Presley stared at Cruz, her head tilted to one side as if he’d completely lost his mind.“Tell me again why you think holding a fake wedding ceremony is going to be the best idea.”“Four reasons,” he held up his pinky finger, “one, if I’m already married, Ramona needs to realize I can’t marry her. Polygamy isn’t legal back home.” He held up his ring finger, “Two. Odin realizes I’m well and truly in your corner, as is the rest of our friends and families and thus, makes him fuck right off.”“Or makes him worse,” she mumbled, “and he simply tries to kill me.”He frowned at her, ignoring the comment, “three, my PR team will love the idea and if we can tell the world we’re married, then it makes the narrative we’ve been pushing real. My stock prices are already rebounding and I’ve gotten a couple of calls from investors who are back on board. This will make the rest of the naysayers realize my personal life and what I do in it, despite it momentarily being public, is separate from my busin
If anyone had told Presley she’d be planning a fake wedding to Cruz Hawley after turning his life upside down she would have laughed. She would have laughed hysterically. Yet here she was sitting across from him in a little office in the resort while he told the lady behind the desk how he wanted them to pledge their love to one another before going back to Canada.It felt surreal.Sloane texted her a short while ago to tell her she was at the airport in Vancouver and unsurprisingly her parents and Odin’s mom were all booked in the same flight. She was baffled by it because it took months to get her tickets sorted.While half of her heart rejoiced at her family rising up to defend her, the other half was dreading the chaos about to unfold. It was starting to feel out of control and everything was moving at a breakneck pace. All she wanted was a nice vacation to recharge her batteries, get her creative juices flowing and to feel some inner peace. The notion of traveling three countries
Sliding into the bed, she got a whiff of the cologne Cruz wore on his pillow and grimaced, shoving it away from her. She wasn’t angry at him, per se, but rather this catastrophic mess she was getting deeper and deeper pulled into. Moreover, in a true trope of a romantic story she herself couldn’t have written any better, this wedding farce was a smack to her own face and sensibilities. She was literally doing a fake wedding, to a bossy, jealous CEO billionaire, to appease the father of the groom. If nothing screamed romance novel like her current situation, then she was in the wrong damn profession.She glowered at his scented pillow as if it was the cause of her current angst. She was self aware enough to know the reason she was out of sorts was because she was worse than the heroines in her books. She wanted the marriage to be real. She wanted to get a happily ever after with the man of her dreams and have the red-haired, big-headed babies he mentioned.“Idiot,” she grumbled punchin
Presley walked into the hotel lobby her hand engulfed by Cruz’s and felt her stomach rolling uncontrollably. Her parents were due at the resort shortly. Cruz did his best to keep her mind occupied about their arrival. The ache at her thighs told her he’d done a particularly excellent job indeed but now, out of the safety of their room, and not wrapped completely in his warm embrace, she felt the weight of the impending arrival of everyone crushing over her.“Babe, you’re squeezing my fingers so tight it would hurt if you were actually strong,” he teased her, lifting her fingers to his lips and kissing them. “It’s going to be fine.”“It doesn’t feel like it. My stomach wants to purge the entire contents of my breakfast in bed.”He chuckled at her words, “it’s going to be fine. I promise. I’ll be right with you the entire time.”“Every time in my life, whenever I’m present when Odin gets confronted, he immediately targets me.” She came to a stop near the doors of the lobby. They’d decid
Presley was tucked under Cruz’s shoulder, her arm wrapped around his waist, laughing at the way he was hoping Paris would find a way to get Ramona to piss off when she heard her name being squealed loudly.She ripped herself out of Cruz’s grip and raced to Sloane and Halima and fell into their group hug. “Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re here.”“This place is incredible!” Sloane looked around excitedly. She leaned sideways, “hey Cruz, looking massive as always.”“Sloane,” he shook his head at her comment, “you and I need to have words about sending my ex here.”“I’m sorry she’s stressing Presley out. I’m not sorry she’s pissing you off though. You’re an ass.”Halima snorted, “yeah. A ginormous ass.”“We’re together now,” Cruz motioned between himself and Presley, “you should be nice.”“No.” Sloane laughed in his face. “She’s confused by the massive dick I keep sending photos of to everyone. Why your ex kept multiple pictures of your junk is unclear, but it’s been helpful in my support of
“Well, you two look good together,” Anderson said with a smirk.“Don’t we? Told you she fits. See the way she fills all my negative spaces? It’s perfect.”“You have it bad.”“Not as bad as an idiot who told a woman she’d be having his brown babies within a year,” Cruz frowned at Anderson. “Did you actually think it would work?”“I blurted it out. First time in my life I ever panicked in front of a woman. I flirted with her, and she wouldn’t even respond and I fucking panicked and now I’ve been hiding from her brother. Have you ever seen him? The man is jacked. I mean he’s not as big as you, but they could use you as a body double for Dave Bautista. Few men on earth are as big as you but fairly sure Halima’s brother weighs a hundred and five kilos, easily. He’s also been arrested multiple times for running with a motorcycle gang.”“I thought for sure you’d take the hit.”“I’m a lover not a fighter Cruz. I need this face to convince her I’m pretty enough to be with her.”“You’re an idio
