The Surprise

by Alice Ward

  I glared back at him now. Who did he think he was? He didn’t have the right to lay down orders and expect me to follow them. I felt the lava of anger boil to the surface, and my hangover didn’t help.

  “Look,” I said. “I want this over as much as you do, okay? You don’t have to be an ass.”

  “I’m not being an ass,” he barked. “I just don’t want to be married to you.”

  I threw my napkin down. “And you think I do?” I scoffed. “Come on. This is a nightmare for both of us.”

  He groaned and rubbed his face with both hands. “No. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Then why don’t you explain yourself?”

  He shook his head and stood up. Reaching into his pocket, he threw money onto the table and took a few steps away.

  “I’ll book you a room for the night. Charge any food you want and some clothes from the shop to the room. Toiletries. Whatever you need. I’ll take care of it.”

  “But…” I licked my lips. “I don’t even know your name.”

  He sighed and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. With a deep exhale, he pulled out his wallet and tossed his business card onto the table. “Talen Gaston. That’s how I’ll book the room. And seriously, get anything you need.” He looked so sad, and I wanted to reach for him. “See you tomorrow.”

  He walked away, and I watched him go in surprise. All I did was mention his father, and he’d changed so suddenly. I didn’t know why, and at that moment, I didn’t care. I just wanted this all over so I wouldn’t have to see him again.

  I sat at the table for a long time, not wanting to bump into him at the reception desk. The last thing I wanted to do was follow Talen’s orders, but I knew he was right. If we were going to get our marriage annulled, then we would have to do it in the morning and I couldn’t afford a room in this type of hotel on my own. I could drive to my apartment, but I didn’t want to do that either.

  Sleep. Maybe a long bath. Then more sleep.

  Talen had secured me a room just like he’d promised, and I stopped by the gift shop for only the things I absolutely needed. And as hot water ran in the tub, I vowed not to think about my husband until the next morning.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Talen

  I didn’t sleep at all that night. My mind was racing. All I could think about was how stupid I’d been. Not only did I let Brandon drag me to Vegas and get wasted, but I married a strange woman. The worst part wasn’t even the marriage. It was the deep sense of failure sinking into my stomach. Even when I rebelled against him, somehow, my father still got exactly what he wanted. He demanded that I get married within the next month, and boom, I did.

  As the sun rose, I gave up on sleep. I climbed out of bed and slowly made my way into the bathroom. I showered, brushed my teeth, and got dressed. It was far too early for Dani to be awake, but I couldn’t stay in that room for another second. I needed to move, to do something other than dwell on my predicament. Once I was ready, I strode into the living room, where I found Brandon passed out on the floor. He was right next to the front door, so I’d have to step over him to leave. I sighed and bent down, slapping him on the forehead.

  Brandon jerked awake violently. I stepped back to let him get accustomed to the light. He squinted at me and then groaned, rolling around on the floor.

  “You look like hell,” I grumbled.

  “I’ll be fine,” he said, slowly pushing himself to his feet. “I’ve had worse.”

  “Haven’t we all.”

  “Man, you should have been there last night,” Brandon said as he flopped onto the couch. “It was crazy, but in a good way. No one got married, so that’s a plus.”

  “Shut up,” I groaned. “You know I couldn’t go out last night.”

  “Hey, it might have taken your mind off everything.”

  I looked down at my hand, at the ring I’d yet to take off for some damn reason. “Not likely.”

  “Did you get any sleep?” Brandon asked.

  I shook my head. “No. I’m heading down to the lobby to meet Dani. We’re getting the annulment today.”

  Brandon nodded but didn’t say anything. He watched me closely with narrowed eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something but was unsure if he should. “I have an idea,” he finally said. I was immediately worried. Brandon’s ideas were never good. “Just hear me out.”

  “I’m right in the middle of fixing all the problems from your last idea,” I reminded him. “Remember? I wouldn’t even be in Vegas right now if it wasn’t for you.”

