Pretend I'm Yours: A Fake Marriage Romance

by Ella Miles

  I toss the empty cup into the trashcan. “Yes.”

  “Good, now go shower. You have ten minutes, and we need to leave.”

  “I’m not helping you.”

  “Yes, you are. I’ve been far too nice to you lately. I need the opportunity to make you mad at me.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

  I giggle. Dammit, no.

  He chuckles. “See, you like me way too much right now. A night of me bossing you around ought to fix that.”

  I sigh. Kade’s right. I need to be angry. And I don’t exactly have anything to do tonight unless you count taking a long bath and icing my entire body all night to make the soreness go away.

  “Fine.”

  His eyes twinkle at my surrender.

  “Good, now shower and put on jeans and a black shirt. You have five minutes until we leave.”

  I frown. “I thought I had ten.”

  He shrugs. “Four now.”

  “I hate you,” I say, racing past him to go shower.

  “I know.”

  12

  Kade

  Fucking Sebastian.

  I’m going to kill him.

  That’s all I could think about when I got the phone call from Axel, my best friend, and manager of most of my bars, telling me Sebastian didn’t show up tonight. Sebastian is supposed to be managing this bar. I’m giving him an opportunity to learn before he takes it over from Axel and me. But if he keeps being a no-show, he’ll be lucky if I let him run a lemonade stand.

  I throw my arm around Larkyn’s shoulder as I lead her into one of my favorite places in the world. I stare at her face, as hard as it is for me to pull my eyes away from her ass in her skin tight jeans, or her breasts in her black T-shirt. Or the curl that has fallen out of her perfect bun.

  Instead, I gaze at her gorgeous makeup-free face. She yelled at me and said she didn’t even have time to put makeup on before I demanded that we leave. But she’s the type of woman I doubt would wear makeup anyway. And I’m glad she’s isn’t wearing any. It shows off her freckles and sun-kissed cheeks.

  “Welcome to King's,” I say, opening the door for her. I try to keep my voice level, so she doesn’t realize the importance of the place, and I can get her honest reaction.

  We stop just inside, and Larkyn soaks everything in. Her gaze floats around the bubbles of tables scattered throughout the room. The triple high ceiling that makes the bar look more significant than it is. And the booths that sit on the edge of the floors above, giving the perfect view of the dance floor below.

  A slow smile spreads on her face, and a twinkle sparks in her eyes.

  My heart beats again, seeing her expression. She likes the place.

  She bites her lip as she finally tears her eyes away from the sparkle of the room to me. “This is your favorite place in the world, isn’t it?”

  I narrow my eyes. “No,” I lie.

  She smirks and stares back at the room that is alive with people, despite it only being seven in the evening. This place usually doesn’t start getting crowded until nine.

  “It’s fantastic. I usually prefer to be alone, but this place makes me feel alive, more than I’ve felt in years.”

  I grin. “It’s my second favorite place in the world.”

  She laughs. “I knew it. What’s your first?”

  I shake my head and place my hand on the small of her back. “I’d tell you, but it’d make you fall in love with me.”

  She licks her bottom lip slowly. “Oh, yea? I doubt that.”

  “Good of you to finally show up,” Axel says, holding a tray of empty glasses.

  I shrug. “I had to wait for Larkyn to shower. I figured we could use the extra help.”

  Axel rakes his eyes over Larkyn. I know he’s doing it to piss me off, but I’ll still kick his ass later. I hold Larkyn closer to me and look down at her finger to notice she’s wearing her engagement ring with her wedding ring. Good, I need her to be mine tonight.

  “Make sure you keep this one in line tonight. Kade hasn’t bartended in ages." Axel winks at Larkyn.

  Larkyn laughs. “I’ll make sure Kade works his butt off.”

  “Good. Nice to see you again Larkyn." Axel leans over and kisses her on the cheek.

  I glare at him like I’m about to punch him in the face. He smirks as he finishes the kiss.