Presley smiled when Cruz’s hand rested on her knee under the table during their luncheon with their friends and family. He was acting like a possessive boyfriend, a real boyfriend, and while she knew he wanted them to be a real couple, it felt good to know he was still of this mindset even in front of the family.He was doting and it felt nice and even her father shot a couple of little smiles in their direction.Her happiness though felt a complete contrast to Halima’s. The woman was pissed off. She couldn’t help but snicker at the way Halima was shooting Anderson death glares and she and Sloane exchanged more than one curious look at the way their friend was behaving. They were realizing she was not as immune to Anderson as she said she was and to Presley and Sloane, it was kind of funny to see their unflappable friend at a loss.Her thoughts were interrupted by her name being called.“Presley!” a voice called from the end of their table. “Wow, you have everyone here.”“Paris,” she
Presley was in her suite alone pacing.During their lunch, Odin took a phone call out in the lobby and then disappeared. Her parents were pissed off but they, as well as Marsha, were also too tired to deal with him so they, Sloane and Halima all went to their respective rooms.Anderson told Cruz he needed to talk to him about something and the way Anderson was watching Halima walk away, Presley figured the man needed to get his best friend’s advice on how to proceed. She thought Anderson was asking the wrong guy considering Cruz chased her with the tact of a bulldozer over an ant hill but what did she know?A knock on the door made her grimace, “Cruz, stop forgetting your key.” She grumbled as she opened the door to find Odin there. She immediately wanted to slam it shut.“What do you want?”“I need Dad’s room number. They wouldn’t give it to me at the desk.”“Can’t help you. I don’t have it.”“I need him to do the transfer.”She frowned, “what?”“We ate brunch together. He owes me tw
Presley saw the way his eyes widened, his pupils dilating and his breath hitching as he rested his forehead against hers and exhaled quietly.“Do you mean it?”“I do.”“Thank you, God.” He whispered quietly.“I’m still really angry, Cruz.”“I know you are. You have every right to be. I promise, I’ll make it up to you.”She stared into his eyes and then admitted, “I wouldn’t have married him.”“What?”“If he would have proposed, I would have said no.”“Why? You loved him.”“I did. I loved him a lot but,” she felt mean for saying it, “his mother was a third wheel in our relationship. I was with him for almost four years, and I never introduced him to my parents as anything more than a friend and told him Daddy threatened to cut off my tuition if I got a boyfriend during college, which was true, but he said it as a joke.”“Your father said that?”She nodded, “So at first, we were only hooking up, but he got serious faster than I did. Then we decided third year we were going to room toget
Presley stood staring at the water lapping gently on the shore. It was quite possibly the calmest the sea had been since she arrived. It mocked her. While everything seemed right in nature, her entire world was imploding all around her.“Say something,” Cruz said from beside her, standing close enough she could feel the heat from his body and yet it felt like the entire world was between them. “Tell me you don’t think I’m a pervert for wanting you when you were seventeen or nineteen or twenty-one. Tell me you’re not going to leave me before we’ve even really gotten started.”She remained quietly watching the shoreline, the echoes of people laughing as they strolled the pathway between her patio and the beach, straining her ears.“Presley,” he stepped closer, his fingers reaching to grip her baby finger, “Ladybird, talk to me.”“Was it a prank?”“What?”“When you called your friend to offer the job, was it a prank?”“What do you mean a prank?”“My entire life, or at least from the time
Presley waited until the room was emptied other than her and Cruz and then she turned to him.“What is the secret? What is it you’ve been hiding from me which is making Anderson give me strange side-eyes and hissing at you constantly?”“Can we sit?” He motioned to the patio, “preferably away from the mess in here.”She led the way to the patio table and sat on the chair facing the beach. Couples walked hand in hand the way she and Cruz did earlier in the day, and she realized it felt an entire lifetime ago.“Are you okay?” he asked as he sat down opposite her, his hands flattening and fisting atop the table as if nervous.“What do you think Cruz? Somewhere in this resort there is a mobster who is expecting to take me as a payment because my insane brother thought it would be a clever way to settle his debts and get rid of me.” She gave an upset huff, “no, I’m not okay.” She blinked angry tears away, “do you think this guy really killed his last two lovers?”“I don’t know. All I know i