  “Oh, don’t blame me for your poor decisions,” Brandon defended.

  “I’m not, but—”

  “Will you just listen?” Brandon asked, frustrated.

  “Fine.” I folded my arms over my chest and waited for him to continue.

  “Well,” he began. “I was just thinking that getting an annulment may not be your best option.”

  I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. “How?”

  “This marriage could be your answer. Think about it. Your dad wants you to be married when the investors arrive, right? Well, man, you’re already married! Check that fucking box.”

  “Married to a woman I don’t know,” I reminded him. “A woman who doesn’t want to stay married to me.”

  “But you can convince her.” Brandon pretended to shell out dollars from his hand. “Just offer her money or something. She’ll totally be up for it.”

  “That’s insane,” I scoffed. “There’s no way I’m doing that.”

  “Why not?” Brandon demanded. “This is your golden ticket, Talen. This is the way you get your father off your back.”

  I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. My first instinct was to walk out without so much as entertaining Brandon’s idea. Then, I stopped myself. He wasn’t entirely wrong. If by some miracle, I managed to convince Dani to stay married to me, my father would be pleased. He would get off my back, and I wouldn’t have to worry about being cut out of the business. As crazy as it was, Brandon’s plan was good. Still, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for even considering it.

  “I can’t do that to her,” I said with a shake of my head. “Dani seems like a nice person. How can I use her that way?”

  “It would only be for what, a month?” Brandon asked. “That’s nothing. Besides, you could pay her enough money to make anything worth her while.”

  “Not everyone caves for money,” I said.

  He rolled his eyes. “Most people do. All you can do is ask her.”

  Why was I even considering this? “That’s true.”

  “And if she says no, you can always threaten her. Just say you won’t give her an annulment. You’ll make her take you to court.”

  “No.” I pointed a finger at him. “I can’t do that.”

  “Okay, fine,” Brandon said. “I’m just saying, court proceedings would take a month anyway. So, either way, you’d be married for the perfect amount of time.”

  “I don’t think the investors would be impressed with a snarling wife at my side.”

  He threw up his hands. “Then make her happy, dipshit. Turn on that Gaston charm. Wine her. Dine her. Shell out some dough. Presto chango, she’s smiling and batting her lashes at you.”

  Again, he wasn’t wrong. I hated to admit, even to myself, that Brandon’s logic made perfect sense to me. As I turned to leave the penthouse, I let my mind run through all my options. I could either give Dani the annulment that we both wanted, or I could coerce her into staying married for a few weeks. Just a few weeks.

  My declining morals argued with my sense of self-preservation the entire way down to the lobby. When I arrived in the main waiting area, I looked around for Dani. She wasn’t there, but I wasn’t surprised. It was still early. I sat down to wait for her.

  The minutes ticked by slowly, and I couldn’t help but formulate a plan. I never consciously decided to follow Brandon’s advice, but somehow, that’s exactly what I was going to do. When
Dani came into the lobby, I planned to invite her to breakfast and offer her a deal. If she didn’t like it, I would give her the annulment. I refused to threaten her. That just wasn’t my style. Despite Brandon’s insistence, I didn’t want to be a total dick to Dani. She didn’t deserve that.

  “Morning.”

  I jumped up quickly and offered her a smile. “Hey!” She looked taken aback by my pleasant greeting. She didn’t smile back. But she was still lovely. Even though she clearly hadn’t slept any more than I had, something about her was so attractive.

  “Well, we should get going,” she said, gesturing toward the door.

  “Why don’t we get some breakfast first?” I asked, looking at the restaurant behind us.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Oh, come on,” I pushed. “It’s the least I can do after everything.”

  Dani thought about it for a second before she shrugged. I led the way to the hotel’s restaurant, and we were seated immediately. It was still early, and no one was up yet. Dani and I ordered breakfast and sat in silence until it arrived. I wanted to talk to her, but I didn’t know how to begin. The longer we sat there, the crazier my plan began to feel. Still, I knew I had to try.

