Clarissa entered her father’s office.

“Have you secured the Wesley account?” her father asked.

She sat on the oversize chair across from him. “Yes. Contract came in this morning.” Two months into the fake marriage, and a month into her work as the VP of Bianca Jewelry. At first, the employees and clients gave her the cold shoulder because of her young age. Thankfully, she showed them she wasn’t afraid to work hard. Her determination paid off.

Besides, working at the company her mother founded brought them closer together. She understood why this had meant so much to her mother.

“There’s something I want to tell you,” Papa said.

She opened her briefcase and retrieved her laptop. “What is it?”

He waved her off, like she wouldn’t need to compare any notes or open any files. Ever since her wedding, they hadn’t had many personal conversations. “I’m sorry I sent you to live with your aunt.”

Clarissa squared her shoulders. Oh. One of those conversations.

She leaned closer to her father, as if she could hear him better. Because there was no way she’d heard him correctly. Was there?

A pang of hope zapped through her. “That’s a little bit late.”

He glanced at the rug. “I know. You must understand, I wanted to keep you safe. With my occupation and your mother gone, I knew you needed a female figure in your life.”

Female figure? Sadness welled up her throat. “I needed love. What I got was a drill sergeant.” A religious nut job, she added inwardly. Bless her aunt, who now rested at a house because of her early onset Parkinson’s Disease. While she’d vowed to visit her aunt once in a while, she had a hard time letting go of internalized resentment.

His eyebrows furrowed. “My sister meant well. She grew up in a different time.”

“Why are you saying this now?”

He stood from his chair, and walked around the desk. She motioned to stand, but he pulled the chair next to her and sat instead. “Because you’re a young married woman. You’ll have children someday.”

A long time from now. “And you don’t want me to keep them from you?” she asked, hating how bitter she sounded. Why else did her father all of a sudden worry about her feelings?

He let out a frustrated sigh, and looked away before his gaze returned to hers. In his eyes, she saw a flicker of regret. Her stomach curled. “I don’t want you to make the same mistakes, bambina.”

“I can’t have kids and have you in their lives if you continue with your side business, Papa. That wouldn’t be fair to them,” she said in a determined voice. Her father had kept her away for her safety. She could have been used by someone who wanted to hurt him. But, now her position in the company had garnished attention. She was no longer a child. However, she wouldn’t allow her children to live in fear someone might hurt them.

“I know. I intend on quitting my… less legal business transactions. I’ve already started to look into it.”

“Why now?” Why hadn’t her been enough for him to change his ways. “You could have done so after Mom died.”

He held out her hand in his. Tears brimmed his eyes. “No one makes the right decisions when they’re consumed by grief,” he said, choking out the words.

Clarissa opened her arms, and hugged him. It was time to let go of the pain she’d carried inside her all those years. One day she’d have children, yes, and she’d hate for them to inherent resentment. Her father had done her wrong, but he was making amends.

He held her tight, quietly, for what felt like a long time. When he let go of her, his face flushed, and more tears rolled down his cheeks. Damn it. This had to be difficult for him, too.

“Thanks, Papa.”

“Thank you, my dear,” he said, and kissed the back of her hand. “You and your husband will be the future of this company.”

Clarissa blinked. “My husband?”

“I’ve finally given him my account this morning. He’ll make partner at his firm.”

Guilt clogged her throat. Her father thought they had married because they’d wanted to… not because of an impulsive scheme. During the past weeks, she had fallen for Beck—for his gorgeous smile, his smart way to deal with things, the way he always made her coffee in the morning even if he was late for work.

Was she about to lose it all? If they both got what they wanted, why else to keep the marriage? They’d verbally agree to a minimum of six months, but they’d reached their goals quicker. Her father had made her VP, and had given Beck and his firm the account.

Clarissa’s chest tightened like a Grand Piano sat on it. She’d never imagined getting what she wanted would be so painful.

“Congratulations are in order,” Carey, a junior associate said, after they finished going through a case. “I heard you nailed your father-in-law’s account.”

Beck nodded. He’d heard from Garubo that morning, and met with his now-partners. They hadn’t made an announcement yet, and Carey already knew? “It’s not official yet. But thanks.”

Carey’s hand flew to his mouth. He probably realized Beck didn’t appreciate office gossip. “I’m sorry. Good news travel fast.”

Beck stood up from his chair, hoping the nosy associate would get the hint. “It appears they do.”

“Right. I’ll get on this,” he said, pointing to the manila folder in his right hand. “I see you around.”

Carey left his office, and Beck sat back, rocking in his chair. Soon, he’d move to a much bigger office. Not that there was anything wrong with his—it was spacious, clean, and because of its location in the older part of the office, it still warranted him privacy. Besides a nice large window, the apparent brick walls and door allowed him to work without being interrupted.

He smoothed over his tie. He expected for an immense happiness to fill him. Hell, he’d made it—he got to where he wanted without his father’s influence. He proved it to anyone, and himself, he could.

