CHAPTER FOUR
Desmond
I remember Timothy mentioning something about sending a company-wide memo, but I had barely paid any attention to it. If I knew that Lorelei would be affected, I definitely would have read through it.
“This is bad. This is really bad!” Lorelei says as she places her head in her hands. “What am I going to do?”
I place my hand on her back, trying to console her, but she just isn’t in the mood to talk. To make things worse, I can see Logan already making his way towards our cubicle, and I just can’t keep it together.
“Lorelei! Are you okay?” Logan asks as he stands at the door.
I really hate how much this guy hangs around my Lorelei, and he should be the one to be fired instead of her. Sadly, Timothy had mentioned how he is quite an efficient worker, and it would be illogical to just fire him.
“Yeah. I’m fine, Logan,” Lorelei answers as she lifts her head, tears in her eyes.
Seeing her cry made my heart hurt. I know my grandfather had mentioned that he intends to downsize the company and how non-essential roles would be cut, and while I agree with him, I can’t see why they would want to fire someone like Lorelei.
Not my beautiful Lorelei.
“Are you sure? I know about your situation,” Logan says softly, which irritates me even more.
“What situation?” I ask, feeling angry that he knows something about Lorelei I don’t know.
“It’s nothing. Thanks, Logan. Let’s all get back to work, please.”
She clearly shuts me out, and for the next two hours, Lorelei throws herself into work, which bothers me even more. I want to have a talk with Timothy right away, but leaving her side might give Logan, who is still hanging around, a chance to comfort her, and I don’t want that.
I need to get her to open up to me, and I wait until it is lunch time to finally ask what Logan had mentioned earlier.
Standing at her favorite taco stand, which is the best street food I've only recently discovered, Lorelei reluctantly tells me about her situation. Her current job sponsors her visa, and without a company to sponsor her visa, she wouldn’t be able to stay here in the United States and would have to return to Canada.
Like hell, I’d let that happen!
“Can’t you, like, get another visa or something?” “It isn’t that easy. Especially since my grandma has to stay here for her treatment. Going back home isn’t an option, Desmond,” she explains as she begins to cry again.
My heart just can’t take my woman being in distress, and I pull her close to me. I gently pat her back, assuring her that everything will be alright.
“I know a friend at headquarters. He is on the team assessing employees. I can speak to him and ask if there might be a way around this for you,” I offer.
As obstinate as Timothy might be, he would have no choice but to employ her if I told him I wanted to keep her in the company.
“I’ll really appreciate that, Desmond. I’m so sorry that you have to see me in such a state,” Lorelei says, as she dabs at the corner of her eyes.
“No, you don’t have to apologize for anything. I should apologize for causing you pain,” I tell her, lifting her head slowly.
The temptation to kiss those lips of hers overwhelms me.
Visiting her grandmother three days ago had made us even closer, and now, I can’t wait to visit again.
Ever since I took a peek at her bedroom, I want nothing more than to claim this woman physically.
To put my mark on her and make her mine, but I need to take my time. Scaring her off would do no good.
I hate waiting, but for you, my Lorelei, it is totally worth it.
“Please, there’s nothing for you to apologize for,” Lorelei assures me, her eyes shifting away, almost as though she can’t bring herself to look at me.
“What if my friend can’t help? What will you do?”
She pauses, and I watch as she begins to play with her fingers, an act I have noticed she does whenever she is worried.
“I don’t know, Desmond. I really don’t know.”
I pretend to look around as though I care that someone might listen to what I am about to say, but the truth is, I don’t care.
“What?” Lorelei asks, looking around.
“This might sound crazy, but what if we get married?”
My words seem to take her by surprise, and she opens her mouth almost as if to protest, but she doesn’t say a word.
“I know we just met, and I act like this crazy guy, but think about it. People get married on the very first night they met, and we just have to pretend to be married for what? A year or two?”
The idea of being married to her has my cock instantly hard. Just the idea of her living under the same roof is enough to make me hard, which further proves just how much I desire Lorelei.
“But what about your girlfriend?” Lorelei stammers.
“Don’t have one.”