  Taking a sip of my coffee, I prepared myself for the worst. I cleared my throat and set my mug down. My food was in front of me, but I hadn’t touched it. Dani was eating silently, not looking at me.

  “Listen,” I said softly. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Okay.” She sounded nervous, and I didn’t blame her.

  “Do you remember when I told you about my father?” Dani tensed but didn’t respond. “Well, there was a reason why I was so upset. You see, last week, my father demanded that I find myself a wife before the end of the month. We own a very large pharmaceutical company and—”

  “Gaston Pharmaceuticals.”

  “You’ve heard of it?” I asked, surprised.

  “I’ve heard of you,” she admitted. “Though, I didn’t realize who you were when we met. I looked you up last night and put the pieces together. You have quite the reputation.”

  “I know.” I pushed my fork around on my plate. “Which is why my father’s worried. Our investors are coming to town next month, and he wants us to present the right image to them. My being married is, apparently, the right image.”

  “Okay,” Dani said. A look of concern crossed her face.

  “So…” Shit, why was this so hard? “I wondered if you could do me a favor.”

  She licked her lips and my cock pulsed in my pants. “A favor?”

  “If you would be willing to just stay married to me for a few weeks, that would—”

  “What?” Dani shouted. “No! Are you kidding?”

  “It wouldn’t be for very long,” I explained quickly. “Only for a few weeks, a month.”

  Her head was whipping from side to side. “I’m still not—”

  “I’ll pay you,” I said desperately. “I’ll pay you a lot of money. There must be something you need, right? Some debt or something to pay off? I can help you. I’ll pay you. I will.”

  Dani’s eyes narrowed, but I thought I saw something else in their depths. A glimmer of hope? For a fraction of a second, she considered taking my offer. Then, her consideration disappeared, and she glared at me. I knew she wasn’t going to go for it unless I did something drastic.

  “No,” she said firmly. “That’s insane, and you are insane. I won’t stay married to you, not for any amount of money.”

  “Dani…” I knew I sounded desperate, but I didn’t care because I was. “Please.”

  “No!” she yelled. “Do you even realize what you’re asking? I don’t know you.”

  Her anger fueled my own. I’d told myself that I wouldn’t threaten her, but as I sat there, I realized it might be my only option.

  “I won’t give you an annulment,” I said firmly. I hated myself for it, but I kept talking. “I won’t sign the papers. You’ll have to petition for a divorce and take me to court. That will take at least a month or two. By the time everything is said and done, the investors would already be here. It will be quicker and more painless for you if you just agree.”

  Dani’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe what I’d just said, and truthfully, neither could I. I felt like the scum of the earth for threatening her, but it was over. I’d done it. Now, I just had to wait for her response.

  “You’re threatening me?” she asked, her voice unsteady. “You’re actually threatening me.”

  I scrubbed my hands over my face. “I’m sorry, but I need this. Trust me, I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have to.”

  “You don’t have to!” she snarled.

  “I do!” I took a deep breath and repeated more softly. “I do. Like I said, I’ll pay you. Just agree, and I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”

  Dani’s green eyes locked on mine, and she stared at me with disgust. I could tell how much she hated me, but I didn’t care. This wasn’t something I wanted to do. It was something I had to do. My father had forced my hand the day he demanded I find a wife. While I hated the idea of obeying his orders, it seemed that fate had other ideas. For whatever reason, I met this woman and we got married. Drunk off our asses or not, it was official.

  “The money will be good,” I promised. “We can work out the details later, but I’ll pay you one hundred thousand dollars.”

  She gasped and lifted those magnificent eyes to meet mine. Then sighed, pressing her fingers to her temples. “You know. Money can’t buy you everything.” She no longer looked mad, just… disappointed?

