Four: Contract

Lucian

After the date Alesandra and I had, we went out a couple times after. Lunch here, dinner there. Nothing too serious. But once I realized I had 2 weeks left to engage, I talked to my lawyer about forming a contract to seal this deal with Alesandra and I. We weren't supposed to be in love. We just had to make people believe we were in love.

"I need you to sign, here, here and here." My lawyer, Mr. Orion pointed at the lines and Alesandra signed without hesitation. But once it came to Malea to sign, she took 10 minutes to read the contract over before she signed it.

"This contract enlists that: 
Number One: Mr. King and Miss Alesandra Rodriquez will be engaged and then married.
Number Two: Miss Rodriquez will not speak a word about this contract to anyone but Miss Malea Hayes and Mr. King.
Number Three: Miss Rodriquez and Mr. King will only have personal relations when producing an heir or whenever Mr. King and Miss Rodriquez mutually agree to perform sexual acts..."

"Number Four: Miss Malea Hayes will be paid handsomely for being an assistant to Mr. King.
Number Five: Miss Malea Hayes will begin the job once Miss Alesandra Rodriquez has been officially married to Mr. King."

The list went on and on until Number 20.

Once Mr. Orion was done, he photocopied to documents and locked them in a vault in the back of his office.

"Mr. King, if this contract is to be broken or sabotaged by either Miss Hayes or Miss Rodriquez, Miss Hayes will be fired, Miss Rodriquez will be divorced and will be cut off from King Enterprise's bank account.  They will no longer be able to have any contact with you. Do you understand the terms?" He shot a glance at Malea and Ales.

"I understand the terms. We're done here."

...........
My driver picked Ales up two days after the contract signing and took her to a seamstress that designs everything my family wore. She got fitted and my seamstress created a gown for Ales to wear to the annual Black and White Fundraiser party.

This was the best opportunity to get Ales out there into the media and I could formally introduce her as my girlfriend. Soon enough, I'll be introducing her as my fiancé.

"I'm so nervous, Lucian." Ales fidgeted in the plush cream seats in the limo, her slinky white dress squeaking against the seats.

I glanced over at her. Her hair was swept into such an elaborate hairstyle but she made it look effortless. "You're overreacting, mon amour."

"Well you'd think i'd overreact if I was going to a big banquet only the Creme de la Creme go to." She huffed, crossing her arms over her breasts. 

I turned to her. "We're almost there. Stop being so difficult. Just breathe and don't embarrass me."

She turned to face me. "You know, I've dreamed of this moment all my life. When I would meet you and we would be together. You're a lot more different than I thought. Now that I think about it, I would rather not be involved with you."

I moved closer to her and forced her to look at me. With her face in my hand, I trailed my fingers over her jawline and continued the line all the way to her lips. Then I leaned in to her neck and inhaled. I nipped at her ear with my teeth. "Tsk tsk tsk." I felt the shiver that ran through her body. "You got it all wrong, mon amour. You forgot the fact that if I wanted to, I could destroy you." She sucked in a breath.

The limo halted and the door flew open.

"Your destination, Mr. King." My driver bowed.

The  limo was parked in a  reserved parking spot at the Old Cathedral hall that is now used to host invite only grand parties and invite only Fundraisers.

I hesitantly pulled away from Ales, my  eyes and hers enterlocking. Showtime. I clasped my hands in hers and we exited the limo.

As soon and I stepped outside, the flash of cameras went off and the sound of yelling reporters drowned out all other noises.

"Who's your new babe, Mr. King?"

"Another woman now?"

"Mr. King's lover, over here!"

"Spectacular dress!"

"Looking as gorgeous as always, Mr. King!" 

"She looks scrumptious, Mr. King, are you taking her to your place after this?"

"Definitely a catch!"

A few reporters screamed out innuendos and continued to glorify Alesandra. She looked this scrumptious because I made it happen. The dress she wore cost over 5 grand, a good price that brought out her curves. It was long and skin tight and it had straps that hung low, going in a straight line all the way from her chest to her shoulders.

