Chapter Two
Pope
She’s nervous. I notice the way she seems to shrink into herself, almost disappearing into the big leather chair.
I don’t claim to have a type but I’ve always found myself drawn toward women with a little more confidence and ambition.
Hard to find meek and shy people in this business, hell, in a city filled with sin like this one.
Isn’t that why I chose to find a bride from a group of escorts?
Figured I’d find someone ambitious enough to want the money I would pay them to be my wife but also someone a little discreet.
But then I saw Sienna Ford in that room and knew it had to be her.
I can’t say why this petite, almost fragile-looking girl draws me in. Why it had to be her from the second my eyes locked with hers, but I just knew. I couldn’t look at anyone else from the second my eyes landed on hers and now, I’m out of my depth.
Where the fuck do you start with a girl that looks like a frightened bird, eyes darting around the room and fidgeting like she'd rather be anywhere but here. Her hands are on her lap, knuckles white as she twists her fingers nervously. I watch that slender neck visibly swallow and notice the rapid rise and fall of her chest with sexy tits pushing against the little dress that’s at least a size too small.
It doesn’t make sense, the instant attraction I feel for this woman.
And I need it to make sense.
What I am about to do is going to affect us both.
I am going to live and sleep with this woman.
I should know better than to let my heart and dick lead me into this decision instead of my head.
Logically, I need a spouse who will be a match for me, almost an equal.
In this world, you cannot afford to be sweet and… fragile.
Fuck, I'm running out of time as it is. I’m already one month into the three-month window I was given to find a bride.
I've reviewed countless files, including those of women who already work for the casino but found no match.
I also reviewed the paperwork of the new women but since those were created and filled out when the women arrived for the interviews, there wasn't much to go on.
So I went into the conference room to see if any particular woman would catch my eye.
It makes no sense that it would be her. Her innocence and inexperience were written so plainly on her face.
I doubt the girl has ever so much as kissed a man before.
Fuck, she reminds me of a timid little rabbit and seated here, behind this desk—in a position of power that's always meant to intimidate—I feel every bit as a big bad wolf ready to gobble her up.
“Miss Ford.”
"Yes," she says, sitting up, her trembling hands evident even as she tries to hide them. “Sir?”
“Please, you don’t have to be nervous, whatever you’ve heard about me, it’s exaggerated,” I offer in an effort to put her at ease but despite the shaky smile she offers me, I can tell it doesn’t work. “How about you tell me about yourself and where you work now?"
“Um, I…well, I’m twenty-four. I mean, I turned twenty-four like two months ago, sorry,” she says, clearing her throat when it croaks a bit. “I’m a waitress but do a little costume-making on the side.”
"And why do you want to be an escort?"
A myriad of emotions flicker over her face and one of them, I realize, is caution.
I wait for the lie she’s prepping to give me and realize that it would be a deal breaker to start our relationship with a lie.
I don’t intend to lie to her and I would hate for her to do the same.
I brace myself for the disappointment that will come with the lie but notice her expression turn resigned.
“I need the money,” she admits, and I feel the tension in my chest ease up a bit.
“My brother is sick, very sick and my family needs whatever money we can get to afford his medication and other expenses.”
“Perfect,” I say, impressed by her honesty. “Now about the position I want to offer you…”
“Yes?” she whispers, a little too eager as she leans forward.
“I want you to marry me.”
Sienna blinks up at me, for a second then another and I let the words float between us. “What?”
“Since you were honest with me, I will be honest with you in turn,” I say, leaning forward and linking my hands over the desk.
“I am looking for a bride and I need to be married in two months. This is a condition that my old man left for me in order to have full ownership of the casino. My wife will need to be pregnant by the end of the year.”
“W-what?”
“I want that to be you, Sienna Ford.”
"Wife, pregnant? Are you joking?"
Her eyes search mine, hoping for me to call this a joke and I can’t say I blame her. I felt the same way when I read my father’s letter. “Unfortunately, Miss Ford, I am not joking.”
“B-but, marriage?” She falls back against the chair and stares unseeingly ahead. “I don’t even know you. Or you, me.”
“We can learn about each other as we go.”
Sienna is silent for a long moment and I leave her, figuring she needs a little more time to process my proposition.
When she finally responds, I am not surprised by her answer.
“I’m sorry,” she says, shaking her head for good measure.
“I can’t marry you. I’ve always wanted to marry for love and I… I don’t know you, much less love you.”
"Of course, that makes sense," I offer, even if it doesn't. Not to me at least. Attraction, lust and even mild affection, I can understand.
But love? I've never cared to explore those emotions, uncertain I'll ever realize the feeling in this lifetime.
No, that doesn't matter. It's definitely not needed for this marriage to work out.
Just her signature on the marriage certificate and sex should seal the deal.
Now the latter will not be a problem at all. Just looking at her makes my dick hard.
“I’m sorry I can’t…help. I guess I’ll leave.” Sienna starts to get up and I try not to look at how her dress pulls up to expose those milky thighs. That pale porcelain skin that I long to touch.
“I’ll pay off your family’s medical debt immediately,” I tell her, watching her eyes widen to saucers.
“Y-you don’t know how much it is.”
“It doesn't matter,” I assure her. “Whatever the number, I'm sure I can clear it with a single phone call. In addition to that, I will give you a monthly allowance that will allow you to stay at home or continue working as a waitress, whatever it is that you want to do with that time will be up to you, but money will no longer be an issue for you.” I wait for a beat, letting her soak it all up. "That is, if you agree to be my wife."