Beck let out a breath.

Soon, his marriage to her would be over.

What if it didn’t have to?

They hadn’t said the L word to each other, but he knew—he felt— it. Never had he rushed home to be with someone like he did with Clarissa. Most of the time they screwed, but he also enjoyed watching her cook dinner or even checking on his phone, knowing she was next to him, working on her computer.

Maybe she didn’t feel the same way. Maybe once she got what she wanted—and as VP she’d started to—, she’d ask for the divorce. Why not? She was young, he had been her first and maybe she wanted to do all the things someone her age should have done: to date, to make mistakes, to deal with different relationships.

He curled his fingers into a fist, and slammed it on the desk. Fuck. His winning the partnership, reaching that milestone put him one step closer to losing her. Did he really have the heart to keep her to himself if that was not her wish?

“Beck, your wife is here,” the voice of his assistant Pat sounded on the sleek intercom.

“Let her in.”

Soon, Clarissa opened the door and walked inside. A cherry red dress hugged her curves without squeezing them. His blood pumped in his veins. God, she was beautiful.

“How are you?” he asked, surging to his feet.

He expected her to flash him a bright smile and throw herself in his arms as usual. She walked in with small steps, hesitantly. Her lips trembled into a smile, like she forced herself to be positive. “What happened?”

He motioned to hold her, but she stepped back. His back stiffened. What the hell? “Tell me,” he said, impatient.

She chewed on her lower lips, her eyes glossy. Had she been crying. “Sorry. I just want to keep composure while doing this.”

Composure? He scratched his head, not liking the sound of it. Not one bit.

“My father talked to me today. He… he took responsibility for sending me away. It was a good conversation.”

“Then why are you sad, sweetheart?”

“Because this means we’re done,” she said, her voice wavering.

“Done.” He meant it as a question, but ended up repeating, in shock. “You said we had six months.”

“Papa said you got your partnership. Congratulations.”

He shook his head. What the hell? Then, a glance at her gave him the answer he needed. She loved him. She was leaving him before he had the chance to leave her. She blinked back, and he imagined she wanted to stop tears from forming. She wanted to be strong and confident in front of him.

“Clarissa… are you done with me?” he lifted her chin so she could look deep into his eyes.

“I know you had a hard time trusting me when we got married. I don’t want you to think I’m using what got us together as an excuse to maintain the marital status.”

“I trust you. You walked in and let me off the hook. You could have waited, and not told me this,” he said, and pulled her to him. “How we got here no longer matters. I love you, Clarissa. If you love me back, stay. If you don’t… I totally understand.”

She watched him intently, and oxygen vanished from his lungs. Anticipation throbbed his temples, quickened his pulse. “Really? Oh, Beck…” she said, and stretched to her full height and grabbed him, capturing his lips with hers.

Determined to show her how much he loved her, how much he needed her, he lifted her from the floor, and placed her on his desk, not caring about all the objects falling to the floor. He’d just made partner. He could afford it.

Clarissa clasped the edges of desk.

Beck had placed her along the heavy oak piece of furniture, and slid her G-string off. He loves me. She had given him carte blanche to leave, to end their deal, but it seemed he wanted a deal of his own. Hopefully, one that included forever.

“Yes…” she moaned when he lowered himself between her legs. Without delay, he buried his tongue in her pussy. She quivered, and he teased her clit with his tongue the way only he knew how. The way that drove her insane. “I love when you lick me, babe. When you take all of me in your mouth. It shows me how hungry you are for me.”

In response, he sped up the rhythm of his flicking her clit. She undulating her hips, unable to take the pressure already so quickly building in her core. But he kept her still, his free hand under her hip, giving him a better angle to explore her most intimate spot.

Heat coiled low in her stomach, the fire spreading to her heart. A turbulence of passion swirled through her, and a moan of ecstasy slipped through her lips.

She still throbbed, when he took off his pants and scooted her to the edge of the desk. The look in his face spoke of possessiveness, boldness, and she loved it. He nudged her thighs apart, and thrust his cock inside.

She gasped, adjusting to his fabulous dick. “I love you, Beck.”

He stopped for a moment, and stared at her, fascinated. “Do you mean it?”

She clenched her inner muscles, and he groaned. She bit back a triumphant smile. “Of course I do.”

He frowned. “There are other guys out there you haven’t dated.”

She wrapped her legs around him. “Yes. You’re right. But there’s only one of you.”

A gorgeous smile formed in his lips, and suddenly the entire office was brighter. He lifted her left leg and kissed her ankle. The shift deepened their position, and she felt his cock throbbing inside her. “I love you,” she repeated.

He plunged into her again, deeper. Stronger. She moaned, keeping her eyes on him as he rammed into her. Claimed her. Made her his.

“I’m never letting you go,” he said.

“That’s a deal I can live with,” she said. And she just knew it to be true.