  “I’ve got to go. It seems one of the waitresses and both of our best bartenders called in sick all in the same night. We need you to cover the main bar,” Axel says, before walking away.

  Larkyn’s eyes follow him, and she blushes a little. Axel’s good looking. He’s tall, with a beard and a man bun to go with his muscular physique. But she’s mine, not his.

  “Are you done ogling my best friend, wifey?”

  She cocks her head to look at me. “Are you jealous?”

  “No, just reminding you that you are my wife. So start acting like it.”

  She shakes her head. “You got this being a jerk thing down.”

  I sigh. “Come on, let’s get you set up at the bar.”

  I show her the bar, where everything is, and how to work the cash register.

  And then we both get swept away with a barrage of people.

  “Larkyn, I need you to make two old fashioneds, a lemon drop, a manhattan, and two cosmos. That is if you know how to make all of those,” I say.

  She gives me her best ’I’m going to punch you later’ stare while beginning to get the glasses out for the most complicated drinks anyone could order.

  I’m busy pouring five beers for the men sitting at the bar.

  “Seriously?” she asks, eyeing me as the sticky syrupy sugar from the lemon drop gets all over her hands.

  I finish pouring the beers and hand them to the two guys.

  “What?” I ask, faking innocent.

  She slides the two old fashioneds to me and carries the lemon drop and manhattan to the other two men waiting.

  She smiles at them a little too brightly, and when one of the men hands her his credit card, she lets her hand stroke his hand for just a second first.

  I growl as I follow her to the cash register.

  “Not cool,” I growl in her ear. “You’re mine. Remember?”

  She bites her lip trying to hold back a grin. “Then start making some of the complicated drinks yourself. You can start by making two cosmos for those women standing over there. I need to wash my hands. I’m tired of getting sticky sugar all over my hands from all the sweet drinks these women keep ordering.”

  I press my lips against her ear. “I’ll make the drinks if you stop flirting with the customers.”

  Her breath catches. “If I stop flirting, I don’t make as many tips.”

  My tongue traces around the edge of her ear. “If you keep flirting, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, carry you to the bathroom, and fuck you until you remember, you’re mine.”

  Her teeth rake over her bottom lip. “Then, I’ll definitely keep flirting.”

  I growl. I should have said something less sexy, although I’m desperate to fuck Larkyn in the bathroom. The first break we get, that’s precisely what I’m doing. Where is Axel when I need him?

  I release Larkyn as I head over to make the two cosmos. When I finish, I carry them down the bar to the two waiting women.

  “Sorry for the wait,” I say, sliding the drinks across the bar to the two blonde beauties.

  “I’d wait forever to be served by you,” one of the women says, as she strokes my forearm and bats her eyelashes at me.

  “I’m Jane." She takes a sip of her drink. “This is delicious, how did you make it?” She leans forward, flashing me her cleavage.

  I cock my head to the side with a smile, knowing that Larkyn is watching me. I’m about to piss her off.

  “I’d love to show you exactly how I make it,” I say, winking at her as I lean in.

  I feel hands on my chest from behind me. I stare down at the ring that Larkyn has strategically placed firmly on my chest so there
is no way Jane could miss it.

  “Hello, hubby,” Larkyn says, turning my face toward her before she kisses me on the lips, making sure she slides her tongue into my mouth.

  She breaks away as she grins seductively at me, before turning her attention to the two women. “Can we get you two anything?” Larkyn asks, staring the women down.

  “Nope,” Jane says awkwardly, as she and her friend carry their drinks away.

  Larkyn frowns at me.

  “What? I make better tips if I flirt a little,” I say, repeating her words.

  “Fine, no more flirting from either of us.”

  I grab her at the waist as she tries to leave to take another man’s order. I pull her to me and kiss her again. I can’t get enough of her lips. Her sweet, perfume. Her moans. I can never get enough of her.

  She pulls away with a dreamy look on her face. She can’t get enough of me either.

  I swat her ass as she walks away to make more drinks.

  The night continues, and we both continue teasing each other. Bossing each other around while flirting and kissing any chance we get.

