Page 7 of Give It a Day
“Fine, what?” Shit, that came out of my mouth more mean than nice.
He settles into the seat beside me, one arm resting across the top, then he faces me with a knowing smirk playing on his pretty lips. “You’re awfully confident for someone in your current situation,” he comments, his voice smooth and measured. So irritating. “Though I must admit, your attitude is quite—”
“Appropriate?” I frown.
“Captivating,” he corrects, leaning forward slightly, closer to me. He’s so much more handsome up close. Goddamnit. “Tell me, are you always this stubborn, or am I getting special treatment?” His annoyingly charming smirk spreads wider on his equally annoying handsome face.
“Listen, I’ve been running myfamily businessbehind the scenes since I was much younger. I’m a stubborn little shit.” I glare at him. “And I don’t enjoy being told what to do.”
He chuckles, the sound low and amused. “Stubborn, huh?” He reaches out, his fingers brushing against my chin as he tilts my head up to lookat him. Damn it, even in the back of a car with shitty lighting, he looks so goddamn good. His dark gray, stormy eyes pierce right through me. His perfectly tousled black hair, his chiseled devilishly handsome face, and that jawline that could cut like a diamond. He’ssolucky I don’t bite his fingers off of my face because I plan on riding them when I get the chance. “I think I’m starting to understand why your parents are so eager to see you married off,” he says, daring to taunt me.
My jaw clenches as I smile bitterly at him. “For someone who’s also in the same exact shitty situation, you should know if you still intend to make me marry you…I’ll make your life a living hell.”
His eyes gleam with a hint of mischief and something else, something darker, as he looks into my eyes. “Oh, I’m counting on it,” he says, almost threatening. “In fact, I’ll make sure to give you plenty of opportunities to make my life a living hell.”
This dude is so weird. I can’t predict him. One moment, he’s trying the honest angle. The next, he’s saying stuff like this. It’s making me incredibly curious about him, when I should be kicking and screaming. I furrow my brows, frowning. “Why would you want that from your future wife?”
He leans in closer, his breath warm against my ear as he speaks in a whisper. “Because every time you fight back, every time you try to defy me…it turns me on.”
Damn, he’s making me blush. And I don’t know why my heart’s beating so hard right now. Is it because a hot guy just filthily hit on me? Or is it because the man I’m being forced to marry is speaking rudely to me? Please be the latter.Please, Kaye, be mad, not turned on.Do not develop a crush. I repeat, donotdevelop a crush.
Please, heart, you sicko, behave.And you too, dripping wet pussy. Stop it, you two.
Clearly, my body is conspiring against me, while I’ve become speechless at his words, looking up at him. I’ve almost forfeited allthe power in this situation to him. To this stupidly, unfairly handsome dick.
A smirk returns on his lips as he gazes over my face and studies the way I’m reacting to his words. He knows he’s gotten under my skin, hasn’t he? And I bet he’s loving every second of it.
“Cat got your tongue, little bird?” he asks. The fucking cherry on top.
Hearing that nickname again, I grind my teeth. “The name’sKayla. I’m not yourlittle bird, and I sure as hell never will be.”
“Kayla,” he corrects himself, playing nice, but his smirk widens. He’s up to something. “I like how feisty you get when you’re frustrated. It’s cute.” He leans back as he mockingly says, “Little bird.”
“Dick.” I smirk back. “A perfect pet name for you, don’t you think?Dick?”
He laughs a deep, rumbling sound. My smirk falters as his laughter simmers. “God, you’re something else. I like you, Kayla. You’ve got fire. It’s refreshing.”
Well, I didn’t expect him to laugh at the insult I hurled at him.
Is my glare not menacing enough?I should really work on that. Maybe I’ve been cosplaying as an inconspicuous young woman for far too long.
But to my surprise, his laugh eases my tension. My shoulders marginally lower. “Damon, this situation we’re in…it’s ridiculous. I don’t know if I can go through with it.” I opt for honesty, just as he did. Sometimes, that can work in someone’s favor.
His expression darkens, the playful mood dropping like heavy pelts of rain, landing right on me.Damn. “Let me make one thing completely clear, Kayla. Whether you like it or not, wearegetting married. The only choice you have is how easy or difficult you make this entire thing for yourself.”
So honesty isnotworking in my favor. But I sigh, wanting to so badly confess my inner feelings and thoughts since there’s nothing to lose now. “I understand, but know that I’ll hate every moment of thismarriage…”
“And that’s perfectly fine,” he says, with a surprisingly gentle voice. He reaches out and tilts my chin up with his steady fingers—while mine are starting to tremble—making sure I meet his gaze. “You don’t have to love me, Kayla. Hell, you don’t even have to like me.”
I tense up as he touches me but I keep my gaze on him, looking into his eyes, wondering why he would sign up for this. “Why would you want a future wife like that?”
His eyes search for something in mine, then he shrugs nonchalantly. “Because a wife who hates me is a wife who won’t try to control me, who won’t try to change me, who won’t smother me.”
I nod, understanding that well. I don’t want to be controlled either, or changed or smothered. Though, I sure do want company. It’s been awfully lonely, running an empire with my parents, who have each other, while I haveno one. And it’s not like I can even go looking for love with the dangerous lifestyle I have, so now an arranged marriage where my future husband and I will hate each other sounds better than a lonelynothing. How fucking sad.
My shoulders sag, feeling defeated. I know I should still try to run, but how? It feels inevitable that this wedding would happen.Shouldhappen. For our families’ benefit, for…mybenefit.
He continues, his voice low and even. “And besides, having a wife who hates me makes our arrangement much simpler. No expectations, no demands, no drama. Only two people existing in the same space, tolerating each other for the sake of appearances and for both of our family businesses to thrive.”
