Scandalous Arrangement

5.I hate him.

BARBARA

There’s no way in hell I’m going to sleep with that old, annoying, despicable, downright horrendous man. But marrying him would be even worse. And there was no way I was losing my inheritance. That would leave me out on the streets. I had no work experience, no talent, no skills. I hadn’t worked a day in my life. I hadn’t even made it to university. I was really caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

I touched my lips, my eyes fixed on the mirror beside the jacuzzi. My fingers lingered there as my reflection stared back at me. The kiss had been good. Really good. And I’d loved the way his large hands had wrapped around my waist and held me there. The truth was, I’d always wanted a man who could dominate me, who could put me in my place, and Lorenzo was perfect at that. Still, I hated him. He was too rigid. Too judgmental. Too full of himself. And I did not want a man my parents had picked for me. No. No. No.

I sighed and touched my lips once more before shaking my head, as though I could shake the memory of that kiss away.

Damn you, Lorenzo. f**k you.

Then I stood. I couldn’t hide in here forever. It had been almost an hour. Why did I even care if I smelled nice?

Steam trailed behind me as I stepped out of the marble bath. My skin was still damp, faintly scented with rose and vanilla cake. I loved the smell of the soap. The white robe I wore clung loosely to my curves, barely reaching my knees. I pulled it tighter across my chest. It was kind of funny because Lorenzo had seen me in dresses that revealed far more than this. But I was not going to give him any ideas.

Now I had to go out there and face that man. Why me, Lord? I’m still young. I should be at a party. I should be smoking. f*****g hell, I should be passed out with my friends, not this. Lorenzo was in for a ride if he thought marrying me would tame me.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the large bathroom toward the bedroom. My breathing hitched. My legs hesitated.

I can do this.

I can do this.

I have to do this.

The suite was enormous. It had a spacious living area, a massive bed beside floor-to-ceiling windows, a sleek dry kitchen, and even an oversized vanity.

But none of that caught my attention.

My heart skipped.

Lorenzo was sprawled against the velvet headboard on the bed. His eyes were closed, his jaw relaxed, one hand draped lazily over his chest. For a heartbeat, I thought he’d fallen asleep.

I moved closer and nudged him gently with my knee. He didn’t flinch. I was just about to praise the Lord when his eyes snapped open, startling me so badly I stumbled back.

He frowned. “I knew you were about to jump for joy at the prospect of me sleeping, huh? Sorry to disappoint you.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t care whether you sleep or not. If you slept and died right there, it would be even better for me.”

He chuckled, stood, and walked past me without another word.

I stayed frozen as he disappeared into the bathroom. The moment the door closed, I sat on the bed and finally breathed out, texting my friends about everything that had happened.

Rue:No way in hell he asked you to sleep with him.

Selena:That man is nasty.

Jasmine:He’s hot though, ngl. What are you gonna do? If he calls off the engagement himself, then you won’t lose your inheritance.

Rue:This world is so unfair to women.

Me:Tell me about it.

Me:Okay, guys... little confession though. We kissed.

Selena:Wait, what?! Why would you kiss him? He’s fifteen years older than you.

Jasmine:Girl, who cares?

Rue:Did you like it?

Me:Of course not. I hate him.

Jasmine:You sureeeee...?

Just then, the bathroom door opened, and I tossed my phone onto the bed as if I’d been caught cheating in an exam.

Lorenzo didn’t seem to notice as he walked out. Water dripped from his hair, and, God, he looked so hot. A large towel hung low on his hips. His broad chest was dusted with dark hair, his arms thick, his legs solid. God, he was hot. Incredibly masculine.

“I know you like what you see.”

I looked away, silently cursing myself for staring. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

He didn’t even look at me. “Do I look like someone who has to try?”

His voice was maddeningly casual, stripped of flirtation yet full of implication.

He walked over to the vanity with his back to me, picked up a bottle of lotion, and massaged it into his arms with a calmness that made him seem untouchable. I rolled my eyes. Obsessed with skincare, probably. Such a vain man.

Then my attention drifted back to him. The muscles across his back flexed as he worked the lotion into his skin. When he turned around, his eyes were dark, so intense it felt as though he was measuring me the way a storm measures a landscape before it strikes. Tension climbed into my chest.

Then he started toward the bed.

No way he was going to...

I grabbed my phone and stood up. Without hesitation, he lowered himself onto the bed, reclining as though the world owed him obedience. As though he already had me.

“Come here, Barbara,” he said softly, but there was weight behind it, an unmistakable command. “Let’s get this little agreement sealed.”