Page 55 of Alpha-Ex Wedding Ruse
“I don’t have all day, Elena,” I said as I brushed past her entourage. “Let’s get this over with.”
She turned slightly, her lips curling into a glossy smile. “Charming as always.”
Then, more casually, “So…how did the meeting with Leila go?”
I glanced at her, but didn’t stop walking.
“She didn’t give you a hard time, did she?” Elena pressed. “She can be a bit slow-witted sometimes. You know she doesn’t really understand our world.”
I stopped just short of the camera setup and turned to face her fully.
“She understood enough to get the job done,” I said, voice cool. “And she’s not slow-witted.”
Elena blinked, then offered a brittle smile. “Well. That’s…good.”
Everyone took their place, and the shoot began.
I clenched my jaw every time the photographer barked another instruction.
Smile.
Look at her like you adore her.
Pull her closer.
Arm around the waist.
Lean in.
Tilt your head.
Kiss her cheek.
Then came the dealbreaker.
“Mr. Vaughn, if you could kiss her now. We want to capture the perfect image of a happy couple for Manhattan, the Bronx, and beyond,” came that incessant photographer’s voice.
I nearly walked out.
But I knew what was at stake. Sterling needed convincing. If seeing a picture of me kissing his daughter made him stop stalling on the logistics, then fine. One kiss. One perfectly staged image.
I leaned in and brushed my lips against Elena’s. Brief. Noncommittal.
But apparently, she missed the memo. She wrapped her arms around my neck and opened her mouth like she planned to devour me.
That was it.
An awkward silence filled the room as everyone stared at us in stunned surprise.
“Luca, wait—” Elena laughed, too loudly, too forced, trying to smooth it over.
The photographer cleared his throat. “We can try again—maybe from a different angle—”
“No.” My voice was clipped. “We’re done.”
Elena stepped close, whispering so only I could hear. “Luca, why are you doing this here? Everyone’s watching.”
I didn’t respond. I was already walking away.
