Oh god.
I certainly hadn’t been expecting attraction. I’d prepared myself for someone who was an ogre, with a wiry hairdo and mismatched teeth. But this wasn’t that at all.
Mr. Black smiled smoothly before holding out his hand. He didn’t say a word.
I just stared at him, rooted to the spot, heart beating so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. I blinked a few times, just trying to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
Seconds seemed to drag on for an eternity before I realized how rude I was being. I flushed hotly when I realized he was still extending a hand to me, so hurriedly, I took his hand, my fingers shaking. It was warm but calloused.
“Welcome.” His voice was as deep and just as smooth as his smile. “Melanie, is it? Please, sit.” He squeezed my hand ever so gently, guiding me toward a comfortable chair in front of the large, intimidating desk that dominated the room.
My body floated forward, following his command. I sat down, still unable to speak and still unable to take my eyes off this man.
“Grace, would you please get us a couple of drinks?”
The housekeeper who had been tucked away in the corner of the room nodded. “Of course, sir.” She excused herself from the room and left.
And now I was alone with this man.
Somehow, my heart managed to beat even faster.
I watched him as he sat across from me on a leather sofa. There was a careless elegance in the way he sat with his hands draped over one knee. His dark blue eyes were painted with intense interest as he studied my face, drinking in my every feature.
It made me feel self-conscious and small droplets of sweat began to form on the back of my neck. Why was he staring at me like that? I bit my lip and wondered if I had something in my teeth. I felt the sudden, intense urge to check on my hair and make-up, fearing that something was horribly, horribly wrong.
And what unnerved me most of all was that he didn’t say a word. The quiet didn’t bother him, even as I flushed hotly again.
Panic bubbled inside of me. He’d said fewer than two sentences to me and I was already doing something to piss him off!
As I began to grow flustered, I willed myself to calm down. It would be utterly embarrassing to have a breakdown in front of this man, so I straightened my posture, trying to hold his gaze. It was nearly impossible. His gaze was so intense that I could feel him staring straight into my soul. Finally, before I could lose my mind, he cleared his throat and shattered the silence between us.
“I met your mother last night.” His voice was a growl, deep and mysterious. I couldn’t tell if he was saying that in a positive or negative light.
“Yes, I heard,” I swallowed and nodded. I fidgeted in my seat, suddenly finding it very uncomfortable.
“Wonderful woman.”
“One of the best,” I blurted out before I could help myself. My tone was energetic and oh-so-slightly bitter. Then again, my mother had just betrayed me in the worst way imaginable. She had traded me to this man. That was one step away from human trafficking. Actually, it probably was human trafficking in the legal sense. For the brief moment, I imagined my mother in jail. My heart tightened. It was a sad thought, but one that I felt I could live with. At least there she would stay out of trouble and sober up whether she wanted to or not.
“Did she tell you the terms of our deal?” Mr. Black asked, raising a well-groomed eyebrow in question.
I swallowed hard.
“Sort of. My mother was very drunk when she got home last night.”
“Yes,” He nodded knowingly. “That was partly my fault. I apologize.” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “Do you have any questions you’d like to ask me?”
I considered this for a moment. I had so many. Where to start?
“You may ask me anything you’d like,” he invited with an arched brow. Being given the freedom to speak my mind was liberating until I realized that all of the pressing questions had vanished from my thoughts.
“Um,” I began nervously.
Mr. Black waited, his expression impassive. “Go ahead,” he said smoothly. “I won’t bite. At least not hard.”
I swallowed again, trying to keep my thoughts together.
“Um, how long am I going to stay here?”
“Three months. At the end of which, you will be escorted off the premises and back to your home.”
“So, I’m…?” I trailed off, waiting for Black to explain.
“You’ll be my live-in companion,” he answered as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
“I see. A companion. And what exactly does that entail?” I stammered. I couldn’t fathom his response, but somehow not knowing had to be worse.
“You’ll be expected to accompany me whenever I wish. So out and around the town, to my business functions, or on any excursions I wish to take.”
“So I’m basically an escort, then?” The word sounded – and felt – dirty. The way he was explaining it, I was nothing but the rich man’s version of a prostitute. But Mr. Black didn’t hold back.
“Yes.”
“And… what about sex?” I had to ask even if it made sick.
He held up his hand to stop me from continuing.
“Yes, absolutely, we’ll be having sex.” His blue eyes gleamed as that low growl filled my ears. To my surprise, a flash of heat washed over my body and my palms grew damp. I gasped, finding it hard to breathe.
I was overwhelmed by the thought of being in bed with this man. What would it be like? Suddenly, I couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing the experience would be. He was magnetic, mysterious, with the body of a god. My insides grew hot as my head whirled. But then I shook my head. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to have sex with this man? I didn’t know him from Jhn.
“Yes Melanie?” Black looked up at me. “You looked as if you were about to say something,” he continued. “You should feel free to speak what’s on your mind.”
