Husband For Hire (A Billionaire Fake Marriage Romance)

by Caitlin Daire

  Her plan had been exactly what Dec and I managed to surmise—she was pissed after Dad died and left her with only a small portion of his fortune compared with what Callum and I inherited. So she decided to get rid of both of us kids. She knew she couldn’t do it all at the same time, because it would look suspicious, and so she played the long game. She murdered Callum a year and a half after Dad’s death, and then she waited. She invited me to go on her reality show—or guilt-tripped me, more like it—as part of her plan to start making me sick, while also floating the idea of us seeing each other once a month, so she could continue with making me sick.

  At the same time, she also ensured she got herself a new husband; someone whom she thought was so desperate for money to help his sister that he’d do anything. She assumed she would be able to get Dec to legally adopt me, and six months after that, she would’ve killed me. People would’ve been sad, but not all that surprised. After all, by that stage they would’ve heard all about my ‘frequent sickliness’. Then, after my death, the inheritance which once belonged to Callum and me would pass to Dec, who would immediately lose control of it to Mom, given her sly, manipulative ways.

  Bitch.

  Too bad for her, she got caught. She really should’ve seen it coming. There was probably no such thing as the perfect murder, and there was certainly no such thing as two perfect murders. Either way, we didn’t have to worry about her ever again. She was gone, and her sham marriage to Dec had been annulled on grounds of fraud almost immediately after our return to the States last year.

  “Should I light the candle on his birthday cake?” Amelia asked, looking up at me with those pretty blue eyes of hers. She had the exact same eyes as Dec.

  I smiled. “Sure.”

  As she lit the red candle, the sight of the little flame stirred a memory in me, and I was mentally transported back to the islands a year ago. Back to where I met Dec, and back to the final episode of Wed At First Sight, where those flaming bamboo torches lit the darkening air around us. That damn show was so stupid, but if we hadn’t agreed to go on it, we probably would’ve never ended up together like this.

  As predicted after the live speech Dec gave that evening, Isobel and Mark won the viewer vote by a substantial margin. We’d stayed good friends with them, and we still saw them every few months, seeing as they lived in upstate New York near Isobel’s mom. I was still in the city running my jewelry business, along with Dec, who’d moved to the city fulltime to run The Library and live with me, so it was only a short drive north to visit them. Isobel seemed a lot happier now that her mother was living in a really good place, and she and Mark were engaged now.

  I was a lot happier, too, for obvious reasons.

  “Do you want to say something, Liv?” Dec asked, squeezing my hand.

  I nodded and took a deep breath. “Callum, baby brother…you would’ve turned eighteen today. You would’ve been an adult, and you would’ve been about to head off to college. I don’t know what you would’ve picked to study, but I do know you would’ve aced it. You were always the smarter one out of the two of us. And I was the wild, silly one, right?”

  I smiled and wiped my eyes, needing a minute to compose myself before I kept going.

  “I know you were probably laughing from wherever you are when you saw me on that silly reality show, right? Don’t deny it—you always mocked reality TV. So did I. Remember how we used to sit and watch stuff as a joke sometimes, and just mock it and giggle over it? I know you were doing that, and I love picturing you doing it. I’m glad I went on the show, anyhow. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have gotten together with Dec, and we wouldn’t have figured out what happened to you. I hope…I hope you’re a bit happier now, knowing that we know. Everyone knows.”

  Amelia squeezed my free hand. “Why don’t you tell him what you’ve been doing?” she asked in a hushed voice. “I bet he wants to know that.”

  I nodded. “I thought you might like to hear what I’ve been up to. Seeing as I got all that show publicity last year, my jewelry business has been doing really well. It’s hectic. Audrey works for me fulltime now, because she helped so much with the website while I was on the show. So she manages the site and does my internet marketing now. It’s awesome, working with my best girlfriend. William tries to help as well—he’s living with us now, and he always flies around squawking random words at us when we’re trying to work. Oh, and I’ve also just designed a new range for men, too. I named it the Callum line, after you, because it was inspired by the things you used to like. I brought one of the pieces for your birthday.” I leaned down and placed a thick engraved silver ring on his grave. “Happy birthday, Cal.”

  “Happy birthday,” Dec echoed in a murmur. He put an arm around me and squeezed me tight, and I closed my eyes for a moment, basking in the warm glow I felt from his mere presence. I’d never felt safer than I did in his arms. He would always be here for me, protecting me from everything he could. And as for the other things life might throw at me that he couldn’t protect me from, he would at least be here for me, supporting me throughout it all.

  Amelia leaned down and put the slice of cake next to the ring. Then she blew out the candle and stood back up. “Are you okay, Liv?” she asked, eyes wide with concern.

  I nodded slowly and smiled. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Olivia

  Eighteen months later

  “Taste this, baby girl.”

  Dec held a finger up at me. White chocolate sauce dripped from it, and I smiled. “Making desserts now, are we?”

