12. Phoenix
Phoenix
I freeze when my eyes land on Michaela’s face.
Gone is the luminescent serenity I remember from yesterday.
Her green eyes are veiled with… sadness?
“Good morning,” I say.
“Good morning.” Her tone is as flat as a board.
Where’s the fire? The sparks? The spirit? The mini volcano? “Everything okay?”
She bites against her lip and glances over her shoulder in Lydia’s direction.
“Come in,” I say.
“Thanks.”
Almost as if pulled by a magnet, my eyes land on her gorgeous ass as she struts into my office.
Damn.
“Let’s sit over near the large windows,” I say. “The sofa and the armchairs are far more comfortable than the guest chairs.”
“Okay.”
She takes a seat, elegant and poised, before crossing her legs at the ankles.
I sit across from her in one of the leather armchairs.
I set things in motion. “Thanks for getting back to me.”
“Might as well get it over with.” She punctuates her flippant remark with a one-shoulder shrug.
I frown.
I understand this isn’t her dream wedding and we’re good at getting under each other’s skin, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say those words drip with disgust. Resentment, even.
“Michaela, you’re here on your own accord, but you’re giving off the vibe you’d rather not be here at all. I don’t understand. Your text suggested we were on the same page, but it seems we’re oceans apart.”
She averts her gaze. “We are on the same page.”
I study her striking profile, as she fidgets with her fingers. “What’s going on?”
She shrugs.
“I asked you a question, Michaela.”
This time she shakes her head.
I stand up, circle the coffee table and sit next to her on the sofa. I reach out for her, but she pulls her arm away before scooting closer to the armrest, creating distance between us.
Is she afraid of me? “If you want out of this agreement, tell me now.”
“I’m going through with it.”
“Your body language betrays your words.”
“I’m in.”
“I don’t expect you to jump for joy, but why the gloom and doom?”
“It’s not you.”
“Then, what is it?”
I’m not backing down until she gives me a straight answer.
She lets out a suffering sigh. “We lost everything in the middle of the night.”
“What are you talking about?”
I listen, stunned, as she recounts the conversation she had with her father.
“Other than Villiers Grand, we have nothing left,” she says, looking up at me like a skittish kitten.
Jesus. “I’m so sorry, Michaela.”
“Myriad emotions collide inside me as I wrap my mind around this tsunami of drama. Overnight, I went from Prada to nada.”
It’s all stuff, so it’s replaceable. Still, I can’t imagine what it feels like to be in her position.
“Does your father know the right people to help him with this ordeal?”
“I don’t think so,” she says.
“I’ll make some phone calls to my people in New York,” I say.
Surprised green eyes snap up to mine.
“We have a team of lawyers, investigators, and other experts who can help your father navigate through this. These specialists will make the process easier for him and ensure he nails Thana’s ass to the wall if she’s behind this. If he goes at it alone, it might be frustrating and costly.”
She hitches a breath. “Really? You’d do that?”
I nod. “I’ll also hire a team of security guards for around the clock surveillance for the hotel. Even though Thana is in custody, who knows what her lover is capable of.”
“That was also a concern for me, but Daddy doesn’t have the means to afford that,” she says, emotions bubbling up.
“I do.”
With her lips pursed, she offers a tight nod.
“You’re going to be my wife. I take care of what’s mine.”
“Under other circumstances, I’d take offense to that last part, Mr. Alpha Possessive Caveman, but I’m way too grateful to argue. Thank you so much, Phoenix.” Her shyness is as evident as her sincerity.
“Don’t mention it.”
We sit in silence for a few beats as she fidgets with her fingers.
“Change of plans,” I say. “Let’s postpone the meeting with the publicist.”
“Oh, no,” she says. “We don’t have to do that.” Her eyes widen. “I’m okay meeting with the publicist. That’s why I’m here.”
“Stop worrying,” I say. “You’ve dealt with enough in the past twenty-four hours. One extra day won’t derail us. Let’s skip the formal meeting, take the day to yourself, and let’s go out for dinner tonight.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive.”
“Okay.”
“How about eight p.m.?”
“Eight works.”
“I’ll ask my executive assistant to book a full session at our spa––you’ll get the works. We have an upscale boutique here at the hotel, but since you’ll need to buy a new wardrobe, I’ll have a car drive you to Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills.”
“Err… did you miss the part where I said we have nothing left? I can’t pay for new clothes. I’ll have to make do with what I brought with me.”
“I have an account at Neiman Marcus. Everything will be billed to me––”
“Phoenix, I can’t accept this,” she says.
“Michaela, you’ve agreed to become my wife and you’re facing a dire situation. This is the least I can do.”
“But you’re already helping my father deal with the house fire. I’m sure the experts you’re going to call on charge a hefty fee. The same goes for round-the-clock security services.”
“You’re right, but there a few things you’re forgetting.”
“What?”
“One, I’m the giant ape in the luxury hotel industry, the press calls me King Konig, and apparently, I’m a tycoon.” I borrow her words from yesterday.
She winces.
“Two, we’re talking about you .”
“This feels like charity,” she says.
“I disagree.”
She considers me. “This would be our first time stepping out as a couple .”
I have no clue where she’s going with this, but I’ll bite. “Yes.” I nod. “The sooner we make an official appearance, the better.”
Her eyes narrow into translucent green slivers of determination. The dragon awakes. “Is this something else I’ll have to add to the two-hundred-million-dollar-plus tab I owe you?”
I can practically see the icicles hanging from her tone. “Can’t you accept a fucking gift?”
She lets her head hang on a frustrated sigh.
“Look at me.”
She does.
“This is never going to work if we constantly go at it like two heavyweight champions looking to throw the knockout punch.” My tone is razor-sharp.
“It’s us versus them, Michaela. Them being the board, the press, nosy celebrity content creators, and anyone else who can pull back the curtain on our charade.
I need an ally. If you can’t handle that, and if you’re always going to claw my eyeballs out, we should both walk away from this deal right now.
” I pause. “It might not be love, but right now, it feels like I’m entering a twelve-month sentence.
You either want to save your legacy or you don’t. ”