I’d felt out of place since the auction but standing in Fletcher Hines's house—mansion—was something out of a storybook.

The floors sparkled as if someone continuously cleaned them every hour on the hour and wealth dripped from every square inch. I couldn’t fathom living here.

It wasn’t cozy like my apartment. It felt too perfect to touch.

Fletcher’s heavy brows furrowed over his dark eyes as I stepped toward his father’s desk, close to his lawyer. Fletcher’s gaze made my stomach twist into deep-rooted knots.

He folded his hands in front of him, keeping a respectable distance even though I needed the support. I was signing my life away. The nonchalance of this wedding had me on edge. Part of me wanted an actual wedding. Something to show my future kids one day. 

Not this transaction that felt no  more important than going to the grocery store. 

Two thousand dollars for this dress t

I knew deep down it was not right to leave Ava alone today. However, I couldn’t think of one thing to say to the woman I just married. She’d been so nervous during the ceremony. Her gaze was shifty and the preacher had to repeat himself. Did she even hear what we agreed to back there?
Then to leave her alone in my house without so much as a goodbye?
I was the epitome of a complete dickhead.
Parking in front of the restaurant on Central, I got out and walked toward the door to unlock it. We didn’t open the doors until 10, but the back doors were unlocked because the cooks arrived early to prep the kitchen. Their chatter stopped when they heard the door open. Tony poked his head around the corner to see who arrived.
"Good morning, Boss!" Tony shouted from the kitchen window.
"Good morning," I said, turning to walk down the hallway.
I halted when I turned.  The office door was cracked open 

Ava stepped out of her back hallway with a duffle over her shoulder and a rolling suitcase behind her.

She still wore the clothes from the night before but at this point, I did not care. We needed to be at my house to meet my lawyer ten minutes ago. I never anticipated 
Ava not to call me with an acceptance immediately.

This was a financial opportunity of a lifetime for a woman like her. After seeing this apartment, I understood her need for money and why she took her sister's offer to step in at the auction.

She started toward me and her suitcase thumped against the tile due to a broken wheel. I reached over, grabbed the handle, and walked toward the door. She stopped in the doorway and glanced back at her apartment.

It was odd to see her look sad at losing this; however, it was her home. No matter what it looked like, it was her haven.

I cleared my throat. “Come on, we don't have time to lollygag. I’ll have someone come by and gather your things. We’ll speak to your landlord another day.”
Grabbing the handle, I closed the door and it pushed her out onto the entrance of her apartment. She gave me a heated look but I did not give her time to argue before walking toward my car.

It looked oddly out of place in the parking lot with one busted streetlight and another on its last leg. Not to mention the beat-up moped and vehicles that had seen better days. The alarm beeped as I unlocked the doors and opened the passenger side for her.

She slid into the warm leather and watched as I grabbed her luggage. I shoved it into the trunk swiftly and walked around to the driver's side. Her legs were bouncing against the seat as I climbed in and started the engine.

The silence between us felt tight like a stretched rubber band as I pulled into traffic. I could not think of one single thing to say to the woman I was about to marry.

She kept her gaze pointed out the window as I weaved through traffic. My fingertips tightened around the steering wheel the longer we went without a word.

“Who was the woman leaving your apartment this morning?”

“Jamie. I work with her at the restaurant. She's my best friend."

I couldn't imagine why her sister wouldn't be her best friend but they seemed to live different lives. “You can’t work at that restaurant anymore.”

She looked at me. “Why? Because it’s beneath you?”

“No,” I said, my tone icy. “Because being married to a man affiliated with the mafia draws enemies. You’ll need to be somewhere with a bodyguard. I doubt they’ll allow him to hover over you in the restaurant.” 

Her eyes widened in shock before she turned her attention back to the window. It was evident she didn’t realize everything that came along with becoming my wife. She would shortly. 

Her cell phone began to buzz in her palm, and she looked down at her sister’s name across the screen.

I could see the regret and fear traveling over her features. She obviously hadn’t told Charlotte the truth about the date, which I didn’t blame her. It would suck to tell her the truth at this point. She'd missed out on an arranged marriage with the man she spent ten thousand dollars to date.

We made it to my house in record time. The gate was open and three cars were parked in the driveway. My lawyer, my father, and my brother were all on time.
I couldn’t be mad at her, because I assumed she’d get up this morning and call me. It wasn’t her fault I didn’t give her a time frame.

