His Fake Wife (Thorne Legacy #1)

Chapter 1

Adam

Eight years ago…

The chatter and clinking of glasses filtered around me. The notes of classical music flowed through the air. You’d think it would be soothing. I mean, it’s classical music. Instead, it was practically making my ears bleed. I swear I was slowly dying on the inside―from sheer boredom. I wanted to be anywhere else but here, but, as part of the prestigious, powerful Thorne family, I had to be present.

Each year, I had to suffer through my parents’ various parties. According to them, it was my duty to help play host. I’d much rather be at a bar, getting rowdy with my friends and picking up hot women for wild one-night stands. Here I am, in a tux that made me look like a butler. With an irritated growl, I tugged at the collar of my crisp white shirt.

Don’t get me wrong, I love being rich and famous. I just didn’t like being around fake friends who were there only because of the money. That aside, life was great. I had it all planned out. Graduate college in two years, learn the ins and outs of the family business, work behind the scenes for a bit until I take over, then from there, I’d conquer the world. I was already making business decisions, which my pops kept under wraps.

I’m pretty sure some of his associates wouldn’t be too keen on the idea of a college student, especially one that is known for screwing every socialite that came his way, making huge decisions with their billions. I had a bit of a rep when it came to the ladies, but dad knew that I was gifted when it came to business. He overlooked my whorish ways and other irresponsible behavior...at least for the time being.

I’d eventually get my shit completely together, but for now, I couldn’t worry about becoming the paragon of responsibility my dad wanted. Not now when there was so much fun to be had. So much delicious fruit ripe for the picking―like the blonde piece heading in my direction.

Her name was Alexia, my fuck buddy for the time being. Well, to her, I was her on and off boyfriend. Utter bullshit, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise. I wasn’t a completely heartless prick. I never failed to make myself clear about not wanting anything serious from the start. I didn’t want romantic relationships. I invited Alexia for the sole purpose of rescuing me from the boredom I knew I’d experience tonight.

As she sauntered up the spiral staircase, I was already mentally calculating which room we were going to sneak off to and how long we could disappear for before my mom noticed and made a big deal about me not helping to entertain our guests. Alexia’s red dress clung to her slender frame, the neckline plunging inappropriately for this type of event and crowd―but it was totally appropriate for me. I couldn’t wait to have her dress bunched around her waist and her long legs wound around mine. Already my dick was rising to the occasion.

“Adam, babe.”

“Lexi, babe ,” I mimicked her sugary greeting and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“What are you doing up here alone?”

“Waiting for you.” I was already pulling her away from the polished wooden banister.

“I was mingling,” she giggled.

She giggled way too much, in my opinion. The forced high-pitched sound grated on my nerves but I overlooked it since she was so entertaining in the sack.

“I invited you. The only person you need to mingle with is me,” I purred in her ear. There went another irritating giggle. As we turned away from the crowd, I caught a pair of disapproving eyes.

I glared back at Beth over my shoulder because I could virtually feel her judgment. Elizabeth Carson, the bane of my existence since...forever. Only she could manage to look down her nose at me all the way from downstairs. How she managed such a feat was beyond me. Her gaze lowered to the hand I had sprawled on Lexi’s right ass cheek. Beth rolled her eyes and turned away. I could just imagine the sound of the derisive snort that came along with the eye roll. I’d been hearing it since I was freaking seven . Shoving Beth out of my mind, I led Lexi away.

“Let’s go somewhere a little more private.”

“But I was enjoying the party,” she pouted but allowed me to lead her down the dim hallway.

Like hell she was. I was no fool. As if I didn’t know she’d spent the entire time since arriving assessing who to make friends with so she could burrow herself deeper into my life. I glimpsed her cozying up to my mother about ten minutes before. Lexi was just like all the others, plotting to get her claws on money. She too saw dollar signs when she looked at me. I should be hurt but I was using her just as she was looking to use me.

We strolled for a few minutes in silence. I didn’t detect any sign of any party guests so I pulled her behind a column that led to a balcony. It was dark enough that no one would see us. I didn’t waste any time, my lips finding the spot on her neck just below her ear that drove her wild. She let out a little moan as I tried not to choke on the scent of her cloying perfume, talk about overdoing it.

