"Your Grace, Magdelena is settled." Lol is standing at my desk with his hands behind his back, staring forward above the tall back of my chair.
Such a strange man. We've known each other for the better part of twenty years and he acts like at any moment I may ambush him. I've asked him not to call me Your Grace at least a hundred times but he's used to serving my father. And now that he's gone, Lol's my assistant.
"Good." I nod, not having heard what he said except when he called me 'Your Grace'. I go back to reading the report on my desk.
"Would you care to meet her?"
"Meet who?" I look up, not remembering having a meeting today.
"Ms. Reif, sir." He glances at me.
"Ms. Reif?" I don't recall who that is.
"Your fiancée."
Ah yes. The Reifs. The fucking Reifs. Ms. Reif, the reason I had to dump my supermodel girlfriend. I'm fucking engaged suddenly. This woman better look airbrushed and suck dick like it's her job. She's ruining my life.
"How long has she been here?" I begin stacking papers, suddenly not having an interest in work anymore today. Right now, I'd like to hunt and kill something.
"Three days, Your Grace."
"Three days. And you're just now telling me?" My eyes narrow and I'd like nothing more than to close them and sleep this all away.
"You were busy with Mr. Meadows. I didn't want to be a nuisance."
"Well." I tap the stack of papers on my desk. "Fail, Rupier. I trust she's comfortable? And what room is she in?"
"She's comfortable. Today's the first day she feels settled. She's down the Condor Corridor."
"Seems appropriate." I snicker. "Do you know what condors are known for, Rupier?"
"Flying, sir?" He seems stunned by my question.
"No. Consuming the meat of the dead. Which I'm sure she'll be doing to me in no time. I'm sure the Carbon Empire will go under in a matter of days. Women pick and pick until nothing's left. I can't imagine Ms. Reif's any different."
"She's different, sir," he insists as if he has firsthand experience.
My brows raise and I slowly get to my feet. "Care to elaborate, Lol?"
"Nothing to elaborate on. She's different. Nothing like Ms. Schneider."
I reel back at his audacity to insult my ex-girlfriend. Even though Evelyn was vapid and typical. Nothing really different about her. It's still an insult.
"Well, let's meet her, shall we?" I slap the paperwork to my desk and shove my fists in my pockets to keep from punching him in the jaw.
"I'll retrieve her for an early dinner."
I don't like the smile on his face. He's had how many days with my fiancée? What if he's gotten to know her too well? His behavior indicates he's keeping something from me and I don't like it.
Moving to the mirror, I slide my hand over my trimmed beard then smooth down my eyebrows. My vibrating phone makes me pause as I head to the hallway. Pulling it from my pocket, I have a picture message from Evelyn.
The snow bunny is wearing nothing but a winter hat and gloves on her tanned body and snow skis on her feet.
Evelyn: I miss you
I chuckle and glance around as if I'm not alone. Clearing my throat, I quickly send a reply.
Cal: How long are you on holiday? Perhaps I can get away for a rendezvous.
I'm not a bastard. I was thrown into this arranged marriage even after pleading not to be. All we had to do was skip me and wait for my kin. I'd do this stupid tradition justice and allow my son to be raised with a Reif girl and they could naturally fall in love. None of this archaic arranged marriage bullshit. Forcing two souls together when there's no chance of feelings. I'm too old to be forced into loving a woman. I didn't even love Evelyn.
But, being told no, I will produce a male offspring with Ms. Reif to ensure this tradition can carry out.
Not getting a reply, I push my phone into my pocket and head for the dining room. I sit at the table and wait for a drink and my fiancée. Of course the drink comes first, and a second. Not surprising. She's a typical woman and we're off to the start I anticipated. Bad.
Lol enters the room with staff and stands next to the table smiling.
"Well?" I set my glass down. "Where is she?"
"Your Grace." He gestures to the staff at his side and I give the girl a nod.
"She doesn't have a uniform?" I don't know why he's introducing me to new help. I don't do the hiring for these sorts of things.
"Uniform, sir?"
"What's her occupation, Rupier?" My teeth grit as I'm getting pissed he's making a scene in front of the help. "Get her whatever uniform will suit her job. She can't work in." I glance at the girl again. "Jeans and a cut off shirt." Who the hell hired this girl? And where'd we find her? I hope a full background check was run on her.
