In His World

IAN

d," Marcus said, sliding i

brother g

he same James that thinks comm

s all." I drained my gla

to do with you

"My father's made a new rule. Whichever son gets married

's in

ell." I pushed my glas

move. "How lon

ours. Well, si

find a wife in si

. The timeline is just

r drink, then one for h

tard knew exactly what he was doing. My father practically salivated. Sai

sday nigh

count,

counter who looked like he'd been sitting there since the nineties. Music p

r plan?" Marcu

why I'm here getting drunk ins

d str

n to sug

nk. "You could try act

don't even like those a

lik

own a bar. That's basic

woman stumbled through, and even from across the room, I could tell she

o get up. "I sho

bly been a neat bun. Mascara smudged. She looked like she'd been crying for hours. For a second, something t

llapsed onto a stool. The old

Her voice cracked.

er. "I think you

h." She put her head on the

d back at me

y die?" Marcu

ank wants it in thirty days or they take the house." She laughed, but it came out strangled. "The house

dark and opportunistic that I should ha

e bar. Sat down next to h

housand?

were red, swollen. "Are you a loan shar

something

s better

clear y

on. She sat up, sway

usand pounds. I could

d at me. "W

n Blac

"The Blackwell family

other t

you pay o

igure out something else. Something that didn't involve tak

uth."I need a

. Once. Twi

u need money. We c

re in

. I'll clear your debt, give you a place to live, pay you a monthly allowance. When

ed laughing. Hysterical, broken

she said. "This

's

even know

s your

le

ld out my han

. At Marcus, who was carefully st

ney?" she as

t? Five thousand a month.

ghteen

es

en we d

an b

t this time it was sh

like

s the

ca

always

k away. But I was desperate, and she was desperate,

d. "We maintain the appearance of a real marriage in publi

t's

t's

ighteen mont

etely

rcus had left on the bar. Poured

erious,"

tely se

arry me. Tonig

es

me? You could marry anyone. Why

out the way she asked, like she genuinely couldn't co

o say yes," I said. "And broken en

itter. "At leas

ry t

watched her. Watched her trying to drink

, words slurring now, "y

nig

t to keep

ep your

e bottle again. Ma

e had enough,"

s." But she didn't fight him for it.

ad my lawyer draft three days ago. Just in case. Just i

said, sliding i

t. The words probably weren't m

it?" sh

ract. Terms an

rms and conditio

busin

d to focus on the pages. Ga

trus

't kno

kno

d at me. And whatever she saw

I sign?"

ed. Signed without reading. Her signature w

," I

ty thousand pounds to the account numb

he pulled it out. S

l," she w

s re

sold m

saved yo

sounded broken

cus had already poured it. She dow

," I

married a stranger for money

alread

runk e

could I do? I'd already destroyed her li

d his throat.

. She was barely

et marrie

tried to focus on m

ract. Now we nee

giggled. "Like

legal

a priest. And flowers." She giggle

ed," I said. "Are

to marry my sister and her husband. Th

you

this is

ne keeps t

lf-closed. "Are we getting mar

etting m

ht n

ht n

giggled. "Th

etween us. "You

said. "But w

ne. But when this implodes

th a certificate and his laptop. Th

aid. "This is the most enter

ct," I

bar. Elena could barely stand. I ha

kay?"

h unfocused eyes. "E

d on a bi

cherish. All the things this marriage would never be

" Marcu

le gold band. I'd bought it years ago. Never used i

, take Elena Hart to be y

nger I was binding myself to. This woman I wa

," I

lena Hart, take Adrian Blackwell t

closed. She was

Marcus

ened slight

Adrian to be

Or tried to. Her e

. "Why not. Already

to say I do,

ds were slurred

ed in me, I now pronoun

ay. I caught her. H

ing out," M

as completely unconscious now. H

n my hand. Then at her

ng onto her f

d out. It fi

ing on your unconscio

now. She shou

s is dark. E

rried to a man she'd met an hour ago. Ring on

ow,"