From behind the balcony door, Miles stared at her curled form on the chaise lounge.

She had refused to have dinner with him and had gone to the balcony for some quiet time—after spending an hour in the bathroom just to avoid him.

She was headstrong. Regardless, Miles knew he deserved the cold shoulder. He had gone completely out of line by raising his voice at her back there. It was out of character and he hated himself for it.

Sliding the balcony door open, Miles trudged over to her and sat in the chair facing hers. “I called room service in case you changed your mind.”

“I'm not hungry.” Her eyes were still shut in a pretentious sleep.

Miles sighed. They were supposed to be making this work, not screw things up.

“Then come inside, Em, it's cold out here.” Miles insisted.

“I want to be alone, Miles...”

Okay, that was it. Miles got up from his seat and scooped her off the lounge.

“What are you doing?!” Emery squealed, her hands flying over her shirt to hold it down.

“If you want to vent your anger out, I'm more than willing to be your punching bag but I'm not going to sit and watch you catch a cold.”

“Miles, put me down.” She tried to wiggle out of his arms but Miles would have none of her stubbornness.

“Stop twitching.” He warned but his tone was light.

This was embarrassing. “I'm serious put me down before you get hernia.”

Miles chuckled. “Nice try. Now keep quiet and enjoy the ride.”

Emery gave up. She held onto his shoulders and buried her warm face in the cloak of his neck as he strode out of the balcony with her. His gentle after-shower scent cocooned her and unconsciously, she found herself leaning into him.

Damn Miles Dekker.

Unaware of the carnal havoc he was causing, Miles nudged the door open with his foot and carried her into their bedroom.

Emery's heart was beating erratically from their close proximity as he bent to lay her on the bed. He smelled so good, and boy did her insides soar in unwanted pleasure. Quickly, she averted her gaze and scooted back to create some space between them.

“Coffee?” Miles asked and when she did not reply he said, “Coffee it is then.” He sauntered out of the bedroom to fix her a cup.

Heaving a deep sigh, Emery leaned against the cushioned headboard and watched him as he made his way to the kitchen.

Why is he acting as if he cares?

Miles came back a few minutes later with a mug of hot coffee and a plate of cookies. Emery thanked him when he placed the tray on the nightstand.

“I didn't ignore your calls on purpose.” She pointed to the nightstand where her phone sat. “The place was too noisy for me to hear the phone ring.”

Miles nodded. “I'm sorry for lashing out. I was worried and...” scared that something had happened to you and I wasn't there to protect you too.

Shaking himself out of those lingering thoughts, he said, “That is no excuse for how I acted. I'm sorry.” Emery nodded.

Miles reclined back into the couch and surfed the channels for something decent to watch. For a few minutes, he was immersed in a rematch until the girl behind him said something that got his spine straightening.

“I want a church wedding.”

Miles whirled around to face her. “What?” he asked, just in case he had heard wrong.

“I don't want mere signing of papers, Miles. I want a church wedding,” Emery said.

Mere signing of papers? Miles's eyes were as wide as saucers by now. No. She couldn't have possibly found out. Lewis wouldn't file it without his permission.

“Where is this coming from?” he demanded, his brows furrowed as he regarded her.

“A wish.” Emery shrugged. She mounted the mug on the nightstand and glanced up at him. “It's something my parents would have been proud of.”

Oh hell no. The girl had no idea what she was asking of him. He was not going to the altar. That would be breaking some serious personal rules. Besides, he could not risk her finding out and blowing his plans so soon.

“Emery we can't-”

“Why not?” Emery rose to her feet and strode over to him. “Miles I want to help you get HOPE back and this is all that I ask in return-”

“A holy matrimony equals no divorce, Emery.” Miles snapped.

Crossing her hands over her chest, Emery stared sternly at him. “Now you're just being dramatic...”

“No. I'm being damn serious and in case you didn't know, divorce papers can only be drawn up after a year of marriage. Let's just focus on the courtship for now. Who knows, the board might hand over the managerial position before the six months is even up and you will be free to go live your life.”

Six months. That was all it could take. But can she suffer Miles Dekker for that long and come out unscathed emotionally? The man had the notoriety badge for a reason.

In Emery's defense, anything can happen during their courtship. And what if they are unable to impress the board within six months? The answer was written in bold in the contract. They would have to take their relationship to the final level. Get married.

