In what I guess is her idea of casual attire, she still stuns me. Nothing about her is what I thought was my type. Not the superiority complex or the snappy retorts. Her red lips are twisted into what could best be described as a sneer as she studies me.
揑 was hoping not to see you.?
Bluntness is a trait I used to think I did appreciate.
Asher does a shitty job of muffling his laugh.
揟hat explains why you抮e in my building,?I retort.
Scarlett sighs. 揝ince you抮e here?I need to talk to you.?Her glance at Asher is pointed. 揂lone.?
揑 can take a hint,?Asher says. 揝ee you outside, Crew.?
My eyes stay on Scarlett as Asher disappears to join Oliver and Jeremy on the sidewalk. Scarlett holds out the envelope she was attempting to hand off at the front desk. 揌ere. Store it somewhere safe.?
I open it and glance inside. There抯 a plastic keycard, like at a hotel, and a piece of paper with a series of numbers written on it. 揧ou got me a wedding gift??
揧ou抣l need the code to call the elevator and the card to get into the penthouse.?
揑f you want to fuck before we抮e married棓
Scarlett cuts me off with a laugh, like the idea of us having sex is a ludicrous one. 揟hat抯 not what this is. I won抰 be home on Saturday night, and since you were so insistent on living together, I棓
I cut her off. 揥hat do you mean, you won抰 be there on Saturday night??
揑抦 flying to Paris as soon as the reception ends,?Scarlett replies. 揊or a work thing.?
揘o, you抮e not.?The dispute is automatic. It抯 our wedding night, and she抯 planning on flying to France? I probably shouldn抰 be surprised, but I抦 shocked.
揧es, I am. Jacques Deux has a waiting list for years. I called in ten favors to get this meeting with him.?
揑t抯 our wedding night. People will talk.?
揑 don抰 care. Do you normally clear your schedule for the night after a merger closes??
I exhale instead of saying something I抣l regret. 揥hat is your meeting about??
Based on the way Scarlett sighs條ike the question is a major inconvenience梥he was hoping I wouldn抰 ask it. 揥hy??she challenges.
I say nothing, just stare.
She sighs again. 揑抦 starting a clothing line. Jacques Deux has worked with every prominent designer in the last decade. His input, his ideas, they抣l make a big difference in the success of the brand.?
揟his is why you changed the prenup,?I realize.
The earning potential for Haute is nothing compared to a clothing brand. Especially one created by Scarlett soon-to-be Kensington. Public interest in the both of us has skyrocketed since our engagement was announced. We抮e a fairytale, minus the ugly stepsisters or the poor beginnings.
揑f I hadn抰， this could be a conversation. But I did, and you signed, so it抯 not. If I need to go to Paris for a meeting, I抣l go to Paris.?
揑t抯 only the timing I have issue with,?I tell her, quietly. I didn抰 have expectations for our wedding night, but I definitely had hopes. Fantasies that required her to be in New York City, not the capital of France.
Her brow wrinkles for a minute before it smooths. 揑 can抰 change the timing, Crew.?
揊ine.?I don抰 even know why I抦 bothering to argue.
揊ine,?she echoes. Glances away from me, looks back, and sighs. 揑 wrote my cell number down in there too. In case you have questions about the building.?
I could lie, but I don抰。 揑 have your number, Scarlett.?
She raises one eyebrow. 揑 didn抰 give it to you.?
揑 know. I got it a while ago. I thought about reaching out to you a few times. Thought it might厰 I shake my head. 揑 don抰 know. It doesn抰 matter. Go wherever you want, Scarlett.?
揑 will.?
She抯 getting what she wants, yet she still sounds pissed. Rather than push, I nod toward the door. 揟hat all??
Her chin jerks up. 揧es. That抯 all.?She spins and heads toward the glass doors that lead to the street.
揋reat,?I mutter sarcastically as I follow. Based on the way her shoulders stiffen, she heard me.
Asher, Jeremy, and Oliver are all waiting out on the sidewalk.
揕eaving so soon, Scarlett??Asher teases.
揑 don抰 usually loiter around apartment buildings,?she replies. 揥here are you gentlemen headed to??
揅rew抯 bachelor party,?Asher replies. He spins his Best Man baseball cap around so she can see the front. 揑 know you lovebirds decided to limit the crowds up front, but I couldn抰 resist.?
揅ute,?Scarlett comments.
I almost smile.
揧ou should come,?Asher suggests.
Scarlett clears her throat. 揥hat??
揅rew is way more fun to be around when you抮e here.?
I shoot Asher a sharp glare for that comment. This isn抰 a wide-eyed socialite he抯 baiting. In two days, the woman beside me will be my wife. There抯 a line, and he抯 crossing it.