Chapter 6: The Cold Proposal

AURORA'S POV

He smiled, looking impatient. "You knew that when you gave yourself to me so willingly all those years ago.

He remembered our last kiss,and for some reason, that took the fight out of me.

"Listen." I shook my head, trying to think clearly. "How about we start dating, and I"

“No,” Aiden interrupted. “It's either marriage or nothing.”

“You don’t even like me!” .He checked his expensive watch, clearly bored.

“What does liking you have to do with marriage?”

“Everything! It means everything! How do you expect us to make this work?”

“I don’t,” he said bluntly. “You’ll have your house, I’ll have mine. You’ll be ridiculously wealthy, live in the most exclusive neighborhood, and be admired by high society. You’ll have complete freedom as long as you give me children, remain loyal during that time, and avoid public scandals. We’ll barely cross paths after the first few years. But no divorce,” he added, lifting a finger. “It’s messy, bad for business, and makes people look weak. I’m not weak.”

I felt like bursting into laughter or tears but I couldn't decide which first.

"Aiden, you know I'm a person, not an air fryer, right?" I put my hand on my hip, feeling impatient too. "Because to me, it really sounds like you're trying to buy me."

"That's because I am." He looked at me like I was crazy. “People who complain about money all have one thing in common, they don’t have any. You have a chance to change your life, Aurora. Don’t be foolish.”

“I know this might sound ungrateful, but your offer sounds like a very lonely existence. I want love. I want someone who chooses me, and whom I choose in return.”

Even after what happened with Thomas, and even though I still had strong feelings for Aiden, I still believed in fairy tales. I just accepted that mine was written in a strange way, with too much introduction and parts I was glad to remove.

He took a pair of leather gloves from his chest pocket, slapped them against his strong thigh, then slid his large hands into them.

“You can have all that, just not with me. Find someone else. Have a quiet relationship with him, as long as he signs the right paperwork. You do what you want, I’ll do the same. And to be clear, what I want involves plenty of high end escorts and a lifestyle you wouldn’t approve of.”

At this point, the only thing keeping me standing was the hope that I was imagining all of this, brought on by a lack of sleep and proper meals.

“You’re seriously telling me to cheat on you?” I rubbed my temples.

“Once you’ve given me children, do whatever you want.”

“You need therapy,” I muttered. “And maybe a hug. In that order.”

“What I need,” he corrected, “is an heir. Preferably a son. A few others for backup.”

Backups?. Was he talking about kids or spare phone chargers?.

My head felt dizzy. I grabbed the wall to keep myself steady. I always knew Aiden King had problems, but this was a level of crazy he could end up in a mental hospital.

“Why a son? You do realize it’s the twenty first century, right? There are plenty of successful women running massive companies”

He cut me off with a look.

“Spare me the long list. The truth is, some things haven’t changed. Women born into extreme wealth, like my future daughtersrarely choose stressful jobs, and running Royal Pipelines is one of them.”

“Honestly,that’s the most sexist thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Surprisingly, I agree with you on that.” He started buttoning his coat, showing he was about to leave. “But I don’t make the rules. My father took over the company this way. So did I.”

“What if your son wants something different for his life?”

He looked at me like I had just asked if I should pierce my eyebrow with a gun. Like I was completely hopeless.

“Who wouldn’t want to be the boss of one of the richest companies in the world?”

“Anyone who knows how much responsibility comes with it,” I shot back. “No offense, but you’re not exactly the happiest person I know, Aiden.”

“My first son will carry on my legacy,” he said as if it were obvious. “If you’re concerned about his mental health, I suggest sending him to therapy as soon as he starts talking.”

“Wow, sound's You’ll be a great father,” I said sarcastically.

“They’ll have a soft mother,” he replied without hesitation. “It’s only fair I prepare them for the real world.”

“You’re awful.”

“You’re stalling.” He replied with a smile.

The tight knot of panic in my throat grew. Not because marrying Aiden sounded awful, but because it didn’t, and that made me crazy. What kind of woman jumped into marriage with the most dangerous man in Boston while still married to the most unreliable one?

Me, that’s who. I considered this insane idea for many reasons, all of them wrong:

No more money problems, a guaranteed divorce from Thomas, having Aiden’s company and full attention, even if only for a few years.

Who knew? Maybe we could start as an arrangement and Aiden could end up falling madly in love with me and we could finally be a real couple.

No! I cautioned myself. I couldn’t go down that road again. That path led straight to heartbreak, and I’d had enough of that in my life. Thomas had already broken me. But my love for Thomas had been soft and safe. Aiden always made me feel something fierce and wild, something that could consume me.

I needed to think clearly, without him standing so close, messing with my head with his intoxicating scent and handsome face.

I took a step toward the stairs. “Look, can I think about it?”