“Your family?” She presses further.
“Not their business.”
My father doesn’t care. I have no idea where Mom is at the moment, and my grandfather would probably be the only one to make a fuss.
“My grandma might not like it,” she fires.
“Trust me, she will. I know she wants you to be happy,” I counter.
I can almost hear the wheels turning in Lorelei’s head, but the truth is that she can’t deny how good an idea this sounds.
Just say yes, Lorelei. Make me the happiest man in the world.
“If we decide to get married,” she slowly begins, “which I am not saying we should, but if we do, I’ll be able to stay in the US for a while longer.”
“And even if they raise any claim, you can leave for a while and return. I would love to take care of Grandma Lillian while you do that.”
She suddenly begins to cry.
“What? Why?”
She shouldn’t be crying. Did I say something wrong?
“Why are you nice to me, Desmond? I don’t deserve your kindness.”
I let out a sigh as I take her hands and put them in mine. “Says who? You are the kindest person I have ever met.”
Saying I want her to be my woman would overwhelm her.
“Still, why would you do this for me?”
Because I want you by my side.
“I can’t bear to see you hurt.”
She’ll need some time to think about it, and I need to do that, but also ensure that no one makes her a crazy offer or tries to help her get a visa through another route. I need Lorelei to depend on me, to see me as her only hope.
“Thank you, Desmond. I’m really grateful for your offer.”
I assure her it is nothing and that we might not even end up getting married if my friend can come up with something. Watching her smile again fills me with joy, and we return to our office with her laughing and smiling again. I notice Logan looks in our direction, and I stare back at him.
He really gets on my nerves!
For the rest of the day, Lorelei remains happy, which is good.
She offers to buy me dinner, and even though I am supposed to have a meeting with Timothy, there is no way I’m turning down Lorelei’s offer.
I have never eaten at a diner before, and I relish the experience as Lorelei talks about how this has been on her mind for weeks now.
“Do you hate the new management?” I suddenly ask.
She shakes her head, explaining that she has no reason to blame them.
The previous owners had sold the company, and a corporation like Sinclair Holdings has to maximize profit.
She points out that workers like her would be seen as a liability, and the best option is to let them go.
We walk for a few blocks, every fiber of my being wanting to hold hands with Lorelei, but doing that would scare her away.
I find myself exploring new things with her, and as we stand right in front of her apartment, I realize that I am definitely going to keep her by my side.
She might not know it yet, but she is going to be my wife.
Using the Sinclair’s influence, it won’t be difficult to make her possibility of securing a visa application quite difficult, which would leave her no choice but to turn to me.
“Thank you, Desmond. I am really grateful.”
“Then, can I get a kiss?” I ask her.
I expect her to refuse me, but she doesn’t. She shakes her head, a smile on her face as she tells me that she is only giving in because I comforted her today. She tiptoes to kiss me on the cheeks, but I turn my head just at the right time.
Her soft, tender lips lightly brush against mine.
I am not a teenage boy who hasn’t been kissed before, but this feels different.
Our lips were in contact for just a second, but it felt like eternity.
The softness surprises me, and I feel something pull in my heart, like a desire stirring from a long slumber.
Her taste is familiar, and even though I can’t place it, I find myself wanting more.
Craving more of her presence and wanting to explore her even further.
I have never felt this way with any woman before.
Desire makes my entire body jerk, and my cock starts to harden, thinking about how far I can take things with her.
“I knew you were going to do that,” Lorelei laughs out loud. “Sometimes, you’re like a mischievous child.”
“Does that mean I get another one?” I tease, trying not to show how desperate I am.
She laughs, shaking her head gently. I notice that she has her locket out, and I have always been curious as to whose picture she carries in there.
“Mind if I ask who is so dear to your heart that you carry their picture around?”
She holds it, an apprehensive smile on her face. “My parents.”
She looks a bit down, and I try to apologize, for which Lorelei tells me that I don’t need to.
She bites her lower lip, and I find myself thinking about how much I would love to kiss her deeply.
How easy would it be to lie her on the bed and plant wet kisses all over her body?
