Chapter 16
16
ROWENA
Friday afternoon my phone buzzes with a new text.
Adrian
Waiting for you downstairs. Ready to hit the road?
The simple message makes me almost lightheaded. I’m about to spend the weekend with Adrian’s boss and colleagues at some swanky estate in the Hamptons while growing a human inside of me and with a million lies to remember. I hope I won’t make a total fool of myself.
I dry my sweaty palms on the skirt of my dress before typing a quick, coming down, reply. Adrian told me to just be myself and pack whatever I’m comfortable in—no fancy clothes required. I’ve settled on a breezy yellow sundress and flat strappy sandals—casual but cute. The skirt swishes around my knees as I grab my weekender bag and head out of Adrian’s lavish penthouse to the elevator.
Downstairs, as I step out into the bright afternoon sun, I scan the busy Manhattan street. I expect to find Sam leaning against a sleek black town car, ready to whisk us away to high society for the weekend. But the sight before me stops me dead in my tracks.
There’s no sign of Sam. Instead, Adrian leans casually against the hood of a low-slung, midnight black Ferrari, his dark eyes burning into me over the rims of his sunglasses. He’s still in one of his power suits from the office, all sharp lines and confident authority.
Combined with the dangerously exotic car, he looks like a black panther poised to pounce.
Predatory. Primal.
Breathtaking.
He lowers the sunglasses completely and his piercing gaze rakes over me, leaving tingles in its wake.
But the little jolts of electricity surging through me are nothing compared to the impact of Adrian’s smile when it breaks free. It’s a rare sight, like the sun bursting through storm clouds and creating a rainbow, the brilliance exploding in my belly like confetti. He pushes off from the car with feline grace and strolls over to me, his stride as self-assured as ever. “You look great.”
Hearing his gruff voice redoubles the confetti explosions.
I blush but manage a shaky laugh. “Thanks. You look… like you’re about to steal an art masterpiece and then go play a high-stakes game of poker in a casino in Venice.” I wave vaguely at the car and him.
Adrian chuckles, pushing the sunglasses on top of his head and becoming instantly ten times hotter. “Spot on—just don’t blow my cover, okay?” He takes my bag with a casual familiarity that makes my pulse stutter.
“No Sam today?” I ask as he stows my luggage in the petite trunk .
Adrian smirks. “Nope, I’m driving. Disappointed?”
“In this discreet little number?” I joke, trailing my fingertips along the gleaming fender.
“In my field, a flashy ride is required. Keeps up appearances with the big-money clients.”
I snort. “Your commitment to the job is admirable. I can only imagine the level of sacrifice driving a Ferrari requires.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Smartass.” But the word is tinged with, if not exactly affection, at least a little fondness—familiarity at the bare minimum. Adrian’s gaze lingers on me after the comment. A soft heat in his eyes that sends flutters rioting through my stomach again. “That dress is perfect on you.”
“Thanks.” I lower my gaze to hide how much the compliment thrills me. “Glad I didn’t screw up the dress code.”
“You mean for our heist? Nah, you’re textbook. You’ll distract all the guards. Actually…” Adrian’s brow furrows mock-thoughtfully. “There is just one detail missing.”
My heart sinks and my eyes dart down to assess myself. What did I overlook?
But then Adrian reaches into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out a small black velvet box. The same box from the jewelers the other day.
My pulse kicks up for no reason at all. It’s not like this is a surprise. But then, in a smooth motion, Adrian drops to one knee before me. I suck in a sharp breath, my heart ricocheting wildly behind my ribcage.
He flips open the box, revealing the stunning yellow diamond ring nestled inside. The sunlight hits it, scattering into a thousand dazzling beams.
Adrian gazes up at me, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. But there’s a seriousness in his eyes, too. An intimacy that leaves me feeling exposed.
He reaches for my trembling left hand. “Rowena Taylor, will you do me the honor of being my fake wife?”
Electricity zings through my veins at his touch. I know this is all for show, but seeing this beautiful, powerful man kneeling before me, offering me a ring… It feels like a whirlpool churning in the pit of my stomach—I miss the confetti.
A few passersby have gathered, their murmurs of excitement adding to the surreal atmosphere. Some hold up their phones, capturing the moment.
All I can manage is a squeaky, “Yes.”
Cheers erupt from the onlookers.
Adrian’s grin widens triumphantly as he slips the ring onto my finger. It fits like it was made just for me. Which I suppose it was since we had it resized.
He rises fluidly to his feet, still clasping my hand. “Shall we then, future Mrs. West?”
Mrs. West. The name sends a thrill through me I don’t dare examine too closely.
“We shall.” I wave at the crowd and let him tuck me into the sleek sports car.
As Adrian shifts the Ferrari into gear and we zoom off, I can’t stop stealing glances at the ring. The yellow diamond glitters in the sunlight, impossibly bright. As glitzy and unreal as this whole situation.
I twist it around my finger, marveling at the perfect fit, the solid weight of it. How right it feels despite being just for show. I wonder… If the engagement were real, how would it feel?
Stop it , I chide myself. This isn’t some fairy tale. It’s a contract. Less than a year from now, I’ll take this ring off and go back to my normal life.
A life that has no Adrian in it.
I sneak a peek at him from the corner of my eye. His chiseled profile is limned in golden light, like some modern warrior god.
His eyes cut to me and linger.
