Pretend I'm Yours: A Fake Marriage Romance

by Ella Miles

  I have to win before it gets to Nina. It’s the only way to keep her from the truth. It’s the only way to protect her.

  She’s mine. Not his. I will do whatever it takes to make that true.

  Continue reading Nina’s story in Dirty Obsession next…

  Dirty Obsession

  1

  Nina

  Seven years is a long time to live in fear. It’s an even longer time to exist without really being alive.

  But it’s what I’ve been doing for most of the seven years since I fled Italy and the Carini family. I’ve been running, afraid. Never staying in one place too long.

  Today is the day I stop running.

  Today, I start living for the first time in seven years.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  I grin as I get up from the balcony chair of my hotel room that overlooks the ocean and walk toward the door. I’ve been waiting to hear that knock for the last half hour. When I get to the door, I don’t unlock it right away. Instead, I look through the peephole to verify that my best friend, Eden, is on the other side and hasn’t been followed by anyone.

  She’s alone.

  I take a deep breath and slide the chain over on the top of the door. Then, I slowly undo the deadbolt. It’s a habit I’ve developed these last few years. My door is always locked, and I always check who is behind the door before I unlock it.

  I open the door, and my face lights up as Eden steps into my hotel room. We automatically hug each other.

  She raises an eyebrow when she pulls away. “What is going on? I get a cryptic text message after over a year of not hearing from you, and a plane ticket suddenly appears at my office.”

  I cringe. “Do you want a drink first?”

  “Do you even have to ask?” she says as she rolls her suitcase into the hotel suite.

  “Margarita okay? Or do you want something else?”

  “If it has alcohol in it, then it’s a yes,” she says, still eyeing me as I walk to the kitchenette to get the premade margarita mix out of the mini fridge.

  Eden’s dressed in a suit. Dark navy pants paired with a light-blue jacket. Her hair is up in a perfect bun. She looks like a lawyer. Not at all like the Eden I used to know.

  She must think I’m a slob who doesn’t even have a job from the way I’m dressed. I glance down at my gray sweatpants that have a hole in the right knee. I’m wearing a black tank top, and my hair is up in a messy bun.

  She must think I’m in danger. That I’m desperate, and she’s going to have to give me money to bail me out of my troubles.

  I wish my life were that simple. I wish that money were all it would take to fix all my problems.

  I pour each of us a margarita into the two glasses.

  Eden watches every movement I make. Judging me, trying to figure out what is going on. I hand her one of the glasses.

  “Want to sit out on the balcony with me?”

  She chuckles. “No, I want to know what the hell I’m doing here, Nina. But, if you want to sit out on the balcony, then I will go out there with you.”

  “I’m getting married. Today.”

  As the last word leaves my mouth, Eden’s eyes widen, and she drops her glass.

  My eyes fall with the glass as it hits the floor and breaks into pieces, spilling sticky lime margarita mix all over the hard carpet.

  I find the small trash can in the corner of the room and pick it up. Then, I carry it over to where the broken glass is on the floor. I bend down and begin putting the pieces into the trash can, just needing something to do while Eden deals with the shock of what I just told her.

  She slowly bends down and grabs my hand before I can pick up another piece.

  “What do you mean, you are getting married? You didn’t even have a boyfriend the last time I talked to you a year ago. How could you be getting married? I haven’t even met the man! I mean…this is just crazy. Who summons their best friend to a hotel room and then tells them they are getting married?” Eden stands and starts pacing as she continues to ramble nonsense, trying to make sense of me.

  I pick up the last piece of broken glass, leaving behind the margarita goop on the floor as I stand up.

  “Sit outside with me. The ocean air will calm you down. I’ll answer all of your questions then,” I say, walking outside, hoping that Eden is going to follow me.

  I take a deep breath when the air hits my face. I should move to the beach. I’d have a lot less anxiety if I lived here.

  Eden takes her time in coming outside. We both stand, leaning against the railing, as we look out at the view of the ocean.

  “This is better, isn’t it?”

  Eden looks at me seriously. “No, it isn’t. Now, spill, Young.”

  I sigh. “I’m eloping. I’m tired of running, Eden. I need a fresh start. I need to fight. I need to live again.”

  “You should stop running. I told you, you were crazy for running in the first place. Arlo wasn’t going to fly thousands of miles to come after a woman he slept with one time. I don’t care that he saved your life. Anyone who does anything like that is just crazy.”

  “Arlo’s crazy.”

  Eden shakes her head. “No, he isn’t. He scared you. He messed with your head because he knew that you were easy to mess with. He knew that you had obsessive tendencies and that you would fall for it. That’s it. Arlo Carini is not coming after you. He isn’t going to kidnap you. He isn’t going to hold you captive. And he definitely isn’t going to kill you.”

  I nod. I don’t believe her, but there is no reason to worry her.

  “I know. That’s why I’m going to start living now instead of running.”

  “Good. But why are you getting married? Do you even know the guy you are marrying, or is this just another one of your obsessions?”

  “Of course I know the guy! Geesh, Eden, who do you think I am?”