“Adam, babe, it’s not that I don’t like the idea of a quickie, but can’t we do this after the party?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll head back to the party soon.” I was already hiking up her dress and sliding a hand between her smooth thighs. What was up with her anyway? Usually, it was her practically trying to jump me .

“Your mother is really nice.”

My hands froze. Fuck. Maybe inviting Lexi to my home wasn’t such a great idea. We went to the same university. She was a senior, two years ahead of me. Now that she saw how I lived, she was angling for a marriage proposal. If only she knew how impossible that was. After tonight, I’d have to let her go.

“I was thinking…”

Oh no.

“Maybe, I can come home with you more often. Get to know your family a little better. I mean, we’ve been dating for what, five months now?”

Correction. We’d been having sex for five months now. Letting out a long breath, I knew there would be no hot quickie in the dark. “Come on, Lex, you knew what this was from the beginning. I told you what I wanted and you agreed.”

“I really like you, Adam.”

Yeah, she liked me so much that she screwed one of my friends just last month at a frat party. She had no idea that I knew. I didn’t give a damn and I didn’t blame my buddy. “No, I think you like the idea that I have a fat bank account.”

Her cheeks took on a pink tint. “I can’t believe you just said that.” The fake outrage made me want to roll my eyes.

“And I can’t believe you think you can take me for a fool. I know what’s what. I know your type. I’m an expert on your type. I’ve been dealing with your type since I hit puberty. I’ll never become your cash cow so give it up.”

Her gasp echoed in the empty space. “Adam. How dare you speak to me like this?”

Ignoring her indignation, I continued. I might as well get it over with―just rip it off like a bandaid.

“Five months ago, I told you I wanted to have fun and you said you were on the same page. I invited you here to have a good time. I didn’t bring you here to bond with the fam. You’re not my girlfriend and you damn well know it. So cut the crap.”

Fists balled at her sides, face flushed and chest-heaving, Lexi seemed to be struggling to find something to say...because she knew every word I said was true. “Now I want something more serious. I’ve wasted five months with you. I deserve that.”

My brows shot up. “Do you, Lexi? Do you really ? Maybe Eric can give you something more serious.”

The sound of my friend’s name who she screwed made her eyes bulge. Smirking with satisfaction, I adjusted my gold cufflinks and steeled myself for what I knew was coming.

“You’re such a...a…jerk.”

I’d been called way worse so the insult just rolled off my back.

The sting of her palm against my cheek was a familiar feeling. I hope it made her feel better because I really did feel bad about breaking hearts. Except, in her case, I didn’t feel all that bad. She wasn’t exactly innocent. I remained silent and waited expectantly for her to stomp away.

She didn’t disappoint. I stared at her back until she disappeared. Sighing, I rubbed my cheek. “Like fucking clock-work.”

“Clock-work, huh? How many times have you been in this scenario? Don’t you get tired of being a cad?”

The voice that echoed from another dark corner had me gritting my teeth. I had no desire to deal with her . What went down with Lexi didn’t affect me in the slightest. I was usually a pretty calm and cool guy, but there was one person on the face of this earth who could ruffle my feathers. Beth Carson.

Beth stepped into the light and instantly the moonlight filtering through the glass balcony doors hit her hair. The strands appeared like black silk but I knew that they were dark brown. God help me, but I couldn’t help checking her out. Hate her though I might, I was still a man with eyes, and Beth sure had matured. She had an incredible rack. Where the hell had those curves come from anyway? Clearing my throat and shaking off the knowledge that Beth got kinda hot, I scowled.

“Weren’t you just downstairs? Are you stalking me?”

Beth steamrolled into my life when I was seven and she was five after our fathers met and eventually became the best of friends. We grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same schools, and moved in the same social circles. I couldn’t escape the wise-cracking little brat.

“Don’t flatter yourself. I was just trying to escape the plastic crowd in there. I assumed you’d take your latest piece of ass to your bedroom or a broom closet or something. How was I to know you were going to do her right here in the open? Disgusting .”

Jaws clenched, I prayed for patience. “You could have walked away the second you heard us, but you stayed to listen. You dirty girl, do you get off on listening to and watching others fu―”

“Shut up you walking sack of irresponsibility. Next time find a damn bedroom. I envy Lexi for getting the chance to slap you.”