"Her occupation is your fiancée, sir. This is Ms. Reif."
Indigestion from the two drinks I downed makes me rest my hand on my stomach while I glare at the girl. She's a girl. Not a woman. And she looks like she's nothing short of homeless.
"What is she wearing?" I'm in shock.
"Sir—"
Before he can respond, I look at the joke and scoff, "What are you wearing?"
"You called it like you saw it. Jeans and a cut off." She shrugs before looking down at her attire.
Someone is going to pay for this. And I absolutely refuse to pay the wages her family expects for a girl like this.
"How old are you?" I bellow in disbelief. This cannot be happening. I can't pull my eyes from the monstrosity she's wearing. "Lol, please tell me there's some sort of mistake."
"Sir—"
"I'm twenty. How old are you?" the girl talks back and I snap my gaze to her. "Double that?"
"What!" I stand, kicking my chair back.
Lol steps in front of her as if he'll protect her from the tirade I'm about to spew.
"Aren't you like forty something?" Her head keeps bobbing side to side to see over Lol's shoulders.
"Take her away. Home. Take her home. Get her out of my sight. This is not happening." My stomach churns, threatening another ulcer.
"Your Grace." Lol extends his arms in a gentle manner in an attempt to calm me but it's too late.
The popping sound of gum makes my eyes expand and I peg the abomination behind his back.
"Ms. Reif, please sit." He pulls out a chair for her, ushering her into the seat but I refuse to eat with that girl. "Gum." He extends his hand in front of her mouth and the animal spits it into his palm.
"Jesus." I storm from the room hoping my wrath wiped her clean off this earth. This cannot happen.
The only person I know to call about this matter wouldn't take my call anyway. She's purposefully ignoring me for this reason. My great grandmother. The other person is dead. My father, which is why I'm in the position I'm in now.
"Callum." Lol bursts into my office and I whip around at the sound of my name coming from him. "What the hell was that?"
"Precisely what I'm trying to figure out! What was that…that girl!"
"That woman is your soon to be wife, sir." There's a bark to his bite and I don't like it.
"I cannot marry that girl and make her a Carbon! Have you lost your godforsaken mind!" I'm breaking a sweat from pacing my office.
"What is wrong with Ms. Reif?" he asks as if she's his own flesh and blood.
With wide eyes, I gesture to the door. My lips flap but words won't surface. I can't believe this!
"You can apologize with a gift. The paperwork has been signed by yourself and Ms. Reif already. Perhaps you should have met the woman as I suggested before you signed the documents." He's so smug now.
"I had no choice in the matter either way. I had to marry a Reif. Why the fuck do I need to meet her first?" My loud tone echoes but I can't bring myself to care.
"Sir, please." He pulls out my chair and gestures until I sit. My shoulders heave with my breaths. I feel like an escaped lion hunting for sanity. "Ms. Reif is a delightful young woman."
"She said I was forty something!" I peg him with a look as if he's the one to say it.
"I don't think she read your briefing," he admits with a wince. "But, you also did not read hers. You would have found out she's twenty if you had."
"Twenty's too young to get married."
"No, it's not." He snorts out a laugh and I scowl at him. "You can apologize in the form of a gift. As you said, you have no choice in the matter. You're marrying Ms. Reif."
"Evelyn Schneider was my girlfriend a week ago. Money ran through her veins. The only thing running through this girl’s veins is misfortune."
"You sound ignorant." He sighs and heads for the door. "And narcissistic. Do I sense a hint of your father, Callum?"
Baring my teeth, I begin to growl until he darts from my office.
With my apology on a leash, I head for Ms. Reif's quarters. I had to give it a few days before I could even fathom speaking to this girl again, but she will become my wife and bear a son, then I can divorce her. The idea to sleep with such a person is noxious, but we'll find ways around it.
I chose the cat because the gaunt creature reminded me of her. She was a waif of a woman. Her bared midriff looked as if starvation would soon claim her. The Savannah cat is well taken care of but remains lean because it's a hunter.
I wait in the hallway until Lol appears, a smile on his face as he stares at the cat.
"Is it domesticated?"
"Of course. She's the first wild creature I've allowed in my home."
