Chapter 20
THE BEST LAID PLANS
RHODES
Rory raced into my office and slammed the door behind her.
“What’s the matter?” I asked. “Are you being chased?”
“No,” she said distractedly, “but I ran into Miranda in the hall a little while ago, and I didn’t want a repeat performance.”
“That’s understandable. What did she say to you?”
“Oh, you know, the usual.”
Rory flopped into the chair across from my desk. She was wearing the same sweat suit from last night, her face bare of makeup. For some reason, I thought she looked even prettier than usual. Maybe it’s because you know she’s a virgin?
“So it was bad,” I said, trying to focus.
She sighed. “It wasn’t good. She accused me of marrying you just for the money. When I told her that I loved you, she snorted. Then I told her that we wanted to get married ASAP to start a family because it would be good for Luke, and she…”
Rory bit her lip.
“She what?”
She looked up at me, clearly miserable. “She said that we were using Luke and that it was bad for him.”
I winced. “Miranda’s the one who’s trying to use him,” I reminded her.
“Yeah, but she’s not wrong about what she said. Is she?” Rory asked. “If we’re telling everyone we want to start a family to give Luke cousins, but it’s actually just a cover story… That is pretty shitty.”
“What do you want me to do?” I sat back in my chair. “I’m not giving Luke to Miranda. She’ll screw him up faster than even his mother could. I need to get custody of him—it’s what my brother wanted.”
“I know that,” she said softly. “And I think that’s what’s best for him, too. But he’s been through a lot. And we’re not exactly ideal-parent material.”
“He’s already attached to you,” I said, and immediately regretted it.
“I know that.” Rory looked like she might cry. “And I care about him, too. It’s just making me feel like we’re doing something really wrong. Something that’s going to hurt him in the long run. I didn’t think it through.”
“What are you saying?” My pulse quickened. “Do you want to back out of the contract?”
“No,” she said quickly, “I can’t. I have my own family to think about, remember?”
When I nodded, she continued, “It’s just that I already feel bad that we’re lying to everyone. When you add Luke’s situation on top of it, I feel sick.”
“We don’t have to use the ‘starting a family’ angle,” I suggested. “Would that make you feel better?”
She shrugged. “I already told Miranda, so it’s sort of beside the point. I just think we need to be careful, that’s all.”
“Careful how?”
Her eyes met mine. “Careful with Luke. I don’t want him to get hurt even more.”
I nodded. It had occurred to me that, at the end of our five-year term, Rory and Luke would be saying goodbye. He would still be a little boy, and he would be crushed. Luke was collateral damage to our contract, even though I’d signed it for his ultimate benefit.
“It can’t be helped,” I said, finally. “The situation is what it is—my brother and father designed these rules, not me. I’m doing my best to follow them to preserve my family’s legacy and take care of my nephew.
You’re here because you needed to help your family, and you’re doing that.
Neither one of us is doing anything wrong. ”
Even though it felt wrong.
She nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.
“Five years is a long time. We can figure out how to make this work—and do what’s best for Luke.” I held her gaze. “Don’t let Miranda get in your head. She’s only ever been out for herself.”
Rory nodded, but she looked like she was in pain. “That little boy needs a lot of love.”
Her sincerity pierced me. “Then let’s give it to him.”
“Okay,” Rory said, sounding more hopeful.
“Moving on, I wanted to show you what we’re planning for the ceremony…
” I walked her through the layout the wedding planner had sent that morning, but my mind was elsewhere.
Specifically, it was on Rory. The way she bobbed her head, her scent, the way the sunlight hit her hair.
How crushed she was at the idea of hurting my nephew.
Alan’s words rang in my head.
Don’t get in over your head with this girl.
Abigail Furst said you looked ‘whipped.’
Remember that this is a business transaction, one that’s designed to protect your legacy.
I knew he was right—because he was only echoing what I’d said myself. I’d had zero intention of getting personally involved with this girl.
But I couldn’t stop staring at her, noticing her, thinking about her. Having her this close to me was starting to make my head swim.
“How about we finish this up later?” I asked abruptly.
“What?” Rory looked confused. “I just got here.”
“I know, but I forgot I had a call with the board. I’ll see you at dinner tonight—and it’s actually formal, so you’ll need a gown. I’ll send Philips to help you later.”
“Does this mean I can go back and play with Luke?” she asked.
“Yes—go.”
Looking slightly baffled, she fled.
And then I immediately went to jerk off, because I couldn’t stop picturing Rory naked. What it would be like to take that sweatshirt off over her head. To run my hands through her hair, to touch her incredible skin…
To be the first one to take her. To make her mine. To make her scream my name.
Fuck. I was not whipped—Rhodes Barrington did not get whipped—but I was absofuckinglutely in over my head.