I threw my head back and roared. I just couldn’t help it. Walking sack of irresponsibility? Beth was always innovative with her insults. “Who are you to talk about irresponsibility? Aren’t you like twelve? Why don’t you run along back to daddy and leave me alone?”

“I’m almost nineteen, you dick.”

Yeah, I knew that. I only had about a year and a half on Beth but I was trying to create an image of her as much younger so that my roaming eyes would stop dropping to her cleavage. “Congratulations, now go away.”

“You go away.”

“This is my house.”

“Why don’t you go chase after, Lexi? She seems perfect for you, by the way. Of course, a reprobate like yourself can’t do any better than dense bimbos.”

We were nose to nose at that point. I had no idea how we’d gotten that close. Our arguments tended to get intense. Her words always penetrated my devil-may-care protective layer. I didn’t know why I always allowed her to get to me. Maybe because Beth never spoke anything but the truth. I have a sliver of respect for her honesty even though she was downright nasty with it.

“You know what, Beth…” I had nothing. Maybe she was right. I did seem to attract nothing but Alexias. “You should just…why don’t you...”

Her satisfied smirk made me see red. “And there you are proving my point. You’re just as good as your girlfriend. Now, how about you run along―”

I dipped my head and covered her mouth with mine. I don’t know how or why it happened. Maybe it was because we were standing so close it seemed the thing to do at the time. Or maybe it was because as she opened her mouth to insult me, it struck me for the first time how full and pouty her lips were. I prepared myself for a knee in the groin. Surprisingly, she drew in a sharp breath and then went pliant.

Only then did I deepen the kiss. It felt...good. So I wound one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She stumbled and crashed against my chest with a low, sexy moan that had my dick standing at attention. Her soft lips parted and my tongue swooped in to explore her mouth. I’m not sure how long we stood there practically devouring each other. It was her palms pressing lightly against my chest that brought my senses crashing back and I tore my lips from hers.

“What are we doing?” Her eyes were wide and her chest rose and fell rapidly.

“I…” Jesus Christ, I was standing under the moonlight kissing Beth Carson of all people. Horror seeped in and mounted.

She seemed dazed, she even swayed slightly, but then the cloud of confusion and dare I say desire, cleared from her eyes. The spell was broken. For the second time that night, I got slapped. Luckily, Beth was left-handed so I didn’t get it on the same side twice. However, now both of my cheeks were on fire.

“How dare you put your filthy lips on me?”

“That’s funny. I’m pretty sure you enjoyed it because you kissed me back.”

“I didn’t…” Color swept into her face and it was my turn to smirk smugly. She took a step back and pulled in a breath.

“Don’t get any ideas, Beth. It wasn’t like I enjoyed it. I just didn’t know what else to do to shut you up.”

Maybe it was my imagination but I saw disappointment flicker in her eyes, quickly replaced by unadulterated disdain. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Do something like that again and you’ll walk away short of one testicle.”

I felt a smile tug at my lips. God, she was amusing sometimes. “I bet you enjoyed it. A prude like you probably doesn’t get many kisses. You know Beth, maybe if you got laid once in a while you wouldn’t be so uptight.”

She practically growled and I wanted to laugh. “I’m so glad I’m leaving. At least I’ll get a break from you .”

“That’s right, you’re leaving out of state for college.” I threw my head back and sighed my relief. “The big man upstairs is finally showing me some mercy. I’m going to get a break from you too. It’s about damn time.”

Her eyes narrowed and she took another step back.

I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t know why I enjoyed getting her so riled up. Maybe it was the way her already dark eyes darkened to obsidian orbs that I liked to see.

“Hey, hopefully when you get to college you’ll have some much needed sex and by the time you return, you won’t be such a bitch.”

I braced myself for the onslaught of colorful insults. I needed her to insult me because I was internally freaking out about our kiss. To my disappointment, all she did was huff and put more distance between us. “Don’t worry, Adam, it'll be a very long time before you have to see me again.”

Was that hurt I saw in her eyes before she stormed off? Impossible . Why did I feel so dissatisfied with her reaction? Had I lost my mind? So many questions. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I decided then and there to forget about the incident. I took a temporary leave of all good sense, that was all. I gulped as I watched my nemesis walk away, her heels clicking on the pristine tiles. I felt way too much kissing Beth and I was determined to bury those unwanted feelings so deep, they’d never see the light of day.