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Mine’s not included.
CHAPTER 11
LOTTIE
“You aren’t wearing that are you?” Emma says from behind me.
“It’s rock vintage. It is classic.” I stroke my hands down my pants.
“I’m pretty sure your father’s expecting you to wear a dress.”
“For once in my life, I don’t care what he thinks about what I am wearing. The man’s already getting what he wants—me marrying into power and money.” I huff, putting in hoop earrings to finish my look. My hair is up in a high, curled ponytail, my top is sleeveless in black and white, and it hugs every curve around my breasts, while the pants accentuate my ass, and the corset sucks me in perfectly.
“Okay, well, are you at least going to wear that gorgeous ring?”
I look at it. It is gorgeous. It’s exactly what I would have picked if I had a choice. Whiskey couldn’t have known that though. And it makes me angry that, somehow, he managed to pick something I actually like.
Emma picks it up and walks with it over to me. “Put it on. You’ve committed to this for a year. Might as well start that year now. The quicker you do it, the sooner it will all be over with.”
Sliding the ring on my finger, I look at it and hate myself that I love wearing it and like looking down seeing it on my finger. Especially when it wasn’t by choice that it was put there.
“How are you with going into his house the first time?”
“I’m supposed to be there before everyone gets there. Whiskey says it’ll help establish the pretense that we’re a happy couple.” I cringe, happy, yeah that’s the opposite of what this arrangement is making me feel.
Emma looks at the clock, then back to me. “Let’s go. Otherwise, you’re going to be late.”
With a heavy sigh, I go to my own engagement party. One that I didn’t agree to. At a house that I am meant to move into. I’m not sure how much I like the idea of that.
His house is large, but I expected it to be so. It’s probably not smart for me to have my first time here be immediately before our party, because I will have no idea where anything is located, but right now, I don’t care. This was never meant to be a part of my life. I had a one-night stand that has literally fucked me over.
As we get out of the car, Whiskey’s standing at the door waiting, and he’s dressed to impress. And if I weren’t so sour at him, and currently hating on him so badly, I would appreciate the way he looks a little more. Because he looks mighty fine. He’s dressed in that black suede suit with an undershirt that’s black as well. His whiskey-colored eyes stare at me and, somehow, hold me right where I’m standing. Emma nudges me to get walking, and I manage to put one foot in front of the other as I make my way over to him.
“You look beautiful.”
“I know,” is all I manage to say back.
Whiskey’s lip twitches at my words. He smiles softly at Emma, who mutters an asshole under her breath, making me smile.
“Come inside. My house is now your house.”
“Until the divorce,” I say, watching his every move.
He doesn’t reply, just opens the front door for me to walk in. “I see you aren’t in a dress.” His eyes travel my body from my designer shoes then over my designer outfit. “I prefer this.” I see the hint of a smirk, it’s not for him to like.
That grates on my every nerve, and just to spite him, now I wish I were in one of those designer evening gowns I despise so much, but not the one he chose for me, or better yet, the one his assistant chose.
“Luckily for me, I’m not here to impress… you.”
The white-tiled floor clicks under my heels. I stop and look around. Every surface has a vase of white roses. There are servants holding silver trays of food—and champagne. As a waiter passes, he takes a flute, offering it to me. I shake my head, turning away from him. That’s one thing I will never do again, drink around him. Obviously, that leads to serious mistakes.
“You remember Barry.” Whiskey waves a hand to his friend as he walks in and stops in front of me.
Barry nods his head and turns to Emma behind me. “You brought me a treat, how sweet.”
Emma steps forward, and I put my hand out to stop her. Reaching for her, I halt her steps but not her mouth as she unleashes. “I’d watch that tongue of yours, wouldn’t want to lose it now, would we?” She winks and walks off.
Okay, so that wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.
