Chapter 5
MADDIE
Priscilla opens the door to the meeting room with a flourish and slips out, leaving me alone with four men who all turn toward me at once.
I tighten my hold on Snorty and step inside.
My outfit suddenly feels too plain. Cargo pants. A white blouse buttoned to my neck. Navy blazer. Hair piled up into a butterfly clip.
“Hey, Maddie!” Steven springs up from his chair and crushes me in a bear hug, nearly flattening Snorty between us.
He’s in his standard all-black ensemble.
When he lets go, Steven steers me across the room towards their manager, Prince Michael. He stands by a floor-to-ceiling window like he’s posing for his own portrait, Las Vegas glittering behind him.
Like the times I've seen him before, he wears a purple velvet jacket with gold embroidery. Rings stacked on every finger.
His sharp, calculating eyes look me over, already deciding if I'll be help or hinderance.
He takes my hand with a firm shake. “Welcome, Madison.”
Before I can reply, Steven gestures to the blonde guy in the corner. “This is Keith, our drummer.”
Keith nods with a cover-ready smile.
Then my gaze shifts to the only person who hadn’t stood when I walked in.
Rio rises slowly, pushing lustrous black hair out of his eyes.
Around his neck he wears his signature bandana.
From a distance, it appears solid black. But if you look closely, you can see a faint pattern of skulls.
Janie figures he thinks it reinforces his ‘bad boy” image.
As if that image needs reinforcing.
Rio Wilder radiates sex. And it’s not just his drop dead gorgeous looks.
Whether he’s looking at you from an album cover or in person, his eyes suggest he can’t wait to do naughty, forbidden things to you when you’re alone.
“Well, well. The schoolmarm returns,” he says, his tone carrying that familiar amused edge.
My eyes betray me, dropping to where his black T-shirt stretches tight across his broad shoulders. Then down to his black jeans that hug his muscular thighs in all the right places.
Rio steps into my space, close enough that I can smell his natural clean male scent.
I hold out my hand to shake, but he gently moves it down by my side. “Snce you’re my fiancée now, how about a kiss?”
My mouth goes dry. I hate myself a little for still being affected by him after all this time.
“No thanks,” I blurt. Then I catch Steven’s surprised expression and remember what I agreed to.
“I mean, a kiss is fine.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and conjure up an image of myself kissing Snorty's cute puppy nose.
I’m desperate to imagine anything other than the lips of the man who's haunted my thoughts—mostly vengeful ones—for the last four years.
Rio's lips barely graze mine at first, sending a tingle through my lady parts that makes my toes curl inside my shoes.
Then his lips press closer, just enough to make me want more.
I catch the faint taste of mint on his breath as he deepens the kiss slightly. His hand comes up to rest at the nape of my neck.
When he finally pulls away, I have to stop myself from swaying forward to follow his mouth.
My body betrays me with a longing I thought I'd buried years ago.
“Nice to see you two bonding so well,” Prince Michael says with a bright smile. “Now why don’t you have a seat, Maddie?”
I sit beside Steven.
Snorty curls into my lap while I pull out my notebook. It's a small two-ring binder with a ballerina on the cover.
I catch Rio looking at me as I open it but can’t read his expression.
“Now then,” Prince Michael continues, “I’m glad you agreed to accommodate us in this way.”
“What are my responsibilities exactly? Steven didn’t tell me much.”
“It's quite simple,” Prince Michael says diplomatically. “You must act like you’re Rio’s fiancée. And that you're madly in love with him.”
The purple-clad manager turns to Rio. “That goes for you, too, Rio. Got it?"
"Got it," Rio says, adding a yawn for effect.
"Now Maddie," Prince Michael says. “I have a special image consultant arriving any minute. He’ll take you shopping.”
“Shopping?”
“Then when you return, he'll coach both you and Rio on how to handle questions reporters might pose to you at the press conference later this afternoon."
I fold my arms over my chest.
“Thanks for thinking of me. But I don’t think I need a new wardrobe. I brought enough clothes.”
"For a schoolmarm," Rio scoffs, in that seductive low voice.
“Antoine's an international fashion consultant. And a public relations expert. He'll know how to give you the 'required look' for the weekend's activities," Prince Michael says. "Any other questions?”
“Just one. The suite was lovely. And large. It's for all of us, right?"
“No,” Prince Michael says. “It’s just for you and Rio.”
Under the table, Rio brushes the top of my shoe with his. I jerk my foot back.
“The contracts are here. Please sign them.” Prince Michael says, placing a stack of papers in front of me. I squint at the dense, tiny print.
Then I take a close look at the contract. The words are scrunched together. The overlong, complicated sentences blur before me.
“I'm a teacher, not a lawyer. I don't speak legalese. What does it even say? Does it say I have to sleep with Rio anywhere? Because if it does—”
“What you and Rio do behind closed doors is your business,” Prince Michael replies smoothly. "Now, if you’ll sign these, we’ll reconvene at four for the press conference.”
I pick up the pen, then hesitate. This is a terrible idea. Maybe I hadn’t thought about it enough before accepting.
Suddenly Snorty emits a hacking cough, his tiny body trembling.
He looks up at me with terrified brown eyes. As if begging me to help soothe his pain.
“Oh, Snorty,” I whisper, clutching him tighter. I love my puppy but curse his illness. If he weren’t sick, I’d never have agreed to this charade.
“Okay. I’ll sign,” I say, scrawling my name on each page.
A moment later, the door opens and a tall, very handsome Black man steps inside. He wears an impeccably tailored suit.
Prince Michael springs to his feet. “Antoine! Perfect timing. Maddie, meet the extraordinary Antoine LaRue."
Antoine offers a smooth bow. “Miss Madison Smith, a pleasure.”
I stand. “Please, call me Maddie. I’m just a simple girl.”
His eyes sparkle as if he wants to say something witty. But he holds back. “If we’re finished here, I should take the young lady shopping.”
“See you this afternoon,” Prince Michael says, dismissing us.