"Callum," he warns before turning to her door and knocking. "Madam Dude?"
Inhaling a sharp breath it snorts through my nose and I cough. "What in God's name did you just call her?"
"Nothing." He chuckles and knocks again.
"You have a pet name for my fiancée? Perfect. This is fucking perfect." I look down at the cat that's perched, waiting to pounce the second the door opens.
"Hola!" she sings pulling open the door and the cat jumps. I think better of my evil thoughts and yank the leash before it can slam her to the ground.
It's domesticated but I don't actually know what it's capable of and a cat mauling a girl in my house, the girl I'm supposed to marry nonetheless, won't go over well. With a yelp she shoves the door closed.
"Mag," Lol calls out and pushes the door back open, shooting me a scorned look.
"What?" I play innocent and claim, "I saved her." Stepping forward, I keep the cat at my side. "Ms. Reif, I've brought you a gift."
She's on the bed with the blanket pulled up to her chin, glaring at the cat like it's a dragon.
"Is…is your hair." I look at Lol with wide eyes. "Your hair is blue," I whisper, having not realized this could get any worse. Her hair was not blue when I met her. I can't recall what color the unmemorable woman's hair was, but it wasn't baby blue! "This cannot happen!" I insist to Lol, fully expecting him to take care of this. I cannot marry a woman with blue hair!
"Please get the cat out of here." She trembles under the blanket.
"Ms. Reif, you must change your hair immediately!" I implore.
"Yeah, okay, just get the cat out!" She's deathly afraid of this animal.
My eyes drift down to my gift and a small smile pulls at my lips. "You don't like my apology present?"
"Apology present? You bought me a killer cat as a present?"
"Nonsense." I chuckle and move closer to the bed to which she shrieks and shuffles back against the headboard.
"Okay. Perhaps we remove the cat from the room." Lol grabs the leash and quickly escorts the animal out while I keep my predatory gaze on her. This girl will be the death of me and my family name.
"I don't want that gift. I'm sorry." Wild eyes keep flashing from me to the door and I can't pull my sight from her blue fucking hair. "You don't have to give me anything."
"Very well." I bow my head and finally look away from the scared creature. "Do you realize what you are representing when becoming my wife, Ms. Reif?"
"I…don't understand."
"You're representing me. The Carbon name. Do you think blue hair is a good representation of that name?" When I look at her again, she's pulling a strand of her hair forward to look at it.
"It's just hair. There's more to a name than appearance."
My fists ball at my sides and I storm to the door. "You will change this hair and be dressed appropriately for the coordinator that will be arriving at six." Stepping into the hall, I slam the door behind me and take a few minutes for my seething breaths to ease before I storm away from her quarters.
Once we make it through all the preparations for the wedding, I can keep her locked in this wing of the house. I will have her artificially inseminated until she bears a boy, and then I will divorce her and ship her home.
When Lol walks through the door of the dining room, I stand, ready to put on a front for our guests. There are six people here who will coordinate this wedding to Ms. Reif's liking. I couldn't give a damn what happens, but knowing that crazy girl, she'll make it a circus so I thought it best if I attended to make sure our union won't be a laughing stock.
Blue hair is the first and only thing I notice on her when she walks into the room and heat begins to rise from my feet. I told her to change it and she defied me. She wants to ruin me! Opening my mouth to scream at the ignorant girl, I look at Lol who's giving me a look. I can't reprimand the dense girl with my guests here anyway.
"Oh my, my," Susan Waterford says as she stands.
Turning to her to apologize for my classless fiancée, I stop when I realize she's staring at Ms. Reif as if she's an angel floating into the room. That girl is far from an angel. She's a regurgitated Warhol.
"You are a dream come true," Susan croons, drifting toward Ms. Reif. "I cannot wait to plan this wedding."
Confused, I look at Lol who's got a proud smile on his face while he stays at Ms. Reif's side and Susan kisses her cheeks. At least the girl is dressed more appropriately. Not much more. She's flaunting assets she shouldn't be, but it's better than the cut off shirt and jeans. Somehow she looks less sickly, as if she had been hiding the curves to her body. Yet, she's not appropriately dressed to represent me or my name.
"Callum," Susan moans as she turns to me. "I just got so much more excited for this wedding. Where did you find this beauty? I want to eat her!"