I allowed us a few moments in the spotlight before the next limo drove up as we walked into the double French doors of the hall, a doorman happily awaiting to allow myself and Ales in.

The music vibrated all throughout the hall. Men in tuxedoes and women in lavish gowns swept the floor as waiters and waitresses passed around flutes of bubbling champagne to the guests. 

"This is amazing, Lucian!" Ales ogled, her voice snapping me back to reality. "I really wish Malea was here to see this."

......(Alesandra POV)

"Lucian, my man!" A booming voice called. I turned to the direction of the voice and in came a man so incredibly good looking it was hard to peel my eyes away, with his shock of blonde hair and jawline so angled and smooth, it intensified his gaze. But he had such a cocky air about him.

On his arm was a girl so gorgeous heads turned and she had hair so red it made every other color dull. She had on such a tight dress, it left nothing to the imagination.

The man collided into Lucian in one of those hugs really good guy friends give each other. "It's been so long, Uriah." Lucian turned to me with eyes alight. 

We all stood there for a while, surveying each other quietly until Uriah spoke up.

"I see you've picked another girl off the street and turned her into a marvelous piece of art."

I opened my mouth to speak up.

. "Her name's Alesandra." Lucian butted in.

Uriah cleared his throat and grasped my hand and lifted it to his lips before planting a gentle kiss it was like a whisper against my skin. I could get used to this.

"Nice to meet you, Alesandra." His Italian accent was husky and welcoming all at once.

"Lucian and Alesandra, this is Winter Banks, my fiancé and a model for Vogue and other international modeling agencies around the world. Winter, this is the Lucian I've always been talking about."

"Uriah, you flatter me." Winter giggled and sauntered forward, laying her palm in Lucian's hand. He willingly lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss.

"Lucian, come with me, we must catch up." Uriah patted Lucian on the back and grinned, a friendly light in his large almond eyes.

"We will be back ladies, grab a flute of champagne and get to know each other." Lucian leaned down and kissed me. It was so brief, it was like it didn't happen. Then walked off, himself and Uriah sparking such easy conversation.

"So you're Alesandra right?" Winter looked me up and down before motioning a waitress over. Winter plucked two flutes of champagne off of the waitress's silver tray.

"Yes, I am." She held one flute out to me and I gratefully took it and took a giant gulp. As soon as it hit my stomach, my body began to heat up form the inside out in such a satisfying way, it left my head buzzing.

"Where'd Lucian find you from? Last I heard, he was with Yurissa Woods." She led me down a hall and to a grand room milling with couples. Big, round,  mahogany tables covered with gold colored silk tablecloths were decorated with large orchids and several shiny tins of mints. It looked like a lot of effort went into making the tables as presentable as possible. At the very front of the room was an enormous stage with gold columns and red velvet curtains.

I hadn't even realized I'd finished my drink until Winter plucked the empty glass from my hand and replaced it with another flute. "Who's Yurissa Woods?" I asked as we settled into chairs at a table closer to the stage.

Winter leaned in closer to me as if she and I were sharing  secrets. "Lucian used to date Yurissa for over 2 years. They were almost married, until rumor got out that Yurissa was pregnant and get this, people were saying Lucian wasn't the father. He dumped that bitch faster than you could say damn." Winter grinned as if this piece of information was a holy grail. "I mean totally agree with him. His father practically paid her a crap ton of money to leave the state and never show up again.  You can't taint the King name by having a bastard born into Lucian's name."

Just by listening to Winter these last few minutes, I could already sense how shallow she was. Did he pay her to leave the state? I could feel a headache coming on. I lifted the glass to my lips and downed the new glass of champagne in two gulps. My head buzzed more. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucian and Uriah heading our way, grins on their faces.

Lucian took a seat next to me and Uriah sat next to Winter. Winter leaned into Uriah for a kiss and the hall slowly began filling with attendees.

Then the sound of feedback from a microphone snapped me back to reality. "Welcome to our annual Black and White Fundraiser Banquet!"

This was going to be a long night.