Yes, she was thinking ahead and in the negative for that matter but they couldn't focus on the pros alone. Any business venture had risks. So if and when they had to tie the knot, he must know that she would prefer a religious ceremony over any civil union.

Moreover, she was a lady. A lady who was raised in a very traditional home for that matter. She was not going to sell her dignity without some moral leverage.

“I hope things work out in your favor, Miles. But if things don't go as planned and we have no choice but to get married, I want a church wedding. That's all I'm asking. Can you please just think about it?”

“This conversation is over.” Miles's tone was tentative now as he fixed his gaze back on the flat-screen though the chains holding his nerves were loosing.

Emery sighed out of frustration. “Miles, come on. You are willing to sacrifice your bachelor life for as long as you can for HOPE so why can't you accept-”

Furiously, Miles sprang out of the couch and closed the distance between them. Emery swallowed the rest of her words immediately.

“You want a church wedding?” he seethed. “Are you also willing to perform the duties that come with being a married woman?”

Emery's eyes shot up to meet his. Her heartbeat could be heard in the quiet room after the true extent of what she was asking for settled in.

Miles wanted to hear the word no and nothing else but taking in the girl's features, he could see the resilience in her eyes. She was not going to give up on her girlish fantasies so easily.

The last thing he wanted was to solemnly sell his freedom in the name of holy matrimony. The word alone conquers his reputation. He did not want to be redeemed so soon.

“Are you?” Emery stumbled back when he stepped closer but the man easily caught her by the waist and steadied her on her feet.

“Cause believe me, Em, if I take you to that altar, it will be till death do us apart. You know why?” she gave a little shake of her head. “I don't break a promise.” her hot breath stuttered against his skin.

Miles's eyes traveled briefly to the erratic rise and fall of her chest. “Now tell me, Emery...” fixing his gaze back on hers, he said, his voice low, “Are you willing to share my bed?”

Emery gulped. Try as much as she wanted to hide her body's traitorous response, her breath grew shallow from all the uncontrollable sensations that were washing over her.

Miles could see the wheel of change whirling in her head as her eyes darted across the room. Of course, she knew what he was implying. And some unreasonable part of him wanted her to say yes. Heavens knew how much he wanted the girl.

Emery shifted on her suddenly shaky feet. “I...”

Without warning, Miles pulled her into his arms and before he could change his mind, his lips were on hers, hot and hard. He had meant to punish her for putting him in such a life-altering position, but the moment he had a taste of the mouth he had been dreaming about for days, he found himself succumbing to the girl's request.

Boldly, Miles drew her closer into him, relishing in her soft moans which increased the strain in his briefs. His tongue delved into the depth of her mouth and he hungrily savored the taste of her to memory. She tasted so delicious and felt so warm in his arms that he didn't want to let go of her.

Against Emery's will, she found herself responding to the man's hot touches while he ravished her without restraint. He tasted so intoxicating that she weaved her fingers through his soft hair for more of him. She moaned, uncontrollably as her nether region tingled from the waves of sensation that traveled between her thighs.

Feeling breathless, they both broke apart. With a ragged breath, Emery stared back at the man before her. An unexplainable emotion twinkled within those darkened eyes of his.

“This is what couples in holy matrimony do, Emery so keep up.” Miles regarded her for a minute longer. “Pack your things, we leave for Manhattan in the morning.” He told her in one breath and pranced out of the bedroom.

Emery slumped against the wall to catch her breath, suppressing a shiver as her fingers trailed across her freshly protruded lips.

Goodness. This wasn't what she meant. She made up her mind to clear things up with him tomorrow and went ahead to pack as told.

That night, Emery tossed and turned in bed for hours as memories of how his lips had felt against hers took over her thoughts. It was in the wee hours of the night when sleep finally found her, and she welcomed the natural distraction.

But Miles did not sleep in their bed that night. He slept on the couch in the living room—far away from her to quench the fire she had unknowingly ignited.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

The Dekker's private plane touched down in Newark airport when the sun was high in the sky the next day.

News of their engagement had spread like wildfire in Manhattan, Clifford Hills especially. As predicted, they were welcomed by the paparazzi but with security and Lewis's help, they made it out of the airport.

It was then that Emery wished she had never made a move on her deepest desire. At least staying in the Bahamas for a couple of days would have given her enough time to prepare herself before she faced the firing squad.