“Shouldn’t you be looking at the road while driving a space rocket on wheels?” I tease.
He refocuses his gaze on the bridge we’re crossing. “Relax, Sunshine.” Sunshine? Since when am I Sunshine? “I’ve never gotten so much as a parking ticket.”
“Sunshine?”
He shoots me a cocky smirk. “I thought it’d be the perfect pet name for you. Make us look more couple-y.”
“Ah. And what should I call you? It wasn’t in your brief.”
“Use your imagination.”
I studiously tap my fingers on my chin. “I’ll go with Bunny.”
Adrian’s laughter fills the car, a rich sound that sneaks its way right under my skin. “Can’t I get something more virile?”
“No, you already have the Ferrari for that. We need to fluff you up.”
His eyes flick to me again. “Fluff me up, huh?” He’s clearly amused, the dark brown of his irises glinting with a dare. “Bunny and Sunshine , we’re ready for a life of crime.”
I turn to him mock-shocked. “Did you try to make it sound like Bonnie and Clyde?”
“No, I didn’t.” He presses his lips hard together not to smile.
“You so did.”
As our laughter settles, a thought crosses my mind. “We’ve got the names down, Bunny, but we forgot to invent a story for our first date. What tale are we telling people?” I nudge him playfully.
“Do we have to say anything?”
“If Preston is bringing his wife, she might ask.”
“Why would she ask something so personal?”
“Because she’s a romantic?”
“A nosy romantic. We should keep it casual. I’m not big on… gestures.”
“Yeah, seeing how you meet all your sexual partners at clandestine gatherings where everyone wears a mask, I got that romance isn’t high on your list of priorities.”
“Please don’t joke about sex clubs in front of my boss.” He sounds mildly terrified.
“Oh, that wasn’t supposed to be a topic?” I feign innocence. “I’ll put a note in my mental calendar… So, casual first date.” I tap my chin, thinking hard. “How about lunch at that taco truck near the river?” I suggest. “The one with the amazing carnitas.”
“A woman after my heart.” Adrian theatrically brings a hand over his chest. “I love tacos, then what? A long walk on the riverside?”
“Do I look like a long walk on the riverside kind of girl to you?” I give him some side-eye.
Adrian chuckles softly, accepting the dare in my eyes. “Yeah?”
“No, after tacos, we went back to the office, obviously , because I don’t think you’ve ever missed an afternoon of work in your life. I’m pretty sure most times you eat lunch at your desk eyes glued to the monitors. Tacos are already a stretch.”
His eyes flick to me, then back to the road.
I adjust my sunglasses. “You’re not refuting the bleak picture I’ve painted of your lunch habits. ”
“Am not. So, that’s it, tacos?”
“No. Mmm… that same night you invited me out for drinks and…”
“Dinner?” Adrian suggests.
“No, too tame, we went… uh, I got it… ax throwing.”
“Ax throwing?” Adrian snorts. “No one would ever believe I did that.”
“Exactly, we need to spice up your character.”
“I thought we were fluffing me up?”
My grin widens, unfazed by his dubious expression. “We are, with a twist of danger to keep things interesting.”
“Is there even an ax throwing place in Manhattan?”
“Sure, on Lafayette Street, just a fifteen-minute walk from the office.”
“Should the fact that you know that scare me?”
“Tremendously.” I smile innocently.
“And how did we do at ax throwing?”
“You sucked, but I was awesome!” I scoff playfully. “Nailed a bullseye on my first try and won us free nachos.”
“Yup, nothing spells romance like flying axes and free nachos.” Adrian nods enthusiastically. “And that’s the moment I fell in love?”
Love. He says it so easily, so truthfully. I wish my poor fluttering heart could tell the difference.
“That’s the moment,” I agree.
“And what about you? When did you know you loved me?”
I bite my lip, stalling for time.
The car slows to a crawl as Adrian stops at a red light. He turns to face me, his dark brown eyes playful yet expectant.
“I knew when you made me laugh during my worst day—” I cut myself short because maybe there’s too much truth in what I’m saying. He made me smile on the day I got fired and found out I was pregnant—more than once.
Adrian’s eyes bore into me. The light turns green, but he doesn’t drive forward. He keeps looking at me until the car behind us honks, and he finally presses on the accelerator, gaze back ahead.
“So, I can make a bad day good.” His Adam’s apple bobs while he keeps his eyes fixed on the road—tone of voice level, but also quietly thunderous. “And you love me for it.”
The words hang over our heads like a sword ready to fall, the teasing note fading into something quieter. More charged.
Love. It might be harder to fake than I thought.
I look away from him, fixating on the posh beach mansions flashing by. When did we even make it to the Hamptons?
“Looks like we’re almost there,” I say. “Anything else we need to get straight?”
“We’ve got the basics sorted.” Adrian turns the Ferrari smoothly onto a long, hedgerow-lined drive. “The rest we can improvise. Just… stay close to me in there, okay?”
I smile softly, touched by the protectiveness in his tone. “Don’t worry, Bunny.” I test out the endearment and appreciate the way it rolls off my tongue. “I’ll be sticking to you like glue. You’ll get sick of me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Sunshine.” His hand finds mine, fingers interlacing and squeezing.
As we pull up at the sprawling beach mansion, a new, anxious frisson skitters across the back of my scalp. Let the fake-dating games begin…