Chapter 3 Pretend

MELANIE

He was dangerous, there was no doubt about that. I frowned and looked at his clothes. Wasn't he hurt? How could he look so well?

No, he was a little pale. As soon as he got closer, I could tell.

"I said you should be ready by nine, but something in me told me you would be a rebel. So I asked my men to go looking for you. And you refused to obey me."

I struggled in the chair, which was one of those you see in beauty salons.

"You... let go of me! I want to go home, now!"

He placed his hand on the chair and looked at me. The amber eyes looked like pure liquid gold.

"I'm going to let you go, but you're going to be good and listen to me, okay?"

"Okay," I replied, but I had no intention of being nice at all! He started to untie me and I looked at the door, but he held my arms. Not much strength, but enough so that I couldn't escape.

"There's a party going on right now. I need you to be my date. It's a favor. One more. I know I owe you,"

"At least you have that awareness, right?" I sighed. "I'm not going to run. You can unhand me."

He did so, but he didn't move away.

"And why do you want me to be your date at this party?" I asked, rubbing my wrists. "It must be very important to ask a favor to a complete stranger... No, no. To kidnap a stranger!"

He stood up straighter and put his hands in his pockets, without taking his eyes off me.

"Yes, it is important. I was attacked and almost killed. If it weren't for you. I want you to stay close to me, because it's the best way I can protect you."

"Protect me? Being close to you is dangerous, so I should stay as far away as possible!"

I get up and look around, with no sign of my belongings. I needed my phone!

"Look, with all due respect, I don't want to get involved in whatever it is you're tangled up in. Good luck to you and excuse me. Ah... where are my clothes? Well, I'm going home with this dress and you can come by and pick it up tomorrow. I'll leave it at the reception."

I tried to pass by him, but the man got in front of me. I went to the side and he also moved. I looked into his face and it was obvious he was finding our little 'dance' amusing. I pressed my lips into a thin line.

"I'll pay."

"Sorry, what?" I didn't care if I was being rude. I should, though. Come on, the guy kidnapped me!

"I'll pay you. I'm not calling you a luxury escort, before you feel offended. But I will pay you for your time and dedication,"

"Dedication?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yes, because I need you to pretend to be in a romantic relationship with me."

I opened my eyes, and he was looking at me with the biggest cynical face. It wasn't possible that that man needed that kind of trick to be with a woman!

"I'm leaving."

"Wait!" he stood in front of the door. "I'm serious. I'll pay for you... service."

"I'm not going to pretend to be your girlfriend!"

"I didn't talk about being a girlfriend."

I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"And what are we talking about then?"

"I want you to pretend to be my fiancée."

We stared at each other in silence, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, I let out a laugh.

"What a joke! Is this your profession? You are... Ha, ha! Are you a comedian? Got shot for making... a joke with the wrong person?" And I continued to laugh, until I saw his smile dying.

In the next second, I was pressed against the wall, him right in front of me, his arms on the wall, at the sides of my head.

"Do you think I'm a joker, Miss Walton?" he asked in a low, hoarse voice. That proximity turned my brain into a knot, because his perfume invaded my nostrils, I could feel the heat of his body, he was so close. His lips almost touched my ear. "I can make you laugh, for sure. You just need to be behave,"

I didn't even know what to do: whether to close my eyes and let myself be carried away by the sensations, or to act rationally, kicking that man's nuts and running away. My brain told me to choose the second option, however, my body didn't want to obey.

"You and I will go down and greet the guests. You will smile and pretend you love me. As if I were the only being in your entire universe. Then we'll leave and, if you want to stay by my side tonight, we can go up to my room. If not, I'll ask someone to take you home. One way or another, you will be rewarded. And protected. You and your people."

By 'my people' he meant... shit!

I was definitely out of luck! That bastard, if he wasn't from the mafia, was involved in some big trouble and I, of course, had to get into it simply for helping someone!

I swallowed hard. If I said no, I might not even get out of there alive. And what's worse, depending on how crazy that man was, he could actually go after my family. After Spencer!

'He drugged you and kidnapped you. Do you really think he wouldn't hurt other people?', the voice of reason asked inside my head and I ended up letting out an air of frustration.

"Besides, there's that shelter... it's about to close its doors, isn't that right?", the smile on his lips, even though it still made him look handsome, was scary! "You help me and I help you. Whatever you need. But if you refuse my offer, I swear I will make your life difficult and that of anyone who has had contact with you."

Bastard!

"Very well," I said and took a deep breath and lifted my chin. "But don't even think you're going to take advantage of me."

He smirked while his eyes darted to my lips.