The Soul Mistake

Chapter 4

Swallowing hard, I sit in the ridiculously expensive car, next to my future husband, apparently. He is driving fast, ridiculously fast. So fast it's like he doesn't care if he crashes the damn thing, it takes me a moment to suddenly recognise that for him, it doesn't matter if he crashes it.

It also wouldn't matter to him if he crashed it, he can afford healthcare. The feminist in me protests this whole idea of marrying a man to clean up his image, but I need this job. That's the way I'm looking at this whole situation, it's just a job, like being his secretary.

His live in, housewife... secretary.

I turn my attention from my thoughts and towards the man I'm about to marry. We're heading to his lawyer so we can be legally married, it seems that both Cole and his mother are desperate to officiate this thing and make him seem less like the irresponsible player he really is.

"So, I'm guessing you're a little confused about all this." Cole speaks over the low music he has filling the car, making me turn and look at him:

"I guess, I'm a little surprised." I reply, looking at his serious face for a moment before getting intimidated and turning away again.

"Yeah, well I was surprised too. My mother only arranged this two days ago."

"Oh." I mumble, I have no words to say. I know nothing about him.

"Why did you ask me to go there?" I finally ask the question which has been burning a whole in my chest for the last hour or two.

"Well, because I wanted you there."

"Yes," I continue, "but why? I didn't exactly fit in with those other candidates."

"That's why I wanted you there. I didn't want some dumb blonde gold digger, who's just going to attract even more attention from how stunning and rich they are, you get me?"

"What?" I bite my lip and turn my eyes back to the world flashing by as I try to stop feeling the hurt. "You really only picked me because I'm unattractive and poor?"

I can't believe this is the jackass I'm marrying, if it wasn't for my father I'd be out of here.

"Well, I wouldn't have put it like that, but you should really take it as a compliment."

I whip my head around to glare at him.

"You're a fucking asshole, Cole." I curse at him bitterly which makes Cole turn and look at me in surprise over my language.

"You realise I'm only doing this to help my dad, right?"

"Yes," he chuckles and nods his head, "I realise that too. If you must know, that's another reason I wanted you. I don't want  a wife. I want my father's company."

"Maybe we should just be honest with each other, for the duration of the marriage."

I place the marriage in inverted commas with my fingers which makes Cole chuckle again; at least my husband has a similar sense of humour to me.

"Very well then." Cole nods and begins to turn up the music but I slap his hand away lightly.

"If we're being honest, then I have some conditions to me being your fake wife."

"And here I was thinking I chose the least demanding one!" Cole chuckles freely for a moment before it fades away. "Go on then."

"One, you help my dad."

"Fine."

"Two, I have my own bedroom."

"No can do, I'm afraid Duskana. I have staff that will be in and around our penthouse and they need to believe the marriage is real."

I frown for a moment before understanding his logic.

"Fine, but no touching."

"Sure thing, Duskana, unless of course you want me to."

"Why would I ever want that?" I reply stubbornly, glaring at him in challenge. I'll make sure to pack my vibrator, it's water proof, I can just use it in the shower to get me by for the next few months.

"I have a few conditions as well." Cole says as we pause at a red light.

"Oh? Aren't I the one doing you the favour?"

"Yes, if you'd just be quiet for a second I could explain my conditions."

"Fine."

"While you're married to me, you can have anything you want-to keep."

"What?" I turn to look at him in shock, I was guessing he would spout about how he will continue to have women in his bed or something like that- I would have never expected a selfless tone to come from him.

"I mean it Duskana, whilst you're my wife, I want you to be comfortable and happy."

"Well, thank you. How long do you think we will have to stay married for?"

"At least two years, so the board doesn't get suspicious. A divorce after two years with me would be understandable to anyone."

I titter at his joke as he pulls the car into a parking space by an expensive looking law firm.

We both get out of the car and walk towards the lawyer's office. Cole slips his hand into mine and I immediately try to jerk away. He catches it and holds it even tighter.

"Gotta make it look believable, sweetheart."

He whispers in my ear before giving a fleeting cheek kiss should anyone be watching from the shadows.

Sighing, I allow Cole to hold my hand as we walk into the reception area of the law firm. I immediately begin to feel subconscious in my bedraggled and tatty clothes. The first thing I'm going to do once I can is buy a few new pairs of clothes.

Looking at the expensive suit Cole is currently rocking, I need to keep up appearances.

I pause at the reception desk to wait politely to be called in for our meeting, but Cole marches through without waiting, inadvertently dragging me with him.

Before we walk into one of the offices, Cole clearly knows what he's doing and where he's going, he pauses and dramatically pulls me against him making me squeal and giggle.

"Come on Mrs Eros, let's get you hitched."

As we walk into the lawyer's office, a part of me wishes that this could be real, but the realistic part of me knew that my life wouldn't be full of some great romance.