To trail my hands down to her stomach as I explore every inch of her body.
I could spend all of eternity worshiping her body.
My gaze wanders down to her stomach, which I can’t get enough of. As much as she tries to hide it, it is evident, and I can’t understand why she would even try to hide it.
Lorelei tells me one kiss is all I get tonight. I finally bid her goodnight, watching as she makes her way into her apartment. Once she is gone, I walk down the street to where Timothy is waiting for me in the car.
“I take it you walked her home,” Timothy comments, as I get into the car beside him.
“Yeah. Take us home,” I say to the driver, who had driven us here the very first time Lorelei and I came to her place.
Turning to Timothy, I ask him for a report about the workers in the company who had their visas sponsored. He mentions that he had been expecting me to ask since Lorelei’s name is on the list.
“I just got to find out about it, and I figured you might want to do something. I can have her name taken off the—” Timothy begins, but I cut him off.
“No. Leave it. We have to make it clear that we can’t sponsor her visa.”
Since it is a company-wide decision to stop sponsoring visas, it would be difficult to justify any act to continue sponsoring Lorelei. Besides, it makes it easier for me to convince her to marry me.
Silence fills the car for about a minute before Timothy asks why I would do that, since I always talk about how efficient she is in her work.
Not wanting to say anything in front of the driver, I tell him it is something we would discuss later.
Once we are back in my penthouse, I simply explain to him that Lorelei would be deported if she didn’t have a visa.
He easily pulls up her HR file, and I look over it, wondering exactly what it is she had been through.
She had made comments about her parents, how they had died in an accident when she was fourteen, and how her grandmother had been there for her.
I am not exactly sure why she had never tried to get permanent residency or something, but this situation works in my favor.
There is no way I’m going to let her go back to Canada.
I won’t let someone who matters to me slip away.
Not again!
“Does this mean you are not as fascinated by her as I thought you were?” Timothy asks, his lips curling with suspicion.
“I am. The only reason I am doing this is that she would have no other option than to marry me.”
I watch Timothy’s face go blank, and for a few seconds, he doesn’t say anything. “Are you crazy?” He finally asks.
I can’t help but laugh out loud. For as long as I have known him, he has always been reserved, and it is rare for him to have an outburst like this.
“Getting married to a stranger you’ve known for two weeks doesn’t make any sense!”
I remind Timothy that my grandparents got married after knowing each other for just two months, and my parents’ marriage was arranged.
“See how it turned out. Fine, Damian found true love, but we know how things are with your parents.”
Okay, my parents’ marriage wasn’t the right example.
Memories I’d rather not remember flash through my head.
The fights, the arguments, the looks, and my mother trying to run away from my father, who would simply not let us go.
I still remember that awful night when everything changed, and I had to live permanently with him.
He had blamed me for her leaving. My mother had left for so many reasons, but back then, my father needed someone to blame, and who else to blame than me?
I shake away those memories, choosing to focus on the present.
“My mind is made up, Timothy, and I need you to help me. My grandfather mustn’t know about this.”
Timothy throws his hands in the air, no doubt thinking I’m crazy.
For the past ten years, our relationship has gone from a professional one to a personal one, and Timothy has seen me do crazy things, though none as crazy as this.
The only reason he thinks getting married to Lorelei is crazy is because he hasn’t been around her.
I don’t believe in love at first sight; however, from the moment I saw her, something just clicked.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes, I do. I know it has only been two weeks, but I do.”
“This is coming from the man who dismissed love at first sight as delusion ?” Maybe I am nothing but a hypocrite, but the truth is that I can’t let Lorelei be with another man. Especially not that Logan, and if this is the only way I get to keep her by my side, then I’d do anything it takes.
“Help me, Timothy, and I’ll get you that first edition book you keep talking about.”
One thing my father had taught me is that everyone has a price; some price tags are just higher than others.
“Grant me two requests, and I’ll have you married by next weekend,” Timothy says, after considering it for about a minute.
A smile appears on my face as I realize that it is only a matter of time before Lorelei officially becomes Mrs. Desmond Sinclair.