Marriage of Convenience

LAUREN

Coop, Mason Campbell’s security guard, was the one who walked me to the boardroom.

I could feel sweat beading on my forehead as I stood in front of the door.

I took a deep breath, counting to ten before Coop swung the door open and stepped back, letting me walk in alone.

A man I didn’t recognize approached me with a friendly smile as the door closed behind me.

“Hello, Ms. Hart,” he greeted, extending his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Max Wynward.”

I shook his firm hand before letting mine fall back to my side.

“Hello, please call me Lauren. You must be Mr. Campbell’s lawyer.”

“I think it would be wise to call him by his first name since you both are getting married, and you don’t want to slip up in front of anyone.”

He meant anyone who didn’t know about his marriage scam.

That meant everyone except his lawyer, but he was right. I should get used to calling Mason by his first name.

I blushed and took a seat.

“Shall we go over the contract?”

I nodded as he handed me a black folder.

“Look at it and see if there’s anything that needs to be changed.”

I read the contract five times, and Mr. Wynward was patient enough to let me reread it over and over again.

Everything seemed to be in perfect order and well written.

The contract stated that the marriage would only last for one year and detailed the large amount of money I would get after. My eyes nearly popped out over the zeros.

“Everything good?”

I looked up so fast, I nearly gave myself whiplash.

Mason was standing across from me, next to Mr. Wynward in his perfectly tailored suit.

~Where did he come from?~

“Yeah, everything seems to be fine so far,” I answered, my eyes meeting his.

My heart was already pounding and the desire to get out of here was almost overwhelming.

“Mr. Campbell is joining us now to discuss your conditions,” Mr. Wynward said. “Would you go over them with him?”

I licked my dry lips before starting. “I want to be allowed to go wherever I want to go, and I don’t want you to force me to go anywhere I don’t want to.”

“Agreed,” Mason replied.

“My dad,” I said, trying to keep my emotions in check. “He is going to be taken care of, right?”

“Without a doubt.”

I was so shocked by how quickly and easily he accepted my second condition I almost showed it on my face, but I kept my cool.

“And the sleeping arrangements…” I paused, shifting in my seat when his gaze narrowed at me. “We sleep in different rooms.”

“Agreed,” he said. “Anything else?”

“I want to work. I can’t be cooped up in the house all year doing nothing. I’m an independent woman, and I’d like to continue being that.”

He thought about that one for a second before answering in a dry manner. “I’ll see what I can do about that. Although, working here is definitely out of the question.”

Well, I didn’t expect to keep my job here, so that answer was to be expected.

I had another condition. A more sensitive one. I swallowed hard to keep my voice steady. “We won’t share any physical relationship,” I said.

That one, surprisingly, made him pause. Just for a moment. And then he said, “You won’t ever have to worry about it, Ms. Hart.”

“Of course,” I replied.

A sudden image of his big, hard hand tracing a slow finger along the line of my jaw, down the center of my throat, then along my neckline from shoulder to shoulder crept up inside my mind.

~Where the hell did that come from?~

“And, uh…” I trailed off.

“Speak now, Ms. Hart, or forever hold your peace.”

I was really having a difficult time getting air in and out of my lungs.

“I know it’s a marriage contract, but if you’d respect me and not cheat on me until the year is up, that would be great.”

His eyes narrowed with dark resolve.

“Clearly you have missed the part where I said women are not on my agenda,” he replied. “Moreover, I’m not the kind of man who cheats. When I love a woman, my heart will forever be bound to her.”

Wow.

I shivered, for no man’s words had ever sounded as sincere as his words.

My head swam in circles.

The woman who ends up being loved by Mason Campbell was a true winner.

He would love her hard, unconditionally.

“The same goes for you,” he added. “If I find out you’re romping around with another man, the deal is dead. And so is he.”

I saw a flash of anger in Mason Campbell’s eyes as he spoke.

Mr. Wynward cleared his throat, looking rather uncomfortable by Mason’s words.

~You’re not the only one~, I wanted to yell.

“Is that it? You got nothing else to add?”

I shook my head. “No, that’s all.”

Mason’s penetrating gaze lingered on my face, and my stomach twisted and melted into a big warm puddle of sensation.

I put my hand over my face, trying to block him out.

“Do you have any other conditions, Mason?” Mr. Wynward asked.

“I know how you women talk a lot,” he said. “You shouldn’t slip up about our marriage being a contract one. Not now, or after the year has ended.”

“My best friend knows,” I admitted.

“You told your friend?” A flash of anger burned in his steely eyes. “The deal is off.”

He made a move to get up, but Mr. Wynward held him back. “Don’t do something you will regret.”

“I’m sorry, but she’s my best friend. I don’t keep secrets from her. She won’t tell anyone, I swear!”

Mocking reproof was etched on his features.

“So you expect us to just take your word for it?”

“Because I’m telling the truth!” I shot back, my gaze locked with his in a silent challenge.

“Let’s get her to sign something, Mason. Don’t let this ruin the whole deal,” Mr. Wynward suggested, a small smile playing on his lips as he glanced at his client. “Anything else you want to add?”

Mason responded with a simple shake of his head.

“And you, Lauren?”

“No,” I replied, taking some comfort in the fact that I’d been able to lay out my own terms. That eased my worry, if only a little.

I looked up, once again finding myself lost in the steely gray of his eyes.

“Can we wrap this up now?” he asked, his voice rough with impatience. It was painfully obvious that he’d rather be anywhere else. “Did you get what you wanted?” His eyes darkened.

“We both got what we wanted,” I corrected him, not missing the opportunity to remind him that he wasn’t the only one who’d set conditions.

“Then let’s finalize the agreement.”

Mr. Wynward jotted down the terms, then handed me a pen and pointed to where I needed to sign. My hand trembled as I signed my name twice.

A sacrifice had been made.

Suddenly, the door burst open and we all turned to see who’d interrupted us. It was Aaron.

He looked surprised to see me, but quickly shifted his focus to his boss.

“Sir,” he panted.

“We don’t know who tipped them off, but they’re outside—”

“They?” Mr. Campbell asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s a madhouse out there. We called security, but they’re refusing to leave, sir.”

“Refusing to leave? Who are we talking about?”

“The press, sir,” Aaron answered, his voice shaky. “They found out about your engagement.”

Mason’s reaction was immediate. His nostrils flared and he shot up from his chair, seething. I, on the other hand, started to panic.

His furious gaze landed on me, his eyes cold and dark.

He looked even more intimidating when he was angry. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his anger palpable. He looked like a coiled spring, ready to snap.

“Still think we can trust her, Max?” He shot me an accusing look.

“What?” I stammered. “You think I had something to do with this?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you,” he spat.

Anger surged through me.

“I’ve been here with you the whole time. When would I have had the chance to call the damn press? You’re just looking for someone to blame.”

“You could’ve called them on your way here.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Enough,” Mr. Wynward interjected. “We all knew this was bound to happen sooner or later.” He turned to Aaron. “Deal with the press before we get there.”

Aaron nodded, gave me one last curious look, and left.

“We need to face the media now, Mason. It’s time to introduce your fiancée to the world.”

My heart pounded in my chest.

I wasn’t ready for the entire country to be watching me.

Tension coursed through me, making my knees weak.

Mason muttered a few curses and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked at me, his voice icy. “Shall we?”