Page 34 of Strictly Business

“You’re my fiancée, Amara,” he says again. He doesn’t say the wordfake. Not once. Maybe it’s because we both know the deal, and he doesn’t mean anything else by it, but hearing it does something to me I can’t explain. “You’re living with me, and that’s the end of that.”

I glance around my apartment. Small. Cramped. So dreary and depressing it feels like it might cave in on itself any moment. I think about his penthouse, the clean, pristine sheets he must have on the bed—god, a real bed—and let out a sigh, my shoulders sagging.

“Okay.”

Nicholas smiles, just the slightest lift of his lips, and nods. “Get your things,” he orders. “I’ll wait.”

“Now?” I ask, my eyes widening.

He nods. “I’m not letting you sleep here. The thought of you staying in this place…” His jaw tightens, like he’s physically restraining himself. “Get the essentials, and I can send someone back for the rest.”

I nod, taking a step toward the cracked leather armchair piled with clothes. I grab a bag and start stuffing it with whatever I can—my toothbrush, a few shirts, some toiletries.

Pumpkin’s claws dig into my leg, and I glance down to see her hissing at Nicholas, backing away like he’s the devil incarnate.

“This is Pumpkin?” he guesses, raising an eyebrow at my cat, who’s now glaring at him.

“Yeah, sorry,” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I warned you. She doesn’t like men. My ex used to kick her out of the bed because she liked to sleep in the bed with me, and… well, let’s just say Pumpkin holds a grudge.”

“I think I’m siding with Pumpkin,” he replies with a smirk that makes my legs feel like jelly. Or maybe it’s the champagne.

“Got everything?” he asks, gesturing to the two bulging trash bags I’m holding.

“Yeah, I think…” I glance around one more time, my eyes landing on a pile of old shirts in the corner. The ones I haven’t worn in years. The ones I’ve kept as a stupid reminder of my college days. I hesitate, then leave them behind. I don’t need them anymore. I haven’t been that size since Liam and I first got together. He used to tell me to hold onto them, to use them as ‘motivation’.

I suck in a breath at the painful reminder. How did I not see the signs sooner?

When Pumpkin hisses again, my thoughts are pulled away, seeing Nicholas take a step back from her.

“I think it’s best if I take the bags, and you take the cat,” Nicholas offers, grabbing the heavy bags from my hands before I can even protest.

I chuckle in agreement as he heads out of the apartment.

An hour later, we pull up to what I can only assume is Nicholas’s place as the car stops in front of an impressive, towering building.

The door opens and Nicholas is standing in front of me, reaching out his hand. My lips curl into a smile and I stretch out my hand, but the moment my hand touches his, Pumpkin claws at his palm.

“Christ.” Nicholas lets out a chuckle, yanking his hand back. “I think I spoke too soon on the loving cats statement.”

I chuckle softly as I step out of the car. “Regret asking me to move in yet?” I tease, watching him out of the corner of my eye.

His gaze doesn’t waver from mine, and a smirk creeps across his lips. “Not even a little.”

Before I can reply, Nicholas grabs the bags from the trunk and heads toward the entrance.

I glance around, my eyes widening at the sight. Even the neighborhood is a world apart from mine. The streets are clean, the buildings tall and modern, glowing in the city lights like something out of a movie.

When we step inside, it’s like stepping into another dimension. The space is huge, and everything is so sleek and elegant it almost makes me dizzy. The marble floors shine beneath us, and the air smells fresh, free of the musty odor my apartment had.

I can’t help but stare in awe, glancing toward the huge spiral staircase in the center of the entrance, four elevators lined up beside it.

I don’t even realize I’m stood in the middle of the building, just staring, until I see Nicholas approaching from the concierge. “Ready to go up?” he asks.

I nod as I follow him to the elevator. He taps his keycard, and the elevator hums to life, the doors sliding shut.

The ride up is short, and before I know it, the elevator doors open. Nicholas gestures for me to step out, and I do, my breath hitching when I catch sight of his penthouse.

“This is where you live?” I ask him, unable to keep the wonder out of my voice.

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