  Eden takes my hands and turns me to look at her. “You are my best friend. I love you, and I would do anything for you. But you’re also a little messed up. You’re obsessive. You grew up without a mother. You watched your father die a slow, torturous death. You’re fucked up, Nina, and I just want to protect you as much as I can.”

  I laugh to keep from crying. “You know me so well.”

  “I want to know what the hell you are doing, getting married, Nina.”

  “I love him. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

  “For normal people, yes. For you, no.”

  I sigh and then slump into one of the two plastic chairs outside.

  Eden takes a seat in the other. “Who is this guy, Nina?”

  “His name is Heath. He’s an artist. He’s tall, blond, and handsome. He understands me. He knows that I have obsessive tendencies, and he loves me anyway. The sex is amazing. And he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. He wants to marry me. We are going to travel the world together.”

  “Why haven’t I met this wonderful Heath before?”

  “Because I was scared. I was running. I didn’t want Arlo to find out.”

  “I don’t believe you. When did you and Heath meet?”

  “We met at an art gallery. We both loved the same painting. It was the first time I’d been to an art gallery in years. It was like a sign from the universe that we were meant to be together.”

  “Stop stalling, Nina. I don’t care where you met. I want to know when. How long have you and Heath been together?”

  I should lie. But Eden always knows when I’m lying.

  “We met six days ago.”

  Eden doesn’t even react. She knew. Somehow, she knew that Heath and I hadn’t been together for very long.

  “You aren’t getting married today, Nina.”

  “You’re not my mother, Eden. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

  “Yes, I do. I get to tell you what to do when you are being crazy!”

  “I’m not acting crazy. People elope all the time. What’s the worst that could happen anyway? A couple of years down the
road, we will get divorced. At least we can be happy and do something spontaneous now.”

  Eden shakes her head. “Divorce isn’t as easy as you think it is. It’s messy. You have to divide everything. Fight over everything. Money, possessions, pets. Not to mention, if you decide to have a baby together because you are married. Marriage is meant for people who love each other and know each other well enough to at least know things like how he takes his coffee, where he grew up, and who his family is.”

  I frown. “Those things don’t matter. I love him.”

  “No. You are obsessed with him. There’s a difference.”

  “I just met him. Give him a chance. I’m getting married no matter what, and I’d love it if my best friend in the whole world was there.”

  Eden rolls her eyes. “Fine. But you can’t use the best-friend thing as a reason ever again.”

  I smile. “Deal.”

  I take Eden to meet Heath by the pool at the hotel. When I point him out to her, her mouth drops.

  “If you aren’t going to marry him, I am,” Eden says.

  I smile. “Nope. He’s taken,” I say as we both ogle Heath as he swims toward us.

  He flips his shoulder-length blonde hair back as he climbs out of the pool and starts walking toward us, revealing every ripple of his abs and hard muscles of his biceps.

  “How old is he?” Eden asks.

  “Twenty-five.”

  Eden raises an eyebrow as she looks at me.

  “Okay, fine. He’s twenty-one,” I say, throwing my hands up like I give up. “But look at him! He’s gorgeous. He doesn’t act twenty-one. He’s a man through and through. Trust me.”

  Eden laughs. “You don’t know him well enough outside of the bedroom to know.”

  I grin. “Well, he’s definitely a man in the bedroom, so that’s all that matters.”

  Eden’s face scrunches up as she judges me for marrying a man eight years younger than me.

  “Just talk to him. He’s perfect for me.”

  “I’m here. I’ll talk to him. But I’m never going to think that marrying him is a good idea. It can’t lead to anything but heartache.”

  Heath stops in front of us, dripping wet. He sweeps me into his arms and kisses me, getting me soaked in all the right places.

  When he’s done kissing me, he turns his attention to Eden. “You must be Nina’s best friend, Eden. I’ve heard a lot about you. I know you think this is crazy, and it is. But just know, I will never do anything to hurt Nina. I love her too much to ever hurt her. I promise that, no matter what happens, I will always protect her, just as you would.”

  He pulls Eden into a wet hug even though she is still wearing her expensive suit, which I’m going to have to ask about later.

  Eden looks to me as Heath hugs her. “Okay, I approve.”

  My face lights up, and I wrap my arms around both of them.

  “I still think you are both crazy, but if I’ve learned anything from my years with Nina, it’s not to fight when she gets a harebrained idea. She’s going to do it anyway, so I might as well go along for the crazy ride.”

  Eden pulls away from our group hug, so it’s just Heath wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

  “But, if you hurt her or don’t do everything possible to protect her, I will come after you, Heath. You will be a dead man. You understand?”

  Heath smiles and looks down at me. “I’ll protect her, no matter who or what comes after her.”

  I can breathe a little easier for the first time in seven years. Because I’m no longer running alone. Now, I have a partner I love, who will fight with me, no matter what happens. I have someone on my side, and I plan on fighting anyone who stands in our way.

  2

  Arlo

  I’ve waited seven long years for this. At the same time, I’ve fought for seven years to keep this from happening. I wasn’t strong enough. I lost the first round. But I won’t lose again. I can’t.