I snort but before I criticize Ms. Reif, Lol narrows his eyes at me.
"Family secret." I smile. What's not a family secret is that a week ago I was dating a supermodel. And now I'm engaged to a Sesame Street character. What will people think? "Please, sit." I put my hand out, but before Ms. Reif takes it, I lower it and sit, hoping she puts distance between us.
There are a few inches between our bodies until Lol sits to my right and leaves me no choice but to move closer to her. I will dismember him for this. He knows better than to meddle in my affairs. All eyes are on Ms. Reif and they're staring like she's an exquisite piece of art.
"Really, Callum, you must tell me. Where did you two meet?"
"Susan, please." I smile at her. "We're here to discuss my fiancée's wishes for our wedding, not the hows and wheres."
"I'll get it out of Mag." She grins at Ms. Reif and I look over at the smiling girl.
Her name's Mag. I should probably remember that.
"Loose lips sink ships. Shall we eat first?" I stand and gesture to the dining room table.
"No, no. Please wait." Susan's eyes roam Ms. Reif head to toe several times. "To get a feel of this wedding, I must know." Leaning forward, she takes Mag's hand and I slowly sit, wondering what the crazy woman is going on about. "If Callum were a stone, what stone would he be?" Intense eyes stare at Ms. Reif and I furrow my brows in confusion.
"A stone?" the girl questions and glances at me, but I'm afraid I can offer no help because I don't understand.
"Yes. What jewel would you wear to represent Callum?" Susan's eyes are shimmering like this answer will set the pace for her creativity when it comes to our wedding.
I'm beginning to regret hiring her. My father had used her for every event he ever put on so it was common for me to call upon her. Come to think of it, I never paid any attention to his parties so the woman might be absolute shit at her job.
Ms. Reif shifts and her leg gently leans against mine while she stares at me. Not only are her eyes on me, but everyone else is staring, and to say I'm uncomfortable is an understatement.
"Please, Susan," I request, clearing my gravelly tone caused by discomfort.
"Graphite," Ms. Reif says before I put an end to this game.
"Graphite?" I repeat. How did she come up with graphite?
With a nod and smile, she hums and looks at Susan again, turning her body away from me once more.
"I love that," Susan croons. "And Callum? What stone is Mag."
"She's a diamond," I blurt the least creative idea I could come up with, wanting to end this foolishness. "Shall we eat?" I stand again.
"Amazing," Susan whispers as if she's just watched a renowned magic trick. "They are the carbon couple." She stands and gestures to us, loudly announcing, "The Carbon Couple."
Her staff claps as if the magic show is over and they are in awe.
"Come again?" I look at Lol for help but he offers none. Just a smile.
"The chemical element carbon. We could call you atomic number six, but Carbon Couple has a better ring to it, wouldn't you agree?"
"No," I state in confusion.
"Callum." She drapes her hand over my shoulder while her other gestures in front of us as if she's presenting something. "Carbon's two main forms are diamond and graphite."
"Yes well, its impure form is coal. I don't see this being a perfect fit. Could we stop the games and eat, please?" I pull away from her.
"And what does coal do?" Her tone has taken on an eerie bass to it like the woman is a witch playing with elements. "It burns," she hisses. "I see the fire between you two."
This is completely absurd. Taking Ms. Reif's arm, I pull her to stand. "Let's eat," I firmly insist and guide her to the table.
Thankfully, the sorcery has ended and talk of the wedding ensues. I keep one ear in the conversation just to make sure I don't hear mention of circus clowns or dyed poodles, but my attention stays on my phone most of the time. Susan and her team are in love with Ms. Reif, but that doesn't surprise me. She's a bat-shit crazy artist type and well, Ms. Reif is bat-shit crazy.
"Then it's settled?" Susan asks, concluding our discussion.
"If Ms. Reif's happy, it's settled." I gesture and glance at her, not really giving a damn, but I must play a doting fiancé.
"You sure you don't care about my dress?" Ms. Reif speaks up and I furrow my brows, not sure why she's asking. I feel as if I may have missed some extravagant monstrosity her and Susan collaborated on. "I mean, you hate my hair, so…" She chuckles and I feel the color draining from my face. I can't portray I hate anything about my fiancée.