“What the hell happened?” Gavin came into the room with Scarlett quick on his heels. Odin was awake on the bed, but Algernon was sitting on him, refusing to let him up.“Cruz punched me out,” Odin laughed hysterically. “He’s mad because I told Presley the truth about how he’s not really going to marry her and it’s all a big prank.”“No, you giant asshole,” Cruz grunted from where he leaned against a wall, “I punched him because we found out he tried to sell Presley off to a mobster.”Odin’s head snapped up, “What?”“You told Liborio Bartoli you could make your sister be his mistress in exchange for your debt being paid off.”“How did you find out?”The blood caking Odin’s mouth made Presley grimace but then his question caught up from her ears to her brain.“You really did?”“I told you, you bitch, I hate your fucking guts. If a mobster wants to make you his sex slave in exchange for wiping my debt off, who am I to say no?”“What the hell is wrong with you?” Gavin asked clutching his
Presley was in her suite alone pacing.During their lunch, Odin took a phone call out in the lobby and then disappeared. Her parents were pissed off but they, as well as Marsha, were also too tired to deal with him so they, Sloane and Halima all went to their respective rooms.Anderson told Cruz he needed to talk to him about something and the way Anderson was watching Halima walk away, Presley figured the man needed to get his best friend’s advice on how to proceed. She thought Anderson was asking the wrong guy considering Cruz chased her with the tact of a bulldozer over an ant hill but what did she know?A knock on the door made her grimace, “Cruz, stop forgetting your key.” She grumbled as she opened the door to find Odin there. She immediately wanted to slam it shut.“What do you want?”“I need Dad’s room number. They wouldn’t give it to me at the desk.”“Can’t help you. I don’t have it.”“I need him to do the transfer.”She frowned, “what?”“We ate brunch together. He owes me tw
Presley smiled when Cruz’s hand rested on her knee under the table during their luncheon with their friends and family. He was acting like a possessive boyfriend, a real boyfriend, and while she knew he wanted them to be a real couple, it felt good to know he was still of this mindset even in front of the family.He was doting and it felt nice and even her father shot a couple of little smiles in their direction.Her happiness though felt a complete contrast to Halima’s. The woman was pissed off. She couldn’t help but snicker at the way Halima was shooting Anderson death glares and she and Sloane exchanged more than one curious look at the way their friend was behaving. They were realizing she was not as immune to Anderson as she said she was and to Presley and Sloane, it was kind of funny to see their unflappable friend at a loss.Her thoughts were interrupted by her name being called.“Presley!” a voice called from the end of their table. “Wow, you have everyone here.”“Paris,” she
“Well, you two look good together,” Anderson said with a smirk.“Don’t we? Told you she fits. See the way she fills all my negative spaces? It’s perfect.”“You have it bad.”“Not as bad as an idiot who told a woman she’d be having his brown babies within a year,” Cruz frowned at Anderson. “Did you actually think it would work?”“I blurted it out. First time in my life I ever panicked in front of a woman. I flirted with her, and she wouldn’t even respond and I fucking panicked and now I’ve been hiding from her brother. Have you ever seen him? The man is jacked. I mean he’s not as big as you, but they could use you as a body double for Dave Bautista. Few men on earth are as big as you but fairly sure Halima’s brother weighs a hundred and five kilos, easily. He’s also been arrested multiple times for running with a motorcycle gang.”“I thought for sure you’d take the hit.”“I’m a lover not a fighter Cruz. I need this face to convince her I’m pretty enough to be with her.”“You’re an idio
Presley was tucked under Cruz’s shoulder, her arm wrapped around his waist, laughing at the way he was hoping Paris would find a way to get Ramona to piss off when she heard her name being squealed loudly.She ripped herself out of Cruz’s grip and raced to Sloane and Halima and fell into their group hug. “Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re here.”“This place is incredible!” Sloane looked around excitedly. She leaned sideways, “hey Cruz, looking massive as always.”“Sloane,” he shook his head at her comment, “you and I need to have words about sending my ex here.”“I’m sorry she’s stressing Presley out. I’m not sorry she’s pissing you off though. You’re an ass.”Halima snorted, “yeah. A ginormous ass.”“We’re together now,” Cruz motioned between himself and Presley, “you should be nice.”“No.” Sloane laughed in his face. “She’s confused by the massive dick I keep sending photos of to everyone. Why your ex kept multiple pictures of your junk is unclear, but it’s been helpful in my support of
Presley walked into the hotel lobby her hand engulfed by Cruz’s and felt her stomach rolling uncontrollably. Her parents were due at the resort shortly. Cruz did his best to keep her mind occupied about their arrival. The ache at her thighs told her he’d done a particularly excellent job indeed but now, out of the safety of their room, and not wrapped completely in his warm embrace, she felt the weight of the impending arrival of everyone crushing over her.“Babe, you’re squeezing my fingers so tight it would hurt if you were actually strong,” he teased her, lifting her fingers to his lips and kissing them. “It’s going to be fine.”“It doesn’t feel like it. My stomach wants to purge the entire contents of my breakfast in bed.”He chuckled at her words, “it’s going to be fine. I promise. I’ll be right with you the entire time.”“Every time in my life, whenever I’m present when Odin gets confronted, he immediately targets me.” She came to a stop near the doors of the lobby. They’d decid