Not to talk of the hunt for her on social media. Emery's morning had turned into an emotional rollercoaster ride when she woke up to find her social media pages spammed with messages from internet trolls and fans alike.

Her name was all over the media now. People knew who she was.

“Till the chaos blows off, it will be best if you move in with me,” Miles told her from where he sat beside her in the backseat of his Bugatti.

Though it was a sudden arrangement, Emery consented on the spot. Now she had somewhere to hide in case her family decides to come after her with their traditional ammunition.

“I would need to go home and grab some things,” Emery said.

“Call me when you're done and Sam will come for you.” Miles said, sparing her a brief glance.

He had been giving her the silent treatment since they checked out of the hotel but Emery brushed it off. She was too deep in her own woes to pay him any attention.

They dropped her off at her house and waited till she went inside before they left.

Shutting the main door behind her, Emery leaned against the hardwood for a second to calm her racing heart.

“Good to be back home.” She mumbled with a wavering smile and made her way up the stairs.

The soothing scent of vanilla welcomed her when she walked into her bedroom. Kicking off her nude pumps, she edged over to the neatly laid bed and hopped onto the fluffy covers.

Almost immediately, her phone vibrated in her clutch, alerting her of a call. Emery's heart skipped a beat when she saw her Aunt's name.

During their dinner date, Diana had said that she was traveling home the next day to spread Emery's parents ash so if her Aunt was calling with her normal line then that means she was still in the States.

And she had probably heard the news of her engagement.

Oh, God. The phone was still ringing as Emery thought of what to say. Hesitantly, she answered the call.

“Hi?” A relief sigh greeted Emery from the other end, making her feel guilty for stressing the poor woman.

‘Are the rumors true?’

Emery face palmed. She knew it. Now all the Delado's all over the globe, dead or living would come for her.

‘You got engaged?’

“Aunt-”

‘Is this why you refused to come with me? To take your own parents home?’

She just had to bring this up.

Diana had a way of guilt-tripping people without even realizing it. Right now, Emery could detect anger and disappointment in her tone but before she could even answer the question another one was thrown at her.

‘Where are you?’ Diana's motherly tone left no room for argument and Emery did not dare argue.

“Home,” Emery muttered.

‘I'm on my way there.’ The line went dead after that.

Emery wished she had told her about her trip to the Bahamas but she knew that would have raised all kinds of questions, and delayed her Aunt's trip because knowing how protective Diana was, the woman would have asked to meet the man in question.

And if they had met her Aunt, it wouldn't have been long before their sham was uncovered because Diana would have seen right through their lies. The woman walks with her intuition as she loves to tell her.

Emery released a long sigh and sent a quick text to Miles, letting him know her aunt was coming over and that she might be a bit late.

“Em?!” Natalia's voice rang from outside the house.

Emery rushed out of her bedroom when she heard her friend's voice. She jogged downstairs and went for the door.

“How the hell did you know I was back?” her question was ignored as Natalia barged into the house and went straight for the remote control on the coffee table.

“Thanks to social media,” Natalia said and increased the volume.

In other news from our team in Nassau, Millionaire Playboy Miles Dekker was seen proposing to his mysterious girlfriend on the Dekker's private plane. The couple were also sighted on numerous occasions in Marina Hotel and other romantic touring sites in the Bahamas, having the best time of their engaged lives. Who is this mysterious girl? Has our bachelor number two finally settled? Find out in our next segment of entertainment news.

Placing the remote control back on the coffee table, Natalia turned towards Emery, her wide eyes mirroring her friend's.

“Damn girl I had no idea this was going to be the talk of the town.” she pulled Emery into a hug when the latter just stared at the flat screen.

“Whatever you do, promise me you will stay away from IG and Facebook for the meantime. Promise me, Em,” Natalia pleaded. 

Emery could only nod as the reality of her situation hit her hard. The doorbell rang, making both of them jump apart at the unexpected sound.

“Are you expecting someone?” Natalia asked, craning her neck towards the closed door.

“Diana.” was Emery's wary response as she shuffled barefooted towards the door.

“Shit. Not Saint Diana.” Natalia cussed and quickly turned off the flat screen.

“You're wel-” Emery was saying until her Aunt brushed the formality aside and stormed into the living room.

“What in the Lord's name is going on?!” the girls straightened up at the woman's booming voice.

Fuck her life.