"Honey." I chuckle, having forgotten her name.
"Earlier you said—"
I peck her mouth to shut her up then grin at Susan. "The blue hair was a pleasant surprise. She's got a mind of her own which is what drew me to her. So it's settled." I stand and head for the door, needing them out of here before Ms. Reif blabs this is an arrangement and not a union out of love. I'm not willing to be humiliated when people find out I'm being forced to do something I despise. "Please send over all billing to my assistant. You know there will be no issues."
"Oh, I know. You lucky man." Susan smooths her hand down my shirt. "Keep a close eye on that diamond. You're going to have competition."
My brows furrow and lip curls as I look back at Ms. Reif. She's not looking like the gaunt cat tonight, but I think competition is an exaggeration. Even though Lol seems taken with her. Although, that's no surprise. His own girlfriend doesn't pay him attention. I'm sure him and Ms. Reif bonded on the flight. My eyes linger on her tits then ass before I realize what I'm doing. I don't recall seeing she had breasts before, but this cream outfit seems to have been painted onto her body, accenting all of her bodily curves. The more I stare, the more I realize how inappropriate it was for her to wear this to a dinner. She is truly classless. She looks like she's an entertainer that involves much less clothing. How am I marrying a woman people can confuse for a stripper?
"Rupier," I bark Lol's last name when our guests are out of earshot. "Perhaps you have something to tend to?" Keeping my glare on him, I feel Ms. Reif's eyes on me. My sight darts to her hand as she pats his chest, then I reel back when she kisses his cheek. "Ms. Reif, please allow me to show you the premises," I demand.
She will not make a mockery out of me by flirting with my staff.
"Lol already showed me around. I've been here over a week, Callum," she says while heading toward me. The fact she used my name makes me grit my teeth. Though, I suppose my wife calling me Your Grace or Mr. Carbon would be strange.
"But I haven't shown you." I put my arm out, needing to keep her on a leash like that cat. Which reminds me. "What do you suppose I do with the cat?"
"I'm sorry. I don't like cats." Her fingers wrap around my arm and I notice her fingernails match her hair. She's like a child.
"I gathered that. Is that how you treat gifts? You're going to have to get used to receiving plenty of gifts you don't like. As my wife, you'll be gifted useless items from strangers. People spend money hoping to get some of my money."
"Can I request perhaps instead of gifts, money be donated to charity or something? Seems kind of stupid when there are tons of charities out there needing money." That accent is a lot to handle and I regret this walk but I have to actually sell my life to people, including my staff.
There's someone within these walls that's constantly updating the outside world about my life. Up until this arranged marriage, though, it's been rather typical. Now I have to pretend this wasn't arranged because it won't go over well otherwise.
I pull my phone from my pocket and answer a few texts while I walk her around the premises. She goes on talking and I grunt in response every now and again, but I really have no idea what she's been saying. When I get another explicit text from Evelyn, I smirk.
"Callum." Ms. Reif shakes my arm and I quickly lower my phone. When I look over she smiles but my attention is fighting to get back to Evelyn's picture; I continue my text reply. "I'm tired. Can I return to my room?"
"Absolutely," I respond with relief and tug her down the hall before shaking my arm free to finish texting Evelyn.
We come to a stop in front of her bedroom and she's staring at me but my focus is on a spot down the hall. The rug looks torn.
"When will we share a room?" Her question breaks my trance of the mysterious spot on the rug and my eyes dart to her.
"Come again?"
"We're going to share a room, right? We're getting married."
My gaze drifts from her lips as if I've suddenly gone deaf. "After marriage, of course." I never really put thought into that aspect. I want my own space and I especially don't want this girl in it.
"Night." Her arms wrap around me and her breasts push into my chest.
The sensation is opposite of what I expected myself to feel when in this situation with her. My dick seems to have taken over, but keeping a rational head that still dislikes this woman, I give her a swift pat on the back before pulling away.
"Goodnight." Dodging around her, I head toward the rug, and as I get closer I'm relieved to find it was just a shadow. Even a rug interests me more than her.
I'm going to have to come up with a plan of sharing a bedroom. I can ignore the woman, but I think if she finds out I have no intentions of staying married to her, she'll inform her family and that could cause a hiccup or two.