  “Can I trust you to bring her back here safely?” Matteo asks.

  I feel my anger boiling already, and I haven’t even left yet. I just have to focus on what the end of this year is going to bring. I’m going to finally have what is mine. What I was destined to have. I won’t have to fight anymore.

  “Yes,” I snap, not able to keep the anger out of my voice.

  Matteo laughs. “This is going to be fun, isn’t it?”

  I glare at him.

  “Do you think this is a joke, Matteo?” our father, Enrico Carini, says.

  “No, I think it’s funny though. I want this just as badly as Arlo does. Just because I don’t mope with the same intensity that he does, it doesn’t mean that I’m not taking this seriously.”

  Our father nods. “Good.”

  Miami.

  I was on a plane for ten hours to get to her. And, of all the wonderful places in the US where she could be—New York, LA, Seattle, Rockport—she had to choose the hottest damn place in the country in the summertime.

  I started sweating profusely the second I got off the plane in my dark suit. And I haven’t stopped since.

  If she wanted to get married on a beach, she should have gone to Italy or Greece; both are beautiful this time of year. Not Miami.

  I should have gone and gotten her when she was hiding in Boston. It’s not my favorite US city, but at least it isn’t as hot as Miami.

  I walk over to the front desk in the hotel where Nina is staying. It’s adequate but not nice enough for a wedding.

  “Excuse me, where is the Young and West wedding taking place today?” I ask the young woman standing behind the desk.

  She stares at me for far longer than she should. I’m used to women devouring me with their eyes. I’m used to the awkwardness that follows. But I don’t have time to deal with this woman today.

  “The wedding?” I ask again, demanding her to answer me.

  She swallows hard, trying to push down her embarrassment. “Um…let me see here. Um...are you one of the guests?”

  My patience immediately vanishes. “Yes,” I hiss.

  The woman tries to force a smile on her face. “It’s out on the terrace at one thirty P.M.”

  I frown. “Not on the beach?”

  She looks at her computer screen again. “Uh…nope, it says the terrace.”

  I turn and walk away from the woman without a thank-you. I hate people who are incompetent at their jobs. No, I hate all people. I hate being in crowds. I hate dealing with people’s stupid problems. I just want to be left alone.

  I glance at my watch. It’s one twenty. I head in the direction of the terrace, planning on just slipping into the crowd of wedding well-wishers and guests. But, as I approach the terrace, there is no one on site.

  I get to the door that leads outside where a hotel worker is standing.

  “This is reserved for a private wedding. The terrace will be available again in about thirty minutes,” the friendly woman says.

  I glance around her and see no guests or seats set up for guests. Just a simple arch with flowers on the green grass and the ocean far in the distance.

  I nod and keep walking past. Nina isn’t getting married; she’s eloping. Like getting married at all is going to protect her.

  I turn right and then start walking up the stairs to one of the guest rooms that seems to overlook the terrace. I knock on the first door, and a man comes out.

  “Yes?” he asks.

  “Sorry, wrong room,” I say, walking past him and to the next door.

  I knock again.

  No answer.

  I try one more time, and then I pop the door open. These old hotel rooms are far too easy to break into. It’s one of the reasons I never stay at places like this.

  I walk into the hotel room; it has suitcases and clothes thrown all over the floor.

  I sigh. I picked the messiest room in the hotel, I’m sure. But I don’t care. I walk to the balcony, open the sliding door, and step outside.

  When I glance down, I see two me
n standing under the arch. One is the officiant, and the other looks to be about eighteen, maybe twenty.

  I try to think back to everything I know about Nina. She doesn’t have a brother or a cousin as far as I know. She has no family left.

  I have no idea who this douchebag is.

  I glance at the door leading out to the terrace, waiting for the groom to finally make his appearance so that I can see just what type of man Nina has picked to marry—not that she’s allowed to make such decisions for her life anymore.

  Instead of the groom though, Eden walks out. She looks nice, as she always does, in a simple black dress. Not really appropriate clothing for a wedding. It looks like she is going to a funeral or business meeting instead of a wedding.

  I turn my gaze back to the door just in time to see Nina walking through.

  My heart stops. My chest aches. My whole body hardens at the sight of her.

  She’s beautiful. I forgot how beautiful she truly is. Her hair is a little longer than it was seven years ago. Her skin is a little tanner, like she has recently been spending plenty of time on the beach. She has a bit of a glow around her body as she walks.

  She looks better than I remember. And the lace dress she is wearing makes it even harder for me to stay up here instead of jumping off the balcony to claim her now.

  I grab on to the railing of the balcony, forcing myself to stay here. To watch her marry another man. It will make it so much better to take her from him. She will fight harder to get back to him.

  Nina stops when she reaches the arch. Eden softly kisses her on the cheek before she takes the flowers out of Nina’s hands.

  Nina turns and holds on to the boy’s hands as she looks him in the eyes.

  I laugh. A full-on belly laugh that is completely uncontrollable. She can’t be serious. She’s marrying a boy that looks like a teenager. I thought she was smarter than this.

  She’s desperate. She must be if she is willing to elope with a man that has to be almost ten years younger than her.