Chapter 5

five

Olympia

It shouldn’t have been a good night sleep, but it was.

It might have taken me a hellishly long time to actually fall into sleep, what with thinking of Remira raging at my absence, and what that absence means for her living situation. Even worse, though, was the thought of Darius. The engagement party had been big and ridiculously grand. It was being hosted on one of the more luxurious Taviera Cruise Ships, and it had been packed with North Carolina’s upper class. They’d all been eagerly awaiting the spectacle that was to be the celebration of my engagement to Darius Taviera, and Darius had been ready to stand as the center of attention for the week the ship was to sail. So, the fact that the bride-to-be never showed—well, I just know the man is pissed. More than pissed.

If I know Darius, and after the last few months of him whispering all the terrifying, painful things he planned to do to me once I was officially his, I do know Darius—so I know he’s seething in the worst way.

So, the falling asleep part had been hard, but once asleep, the night had been a dream.

Now, as I slip a loose sweater over my sleep tank to face the devil I know is in the kitchen, because I can hear him banging around like he’s trying to wake me, I crack the bedroom door and walk out, feeling anything but at ease.

The house is bursting with a warm orange glow from the rising sun, and it takes everything I have in me not to cover my chest with my arms in a defensive fold. Keeping them at my sides in a practiced stance of indifference as I move into the open living space is the fakest thing I’ve done since coming here. But the smile I flash in response to the deep glower Cole shoots me, tops it by a mile.

“Morning,” I chirp cheerily, my finger pointing to the pot of coffee behind him. “Coffee?”

I’m going to be happy if it kills me, dammit.

He makes a noise that can be described only as a grunt. I take it as an offer to ‘come get it’, which I do. My heart is no longer calm in my chest as I round the island to stand next to him. “Cups?”

He doesn’t reply, forcing me to start opening cabinets until I find them. Thankfully, I spot them on the second cabinet, which just happens to be the one he’s standing in front of. When he makes no move to shift away, I rise onto my tiptoes and stretch my hand into the cupboard, reaching for the second shelf as I curse my lack of height. The brush of my breasts against the bare skin of his arm is entirely unintentional and has fire shooting through my core as I hook my finger through the loop of a mug, dropping down to the flat of my feet with fire in my cheeks.

I’m really regretting not donning a bra as I reach for the coffee pot, too aware of the sudden heaviness in my too big breasts—and even more, the way my hardened nipples brush against the fabric of my clothes.

I might be innocent, but I’m smart enough to know the man is trying to throw me off.

He might be able to affect my body, but I’m determined to show him that I’m unaffected by being, well, affected.

Gosh, I’m a mess.

With my coffee poured, sugar and cream mixed, my mission to show him I’m unmoved clear in my mind, I push back my shoulders, so my aroused breasts are even more on display to the man, as I take my first sip of yummy morning nectar.

Like I hoped, his eyes drop to my breasts, his mouth tightening into a scowl.

It’s not the only thing that tightens. My core feels as though it’s in stitches.

I lean back against the island opposite him, crossing a lazy ankle over the other and watch as his eyes drop to my mostly bare legs. My deep blue silk pyjama shorts leave very little to the imagination.

My eyes tell him to shove it as I take another sip of my coffee. Then I push him with a, “Well, I slept like a baby. That bed is great.”

He makes another noise that has me stifling a laugh. Honestly, these next fourteen months might be fun if this big bear of a man continues being so darned easy to poke.

The man hates me unfairly, and at this point, I’m so tired of people reacting to me for the mistakes of my sister, that I just want to punish him back for it.

The best punishment I can think of is showing him that I’m happy, even though he’s giving it his all to make me miserable.

Besides, when I ran away yesterday, I made a promise to myself that I was finally going to start living life. I mean really living it.

Screw this grump and his hate for me. I am happy, and he’s not going to wreck it for me.

“I have a little bit of money in an account my parents don’t have access to. It’s not much, but from my research, it’ll get me a reliable car.” He says nothing so I soldier on. “You won’t have to deal with me a whole lot. I’ll keep myself busy,” I promise, giving him another smile that, finally doesn’t feel like one of the plastic ones. This one feels hopeful, because I am hopeful.

Finally, he speaks. It’s a low rumble that sounds on the edge. “You think we can fool people into believing you’re my woman, and not be seen together?”

“Well,” I stammer. “I mean…”

“That’s not how this is going to work, Pipsqueak.”

Ohhh, I really hate that name.

He grins cruelly in knowing response to the twitch of my sweet smile.

I take another sip of my coffee. “Why don’t you tell me how this is going to work, then, Cole?” I lick the rim of my cup when a dribble of coffee begins to slide from the edge. His eyes follow, burning into me. I feel rattled, but soldier on once again. I’m a trooper. “Since you’re so much more experienced than I am in all this?”

“In deceiving people?” He snorts. “Think you take the gold in that, Pipsqueak.”

My heart clenches uncomfortably. “You don’t know me.”

It comes out softer than I intend, and I curse myself for it. For the weakness I know he scents.

“I know all I need to know.”

I bob my head, holding back all the things I want to say. My eyes slide to the wall of windows and the patio door that overlooks heaven outside. I toss my thumb in that direction. “It’s a really beautiful morning, so I’m gonna go out there and enjoy my coffee. If you feel like talking to me like an adult, feel free to join me.”

I can feel his eyes on my back as I move, but it’s as I’m slipping through the glass panes that I hear a low curse, and heavy footsteps following. I drop into a luxurious teardrop swing with my coffee as Cole moves to lower his massive body on the wicker loveseat, spreading his thighs wide and planting his elbows on his knees as he leans forward, dark eyes locked on me.

“We’re roommates, so here, we’ll act like roommates. When we’re in public, you’re mine.” I bob my head, not wanting to say anything that’s going to make him stop talking to me, even if I don’t love what I’m hearing. Except the mine part, my traitorous heart kind of loves that, even though I know it’s not real. “I’ve got shows, and my guys all have girls who come to most of the shows. I’ll expect you to be there and play the part with them.” His eyes slide over me in a way that has my skin tightening, goosebumps prickling despite the heat. “Act appropriately, yeah?”

My head jerks back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t—” he curses again, shaking his head harshly. “Just don’t make a fool of me, okay? I don’t date, so you’re going to be watched. A lot.”

“You mean be faithful?”

His eyes pin me in place. They’re so dark, filled with so much disgust and—distrust? “Think you can manage that?”

A little of the heat falls from my cheeks, and I say quietly, “I’m not Ophelia, Cole. As much as you think I am, I’m nothing like her.”

He says nothing, but those dark eyes feel as though they’re drilling into me. I press on. “If I were in a relationship, I’d be in it. All the way. I believe in being true to my word and being loyal to those I promise loyalty to. So, I won’t do anything to make you look like a fool. I won’t do something to make you feel like I’m not in this, even though I’m not in it. I understand the terms of this, and you can trust me to fill them, because I’m trusting you to do the same.”

“Good. Then we’re agreed on how this is going to work?”

I nod. “Absolutely.”

“The band has a party to attend tonight. You’re my plus one. Be ready. And dress nice.”

With that, he stands and leaves me alone with my coffee and my reeling thoughts.

Oh. My. Goodness!

I’m really doing this.

With Cole Taviera.

And if I know anything of these parties Cole attends by my years of cyber stalking him, images of us together will be viral by the morning. That means that by tomorrow morning, Mom and Darius will know where I’ve run to. Who I’ve run to.

That’s when the real chaos will begin.