Chapter 7
Serenity
Today is the day I sign my soul away. No matter how many times I turned this plan inside out, I never found a reason to say no. The pro column has a lot more than the con with Summer’s safety right at the top of the pros. My sanity is under the con column, but it’s worth it for my daughter.
Summer holds onto my hand as we stand outside of Victor’s lawyer’s office, Johnson, Smith, and Linderman. She whined the entire elevator trip to the fifteenth floor of this massive skyscraper. This is my second time in New York City, the first being my soon-to-be husband’s wedding to my sister.
Pushing open the door, I lead Summer inside. A few leather chairs take up some of the spacious area, and an oval glass table rests between them. I cover my cough—the air in here is too … heavy? I can’t quite place it.
The secretary keeps typing on her keyboard even as I stand in front of her desk. After another minute, she looks up and gives me a tight smile as she eyes my distressed jeans and jacket that has at least two visible patches, barely holding it together.
“How can I help you today, ma’am?”
“I’m here to see Mr. Linderman. My name is Serenity—”
Before I can finish my sentence, the blonde straightens and says, “Oh, yes, Ms. Nolan, Mr. Linderman is expecting you.”
It’s almost like whiplash. One second, I’m being dismissed, and the next, I’m suddenly an important person. Her change in demeanor has to be because of Victor.
I resist rolling my eyes.
She stands and opens a door that leads into a long hallway. Her heels click down the ceramic tile, and Summer and I follow. We pass a few closed doors but don’t stop until we get to the corner office.
The woman knocks on the door and pokes her head inside, her voice muffled as she says something, before turning back to me. “He’s ready for you.”
I nod my thanks and scoop Summer up before heading into the office. Landscape art hangs on the walls while a few family pictures are scattered around on all of the free surfaces. A bookcase filled with large tomes is built into the wall behind the gigantic oak desk.
Mr. Linderman sits behind it, and he looks up at me with his glasses halfway down his nose. Standing, he comes around to our side and shakes my hand. “Ms. Nolan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Victor and I have become good friends over the years, so I’m excited to be able to help the two of you.”
My mouth turns dry. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“And this young lady must be Summer.” My daughter peeks out from behind my leg as he addresses her. “I’ve heard all about you as well.”
Summer doesn’t reply but ducks behind me again.
“I apologize. We’re both tired from the trip here. Please, excuse her.”
Mr. Linderman nods and motions to the two leather chairs in front of his desk. “Well, let’s get right to it then.”
I help Summer into one chair before sitting in the other. “I have a few things I want added to the contract.”
Mr. Linderman nods. “Victor told me you’d have a list, and he said to say yes to everything as long as it doesn’t include signing over his company.”
I grind my molars. Victor can put on his nice-guy act for everyone else, but I still don’t buy it. Trust is earned. I don’t believe in trusting someone until they give me a reason not to, not since Paul.
The door behind me opens, and I turn, sending up a little prayer it’s not the man who takes up all my thoughts while I’m awake. Who am I kidding? Even when I’m dreaming, he pops in to torture me—to remind me my desires aren’t as dormant as I originally thought.
Our gazes collide, and awareness spreads through me. I tear my eyes off Victor’s, and they wander down his black suit. The fabric is tight around his lean muscles, and my fingers instinctively remember how they feel from when he caught me at Sully’s house.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” His deep voice makes my heart flip. “Is the meeting already over?”
The lawyer stands. “I didn’t realize you were attending today, Mr. Barlowe. Allow me to get another chair for you.”
Victor waves him away. “I can stand. I sit all day at work.”
Dragging my gaze off Victor, I take a deep, shaky breath and scoop up Summer, placing her on my lap. She immediately snuggles into me like she always does when she’s in an unfamiliar place. “You can sit in Summer’s seat.”
My stupid, traitorous heart does a somersault as Victor kneels in front of Summer and says, “Well, thank you, m’lady.”
Summer giggles and says, “You’re welcome.”
After both men are seated, Mr. Linderman pushes a packet of papers across the table. “You can read through this and tell me any amendments you want to make. If Mr. Barlowe accepts, I’ll fix it, and the both of you can sign.”
I nod, flipping through all the pages. Is this a contract or a book? I take in the words, hoping I’ll be okay without my own lawyer. “I can’t move in with Victor within a week. I need to give my employer two-week’s notice.”
“Of course.” Victor leans over. “We’ll be staying at my home outside the city. It’s family friendly and more private.”
I nod and read through more. We will be married for a year, like I stipulated earlier.
If his father passes earlier than that, we can divorce.
There are specific events I have to attend including an acquaintance’s wedding, a charity event, and his parents’ anniversary celebration.
Then on top of those, I have to go on multiple public dates to make it seem realistic.
My palms dampen. Why is everything suddenly starting to feel real?
“Who are we making it seem realistic for? If we’re married, won’t your dad be satisfied?”
Victor shifts and crosses his leg over the other before explaining why his father is pushing for a love match.
I nod. Then I reach the amount he’ll pay me, and my jaw literally drops. Like unhinges itself and drops to the floor.
I glare up at Victor. “I thought you said five hundred thousand dollars, not a whole million!”
His eyebrows inch up his forehead, and his mouth parts slightly before he forces a neutral look back onto his face. “Are you saying you don’t want the extra money? I thought you could use it for private school for Summer, or you can save it for when she goes to college.”
Stop jumping, you stupid heart. This kind of money means nothing to a billionaire.
I glance down at Summer. She blinks up at me, still saying nothing. Her big green eyes are uncertain. She’s always shy in strange places or in front of people she doesn’t know. But her future can be secure and bright. It’s almost as if all my wishes are coming true.
