MARRIED MY EX's UNCLE

CHAPTER TWO

I bit my lower lips hard. I could feel my thighs throbbing with just one kiss. My body was acting in ways I had never felt before.

I caught my breathing just before a moan could slip out .

"Before we proceed, you need to understand something. There will be rules."

"Rules?" I snapped back to reality.

"There will be terms for this marriage, they are non-negotiable ones," I heard him say.

I should have walked away then. But desperation had a way of making the impossible seem reasonable.

"I'm listening."

"I had dumped my bride."

I stared at him blankly, trying to make sense of the words. "What?"

"Why would you do that?" The question came out before I could think.

He lifted my jaws with one finger.

"She told me she loved me. This morning, she cried and said she'd never loved anyone the way she loved me."

I frowned, confused. "Isn't that what people want to hear before their wedding?"

"No." He let go of my jaw. "That's exactly why I couldn't marry her."

"I don't understand."

"I can't love anyone, Hailey. And I don't want anyone to love me," he retorted.

I opened my mouth, then closed it. How could someone say something like that so easily?

My chest tightened.

"You cannot fall in love with me," he said clearly. "I'll give you anything you need. I'll treat you well. But don't mistake that for love, because I can't give you that."

This morning I'd believed I was marrying someone who loved me. That had been a lie. Now I stood before a man who was at least honest about what he couldn't offer.

"Think about what you get in return. Revenge on Tom and your step-sister."

Their names made my stomach twist. He was right. Camila had been taking from me since she entered my life. First my father's attention, then my place in the family. And now Tom.

"Imagine their faces when they find out you married me," he said, a slight smile touching his lips. "Imagine Camila realizing that while she was stealing your boyfriend, you married into the family at a higher level."

Don added, softer now, "You can ask for a divorce anytime. I'll make sure you're taken care of. You will be settled with enough money for a lifetime."

"Think carefully, Hailey," Don said gently. The way he called my name with an accent. " Can you accept that?"

I met his eyes. There was something drawing me to him, this feeling was never there when I was with Tom. At least not for the first time like this.

The image of Camila in a wedding dress, walking toward the man I'd spent three years with, flashed through my mind. Going home tonight alone while they celebrated, I couldn't bear it.

"I accept."

The words came out steady. Maybe I'd regret this later. But right now, becoming Mrs. Don De Santis felt like the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

The door soon opened. A priest appeared with a registry book. This was an unusual wedding, no guests, just two people and his guard.

Everything happened quickly. The priest asked the traditional questions,

When he asked Don if he would take me as his wife, Don said, "I do," without hesitation.

Then the priest turned to me. "And do you, Hailey Monroe, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?"

This was my last chance to walk away. To not bind myself to a man who'd just told me he couldn't love me.

"I do." I said.

Don pulled a ring from his pocket. It had diamonds that sparkled. He took my hand and slid it onto my finger. It fit perfectly, almost as if it was made for me. I put a ring on his finger. Our eyes meet for a split second.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said. "You may kiss the bride."

My heart hammered as Don stepped closer. His hand cupped the back of my neck.

He leaned in close, his breath against my ear. "Since we're married, it's only right for me to perform my duties as your husband."

Heat rushed through me. "I understand," I managed to whisper.

Then his mouth was on mine.

The kiss was nothing like Tom's kisses. The intensity made my knees weak, it sent electricity down my spine.

When he pulled away, I couldn't breathe. My lips tingled, and I felt unsteady, like the world had tilted.

I touched my lips, still processing all of this. Then I looked at the ring on my finger,

"Mrs. Lorenzo," he said softly.

We signed the marriage documents. I'm officially the wife of my ex-uncle. I found it hard

To believe. Will I ever wake up from this?

Yet, I didn't want any of it to be a dream.