  A crowd forms and I have to move fast to keep up. I haven’t talked to Larkyn in half an hour. Nor flirted or kissed or even brushed against her. We’ve been too busy. Finally, I get a break when a group of guys orders shots of tequila. I glance across the bar to check on Larkyn.

  Larkyn brings a man his whiskey with a scowl on her face.

  I frown, but try to be patient. I know Larkyn can handle herself with touchy men. I’ve seen her do it all night. And as much as I want to jump in and defend her honor, I don’t. I’ve pushed her far enough tonight, and I don’t want to push too far and not get to fuck her tonight.

  But then he grips her arm far too tightly and pulls her chest over the bar and kisses her.

  Hell no.

  I storm across the bar toward the man whose lips press against my wife’s. She tries to push him away, but he digs his fingers deeper into her arm.

  I push him away from her, and then before I can think, my fist makes contact with his face. Blood pours from his nose, but it’s not enough. I punch him again.

  The man laughs as he steps out of reach before I punch him again.

  “I’m going to sue. I should get a pretty penny for getting punched by royalty like you.”

  “Get the fuck out!” I yell.

  The man laughs. I look over at Axel who motions for our security team to grab him and take him out. Two of my security guys catch the man and start walking him out. The man grins as blood drips down his face and he flashes a look to Larkyn behind me.

  Good thing I have a security team to handle creeps like this or I might have ended up in jail tonight after I killed him. I need to get a grip on myself if I would kill someone just for kissing Larkyn.

  “Man, that guy was creepy,” I say, joking as I turn to face Larkyn who I assume is going to give me a hard time for punching the guy instead of letting her handle him herself.

  That’s not what I see.

  Larkyn’s frozen. Her eyes are wide and unblinking. Her mouth tightens into a grimace. And her face is pale white.

  “Larkyn, are you okay?” I ask, moving in front of her as I put my arms on her biceps. I try gently shaking like that would someone get rid of the shock she’s in.

  It doesn’t work.

  “Larkyn?” I ask, my voice catching in my throat.

  Something is seriously wrong.

  “Larkyn, talk to me. What’s going on?”

  Silence.

  She does finally blink. Otherwise, she’s still frozen. She’s not going to talk to me here.

  The bar has started to slow down, as it’s well past midnight, but there are still plenty of people hanging around the bar looking for drinks.

  I motion to Axel who delivers two drinks to one of his tables and then jogs over to us.

  “Take over for us,” I say.

  Axel takes one look at Larkyn, and he does as I say, hopping into the bar.

  I wrap my arms around Larkyn’s shoulders and lead her to the manager's office in the back. I get her to sit on the couch, and then I close the door behind me, making sure to lock it before I take a seat next to her.

  And then I wait. I stroke her hair and hold her hand and hope that whatever just happened back there didn’t break her. Because I’m not ready to give her up yet. If she’s broken, she won’t want to stay mine.

  “I hate him,” are the words that finally leave her mouth.

  I exhale and sink back into the couch, still searching her eyes for signs of life. Her cheeks have pinked, her lips are moist, and her breathing is steady.

  “I hate him, too,” I say, with a tiny smile.

  “I shouldn’t have let him get to me like that.”

  “No.” I grab her face so that she can see how entirely wrong she is. This is not her fault. “Don’t blame yourself for anything. He kissed you. He touched you. However you reacted, is perfectly acceptable. He was in the wrong, not you.”

  She nods, but her eyes say she doesn’t agree with me.

  I frown. I don’t know how to get through to her. “You’re plenty strong. You don’t have to punch every guy that hurts you, though. That’s why you have me.”

  A tear falls down her cheek. I rub it when it hits my thumb.

  “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay,” I say, pulling her into my lap so that I can hold her as firmly as I want.

  She starts bawling, and I don’t understand. Larkyn is fierce, strong, invincible. She didn’t cry when her father said she was worthless. She didn’t cry when she was in agonizing pain in the hospital. She didn’t cry when she injured her leg. But she’s crying now. Full sobs. That man was way out of line, but it was just a kiss. I don’t understand why she would be this upset.

