Chapter 5
Mia
Killian’s words are a genuine shock to me.
“What?” I finally manage to choke out. “No. No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are,” he snaps. “I have proof that you robbed me. You have no idea who my father is, and I can make sure that you spend time in jail if you don’t agree to this.”
I feel like I’m going to be sick. The room is spinning again, and I stare at Killian incredulously.
“Please, don’t,” I whisper. “I told you, I’ll pay you back-"
“This is how you’re going to pay me back,” he cuts me off. “I need a wife. Trust me, I don’t fucking want one. But I don’t have a choice, and I need to appease my family. And you’re going to help me.”
“Why me?” I ask, blinking back tears.
“Because you owe me,” he retorts.
“Dude…” Hayden shakes his head, his voice trailing off.
“You know this could work,” Killian says to Hayden, and to my dismay, Hayden nods in agreement.
“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head. I look at Hayden pleadingly. “This is wrong!”
“You did rob him,” he says with a shrug. “And you broke his heart-"
“Enough,” Killian growls, glaring at him.
I broke Killian’s heart? I find that very hard to believe.
Killian looks back at me. “This is beneficial for you, too.”
“How?” I snap, and he grins.
“Well for starters, you won’t be in jail,” he reminds me, which makes my stomach flip again. “And you’ve clearly made enemies, Mia. Once you’re with me, you’ll be under my protection. No one can touch you.”
“You can still hurt me,” I point out, and he laughs loudly.
“The only type of pain I’d cause you is the kind that you crave, Kitten,” he says, and a blush creeps across my cheeks at his words.
I have to avert my gaze, embarrassed.
“You’re going back to Rosebrook Falls?” Hayden asks. “What about King’s?”
“I already talked to Mason,” Killian informs him. “He knows I need some time off to get shit sorted. He told me I’m welcome back at any time.”
Hayden nods. “And this will help Jeremy-"
“Don’t,” Killian interrupts him, and Hayden shrugs apologetically.
“Sorry,” he mumbles.
I wonder who Jeremy is, and what that means. I don’t have time to think it through, though, because Killian is looking down at me again.
“What do you say, Mia?” he asks, smirking at me. “Jail time? Or are you going to be my wife?”
I can’t go to jail. I already know what my answer is, but I don’t want to give in to Killian that easily.
Maybe if I agree to this, I can gain his trust again and run. That’s not a bad idea. He won’t be able to keep me cuffed to him 24/7, especially if he needs his family to believe that I’m his fiancée.
This could work. I could be free. And in the meantime, I’d be safe from Angelo.
Unless he found us. He’d be livid if he saw me back with Killian again. And as angry as I am with Killian now, I don’t want to risk putting him in any more danger.
“I have enemies that would kill you,” I say quietly, and he chuckles.
“I’m not afraid of your enemies,” he replies.
“Then that’s just stupid,” I snap. “You should be.”
“No, Kitten,” he says, shaking his head. “They should be afraid of me. And what will happen to them if they even try to touch you.”
His words cause a lump to form in my throat.
Does he care about me?
No, I think. Of course he doesn’t. He needs me for something; that’s all this is.
“Tick tock, Mia,” Killian says now. “What’s it going to be?”
Fuck. I mean, did I ever even have a choice?
“I’ll do it,” I reply, and he grins at me.
“Good answer.”