Chapter 9
925 Words
Rhyder Vale didn’t hesitate.
The moment the words Tell me more left Leona’s lips, he sat up fully, the sheets slipping lower on his waist, revealing more of his toned torso. He was still frustratingly at ease, as if this conversation was just another business deal.
Because for him, it probably was.
Leona, on the other hand, was doing everything in her power not to stare. Not at the way his muscles flexed when he shifted. Not at the sharp angles of his collarbone. Not at the way his dark eyes pinned her in place like he already knewshe was going to say yes.
Arrogant bastard.
She cleared her throat, gripping the sheets tighter around herself. “I’m listening.”
Rhyder smirked, as if he could hear the very loud what the hell am I doing playing in her head.
Then, casually, like he wasn’t suggesting the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard, he said, “I need a girlfriend.”
Leona stared. “You need a girlfriend?”
He nodded. “Just temporarily.”
She exhaled sharply. “Rhyder, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not exactly in the best place for a relationship right now. You know, what with walking in on my boyfriend cheating on me last night.”
Rhyder’s smirk didn’t falter. “Perfect. Then you understand the value of a relationship that’s strictly transactional.”
Leona scoffed. “A fake relationship?”
He tilted his head. “A mutually beneficial arrangement.”
She blinked at him. “You say that like it’s a perfectly normal thing to propose to a woman you just slept with.”
Rhyder’s gaze darkened slightly. “Maybe it’s because I already know you’ll say yes.”
Leona sucked in a sharp breath. “Excuse me?”
He shrugged, stretching his arms behind his head like they weren’t having a conversation that should have ended ten minutes ago. “You wouldn’t have asked me to tell you more if you weren’t already considering it.”
Damn him.
She hated that he was right.
But still, she wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
Leona narrowed her eyes. “And why, exactly, do you need a fake girlfriend?”
Rhyder sighed, finally looking somewhat serious. He reached for the glass of water on his nightstand, taking a slow sip before answering.
“My grandmother,” he said simply.
Leona blinked. “What about her?”
“She’s convinced I need to settle down,” he said, swirling the water in his glass. “She’s the only family I have left, and she’s made it her mission to see me in a committed relationship before the end of the year.”
Leona’s brows shot up. “So instead of just dating someone like a normal person, you decided to hire a girlfriend?”
He smirked. “Normal is boring.”
Leona let out a laugh, shaking her head. “You are insane.”
Rhyder didn’t deny it.
Instead, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze locking onto hers.
“You need a fresh start,” he said. “And I need a woman who can play the role without getting messy.” He gestured between them. “Last night proved we have chemistry. The world is already talking about us after that kiss at the gala. If we make this look real, everyone—including my grandmother—will believe it.”
Leona swallowed.
It was insane.
Utterly, completely insane.
But also…
Not the worst idea in the world.
She did need the money.
Claire’s medical bills weren’t going to pay themselves, and with how expensive treatment had become, she was barely keeping up.
A contract relationship with a billionaire?
That could solve a lot of problems.
And, more importantly—
It would keep her from falling back into Ian’s orbit.
She inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself.
“What’s in it for me?” she asked.
Rhyder’s smirk was wicked. “I was wondering when you’d ask.”
He reached for his phone on the nightstand, tapped a few buttons, then turned the screen toward her.
A contract.
And at the bottom, a number so staggeringly high that Leona actually choked.
“You’re joking.”
Rhyder arched a brow. “I don’t joke about business.”
Leona gawked at him. “That’s an absurd amount of money.”
He smirked. “It’s pocket change for me.”
Of course it was.
Leona exhaled slowly, her mind racing.
She could walk away. Pretend last night never happened. Go back to her life, her work, her responsibilities.
Or…
She could say yes.
And step into something that might be even more dangerous than sleeping with Rhyder Vale.
She glanced at him, her heart still hammering. “And what exactly do you expect from me?”
His smirk faded slightly. “Three months.”
“Three months?”
“I need you to be my girlfriend for three months,” he said. “Exclusive. Public appearances. Family dinners. The works.”
Leona raised a brow. “And in private?”
Rhyder tilted his head, his gaze dropping slightly to her lips. “That’s up to you.”
Something in her stomach tightened.
God help her.
She was actually considering this.
Leona ran a hand through her hair, exhaling sharply. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but…”
She looked him straight in the eye.
“I need a pen.”
Rhyder’s smirk returned, slow and victorious.
“Smart choice, Ms. Everhart.”
- Writer
