Chapter Eleven

                                    

                                          
Chapter Eleven
Wade
Two hours.
I waited for two dreadful hours before the car finally arrived.
My cursor flies all over my screen as I rush to close the tabs on my laptop before clearing my table. Remi informed me through the intercom that Megan had already checked in at the receptionist downstairs. Anticipation bubbles inside me. I'm not sure how I expect this to go, but I'm going to make sure that we'll both be happy with the arrangement.
A light knock echoes on the door before it slides open slowly. For a measly moment, my lungs seem to forget how to pump oxygen.
She's as beautiful as I remembered. Her loose, knee-length peach dress and flats didn't reveal much skin. But it's enough to drive me to the point of insanity. She's so soft and fragile without the heavy eye makeup and bold lipstick. I wonder how she will look when all her walls and barricades completely vanish once she's finally in my arms.
"You look stunning, Ms. Carmichael," I say, gesturing for her to sit down. One of her eyebrows rises in surprise. "Did you sleep well?"
"I thought we were past the point of modest flirting. Can we get to the point please?"
My mouth twists in a playful grin. She's feisty, huh?  "Oh, you don't like pleasantries either? Looks like we have a lot more in common than I thought." She lets out a small laugh, her guarded countenance loosening. "Humor me. How are you?"
Her back leans against the seat, getting comfortable, but the way she bites her lip tells me a different story. She's anxious. I still want to fish for information before I get to business though, so I'm not letting her off the hook just yet. I'm not one to go to war without a sword. That's naive. "I'm doing fine. Busy to make a living. You know, the usual. There's really nothing special."
"How about Harris? Is he still bothering you?"
Megan is unperturbed by my question, though her forehead creases in a frown. "I think... that's none of your business, Mr. Simon."
"Wade, please." There's another place where you can call me that. "Also, that's fair. But sorry for being forward, but are you dating anyone?"
"No... but why are you asking me these things?"
She's confused now. Her shoulders straightening, protecting herself, as if she's sensing my ulterior motives. I place my elbows on the table after I gesture to the only papers in it, my hands clasped together. "I have a deal I'd like to propose to you, but I want to know if you're taken or if anything is going on between you and Harris. You were uncomfortable when he showed up, is there any history between the two of you?"
The frown in her brows deepens the more she listens to my words. She eyes the papers suspiciously. "I'm more uncomfortable divulging information about my personal life so suddenly, Mr. Simon. What kind of deal are you proposing?"
The clear boundary she drew doesn't miss me when she utters my name. I look into her eyes, afraid to miss any unspoken words in them. "Something that will free you from his unwanted attention and help you forget your ex for a while."
Megan levels my stare, a challenge. She leans closer. "You're getting weird. I'm not even going to ask how you knew that I have an ex I haven't forgotten about. Instead, I'd like to know more about the proposal."
I can see her struggle as she looks at me. The extra tilt of her head. Her gaze that jumps to the papers every now and then. The subtle purse of her lips like she wants to say more. And the way her hands clenched in front of her. I press some more. "Tell me about the feud between you and Harris then I'll lay it out for you."
A glare, then she sags against the chair. Crossing her arms, her jaw tightens. "It's quite simple. He's been trying to insert himself in my life ever since I moved out. He treated me like a handicap... like I can't handle myself outside my parent's domain. Obsessed freak. Suffice to say, he ruined so many things for me than really helped."
The story is subtle. But it still surprises me anyway. I want to know more. I want to know how far he'd gotten to her, how much he affected her life, and how long this has been going on. Did she ever manage to put her foot down?  Daniel had a lot to say in the matter, but the details were scarce, like he was protecting something. Isabella.
I push the documents closer to her. I'll have a lot of time getting to know her when she agrees. "Open it."
She unfastens the ties securing the folder and pulls out the files. My fingers drum on the table as I wait for her to read through everything.
I watch her eyes bulge with each contract she reads. Her back turning stiffer, her grip on the paper going tighter. "Are you kidding me?" she asks, her face turning pink.
I control my expression as she struggles to take in what exactly I'm proposing.
"No," I say calmly. The last thing I want is to scare her away, but alarm bells pick up the more she gets frantic. Disbelief sketched on her face. "Deep breaths, Megan. Let's discuss first—"
"No! These papers are basically asking me to give control of my life to you for a year!" Her stare at me is fierce, daring me to contradict her words. But I remain silent. She's not wrong, anyway. "And this kink, you want me to participate in that kink of yours? What did you even see in me? I don't think my moral standards can take this."
"I was taken by you when I first saw you at that party." Not exactly a lie. "Your timing is quite fitting you know, since I also needed a bride. At least for a year. I felt you're her."
She releases a hesitant chuckle. "Everything about this is crazy, no offense. What would I gain from this?"
I smirk. Something tells me that I'm losing her and it's mere curiosity at this point. I can't have that. While I didn't want to bring this up, the urgency of this matter gives me no choice. It's either this, or I'm going to lose.
"Do you really wanna know?"
"Know what?"
"Your organization is collapsing." I saw the moment my words register in her. "YPCA is pulling out of New York because of insufficient funds—"
Megan cuts me off with a patronizing scoff. "That's not true. We just brought in new kids, why would the director do that if we didn't have enough funds?"
"It's a band-aid solution. The more kids she brings in, the more funds they will receive from the government. But bringing in kids means more expenses too. It's only a matter of months until they will lay off employees since they won't be able to afford them anymore. Then only weeks until they'll be begging for donations. I'm sure you can fill in what's going to happen next."
She shifts uncomfortably. Her anger dissipating into worry. "Then what do you want me to do? Whore myself to you so you'll fund us?"
"Oh, no." She can ask her parents, they have enough connections, but her pride will not be able to handle it. I need my words to do their job. "But it will be one of the many perks as my wife. Money, connections, and pleasure will be on me. Freedom from Bryan, payback to your ex, the future of those children and continuing to do what you love in the place you love. The list can still be extended. You won't have to worry about anything."
The tension in her shoulders disappears as I watch her think it through. I continue, not wanting to lose the momentum.
"Now that we get that out of the way, why don't you review everything, and then we'll discuss this again in three days? Thoroughly, Megan. In that way, you'll have time to analyze and figure out that you're not going to lose anything here."
She starts shaking her head, clearing the fog she's in. But I interrupt her, refusing to accept defeat. I'll be damned if I let her slip my finger.
"Let's meet for dinner in three days."