  And then it hits me. Larkyn was raped. Of course, a man touching her without her permission would upset her.

  I hold her tighter, hating that I put her in this position, and didn’t immediately try to protect her.

  “His name is Nathan Watts.”

  I slowly ease back so that I can look at her as she speaks. “You know him?”

  She nods and swallows like it’s hard to get the next words out. “He was…he raped me.”

  My eyes widen, and my body chills as she speaks. I should talk. Say something. But now I’ve lost the ability to speak.

  “We used to date. Freshman year. It was serious. I was madly in love with him.”

  Now my heart has stopped. Because it feels like someone has stabbed me when she mentions loving another guy, yet doesn’t ever want to love me.

  “But I was young. I wanted to take things slowly. Nathan was a senior. I was a freshman. I didn’t want to jump into bed with him. We dated two months before I was ready.”

  I narrow my eyes, not understanding how it ended so badly if she was in love with this guy. How she was even still a virgin when I had her.

  “Nathan was taking me to a party. I think it might have even been one of your parties. Anyway, I got all dressed up and decided that night was the night. We went to dinner, stopped by the party for about five minutes, and then he took me back to his apartment.”

  I nod, needing to hear the end of this story more than I need to breathe.

  “And then, I changed my mind. It just didn’t feel right. I wanted to wait a little longer. I said I’d had too much to drink, which was true, and I felt sick. I didn’t want my first time to be when I was drunk.

  “Nathan disagreed. He wouldn’t stop. I fought for about five seconds before I grew still. I couldn’t move. Or breathe. I didn’t even tell him to stop.”

  She looks me in the eye. “Just like tonight.”

  “No.” I stroke her again, feeling her wet, tear-stained cheeks. “You did not have to say no. He knew that you didn’t want him to kiss you. Just like he knew you didn’t want to have sex with him. This is not your fault.”

  She nods and smiles as a tear falls down her cheek again. And I can’t help
myself. She’s so beautiful. She thinks she’s weak right now, but I’ve never seen her stronger.

  I lean down and kiss her tenderly on the lips, as the tears that have fallen over her cheeks cover her mouth. The tears continue, and I know I need to stop. This isn’t what she needs right now. She needs comfort, not a man to grope her.

  I pull back. “I’m sorry.”

  She sucks in a breath, and I think she’s going to start bawling again, or yell at me for kissing her when she needed me to be her friend.

  Her body tenses.

  Fuck, I screwed up.

  Her arms grab my cheeks, and her lips attack mine. Her tongue pushes into my mouth. Her body lands on mine.

  “Don’t ever tell me you are sorry for kissing me again. You are the only thing keeping me grounded. I don’t usually like men that punch other men, but what you did for me…what you’re doing for me now. I’ve never been more turned on in my life.”

  She bites her lip and then she grabs my shirt and lifts it off. I see the twinkle return to her eyes when she stares down at my chest. I did something right for once.

  “I’m so glad you were my first,” she says pulling her shirt off, revealing a far too sexy bra.

  I growl. “I’m happy you’re my first wife.”

  She laughs.

  I smirk, as comfortable as it would be to fuck her on the couch, it just isn’t enough.

  “What?” she asks, smiling at my mischievous look.

  “I’m going to fuck you on the desk.”

  She eyes the desk behind me covered in papers and electronics.

  “No, we can’t. We might break it or—”

  I plant my lips on hers as I lift her up. Her legs wrap around my waist while I carry her over to the desk without protest.

  And then, I sweep everything off into a mound on the floor.

  “Oh my god!” Larkyn squeals.

  I grin, loving the sound falling from her lips.

  “You did not just do that,” Larkyn says, laughing.

  “I did. This is my bar. I can do what I want.”

  She stares down at the computer, which hardly has a scratch on it.

  “What if we broke it?”

  I kiss her again as I lower her to the desk. “Then, I’ll buy a new one.”