  “You and Audrey’s jewelry website just sold its hundred-thousandth piece, I just opened a new club downtown, and we’re having friends over for dinner to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. I think that all deserves a special homemade dessert, and I know white chocolate is your favorite.”

  “No. You’re my favorite.” I arched a brow and slowly sucked on his finger.

  Dec’s eyes darkened as I moved my lips down, tongue sliding along his skin, and I reached a hand forward to feel his cock jumping to rock-hard attention. “Mm…tastes good,” I said, pulling back and snatching my hand away at the same time. “Almost as good as your…”

  I let my voice trail off. Dec growled and grabbed me by the shoulders, pushing me back till I was up against the kitchen wall of our shared Park Avenue apartment. “Naughty little tease. You know what happens to naughty girls, don’t you, Liv?”

  He stroked a finger down my cheek, and I trembled beneath his touch. I nodded, eyes wide. “Yes.”

  He leaned down, touching his lips to mine. The kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. It was immediately hard and rough, growing hotter by the second, and then Dec’s mouth moved downwards, trailing over my neck and feasting on my soft skin. One hand reached inside my top and closed over my right breast, twisting my stiffening nipple.

  “Oh, god…” I moaned, parting my legs and grinding against Dec as he slid a knee in between them.

  Dec’s fingers trailed down to unbutton my pants. He pushed his hand inside my panties, running his hand over the lacy fabric. I knew I was soaked already, just from the mere thought of him inside me, and his fingers slid in easily while the pad of his thumb rubbed against my clit.

  “Stop,” I murmured, suddenly remembering the time. “Isobel and Mark will be here any minute. I left the door unlocked. They could figure that out and walk in at any second.”

  We’d invited the two of them (and some other friends too) over for dinner for a mini celebration. After getting married in a beautiful park upstate, they were already at the one-year mark for their marriage. Their wedding anniversary wasn’t the only thing we were going to be celebrating tonight, though.

  But shh…that was a secret for now.

  “I don’t care if anyone sees,” Dec growled against my ear. “I want you too badly.”

  I knew I should insist upon stopping, but the thought of someone walking in and seeing us like this filled me with heady desire.
The thrill of possibly being caught only added to my excitement.

  “Tell me what you want, princess,” Dec said, his lips still against my ear. My fingernails dug into his shoulders as the heel of his hand rubbed my clit, two thick fingers still deep inside me.

  “I don’t know…” I could barely even get those words out, let alone anything else. I was too turned on for coherent speech.

  “Tell me. Say you want to feel my cock stretch you wide open. Say you want me to make you scream. Say you want me to make you—”

  “Come,” I gasped, bucking against his hand. “Make me come! Oh…”

  I was already so close. I tried to fight it, tried to make it last longer because it felt so damn good, but Dec was too experienced. He knew every inch of my body, and he knew how to bring me pleasure in an instant. He would only draw it out if he wanted to, and right now he was clearly single-minded in his intentions. He wanted me to fall apart under his hand.

  “Oh, fuck,” I moaned as my orgasm built. My pussy tightened around his fingers, and I stifled my cries of bliss by clamping my lips down on Dec’s chest, my body melting against him.

  I sagged against the wall, finally spent, and Dec looked down at me with amusement glinting in his eyes. “That’s not all, baby girl. We’re not even close to being done.”

  My legs were still shaking from the intensity of my climax. Dec stripped me of my pants, then hoisted me over to the kitchen island counter in his strong arms. I protested weakly. “We can’t on here. I just wiped it down, and we’ll make it dirty.”

  Dec gave me a wicked grin as he put me down on the marble counter, holding my legs apart so that they had to wrap around him for balance. His stiff cock was free of his jeans now, and he positioned his tip right at my entrance, ready to stretch me open. “Oh, princess, you have no idea how dirty we’re gonna make it…”

  He pushed forward, and I gasped as his thick cock opened me up. I moaned from deep within my chest. “God, Dec!”

  He slid all the way in, and my pussy clenched and squeezed as I adjusted to him. It was always like this, every damn time. It didn’t matter how many times he fucked me, I always had to get used to the size of him.

  He reached for my breasts again, massaging and pinching my nipples as he pumped in and out of me, taking his time to relish my body. “You feel so fucking good,” he grunted. “So wet and hot…fuck...I have to do it harder, baby girl.”

  “Yes,” I gasped as he twisted my left nipple. “Fuck me harder.”

  His hips sped up, cock reaching deep inside me with each powerful thrust. I thought I could hear footsteps outside in the hall, but I was too lost in the overload of pleasure to care if anyone arrived now.

  Dec fucked me harder and harder, deeper and deeper. With each thrust, he drew a cry from my mouth, and heated pleasure overcame me within minutes. I knew my next orgasm would be even better than the last one.

  Dec groaned, pounding me hard, and sweat broke out on my forehead. It was so intense; my body practically on fire. I moaned uncontrollably, and I was about to scream Dec’s name when there was a knock at the door.

