She shakes her head and smiles at me. “Please, call me Alice.” Alice is a beautiful, sophisticated lady. Short, perfectly straight blonde hair falls just above her shoulder, and her makeup is flawless. I think she’s probably around Alexander’s age, maybe a little older. I listen as she walks Alexander through his schedule for the upcoming week. When he said he’ll be busy, that was clearly an understatement.
He opens the bag in his lap while she talks and takes out a new mobile phone. He unboxes it and starts playing around with it. I watch as he uses the phone to ring himself with, and then hangs up. He hands it to me and grabs his own.
He starts typing on his phone, and a few seconds later the phone in my hand vibrates. I see an incoming message from Husband . Why didn’t he just program himself in as Alexander?
Husband: This is your new phone. It’s fully encrypted using our company’s latest technology. You’ll find a new laptop and tablet in the bag too. They’re similarly encrypted. It’s important that you use only technology provided by me. Corporate espionage is a serious issue that we’ve been battling, and you’ll become a target soon.
I type a reply and hit send.
Elena Kennedy: I got it. Don’t worry.
I blink twice as I notice the name that he’s set up in my message settings. Yep, still there. Not just Elena. Elena Kennedy. I wonder what my name is in his phone for this new number. Probably just Elena. Maybe ‘Old Ball N Chains.’ I scroll through my contacts and find that he’s programmed in everyone I might need to reach, including his security officer, Aiden, and Alice.
Husband: Remember your identity from now on. You’re my wife now. Act appropriately in front of others.
I frown at his text, feeling oddly offended. What does he think I’d do?
Elena Kennedy: I’ll try to refrain from falling to my knees to suck off the highest bidder.
I regret the text the moment I send it and keep staring at my phone instead of looking up to face him. My words were uncalled for, but I still feel bitter about the way he humiliated me when he offered me 20k to suck him off. I’m not sure what bothers me the most. That he offered it at all, or that I would’ve done it if he hadn’t stopped me. I know I should be grateful to him for offering me a solution instead of feeling bitter, but I can’t help myself.
Husband: I just gave you half my net worth by marrying you. Matter of fact, there’s a duplicate of my credit card in the bag too. Remember, Elena: I’ll always be the highest bidder. Shall I put up the privacy shield or do you think you can be a good girl and ‘refrain’？
I see him reach for the button that puts a privacy screen up between the front seats and us, and I jump up to stop him, pretty much tumbling in his arms. “No need,” I say, panicked, but I’m too late. The screen rises, and Alexander chuckles.
He pulls me onto his lap and puts his lips against my ear. “Things between us might have started unconventional, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are my wife, Elena. You are Mrs. Kennedy now. You’re mine.”
His words against my ear tickle, and my eyes shutter closed. I squirm in his arms, clenching my legs tightly. Just the memory of how he touched me has me wet again, and I’m embarrassed. I hate how he makes me feel, yet I can’t fight it.
“I thought we agreed on this, Alexander. It’s just my body you purchased, nothing more.”
Alexander wraps his hands around my waist. His fingers almost touch each other around my waist, and it makes me feel small. He pulls me closer and smiles as he threads his hand through my hair.
“Just your body, huh? Very well. That’s all I want from you, Elena. You’d better remember that your body is mine now.” His index finger brushes over my lips and he smirks, his gaze heated. “These lips are mine now, you hear me?”
I nod, and satisfaction flashes through his eyes.
“Good girl,” he whispers, leaning in closer, his lips brushing against mine. “There’s a crucial part of the wedding ceremony we missed out on,” he murmurs.
“What’s that?” I whisper back, my heart racing, my lips brushing against his with every word.
“The part where I kiss the bride,” he answers, before lowering his lips to mine fully.
A soft moan escapes my lips when he kisses me, and Alexander groans, deepening our kiss. I lose myself in him, in us. Not in a million years did I think I’d find myself kissing Alexander Kennedy.
He pulls away and drops his forehead to mine. “You’re my wife now, Elena. I’ll take care of you. I’ll provide you with anything you could possibly need,” he says, pulling away further. “But you won’t ever get love from me. You know that, right?”
I nod, the situation suddenly seeming so much more real. I’ve felt like everything was a blur in the last few hours, a dream. Only to wake up to find that all my biggest problems have been solved. I wonder what my mother would think of me if she knew I had to rely on a man to get out of a sticky situation. Would she be disappointed with my lack of independence, or would she be proud of me for doing the only thing I could?
Alexander smiles at me and seems to hesitate before he continues. “I like you, Elena. You’re a nice girl, and you’re a good fit for my family. I’m glad you know not to expect much from me. If you want sex, I can give you that. But flirting, love, and romance? You won’t get it from me. I won’t woo you.”
I nod at him in understanding. “I don’t need love from you, Alexander,” I say, my voice soft. “I just need you to help me save my mother’s life.”
I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to marry him. Despite that, part of me was hoping I’d see more of the Alexander I met at Inferno, but he’s back to being the Alexander I knew growing up. I wonder if this is all I’ll ever have of him. I dreamt of marrying Alexander when I was younger, and now that it has actually happened, it’s a bit… disappointing. I guess my marriage is an accurate reflection of my life so far, but I’m not dumb enough to take what I have for granted.
“All of your mother’s current medical bills are already paid. Before we left, I authorized her move to a secure private facility that my family uses exclusively. Aiden, my security officer, should be making that happen as we speak. He’s also looking into the experts that might be able to help her, and they’ll create a new treatment plan for her. You’ll be able to visit her again tomorrow.”
I can barely breathe as I listen to his words. These are all the things I wished I’d been able to do for my mother, but the maximum amount I was allowed to take out of my trust fund per month wasn’t enough to cover it. In hindsight, that’s a good thing. I’d have run out of money far sooner, and I don’t even want to think about what that might have meant for my mother.
“You’ll also get your own security team and driver. They’ll answer to you, not to me. For the time being, you can use Alice as your personal assistant for any matters you require, and my mother’s personal stylist has been assigned to you as well. You can hire your own staff if that arrangement doesn’t suit you. All I ask in return is that you accept the boundaries I’ve set.”