THREE

It was a small wedding. Nothing like what I'd imagined my dream wedding would have been.

Just a judge, two courthouse employees as witnesses. I wore a borrowed dress from the courthouse lost and found because my wedding gown was covered in dirt.

The whole thing took ten minutes.

Now I was sitting in Elijah Washington's car, A sleek black sedan trying to process what I'd just done.

"Here," He pulled out a thick document from the safe and handed it to me.

“What's this?” I stared at it.

“Your contract.”

Rich people are so weird. They have contracts for everything.

"You actually had this printed out?" I asked, flipping through the pages.

"I like to be thorough." He didn't look at me as he pulled out his phone. "Read it all.”

I forced myself to focus on the document until I found the actual terms.

**The Wife shall reside exclusively in the Husband's penthouse for the duration of this agreement.**

**The Wife must be accompanied by the Husband or his security before going outside the residence.**

I looked up. "I need your permission to leave the house?"

You need security and I'm a public figure." The idea of me needing security made me uneasy. Would I suddenly be ambushed by paparazzi or worse...maybe he had a stalker.

"Great." I responded sarcastically.

"Continue reading."

**The Wife agrees to sever all romantic or intimate relationships with previous partner.**

That won't be a problem. I was done with Logan's cheating ass.

I continued reading till my eyes caught an interesting clause.

***The Wife agrees not to develop, express, or act upon any romantic feelings toward the Husband.**

I almost laughed out loud. He was so full of himself.

"Something amusing?" Elijah asked, glancing at me.

"You really think I'm going to fall in love with you?"

"Women usually do." He said seriously.

What makes him think I would develop anything for him. Yes he was attractive but that doesn't mean I would fall in love with every attractive guy besides I was done with men and their bullshit.

"That would never happen." I turned back to the contract. "Besides, this is business. You said so yourself."

"Good. Then we understand each other."

I kept reading, and then I froze.

***Physical intimacy between the Husband and Wife is permitted but not required.***

***Should physical intimacy occur, both parties agree it will be purely physical with no emotional attachment.***

I felt my face go hot. "I'm not having sex with you."

Elijah finally looked up from his phone, one eyebrow raised. "Why not?"

"I don't know you and t-t-this is a business arrangement! Because—" I sputtered, thrown off by his completely calm expression.

"You're not a virgin, are you?" he asked in a low voice, and something about the way he said it made my stomach flip.

"That's none of your business."

"Actually, given that you just married me, it's entirely my business." His eyes traveled over me in a slow deliberate manner and despite myself, I felt my body react. I had a funny feeling in my stomach and I hated it. Hated that he could affect me like this. "But I'll take that as a no."

"You're disgusting," I said, even as my traitorous body betrayed me.

"We're adults of the opposite sex living together. Sex is inevitable." He leaned back against his seat with such a self assured expression on his handsome face.

"It is not—"

"You're already attracted to me."

I felt my face burn. "I am not."

"You are. Your pupils dilated when I leaned closer and your breathing changed. It's biology, Breanna. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"You are so full of yourself."

"Read.” He simply said, turning back to his phone.

I focused back on the contract, desperate to change the subject.

***The Husband will provide the Wife with a monthly allowance of $10,000 for personal expenses.***

***Upon completion of the one-year term and subsequent divorce, the Wife will receive a lump sum payment of $2,000,000.**

I read that last part three times.

"This is..." I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Is it too little? I guess I can increase it if you want. " Elijah supplied.

"No..it's more than enough.” I could do so much with this large sum of money. This suddenly felt too good to be real.

"You'll sign an NDA as well. Anything you learn about me stays private. Forever." He said sternly. "If you breach that agreement, I will sue you for everything you have and everything you'll ever have. Are we clear?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes "

"Good." He nodded toward the contract. "Sign here.”

I flipped to the final page where two signature lines waited. He had already signed on one.

This was it. Once I signed this, there was no going back. I'd be legally bound to this man for a year. Why did it feel like I was selling my soul to the devil.

"Having second thoughts?" Elijah asked.

"No." I picked up the pen he offered.

My hand shook slightly as I signed my name.

"It's done," I said quietly.

He took the contract and placed it back in his briefcase.

The car slowed to a stop and I looked out the window. We were in front of a boutique.

"I need to get you out of that dress." His eyes traveled over the courthouse reject I was wearing with barely concealed distaste. "You're my wife now and my wife doesn't walk around in rags." He opened the door for me.

"I don't need you to buy me clothes."

"Yes, you do. The better you look, the more convincing we are. The more convincing we are, the smoother this year goes.”

I wanted to argue, but he was already getting out of the car. I stepped out onto the sidewalk, feeling completely out of place.

Elijah was beside me in an instant, his hand settling on the small of my back. The touch was light but I felt it everywhere. I felt the heat of his palm through the thin fabric and my body wanted to lean into him.

God, what was wrong with me?

I stepped inside and was immediately overwhelmed. The boutique was the kind of place I'd never even dreamed of shopping in.

A woman appeared instantly all smiles until her eyes landed on my outfit. Then the smile became slightly strained.

"Mr. Washington," she said warmly. "How lovely to see you. How can we help you today?"

"My wife needs a complete wardrobe." He responded. "Evening wear, casual wear, business attire. Everything."

The woman's eyes widened slightly as they darted to me. "Your... wife?"

"Newly married." He pulled me closer to his side, and I caught that woody, masculine scent that made my head spin.

"Congratulations," the woman said, though she looked confused. "Let's get you set up in a private fitting room."

…..

I was in the dressing room trying on what felt like the hundredth dress when the attendant came in with another armful of options.

"You know," she said in a fake sweet voice as she hung up the dresses, "you're very different from the women Mr. Washington normally brings here."

I didn't know if I should take that as a compliment.

Her smile did not quite reach her eyes. "I mean, he usually has such specific taste of women. The ones who actually fit into his world, you know?" She cocked her head to the side. "You seem more like... well, I hate to say it, but a bit of a gold digger."

My stomach dropped.

"Why would Mr. Washington marry someone like you?" She continued, her voice still syrupy sweet. "You're nowhere near his level. Not in looks, not in class, not in anything really."

I was so taken aback. Sure, I wasn't sophisticated like the women Elijah probably usually dated, but I was still a human being.

I opened my mouth to respond but the words wouldn't come. What could I even say? She was right, wasn't she? I didn't belong in this world.

"Try this one on," she said, shoving another dress at me. "Though I'm not sure anything will help much."

"Is there a problem here?"

I jumped at the sound of Elijah's voice. He was standing in the doorway of the dressing room, his expression completely neutral.