“Sir,” Jane was dragging me back to the moment, shuffling papers in front of me. I tried not to give an impatient snort. The sooner we got this over with, the sooner I could get her back to my home. In my bed.
“Let’s start with the basics,” I began. “This is a six-month contract. You will live in my home with me for the duration.” She made a small sound, but I kept going. “For this time, to everyone who sees us, you will be my doting fiancée. We met someplace recently, and I swept you off your feet.” I chuckle at the thought. “We’ll iron out the details of the story shortly, and you are to commit them to memory. At no point is anyone to believe that this is anything other than a loving relationship, is that clear?”
“I…um. Yes,” she replied simply.
“I have family obligations that require me to have a suitable partner, and you will do whatever necessary to portray that. There will be interested parties. Many of them. The most important will be my father, who, I assure you, will go out of his way to catch you out. There must be no hint of illegal activity connected to you – Jane has assured me that despite your career choice, you have a clean record. I’m assuming there are no other problems?”
She looked a little anxious as I went on, but said nothing.
“Secondly, you will be stepping into the shoes of my ex-lover, Angelique Delavigne.” I felt my teeth snap as I said her name. “She is a successful international model, and I will expect you to take on similar assignments during our time together. Jane will see to it that you receive invitations from suitable fashion houses.”
“But…” she began. “But I’m not a model. You already said you knew that.”
I shook my head. “You will become one. You have the looks for it. I will enlist a coach. Think of it as an education for when the contract ends.”
Sasha bit her lip and remained silent. I could sense her mulling this over. Six months. It might seem like a long time, but it would flash by in a blink of an eye. I’d learned that myself. Angelique and I had been together for a year, but it felt like mere minutes. And now she was gone.
It doesn’t matter. You’re better off without her,I reminded myself. This was better. This simple, pretty creature in front of me. A rough-cut precious gem for me to polish.
“You will receive payment in three installments,” I went on, stopping as I saw her open her mouth to say something. “What is it?”
“Three…?” She hesitated. “Not all at once?”
“No, not all at once. Will that be a problem?” If it was, I didn’t care. I was the one setting the terms.
She shrugged. “No. I guess it’s fine.” Her voice was barely audible.
“Right. On to the details…” I glanced over the typed pages, looking through the carefully worded lines, then gave a nod. Jane handed the contract over to Sasha, who leaned forward to begin reading. I watched for a minute, seeing her eyes widening, lips parting. She turned a page and then stopped short, looking up at me sharply.
“Is this for real?” she asked. They were the first confident words she’d uttered since consenting to the contract. I gave a curt nod.
“Of course,” I said. “Is there a problem?”
She licked her lips.Jesus.It was a habit that might be my undoing. “It’s just… Um… Well, I see that there are obligatory social events. So, as you mentioned, I am to present myself as your fiancée?”
I nod again. “That is correct. And you will conduct yourself as such. I hope you understand what that means?”
Her eyes were wide. She gave a nod, then stopped. Shook her head. “I… Well, I’m not…”
“Ms. Ramirez,” I reverted to formal address. It always suited me better when it came to matters of business. “I have a certain station that needs to be represented. I attend functions with New York’s finest, and my partner needs to reflect that.” She was staring at me wide-eyed, and I went on. “You will be given an expense account, of course. We will need to…attend to…” I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the crisply laundered, cheap-as-shit white shirt, “that.” I aimed a look at Jane. “You will see to it.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jane replied at once. “And…” She was looking Sasha up and down and turned a questioning look at me. I knew what she was hinting at. The grooming which women subjected themselves to. Sasha didn’t need any of it. She was fucking perfect. I knew every inch of her would be exquisite.
“Yes,” I replied crisply. “Make whatever arrangements you see fit.” If anyone knew how to get a woman turned out to high-society standards, it was Jane. She’d tagged along as my discrete plus-one to enough functions when I wasn’t in the mood for romantic company. Until Angelique, that is. Angelique had swept through parties like royalty. And I, a Prince at her side.
I set my jaw at the memory of it. A wound inflicted too recently to have healed yet. I’d been in her bed…in her body…just days before. And then she’d betrayed me. Tossed me aside for the next big thing. Fucking bitch. I’d show her how much she’d meant to me. Nothing. Less than nothing.
I’d already replaced her with a younger, prettier model.
“Um…” Sasha was still looking hesitant. Probably about the rest of the contract. Fuck that. I was footing the bill. She would do as I damn well told her. “This bit here about …” She looked at the page again and frowned. “Health care?”
“What of it?” I asked.
“I’ll have a personal trainer and a nutritionist?” she said.
“Is that a problem?”
“Do you…do you think there’s something wrong with me?” she asked, her voice growing small.
