Chapter 7 Our Loveless Marriage

Gabriella watched as the woman moved to enter the office with Alexander. A pang of jealousy hitting her, even though she could not describe the reason why.

A short while later, the sound of amorous activities danced into the air from the other room and Gabriella felt herself grow angry. She stood up and pounded on the door with her good hand. She could hear a sigh from the opposite side of the door and then a few angry sounding voices muttering at one another before Alexander himself answered the door.

Alexander's hair was an utter mess, and his slacks were down around his butt with the zipper undone. "Did you require something of me?" He asked curtly.

Gabriella nodded. "I would prefer you didn't screw the maid when we are engaged to marry in five days."

Alexander looked puzzled at her words. "I was not under the impression that you minded." He muttered as he quickly pulled up his pants and fastened them. He then turned around to face the maid. "You heard my wife-to-be. You are to leave immediately."

Gabriella felt both relief and disgusted at the same time at his response. But she merely shook her head and went back to the couch to sit down. A few moments later, the maid gave Gabriella a glare as she waited for the elevator. When it finally arrived, the woman stepped onto it, her eyes never leaving Gabriella until the doors closed before her.

A short while later, Alexander joined Gabriella in the living room. He held in his hand tightly a glass of whisky on the rocks. Gabriella looked over at him but said nothing.

"If you are planning to restrict my ability to have activities before our marriage." Alexander said thoughtfully. "Then I must insist that the clause that allows you to do the same during our marriage be taken out of the contract." He said sounding unhappy.

Gabriella thought for a moment about this before nodding. "I believe that our relationship with one another should be exclusive as well." She said with a slight smile. This turn of events pleased her more than she could admit.

Alexander's hand shook slightly, causing the ice in his glass clanking gently. "This was not part of the original agreement." He stated giving her a long cold stare.

"But you will agree to it if you plan to go forward with our agreement." Gabriella said softly. "It would not be good if the public found that you were cheating on your new wife, now would it?"

Alexander blinked slowly and brought his drink to his lips. He took a long drink from his glass before putting the empty glass down on the coffee table. "If you won't honor the agreement as it was presented to you, I will simply find someone else who will." He said sounding angry.

Gabriella shrugged. "If that is what pleases you." She said and she moved to stand up and went to the elevator and pressed the recall button. "I shall leave immediately."

Alexander scrubbed his face with one hand and frowned at Gabriella. "I didn't say that you could leave." He said as he moved to stand between her and the elevator doors.

"I haven't signed your contract yet, and therefore I should be free to leave at my leisure." She said sounding unhappy.

"You entered a verbal agreement already and I have given you every last thing you have requested thus far." Alexander snapped. "Short of falling in love with you, you're getting everything in this deal you could possibly want."

Gabriella snapped around to face away from the man before her. She crossed her arms over her chest tenderly watching out for her swollen wrist. "Maybe this agreement simply isn't what I want out of life." She said.

Alexander's expression turned to one of hurt for the briefest of moments before he quickly regained his composure. He then placed a hand gently on her shoulder and nudged her to turn around to face him. His expression was pleasantly blank when she looked at him over her shoulder.

"You already agreed, and it would take a lot of effort to find someone better suited to the job than you." Alexander explained quietly as the doors to the elevator opened behind them.

You'd be better off with anyone else." Gabriella said as she moved to shove him to the side. Alexander grasped her arm carefully and pulled her into an embrace.

"There is no one else." He said as the lift doors slipped shut. "It has to be you." He said stubbornly.

"You sound manipulative." She snapped angrily.

"You sound like a stubborn child." He snapped back.

Gabriella scowled at him. "I'm no child." She said sounding hurt.

Alexander sighed heavily and wrapped an arm around her middle and tugged her into himself so that they were flush against each other. Gabriella's eyes went wide at the motion, and she peered up into Alexander's face, her face a perfect picture of surprise.

"You're going to marry me." He said as he put his lips to her ear. "Because you already agreed to it. I'll treat you the way you deserve in exchange, and I will promise you that we can fall in love over time." He then pressed a kiss to her neck which caused her to blush deeply. She then placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away.

"I... Um. I don't know what to say." She finally admitted with a frown.

"Just say yes." He muttered softly as his hand at the small of her back pressed her more firmly into him. "I promise I'll care for you for all your life, no matter what. From now on, you will be my one and only."

"Why have you suddenly had a change of heart?" Gabriella demanded sounding confused. "You said this would just be a paper marriage so that you don't have someone else take over your company and you want an heir."

"Gabriella." Alexander said, shaking his head. "I may not love you, but I will act the part even behind closed doors if it will make you stay with me." He said as he brushed a lock of her long blonde hair from her face tenderly.