Luckily, at that moment, Grace reentered the room with our drinks. I flushed hotly and tossed my head, hoping to clear the pink from my cheeks.
Grace held a tray with two Long Island iced teas. I took my glass with shaking fingers, comforted by the cool weight against my palm.
Black elegantly lifted his before silently dismissing Grace from the room. She nodded, slipping through the door without a word.
Then he turned, holding up his glass in a toast.
I shook my head, but he didn’t seem to notice. I wasn’t much of a drinker. It’s hard to want alcohol when I’ve seen what it’s done to my mother. Does he suspect her alcoholism, after meeting her at that dive bar?
I hesitated, just sitting there, contemplating what I should do next. For a few seconds, I thought of my mother, potentially already a millionaire. Had he already wired her the money? What was she doing with that money? Was she getting the treatment she needed like she had promised? Or was she drinking it down the drain?
Gulping, I straightened my shoulders. I had to do this. For her. So I held up my drink, clinking it with his.
“To us.” Black smirked at me before taking a long swallow.
“To us.” I echoed back.
The drink burned all the way down, and yet it made me feel alive as I looked into he billionaire’s blue eyes. Because suddenly, being bought didn’t seem so bad anymore … so long as I had Mr. Black.
Chapter Seven
Melanie
When we were done with our drinks, Mr. Black escorted me down the hallway. Since I was such a lightweight when it came to alcohol, I could already feel the effects. My cheeks were warm and my body weightless. With each step I took, it felt like the ground was miles away, causing me to walk with heavy, thumping footsteps that echoed against the walls. Then occasionally, the world would spin, and I’d come dangerously close to losing my balance.
Ugh. Why did I agree to drink in the first place? I knew how it affected me and yet, I had been charmed by this man’s irresistible smile.
/> Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, we stopped in front of a smaller door near the end of the hall. “This will be your bedroom,” Black announced as he opened the door and stepped inside.
A bit curious, I eagerly followed.
The room was white-walled with soft cream-colored carpet. Positioned against the back wall was a large bed with a white duvet, matching the rest of the aesthetic. A few pieces of artwork lined the wall. Above the fireplace hung a large flat screen television.
I glanced around the room, spotting the closet. Already, it was filled with all the clothes and shoes I had bought during the day.
“We’re going out to celebrate,” Mr. Black said. I shivered when I felt his breath on my earlobe.
It was only then that I realized how close he really was. I could feel the heat of his body radiating onto mine, like a soft blanket ready to wrap me up and cocoon me in its embrace. My breath hitched in my throat. He smelled so good – I couldn’t quite place it, but the scent was musky and dark and expensive. For a long moment, I had to quash the urge to lean closer and inhale.
I couldn’t understand how this man managed to have such an effect on me. His simple presence was enough to turn my brain to mush. A few hours with him and my heart had never pounded this hard. Being with him was intoxicating. I wanted more, much more. But I held back, a little nervous about giving into the temptation.
What if this was all just an illusion? I was tipsy, after all.
“Celebrate what…?” I finally managed to ask.
“The start of our three months together, of course.” His answer was a deep whisper. Without another word, he stepped forward, walking into the closet.
“I want you to wear something that is appropriate for dinner but still flashy enough for a club.” Black rifled through my purchases with an expert eye. “This will do,” he said as he plucked free a deep red dress.
At the shop, I hadn’t been very fond of it, but it was one of the few things in my size and the clerk had convinced me to buy it. I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.
“Put it on so I can see what it looks like.” Black held the dress out to me, brushing my sleeve with his knuckles.
I hesitated for a moment. “You mean, right here?”
“There’s a bathroom through that door,” he said, pointing to a small white door I hadn’t noticed before. “Feel free to change in there but eventually, I’m going to see you nude, Melanie. It might do you good to get that out of the way now.” He said this so casually that it took me by surprise.
Nude?
The thought, of course, had crossed my mind. This man had basically bought me, as if I worked for an escort service. It was hard to believe his intentions were pure and innocent. Still, for him to just come right out and say it caught me off guard.
I gulped and my cheeks flushed hotly. “I…” My words lodged themselves in my throat, making it impossible for me to speak.
He chuckled as if my unease was the most charming thing in the world. “Shall I give you a moment? If it makes you feel a bit better, I won’t be expecting anything from you tonight.”
When I still didn’t move, Black took it on himself to leave the room.
As soon as he did, I let out the lungful of air I had been holding in all this time. My heart was beating so hard that it nearly deafened me. My pulse was racing in my throat and I wiped my wet palms on my thighs. I stood there, dazed for a moment. Would I really go through with all this? I wasn’t made for this lifestyle of expensive dresses and flashy clubs. I preferred my cheese omelets and shitty apartment. At least there, I knew what to expect. Things were normal.
This was just strange on so many levels. A man I didn’t know wanted to celebrate the start of our three months together, as if we were a couple or something.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to center myself. I ran my fingers through my hair. Well, if I’m going to do this, then I might as well get it over with.