  Shit. Isobel and Mark had arrived.

  “Dec…”

  “Not yet, princess.” Dec grunted, slamming his cock into my pussy again. “I’m not done fucking you yet.”

  “The door is unlocked,” I gasped out.

  “They won’t come in. Now look at me. I want to see your eyes when you come again.”

  His words were enough to trigger my climax, my legs shaking as my muscles clenched down on his cock tightly. I felt him pulse as he came too, still grinding into me, and as I rode out the waves of pleasure, I heard Isobel call out from beyond the front door.

  “Liv? Dec? You in there? It’s us,” she said. “Audrey and her boyfriend are here as well! Ran into them in the hall.”

  I bit my lip to stop myself from moaning, then called out. “We…we’re coming!”

  “Damn fucking right we are,” Dec grunted, slamming into me one last time.

  I felt him pull out, and we quickly dashed to the bathroom and cleaned ourselves up, sighing happily. Then we slid our pants back on and headed to the front door to let our friends inside for our dinner party.

  “Something smells good,” Isobel said, reaching out to hug me.

  “It better taste good, after how long they left us standing in the hall waiting,” Audrey jokingly grumbled from behind.

  Dinner went well. Good food, good wine, and good company. I refrained from drinking and stuck to sparkling water for reasons I planned on making quite clear at the end of dessert, when we were done toasting to Isobel and Mark’s continued happiness.

  “And not just to us,” Mark said, halfway through an impromptu speech he’d decided to make. “To Dec’s brand new club, and to Liv and Audrey’s jewelry business going like gangbusters.”

  “Cheers to that,” Isobel said with a grin, holding her wine glass up. “And thanks for having us over tonight. It’s been great. I’m so freaking glad we all met on that silly little show two years ago!”

  “Speaking of the show, remember that slimy idiot Andrew?” Mark added, his eyebrows raised.

  Dec and I nodded. Audrey snorted. “I remember him from watching it while you guys were still on it. I hated him. Always tried to vote against him at the end of every episode,” she said.

  Mark smiled smugly. “Well, I heard he got arrested in LA last week. Breaking and entering. So he hasn’t changed. Still a slimy douche. Oh, and I heard something about Shayla as well—apparently she had an affair with a married man and got pregnant. So she hasn’t changed a bit either. Still a lovely girl…or not.”

  “No surprises there,” Dec said with a snicker. “I think you and Isobel were the only decent ones on that show.” I playfully elbowed him, and he cocked his head to the side and looked at me with a glint of humor in his eyes. “Oh, I suppose Liv was okay, too,” he said with feigned nonchalance.

  “Just okay, huh?” I said with a grin. “Wow, and to think I was about to give you a special surprise…”

  Everyone at the table leaned in with interest. “What surprise?”

  My cheeks warmed with a blush. “Well, I wanted to wait till tonight, because I wanted to announce this in front of my best friends, as well as you, Dec.”

  Dec’s forehead creased into a curious expression. “What is it, Livvy?”

  I stood up and smiled widely, resting my hand on my stomach. “Let’s just say Shayla isn’t the only one having a baby soon. We’re expecting!”

  I’d discovered the pregnancy at the doctor a few weeks ago, and I’d been waiting for the perfect moment to surprise Dec with the news. I’d barely been able to contain myself for the last few days, but tonight seemed like the perfect night to celebrate my news, seeing as we were celebrating every other positive aspect of our lives at this special dinner.

  Isobel and Audrey squealed with excitement, and Dec jumped to his feet, shock registering on his face. “Really? We’re having a baby?”

  I nodded as he pulled me into his arms for a hug. “Yep. You’re going to be a daddy.” I leaned closer to his face and flashed him a mischievous smile. “Not just a stepdaddy this time.”

  He grinned. “Very funny,” he murmured. “God, I can’t believe it. You sneaky little thing, keeping this from me.”

  “I’m sorry. I wanted to announce it at a good moment in front of people we love.”

  “It’s almost as if we’re the same person,” Dec said, eyes twinkling. “Because I actually had the exact same idea. I’ve been keeping something to myself, too.”

  He broke away from our embrace and dropped to one knee, pulling something from his pants pocket. He must’ve had it in there the whole time we were…erm…cooking dinner earlier.

  He looked up at me, earnest expression on his handsome face. “This has been a long time coming, and this time it isn’t fake,” he said with a sly wink. “Liv Esposito…will you marry me for real this time?”

  His words hit my
mind, and suddenly it felt like I was the only person in the room. I knew our friends were here, witnessing this magical moment with joy and wonder, but all I could see was Dec on one knee before me, holding out a sparkling diamond ring. My heart swelled, and a rush of emotion welled up in my chest as I nodded like mad.

  “Yes, Dec!” I said, tears of joy springing to my eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you! For real this time…”

  THE END

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