She looks like she is running through a list of questions in her head. Her beautiful brown eyes searching as she tries to find the right words. “Just ask what you need to. I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” I say after a moment, secretly thrilled she’s seriously considering my offer.
“Okay,” she says, turning more confident as she asks me how a divorce would work, how she and the potential heir we produce would be provided for, what a potential custody arrangement would look like, and about our living arrangements during our “marriage.”
Luckily, I have thought all of this through since the reading of the will, and give her the details: divorce with a hefty payout and monthly payments for the rest of her life, a substantial trust for our child and shared custody agreement that hinges on us living close together, something that shouldn’t be a problem as I will provide her with her own home in the event of our separation.
“...and,” I say, going into the last details, “you will be expected to live with me for the duration of our arrangement so that we can produce an heir. To show you I am serious about this, I will pay off your family’s medical debt immediately,” I reiterate. “All of it.
Sienna falls back into the chair, her expression one of shock. “All of it,” she whispers, more to herself than to me. “His medication is running out and you’ll…” When her eyes lift back to mine, I read the answer in them. “I’ll do it.”
I nod, taking out my phone and motioning for her to do the same. She does so and we exchange numbers. “I want you to return tomorrow so we can go over the details. Once everything is negotiated and we’ve come to an agreement, I will fulfill my end of the deal.”
“Okay,” Sienna says, turning around to leave but stops right as she's about to open the door. “Mr. Cassidy.”
“Pope,” I say. “Please, call me Pope.”
“Pope,” she tests the name on her lips before nodding. “How can you be so certain that we’re compatible enough to be married for a year?”
“Because we have chemistry, and basic attraction is the foundation of any romantic relationship.”
“You can't claim to have chemistry when we've known each other for less than an hour. I mean, what if we get married and we can't stand each other long enough to have a baby or make it through the year?"
“Alright then,” I say, pushing my seat back and rising from my chair. I make my way around the desk and toward her. "What do you say we put our chemistry to the test?"
“What, how?” she asks, alarmed, backing up a step as I cross the distance between us. “Pope–”
My hand circles her waist and she gasps when I pull her flush against me. Wide eyes blink up at me when I reach up with my free hand to slide a blond hair strand behind her ear. My mouth curves into a smile when she visibly shivers and her cheeks flush into a pretty pink.
“I’d say our chemistry is just fine,” I say before dipping my mouth to hers with only the intention of showing her there’s attraction but the second I seal her mouth with mine, I forget my intentions.
Her lips are soft and remain still as does the rest of her body all for five seconds before she opens up for me with a quiet whimper.
I slide my hand to the back of her neck and hold her in place as I dip into the kiss, my mouth turning hot and demanding.
She lets out a sexy little whimper when I slide my tongue into her mouth, touching hers in an erotic little dance that sends my cock aching behind my fly.
I can’t stop.
For a man who prides himself on control, I can't fucking pull away.
Not from the sweet taste of her lips or that soft press of her body against mine.
I comb my finger into her hair as my mouth sweeps hotly over hers and fuck, it's tempting to tear off these clothes between us and start the baby-making process right in this office.
And just as the thought slips in, I push away from the kiss, getting a bit of satisfaction when she whines at the move.
Sienna is out of breath when I finally release her, lips red and a little swollen from the kiss.
I resist the urge to reach up and rub my thumb across those full, sexy lips, forcing in several deep breaths before moving back.
“Are you finally convinced?” I finally ask when my heart isn’t hammering in my chest.
Sienna raises her dazed eyes to meet mine and nods. She doesn’t say a word as I escort her out of the office and down the hall to where Ghost is standing. “Escort Miss Ford out, will you?”
He takes one look at her and snorts, shaking his head at me before turning to guide her out.
I maintain an air of calm as I walk back into my office and shut the door behind me.
I fall back against it as I fumble with my pants, tugging down my zipper and reaching in to grab my aching cock, confused by my own behavior.
I’ve never had such a visceral reaction to a woman before and fuck, it was so tempting to shove up that little dress, yank down her panties and slide my hard dick into her tightness.
I can still smell her perfume in the office and it’s driving me to madness.
“Fuck!” I choke out as I stroke myself, my knees getting a little shaky as I bump my hips into my clenched fist, picturing Sienna’s sexy little mouth wrapped around the head of my cock, licking at the length of it… “Fuuuck!”
All I can see are those beautiful, warm whiskey colored eyes, dazed with pleasure as I hammer my cock into her, hands clenched on her hips, tits shaking with every wet slide.
I shut my eyes as I rake my hand up and down my throbbing dick and suddenly, I can’t wait for tomorrow to come.
For our wedding night. For the moment my gorgeous little rabbit will let me into the warmth of her wet little pussy.
Fuck!
My breath comes in a hissing sound as I fuck my fist like an animal, teetering close to an orgasm. So strong is the threat of it. This lack of control weakens me. She weakens me but the thought of not having her threatens to drive into madness.
I want her.
The instinct to mate her is strong. To mark her. Claim her so everyone knows she belongs to me.
My hips jerk forward and I come with a bellow I can hardly contain.
My cock jerks in my fist, painting my hand and the floor with a heavy spray of white.
I grip it hard, picturing the warmth of her pussy as I wring myself out, breath heavy and blood pounding in my head.
My vision blurs and I slump back on the door as one thought circles my mind.
I’ll do anything to make her my wife. Whatever the cost, Sienna Ford will be mine.