Chapter 7

Jasper's words hit the marble floor like heavy stones. I want you.

Krista's heart stuttered in her chest. She quickly lowered her eyelashes, breaking eye contact to escape the suffocating heat in his gaze. She desperately needed to regain control of the negotiation.

"Since you don't care about my reputation, let's discuss the actual boundaries of this arrangement," Krista said, forcing her voice to remain flat.

Jasper leaned back against the leather armchair. He looked completely relaxed, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "I'm listening."

"First, I require complete financial and professional independence during this marriage." Krista curled her fingers into tight fists in her lap. "I will not be a canary kept in a cage."

Jasper nodded once, not hesitating for a second. "Agreed. You have full access to Stone Group resources, and I will never interfere with your career."

"Second," Krista took a deep breath, "aside from public appearances where we must play the happy couple, we do not interfere in each other's private lives. We sleep in separate bedrooms."

The temperature in the room plummeted. The amusement vanished from Jasper's eyes, replaced by a terrifying, icy rage.

He lunged forward, his massive frame casting a dark shadow over her.

"Do not interfere in each other's private lives?" he repeated, his voice a lethal whisper.

He stared at her, his eyes cutting into her soul. "Ms. Cain, did you misunderstand the definition of the word 'wife'?"

"I am not marrying you to put a pretty vase in my house. And I am certainly not marrying you to give you the freedom to see other men."

Krista shrank back, terrified by his sudden explosion of anger. "I-I didn't mean that! I just meant we need personal space-"

"No." Jasper cut her off, his tone leaving zero room for argument.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a heavy Montblanc fountain pen. He grabbed the prenup off the table and quickly slashed a line of text across the bottom of the page.

He shoved the paper back toward her, tapping the fresh ink with his long finger.

"This is my added clause. We live together. You sleep in my master bedroom."

Krista stared at the bold, aggressive handwriting. Her face flushed a deep, angry red.

"The master bedroom? That violates every rule of a standard business marriage! We can sleep in separate rooms!" she protested, her voice rising.

Jasper let out a dark, mocking laugh. His eyes slowly dragged down her body, lingering on the curve of her chest before meeting her eyes again.

"Standard? In the Stone family, I set the standard," he said, his arrogance absolute.

"Besides," he added, his voice dropping into a wicked drawl, "after how 'enthusiastic' you were last night, playing the conservative virgin now is a little too late, don't you think?"

Krista choked. Her face burned so hot she felt dizzy. She bit her lower lip hard, completely unable to find a comeback to the undeniable truth of last night.

"Relax," Jasper said, throwing her a poisoned lifeline. "As long as you don't throw yourself at me like you did yesterday, I won't force myself on you."

Krista took three shaky breaths. She weighed her options. She had no money, no home, and the Cain family was hunting her. Sleeping in his bed was the price of survival.

"Fine. I agree," she ground out through clenched teeth.

A flash of dark victory crossed Jasper's eyes. He handed her the pen. "Then sign it."

Krista snatched the pen. The metal nib scratched loudly against the thick paper as she signed her name next to the new clause.

Jasper took the contract back, staring at their names side by side. He looked like a predator who had just locked the cage on his favorite prey.

He stood up, towering over her. "Since the contract is settled. Go change your clothes."