I felt numb as I walked into the bathroom and locked the door. Thinking it would calm me down a bit, I splashed cold water on my face, forgetting all about my make-up.
Crap!
In the mirror, I was horrified to find that some of it had smudged.
Shit.
This was a disaster. Quickly, I tried to salvage what I could, gently patting it dry with a nearby towel. Of course, the towel was white. And now, it was stained.
Shoot.
This was just getting worse and worse.
What was I supposed to do now?
Feeling my panic rising, I looked through the vanity. To my luck, it was stocked with a full array of make-up. Okay, maybe I could still make this work. But, the more I looked at the products in front of me, the more lost I felt. I had no idea how to properly apply make-up. On a good day I would wear mascara, and that was about it. Some of these items looked completely foreign to me.
Nonetheless, I managed to come up with a halfway decent look. Hopefully, Mr. Black wouldn’t notice.
Who was I kidding though? I’d put on red lipstick to match my dress, and with the fiery outfit, I knew I’d look like a toreador’s flag waving before a bull. But with no other option, I just had to live with it. So with my nerves tightening around my spine, I stripped off my clothes, piled them on the counter, and slipped into the red dress.
I struggled a bit with the zipper but eventually I managed to pull it all the way up. I walked up to the mirror, curious as to how I looked. To my surprise, the dress wasn’t half bad. The stretchy material hugged my curves rather nicely and made me look statuesque and shapely instead of chubby.
Still, as nice as the reflection was, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had lodged underneath my skin. While sex wasn’t required tonight, eventually he would demand it of me. I would lose my virginity to this man, and the realization made me shiver delightfully. This shouldn’t be happening, and even worse, I wanted it. Something about this man called to me, and I couldn’t help but wish for the best. Call it my optimistic nature, but Mr. Black drew me to him in a way that I couldn’t understand.
I took one more look in the mirror. Deep down, I knew I looked good – even with my curves. It was the first time in a long time where I liked the way I looked. I just wished it could be under different circumstances. I just wished I could be happy – that I could be anywhere but here.
While I stood in front of the mirror, I heard the door open.
Turning quickly, I spotted Grace standing there. “Is everything all right? Mr. Black sent me to check on you.”
I nodded. “Yes, sorry, I just need a few more minutes.”
“Oh, honey, what happened to your makeup?” She walked inside, placed her fingers underneath my chin, and tilted my head towards hers so she could get a better look at the disaster I had painted on my face. She shook her head. “No, no, this will never do. Go on, sit, I’ll help you.”
I blushed at her words. I knew I sucked at applying makeup, but did I really suck that bad?
Nonetheless, I sat down in front of the vanity.
Grace grabbed a couple of makeup wipes and handed them to me. “First off, we want to start fresh.”
I nodded and wiped away the foundation and lipstick I had so helplessly tried to apply myself.
“You don’t really use makeup, do you?”
I shook my head. “No. If I’m completely honest with you, I don’t own half of these products. I’m lucky when my mascara tube isn’t all dried up and crusty.”
She chuckled. “I’m the same way. Luckily, you aren’t someone who needs makeup. You’re naturally beautiful. I think if you were to go out like this, you’d still captivate the heart of Mr. Black.”
What had she just said?
Captivate his heart? Me? Was she out of her mind?
Black was way out of my league. I didn’t stand a chance trying to make him fall for me.
“Look down for me.”
I did as I was told. Grace moved eyeliner pencil effortlessly along my lid,
creating the perfect cat-eye.
“How do you know how to do all this?” I asked as she buffed some concealer underneath my eyes.
“My daughter used to be a dancer. She used to wear makeup on the stage.”
“Ah. She doesn’t dance anymore?”
“She’s happily married with a family. Settled down and became an accountant. She still teaches at a dance studio, but she gave up dancing competitively, especially after her injury.”
“That’s too bad.”
She shook her head. “Not at all. She leads a happy life and I’m proud of her.”
I frowned at her words. My own life seemed like such a failure by comparison. I had no husband or family. I had never really done much to make my mother proud. Even now, she was probably drinking herself to a stupor.
“Pucker your lips and spread the lipstick.”
I felt like an idiot but when she turned my chair toward the mirror, I could barely recognize myself. “Wow, Grace this looks wonderful!” It was definitely much better than the attempt I had made. “Thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m happy to help.” She placed the makeup back in the drawer before turning to look at me. “When you’re done here, Mr. Black will be waiting for you in the foyer. Do you remember how to get there?”
“I think so.”
“If you’d like, I can escort you there.” Grace’s voice was kind but without irony.
“I think I’ll manage.” I forced a smile as I remembered the massive home. “Thanks.”
“All right, I’ll send word to Mr. Black that you are almost done. It’s best not to keep him waiting,” she advised. “He’s a kind man but his patience is limited.”
That was the second time I’d heard his staff call him kind and yet it always seemed like that was almost an excuse for his behavior. Something about it seemed rather fishy to me.
There was definitely more to this man than just kindness and riches. Even I could see that. So what was it?
Buying A Bride Page 6
