Chapter 3 The Arrangement

~Angela Pov~

Gary's brows furrowed as he stared at me, his shock evident. For a moment, he didn't say anything, just blinked at me like I'd spoken in an alien language.

"Wait," he said, holding up a hand. "You want me to do what?"

Be my fake fiancé, I repeated steadfastly, stared at him. "It is a simple arrangement, just playing the fiancés until all this media and daddy mess blows over; then we 'break up, and you get on with your life. That is it. A win-win situation." He gave a short laugh that was more incredulous than amused, and he shook his head. "No way. This is insane."

"Insane?" I crossed my arms over my chest, cocking an eyebrow. "What's insane is getting woken up by a bunch of paparazzi bursting into your room. What's insane is having your father breathe down your neck, ready to take it all away from the things I worked for, that is. This ain't a game for me, Gary, it is survival."

Gary wriggled in his chair, refusing to meet my eyes. "I think that you are in trouble of one sort or another, but I do not see how this would pertain to me. I don't know you well at all."

"You did not appear to have a problem with it this morning," I growled.

He colored pink as he squared his throat. "Look, Angela-"

"Miss Castle," I snapped sharply.

He let the breath hiss out of his lungs, his tone gentled: "Miss Castle, I'm sorry all this had to happen, but it's just not that kind of man. I keep my head down, live my life, and don't pose as any woman's fiancé for anything in this world."

I leaned forward, my green eyes boring into his. "Gary, this isn't a request. It's an offer. And it's not something I'm used to hearing no to."

He blinked again, caught between admiration and annoyance. "And what makes you think I'd agree to this 'offer' of yours?"

"Because I'm willing to pay."

That got his attention. His head tilted slightly, his gaze narrowing. "Pay?

"Yeah," I promised. "I'll make it worth your time. You will get enough money to take a vacation, pay bills, or whatever you feel you need. You won't leave empty-handed."

He frowned, eyes cynical. "How much?"

I could feel his resolve weakening, and I leaned in harder. "Enough to make it worth your time," I replied vaguely. "But you'll have to agree first before we talk numbers."

Gary leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck, and I could tell he was nervous yet intrigued by pursing his lips and darting his eyes around the room as if searching for an escape that wasn't there.

"You don't have much of a choice here," I added, lowering my voice. "If I wanted to, I could have made your life very, very uncomfortable."

His eyes jerked back to mine, a flash of defiance crossing his eyes briefly before fleeing altogether. Finally, he let out a deep sigh; shoulders caving he settled toward his knees in defeat. "Alright. I'll do this. But I am going through with this only because I need the money."

The small triumphant smile slipped through. "Great. Let's go."

"What? Now?" his voice was shocked.

"Yes, now," I said, raising and smoothing my dress. "My father doesn't wait for anyone, nor do I."

*The Mansion of the Castle*

I said nothing as the sleek black car whipped through traffic headed for my dad's estate. The tension was suffocating. Gary rode rod straight beside me, his fingers beating out a spastic rhythm on his knee. I gave him no comfort. It was good he was getting scared because that was only step one into what he'd gotten himself into.

But as a whole, in and of itself, the sprawling grounds surrounding this mansion, clean garden, high gates forming a fence far away, the house was a white marble-walled high-towering piece of architecture supported with columns and carvings that seemed to whisper to all who would listen about all of the money and power that one could ever want to have.

Gary whistled low as we drove up the long driveway. "This is-wow, impressive."

"It's intimidating," I corrected, my tone curt.

The car pulled to a stop and a butler opened the door for us. I stepped out first, heels clattering noisily on the stone steps to warn all, I was coming. Gary followed more slowly, his gaze darting to this and that like some lost child in a kind of museum.

If that was not enough, then more awaited inside, high ceilings with crystal chandeliers glistening, shining marble floors, and walls lined with artworks of value. It was one of those places where it didn't matter who you were, you just felt small.

The butler led us to my father's study, a great room with leather-bound books, reeking of cigar smoke. My father sat behind that enormous oak desk, commanding the room; his hair slicked back gray, gray eyes like pincers when they landed on us.

"Angela," he said in a firm voice. "And this must be your... fiancé."

Gary swallowed but nodded. "Yes, sir."

Father looked at him and then looked him over like some specimen under a glass microscope. "What is your name, boy?"

"Gary Preston," he replied, firm, but lowly.

"Gary," my father tried the name out. He leaned back in his chair, expressionless. "Tell me, Gary, what do you do for a living?"

Gary looked taken aback; he looked at me to bail him out, but I did nothing. This was his test to pass.

"I'm, uh...between jobs at the moment," he stammered.

My father's eyebrow arched and his lips twisted wryly into that mild condemning smile of his. "I see. And how did you exactly meet my daughter?"

Gary had begun to speak and I cut him off deftly. "It's unimportant, Father. It matters not, because it brought us together, both in love and happiness."

My father's glance cut to me glass-sharp. "Happy, are you? Then you wouldn't mind me making an announcement to the world about your engagement. It'll be a formal announcement to clear up misunderstandings about your behavior."

I tensed up. "That's not necessary. We can handle it ourselves."

"Nonsense," he said, flicking his wrist. "The media needs to see that everything is well under control, and tonight, the engagement will be announced, followed by the wedding shortly after."

"Wedding?" My voice rose a little, my composure cracking. "You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious," he said, leaving no room for argument in his tone. "You'll be married within the month."

I dug my nails into my palms, my fists clenched. "Father, this is not your decision to make. Gary and I will decide when or if we get married."

His eyes hardened, his voice falling to that low dangerous level. "If you want to stay CEO, you will do what I say."

The unspoken emotion in the room hung like lead. Gary shifted uncomfortably beside me, all that earlier bravado gone. I turned to him and watched as tension set in his jaw, the nervous fidgeting of his hands in his lap.

Finally, the fight was drained out of me, and I exhaled. "Fine," I said through gritted teeth. "We'll do it your way."

*Back at Gary's Apartment*

The ride back to Gary's place was about as quiet as it had been to my father's house. I leaned my head against the window and listened to my mind go on and on. How could my life have gotten so out of control?

Once we were at his apartment, Gary let us into his modest place. It was a far cry from Castle Mansion, but the place was clean and decent.

"So," he said finally, the silence broken. "This wasn't part of the deal."

I turned to him, my patience wearing thin. "What are you talking about?"

"The wedding," he said, his voice firm. You said I'd be your fake fiancé, not your husband. This changes everything.

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "What do you want then?"