  With more grace than I’d seen anyone possess, she stood and left the restaurant. I watched her go, wondering if I should chase her. Part of me wanted to run after her and demand an answer, but I could tell she needed space. We both knew that she didn’t have a choice. Once I threatened to not sign the annulment papers, the game had changed. I didn’t know much about her, but I could tell that she didn’t have the money for lawyers. Taking me to court would be costly and ineffective. I had her backed into a corner, and we both knew it.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Dani

  In twenty-five years on this Earth, I’d never been as angry as I was right now. As I stormed out of the restaurant, I seriously considered suing Talen for all he was worth. I would sue him for a divorce and so much more. More than anything, I wanted to teach him a lesson. I hated being manipulated and threatened. Talen wasn’t worth my time or my energy, and yet, I was stuck with him. My mind was racing, and my face was on fire. I felt a rage unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

  In an effort to calm myself, I pulled out my phone and called Madison. If there was anyone who could help me make sense of things, it was her.

  The phone rang six times before Madison finally picked up. Her voice was rough and sleepy. I had forgotten how early it was.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I know I woke you up, but this is important.”

  “What is it?” I could hear her sit up in bed. “What’s wrong? Is it your mom?”

  “No. Don’t panic. It’s nothing like that.”

  “Then, what?” Madison demanded.

  “I’m married.” I said it fast, forcing myself to spit out the words before I lost my nerve.

  Madison’s breathing faltered on the other end of the phone. “Y-you…” she stammered. “You’re… you’re married?!”

  “I know,” I said frantically. “It’s a mess. The guy I met at the strip club—”

  “Yeah, the super hot one.”

  God, he was so hot. Dammit.

  Focus!

  “Yes, him. Well, his name is Talen Gaston, and I guess he’s insanely rich. His father owns this pharmaceutical company and—”

  “Holy shit,” Madison breathed. “Holy shit.”

  “I know.” I took a deep breath. “But there’s more. We got married while we were drunk. Like, completely wasted. I barely remember anyth
ing, but I knew we’d gotten married. We planned to meet up this morning and go get the marriage annulled. It would be like it never happened, you know? Over. Done.”

  “Yeah,” Madison said. “That sounds like a great plan. What’s the problem?”

  “He’s refusing to do it!” I shouted into the phone. I glanced around the lobby to make sure no one heard me. “He says he won’t sign the papers.”

  “Why?” Madison demanded.

  “His father has this crazy idea that he should be married. I guess the investors want to see Talen settled down, and he thinks I’m the magical answer. He wants me to stay married to him for an entire month just to please his dad!”

  “A month?” Madison asked.

  “A whole freaking month,” I repeated. “He said if I don’t agree, then he won’t sign the papers and I’ll have to take him to court. How crazy is that? I mean, he offered to throw money at me like—”

  “He offered to pay you?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want his damn money.”

  “I don’t know, Dani,” Madison said softly.

  The tone of her voice stopped me. “What?”

  “Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea.” I could tell she was afraid of my reaction, but I was too shocked to speak. “You need the money, right? I mean, you said he was rich.”

  “He is, but still.”

  “Think about your mom,” Madison said quickly. “This could help you pay for her care. She could go to a place where she would never be alone. Isn’t that what you want?”

  The weight of the world settled onto my shoulders. “It is.”

  “And it’s only for a month,” Madison continued. “A month is nothing. You can handle anything for a month.”

  “He’s trying to buy me, Maddi,” I said. Her logic made sense, but I didn’t want to admit that. Talen had been a dick to me, and I couldn’t imagine staying married to him.

  “He’s renting you, at worst,” Madison argued. “And it sounds like he’s just desperate.”

  She was right. I remembered the look on Talen’s face the first time he mentioned his father to me. He looked defeated and beyond depressed. I remembered feeling terrible for him. Then, that next morning, he lashed out at me because I mentioned his dad. He was livid. I was so angry at the time that I didn’t stop to try to find out what it all meant.