And I expect about a hundred guests from my side.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.” I exhale a sharp breath. I don’t even know a hundred people.

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