2: Behind the Contract

Alex

I knew Nina would hate me.

I expected it.

What I didn’t expect was how quickly seeing her again would make me forget every reason I had spent three years avoiding her.

I stood at the bottom of the staircase, watching her beside her mother.

She looked exactly like I remembered.

No.

That was a lie.

She looked better.

Much better.

Her hair was pulled away from her face, exposing the delicate line of her neck. She wore a simple dress that somehow made her look more dangerous than any woman covered in diamonds ever could.

And those eyes.

Those same eyes that had challenged me since we were children.

They found mine.

For a second, everything else disappeared.

Then she lifted her chin.

“Alex.”

There it was.

That voice.

Still capable of irritating me with one word.

I walked toward her.

She didn’t move.

Good.

I stopped in front of her.

“You look exactly as I remember.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Disappointed?”

I almost smiled.

Still difficult.

“Still difficult.”

“Still arrogant.”

“Still angry.”

“Still unbearable.”

I couldn’t stop the small smile that touched my mouth.

“Good.”

She frowned.

“Good?”

I wanted to tell her the truth.

That I had missed this.

Missed arguing with her.

Missed the way she looked at me like she was the only person in the world who wasn’t afraid of me.

But I couldn’t.

Not yet.

“At least neither of us has changed.”

Her eyes remained locked on mine.

I stepped closer.

I watched her breathing change.

She tried to hide it.

She always did.

“Because we’re getting married, Nina.”

She swallowed.

“I know.”

There was anger in her voice.

Fear, too.

I hated knowing that I was the reason for it.

But there were things she didn’t understand.

Things I couldn’t tell her.

Not yet.

“And I have no intention of making this easy for you.”

Her lips curved into a sweet smile.

“Neither do I.”

There she was.

The Nina I remembered.

The girl who had once thrown a glass of orange juice at my shirt because I’d beaten her in an argument.

The woman standing in front of me was far more beautiful.

And far more dangerous.

She stepped back.

I wanted to stop her.

I didn’t.

Instead, I watched her carefully.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m looking at my future wife.”

Her expression immediately hardened.

“Don’t call me that.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You’d prefer something else?”

“I’d prefer you keep your distance.”

I glanced between us.

“I’m standing perfectly still.”

“Then stand somewhere else.”

A laugh escaped me.

I hadn’t intended to laugh.

But she still had that effect on me.

She folded her arms.

“Let’s make something clear, Alex. This marriage may be happening, but that doesn’t mean you own me.”

My smile disappeared.

“I know.”

“I will not follow your rules.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“I won’t pretend to love you.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“And I certainly won’t share a bedroom with you.”

That caught me off guard.

I looked at her.

She was serious.

Completely serious.

And somehow that made me want to tease her.

“That last one,” I said quietly, “might become complicated.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“Not a chance.”

I smiled.

“We’ll see.”

She glared at me.

I almost wanted to keep pushing.

Almost.

But there was something else I needed her to understand.

She had been given only half the truth.

So I turned toward the staircase.

I took a few steps before stopping.

“Oh, Nina?”

“What?”

“You should read the contract again.”

Her expression changed.

“What contract?”

I looked over my shoulder.

“The marriage contract.”

Silence.

“You’ve only read the part your father showed you.”

Her face paled.

“What are you talking about?”

I held her gaze.

She deserved the truth.

Just not tonight.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

I walked upstairs.

With every step, I felt her eyes following me.

I hated myself for what I was about to do.

But I had made a promise.

Not to my father.

Not to hers.

To myself.

I would protect her, even if she hated me for it.

Especially if she hated me for it.

Because Nina didn’t know the real reason I had agreed to this marriage.

She thought I was doing it for money.

She thought I wanted control.

She thought I was her worst enemy.

Let her think that.

For now.

Because if Nina ever discovered the truth about why I chose her…

I wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive me.

And I wasn’t sure I could survive losing her twice.