Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Jade
“Wake up.” The now familiar voice snaps me from my sleep. I completely passed out and I don’t remember having a single dream during the entire night.
“No…” I protest, turning my back to the brightness coming from outside after Malachi pulls the dark curtains to the side.
“You need to decide about my offer.”
“What a way to ruin one’s morning,” I roll my eyes, taking the duvet off me and sitting up, my eyes still struggling to adjust to the lighting.
“Good morning to you too.” He’s standing next to the window, leaning on the wooden dresser. “I see you rested well.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I roll my eyes, stretching.
The truth is, Malachi isn’t the worst sight to wake up to.
He’s already dressed and showered, his hair neat and a cloud of sandalwood following him around.
For a brief moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like if I say yes to his proposal and we got married.
But then I remember it would be a fake marriage and I would have to live with this insufferable heat every time he’s anywhere near me.
Sounds like hell.
When I glance up at him, I notice his gaze fall to my bare legs for a second too long. I force myself not to read too much into it, but my heartbeat seems to have moved between my legs and I suddenly find it difficult to sit still.
“Breakfast is ready,” his eyes meet mine, forcing me to look away, scared that he might notice something on my face.
“You cook?” I raise my eyebrow in surprise.
“I manage.” He turns his back to me, heading to the door, before adding. “I got you some clothes, they’re in the second bathroom with the skincare you asked for.”
He is just full of surprises.
I can’t help but wonder if maybe I’m still asleep and dreaming.
“I’ll take a shower and come downstairs.”
“Ugh,” I frown when I see the small table set and a cup of coffee next to both plates.
“What?” He lifts his head after putting the last waffle on a serving plate and carries it to the table, placing it in the middle.
I notice his eyes linger on my oversized shirt and skinny jeans. Not that I would ever admit it to him, but I love the jeans he bought for me. I have no idea how he knew what size to get, but I won’t question it. After everything that happened last night, I’ll take it.
“I actually only drink medium roast coffee with vanilla creamer and syrup,” I sit down, placing a waffle on my plate.
“Did anyone ever tell you you’re difficult?”
“Yeah,” I grin. “Plenty of people. This is delicious!” I say, chewing on my food.
“The best I can do is normal creamer and sugar.” He returns with my new cup of coffee and places it on the table in front of me before circling to the other side of the table and sitting down.
I watch him elegantly take a fork and a knife and start cutting the waffle.
He’s agonizingly good at everything he does.
“Now,” he starts, “we can establish the rules for the marriage.”
“I don’t remember saying yes,” I stop chewing, my eyes meeting his.
“You will,” he says, finishing his food.
“If we were to get fake married,” I begin. “I won’t share a bedroom with you.”
“We already discussed that. Done deal,” Malachi pours a glass of water for himself. “I prefer having my own space.”
“No interference in each other’s private lives, either,” I continue. “I don’t care what you do with your life and you have no say about what I do in mine.”
“Okay,” he nods, smiling. “Next rule.”
“There can’t be any lies concerning my safety,” I find it difficult to believe how easy this is turning out to be, which makes me suspicious. “And no public humiliation.”
“Sounds good. Is that all?” He asks, leaning forward over the table.
“Yes,” I narrow my eyes at him, trying to figure him out. Looking for a tell or anything really on his face, but he has the emotional range of a statue.
“So, with these rules set, you agree to marry me?”
“Yes,” I blurt out a little faster than I intend to.
“I have something to add to the list.” He leans back in the chair. “You cannot be with another man.”
“Doesn’t that clash with my second rule that you already agreed to?”
“No,” he shakes his head slowly. “Your private life is yours. But my wife will not humiliate me, even if the marriage is fake.”
“Does that mean you can sleep around while I’m not allowed to?” My stomach ties into a knot at the thought of being married to Malachi and having him sleep with other women.
“No,” he answers immediately.
“It’s still an unfair rule,” I complain, taking a sip of coffee so I can cover how uneasy the whole sex-with-other-people conversation has made me feel. It’s not like I have any experience to begin with, and for whatever reason I don’t want this man to know how clueless I am.
“You do realize that in our world this is probably the best deal any wife could score?” I know he’s right but I don’t want him to be. I want to have a reason to argue with him, to have something to prove him wrong.
“Fine,” I say. “I need a pen and a few blank pieces of paper.”
He eyes me for a second before moving and then gets up and disappears down the hallway.
I tap my fingers on the coffee cup as I wait for him, and when he finally shows up with a stack of blank papers and an overpriced black pen and hands them to me, I start writing down all of the rules we just discussed, making it a proper contract.
Malachi appears entertained as he watches me do it, but he doesn’t protest.
“There,” When I finish writing down the last rule, I slide the contract to him. “Once we sign this, I’ll agree to marry you.”
“You really wrote a contract?” He starts reading through the rules. Then he takes the pen from me and signs his name on every single page.
“Congrats,” I announce. “You just got yourself a wife.”
“Good.” He gets up from the chair and starts cleaning up the table. “Because we’re meeting your father in an hour.”
“You arranged a meeting with my father before I agreed to your proposal?” All the fun I had earlier crafting the contract and imagining a life with fewer restrictions than the one I’ve had for as long as I remember, vanishes. “That’s low!”
“I knew what you would decide, Jade.”
“I can still back out,” I say. “I haven’t signed anything.”
“But you won’t.”
He’s right, I won’t.