Only His On Paper

or opened

Like the air itself

stone and steel, polished to the point of aggression. The floors were marble, the w

eople who looked like they'd stepped out of magazines and MBA bro

dor. The door was matte black. No nam

iting,"

djusted my jacket,

y glittered behind him, New York in full arrogant glory. His pos

e said without tur

ek. A little too comfortable, like i

fingers raw from work, from winter, from

ally t

; he was even c

you stared too long. His eyes were gray and unreadable, and he wore the

k gave you no

ou had a..

s accept rides from strangers w

dangle hope in front of des

s mouth twitched. Not a smi

behind his desk: black wood, no

cing it in front of

t move. "What ki

iage co

It just burst out of me: sh

doting wife, attend events, wear the ring, and say the r

ng for the punchline.

" I a

in order to finalize a merger. They

they don't

ey trust images. I in

what set

mine. "You'r

ke it might bite. My name was

ake a marriage wi

to enter a real marriage. B

age blurred in front of me. Clause after clause. Appearances. Public affec

my eyes c

B: Breach

he agreed-upon twelve months, party B (Damian Kingsley) reserve

ion bl

me? If I le

This isn't a chari

can just play happy wife for a year? Live in your world

you're smart enough to know this is the o

here

part? He w

spital fees. Li

shifts or prayers. I had reached the end. And som

be tra

ll be

s pounding so loud I co

d to t

decide," he

still feel his eyes on

he tried to hide her pain, and the quiet terror

rned

on the desk. I didn't look at him

st s

like a death sentence. Or a

done, I drop

ed, almost too

r L