She sat up suddenly on the edge of her seat and stared at the house. Her mouth opened slightly and I heard her gasp lightly.

Her fingertips tightened around the edge of her seat as I parked and looked over at her. “This is going to be quick,” I said. “There is a white dress waiting for you in the bathroom by the entrance. You’ll put it on while I have my lawyer make the necessary changes. Then we’ll sign the marriage license, take a picture for proof and be finished.”

She nodded, though her face turned white and she looked like she might vomit at any moment. I got out and adjusted the cuffs of my sleeves as she followed me up the steps and into the front door.

Ava stalled at the entrance and looked around for several moments. I cleared my throat and nodded toward the bathroom. “The dress is hanging on the back of the door. I’ll be down that hallway,” I gestured toward my left, “Second door on the right when you’re finished. Make it quick.”

I left her gawking at the marble. My lawyer, David, sat in my office with my father and 
brother when I walked inside.

“Dear God,” Dad said in a rush of breath. “Took long enough, didn’t it?”

I gave him a look and handed the contract to David. “Make these changes. We’re signing after she dresses.”

Dad rubbed his forehead and leaned back against the leather couch, while David pulled out his laptop and began making the changes.

Levi stepped in my sight of Father and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You’re getting married today and you don’t look too happy about it," he teased.

“Don’t start with me this early in the morning, Levi.”

He chuckled and adjusted his gold chain around his neck. “Is she hot? Maybe you're down to share? Are you going to enjoy this marriage?”

“Stop pestering him,” Father shouted. “He’s doing it and that’s that.”

Levi walked over to lean against the wall. David printed a new copy of the contract from my printer and handed it over.

He took off his glasses and perched them in his salt-and-pepper hair. “Now, we just need the signature. She likes to paint, I take it?”

I gave him a crisp nod. From the artwork in her hallway, I would say she was good at it, too. It wouldn’t be a wasted hobby for her in the least.

“What did she ask for?” Dad asked from the couch.

“I offered her a gallery,” I said, straightening my tie.

At that moment, I would have offered her anything to avoid marrying Heidi Capello. 
The name made me squirm.

Dad nodded slightly as if buying a woman a gallery to get her to marry me was an 
average day conversation.

The light sound of the heels I’d left for her scurried down the hallway. Ava stepped 
into the doorjamb and froze along with me. The dress suited her soft curves. The low 
dip in between her breasts had my heart pounding like a fifteen-year-old boy. The images of undressing her flooded my mind. But that was suited for a normal marriage. One where the bride and groom loved one another, scratch that, knew one another.

She twisted the satin skirt of the dress in her palm as my brother Levi whistled, breaking my awkward gawking.

“Don’t,” I hissed a warning to him and gestured her into the room. “Come, sign here.”

Her gaze skated over every person in the room, and a blush blossomed over her cheeks. David handed her a pen, and she shakily signed her name on the line before sliding the pen over for me.

“I’m Levi,” Levi said behind me.

“Ava Terry,” she said softly.

I straightened and handed David the pen. “There’s that.”

Dad stood up swiftly and stepped over to Ava. “I’m Mr. Hines, Fletcher’s father, but you can call me Henry.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said.

Dad motioned David over with the marriage license. “We took care of everything at the courthouse. Now, we just need you two to sign, and David to notarize it.” 

She let out a harsh breath and tucked her hair behind her ear. When she looked up at me I saw so much fear residing in her features.

I hated to admit how I felt the same fear deep down in my chest. We were binding 
ourselves to one another for life.

This woman was going to be my bride, and I didn’t even know her middle name or birthdate.


I’d felt out of place since the auction but standing in Fletcher Hines's house—mansion—was something out of a storybook.

The floors sparkled as if someone continuously cleaned them every hour on the hour and wealth dripped from every square inch. I couldn’t fathom living here.

It wasn’t cozy like my apartment. It felt too perfect to touch.

Fletcher’s heavy brows furrowed over his dark eyes as I stepped toward his father’s desk, close to his lawyer. Fletcher’s gaze made my stomach twist into deep-rooted knots.

He folded his hands in front of him, keeping a respectable distance even though I needed the support. I was signing my life away. The nonchalance of this wedding had me on edge. Part of me wanted an actual wedding. Something to show my future kids one day. 

Not this transaction that felt no  more important than going to the grocery store. 

Two thousand dollars for this dress that I would probably wear once. According to the 
contract, it would be once. There was

Chapter Seven - Ava