“Is there anything you want to add to the contract?” Mr. Linderman asks.
I came in with a list of things, but he already took care of some of them.
“I want us to spend at least one week a month in Granite Falls for the entire duration of our contract.” I take a deep breath so I can spit out the rest of it.
“And when I’m not needed, I don’t want to be locked up.
I’d like for Summer and me to be able to go visit Harmony whenever we like.
” I glance over at Mr. Linderman, who is typing furiously on his keyboard.
“I need one hundred and fifty thousand up front so I can pay off the loan. After that, I’ll need another thirty thousand for my property taxes. ”
“Done,” Victor says immediately. “Mr. Linderman, can you have all of that added in and sent to Serenity by the end of today?”
Done? Just like that?
“Absolutely, sir.”
“One last thing,” I say, and both men glance over at me. “No touching. I want it in the contract.”
Victor gives me a lopsided grin before he leans over so close my heart does a flip and a layout as if it’s competing at the Olympics, and he whispers, “How about we just verbally agree to no s-e-x? Some light touching is necessary. If we don’t at all, no one will believe we’re in love.”
Ugh, I hate when he’s right. But fuck, I love how he spelled out sex to be appropriate in front of Summer. “Fine, I’ll accept that.”
I don’t listen to the men’s small talk. Because no, I don’t care about Mr. Linderman’s new dog peeing around his house while my entire life is changing.
Squirming in my seat, Summer looks up at me with questions swimming in her eyes.
I can only hope that she doesn’t get too attached.
Hopefully, Victor’s house is big enough that we won’t have to see him daily.
Or if we’re really lucky, he’ll stay in the city for an easier commute to work.
Victor glances at me and winks. My cheeks heat.
Oh, fuck. I never blush. I’m in so much trouble.
***
After receiving the marriage certificate, Summer and I travel back to Granite Falls. Getting as far away as possible is my number one priority.
Pounding on Sully’s front door throws my heart into overdrive. The horror movie I’m watching is forgotten, and my eyes instinctively shoot to my living room window behind the television. Every muscle in my body tenses as I brace myself. Will they shatter the windows this time?
Calm down, Serenity. You invited Lana over.
Okay, invited is a nicer way of saying that my best friend of over twenty years demanded to come to my house after I called her, informing her about my plan with Victor.
He agreed I could tell her the sensitive information after I said she’d never believe I randomly fell in love with him after I bashed him for months while watching Everlasting Love.
Oops. This big mouth of mine always gets me into trouble.
And she signed the NDA so fast I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out.
“Open up!”
Shit. If I don’t let her in, she’s going to wake up Summer, and this isn’t a conversation I want to have with my kid around. Luckily, Sully scampered off the moment I told him why Lana was coming.
I push to my feet and hurry to the front door.
Lana stands on my tiny porch with both of her hands on her hips. My pathetic light barely illuminates her, but the daggers she’s shooting at me are clear as day. Her dark hair is pulled into a messy bun, and she has bright pink pajamas on as if she ran right over here without bothering to change.
“I guess we spoke after you got ready for bed?” I quip, hoping to lessen her anger.
“Actually, I was lying in bed, scrolling through TikTok when you called. So, yes.” Flames are practically shooting out of her nostrils. “Do you really think, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m marrying the billionaire and moving away, so have a great life’ is a good enough explanation?”
I motion for her to come inside in case any of the loan shark’s lackeys are watching Sully’s house. She complies and throws herself onto the couch. She should’ve become an actress who starred in TV dramas. She kicks off her fuzzy slippers and hugs her knees to her chest.
“It was all very sudden.”
Lana is still in the dark about my debts and the dangers that lurk because of it. Now that she knows I’m marrying Victor, she needs to know the real reason, so I fill her in on everything.
Tears fill her brown eyes. “You’ve been going through all of this on your own?”
My shoulders feel a little less heavy now that I’m telling more of my loved ones everything. “Yes, well, until recently when Harmony snooped around and figured it out. But you don’t have to worry. I’ll have the entire sum they’re demanding before the time is up.”
I lower myself beside Lana, and she puts her head on my shoulder. We’ve been through so much together that just being close helps. A scream from the horrible movie I was watching shatters the silence, and we both chuckle.
“I can’t believe I’m the last one to find all of this out.”
“Well, I technically never told Harmony. And she has a big mouth because she told both Elias and Victor.” I sigh, letting it drag out. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole town knew after the fundraiser she threw for me.”
Her eyes widen. “That was for you?”
I nod but don’t say anything else. What else is there to say? My sister had good intentions, but now everyone could be in danger because of me.
“Promise me we’ll still see each other.”
“Of course.” I wrap both of my arms around her shoulders. “I can’t stay away from my BFF.”
“Good.” She leans in and waggles her eyebrows. “Now, tell me, how often are you going to get laid?”
Ughh. I pull away and say, “It’s always about the sex for you.”
She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Girl, you are about the marry the hottest billionaire ever. Of course it’s about the sex for me.”
We have to find a way to get this woman laid or else she won’t stop asking about my non-existent sex life. “There won’t be anything like that happening between us.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “I bet you won’t make it a month without some shenanigans happening.”
“Yeah?” This will be the easiest win ever. “What do I get when I win?”
She taps her chin. “I’ll let you pick out an outfit at my shop for free.”
I rear back. “But I thought sales were down?”
She shrugs. “That’s how much confidence I have that you will crack before then. And if I win, which I will, you tell me every single detail of what happened.”
“Deal.”
She reaches for my remote and changes the streaming service from what I originally had on. “Now, let’s watch my favorite movie.”
I groan. Not Mean Girls again.