That had been a fact eight years ago, and it was more true with being the man he’d grown into today.
Her urge to pee suddenly subsided.
She’d spotted him at an event a year ago. Even with such a small passage of time, he managed to look even better.
He had the kind of face that many actors she knew would envy and risk going under the knife for. His bone structure was insanely symmetrical. Jawline so sharp it looked like it could cut. His dark hair fell just enough over his forehead to give him that slightly brooding edge, unlike its usual sweep back.
She felt her throat bob with a swallow.
His eyes, rich and as bitter as coffee beans, were penetrating. As if they could see through all forms of pretense. As if they could make you say what you didn’t want to, feel what you didn’t want to.
One fall of her gaze led to that perfectly shaped mouth of his. There was that beauty mark below the right corner.
Emily imagined what it’d be like to lick it.
What the hell?Where did that thought come from?
But her eyes continued their onslaught.
While he was seated, the crisp charcoal suit clung to him just right. She flushed as her mind conjured up images of lean muscles hidden beneath it.
It was awkward to think of this man like that.
CEO of Royal Media, Nicolas Re.
That name carried many associations. For Emily though, it brought back the memory of him being scolded by his father in a hotel theater, fighting back tears.
His family’s media group had grown into one of the most powerful in the world, even acquiring a top-tier talent agency. Their second largest branch was in Los Angeles, so seeing him around this side of the country wasn’t surprising.
She knew Nicolas was both feared and respected. More of the latter, actually. Impressively so, without dark rumors to his name like his father had. That made it all the more surreal how he now sat here powerless. Forced into a marriage to protect his position, like a pawn in a game he was supposed to be the master of.
Wait a minute.
Emily’s heart thudded.
Jake’s lips on Stella’s mouth flashed before her eyes.
A fake marriage...to Nicolas Re.
No strings attached. No risk of love. Just paper.
That’s it!
Exactly what Emily needed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back—to destroyJake.He wanted to propose and not commit to it, fine by her. That didn’t mean she couldn’t still get married. Married to a man that will make himcrawlout of his skin.
Jake hated Nicolas.
“Hate” even seemed too tame a word. His disdain was ona whole other level. Emily had spent many days drowning out his complaints of Nicolas being unworthy of his position as it was handed over on a silver platter.
Truthfully, that had rubbed her the wrong way. Just because someone was born into wealth didn’t mean they didn’t work hard. She’d tried to outlive that same stereotype since she started acting. The stares, the assumptions of whether her roles were landed by her talent or last name. She knew the effects of it all.
Something Jake would never understand.
Her pulse fluttered in excitement at getting back at said man.
Emily stepped toward the gentlemen, her heels clicking against the floor, and drawing their attention to her.
A light caress of the wind blew her hair back as she looked at her main target.
