The Billionaire's Bride
By: Nikki Chase
Prologue
Ali
An icy chill runs through my whole body. I can’t tell if it’s because of the cold marble tiles under my bare feet, or because I’m terrified of what’s waiting for me behind this door—who’s waiting for me.
I pull the door open and find the room already dark and quiet. A figure on the bed stirs—I can hear the sheets rustling.
“Hey, Mrs. Harris,” Zeke greets me. He has been calling me that all day.
Back when I was younger, years and years ago, I would’ve been happy to hear it. But now… Now I’m conflicted.
Back then, there was only love for him.
But now, there are so many different emotions I can’t even hope to name them all. Anger, disappointment, sadness—they’re all there.
And yes, that love is still there, too, despite my best efforts to kill it.
“Stop calling me that,” I say curtly.
“Okay… wifey.” Zeke grins as he flips the blanket open and pats the space on the bed next to him. In that low, seductive tone that I haven’t heard in a long time, he says, “It’s our wedding night. Come join me.”
Electric currents rip through my body, sending goosebumps all over my skin and waking up all my senses. My body longs for him.
Even after all this time, being alone with him in the dark evokes so many memories. So many different emotions.
Lust. Trepidation. Yearning. Fear.
I lie down on the bed and pull the blanket over my body, all the way up to my shoulders. I’m fully aware that Zeke is staring at me, watching my every reaction.
I’m also fully aware of the fact that he’s naked—or almost naked, at least.
The blanket only covers the bottom half of him, and I can see the solid lines of his muscular abs, as well as the tattoos all over his arms.
I wonder if he’s naked underneath the blanket, too.
I can feel my heart jumping in my rib cage. Jesus, it’s so damn loud. Can Zeke hear it too?
“It’s been such a long day, Zeke. Can we just go to sleep?” I ask.
But Zeke puts his hand on the back of my head and shuts me up with a kiss.
God, it feels even better than the one we had this afternoon—the wedding kiss. Now it’s just the two of us in the dark, just like it was when we were young and in love.
My heart can’t help but go back to that place, and soon I stop avoiding him, avoiding this kiss. I forget why I even try.
So I give in. I let myself drown in this kiss. I let myself forget all the ugly things that have happened between us, and focus on the now.
I’ve agreed to have a baby with Zeke, and we’ve even gotten married. I’m halfway there already.
There’s no going back now, so why not go all in?
Be his wife, even if it’s only for one year.
Ali
My new boss is also the man who took my virginity.
Wait, no. That came out wrong, although it’s technically true.
He wasn’t my boss at the time. He was just a boy, and I was just a girl. We talked, we laughed, and we loved. Then things got too complicated and we parted ways.
Looking back, it should’ve been simple. We could’ve tried harder; we could’ve made good on our promises. And then maybe I would’ve avoided all the heartache and pain I’ve gone through over the past few years.
Could’ve.
Should’ve.
Would’ve.
But we were young.
I was just starting college. It was a time for fun and adventure. Life was about meeting new people. Having a serious boyfriend would’ve held me back from new experiences.
And I didn’t want to put Zeke in danger either. I knew my dad—his boss at the time—would’ve pummelled him into pulp had he known that Zeke had taken my V-card, when he was supposed to be guarding me.
Yes, that’s right. He used to work for my dad, and now I’m going to work for him.
It’s a big role reversal, for sure. But I’ve known Zeke for ten years now, and that’s not even the biggest change between us over the years.
But now is not the time to be thinking about old times. I need to finish my shower and get ready for work.
But I find myself stalling, and I’m blaming this dream that I had this morning.
The dream was just getting good when my alarm started blaring, shoving me into the real world. I woke up with throbbing at the juncture of my thighs.
