hurling out f-bombs into the air. The Indian girl has sunk to the ground and is covering her face in her palms. It’s chaos.
Me? I’m calm as can be.
It’s called Million Dollar Marriage. Did they think marriage wouldn’t factor in?
I’m in.
“You will need to spend the rest of the time living with your partner as a unit. You’ll do everything together for the duration of the contest. There will be challenges that test your endurance, your strength, and your ability to work together as a couple. If you win, you’ll each get two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the opportunity to have the marriage annulled, should you choose. BUT, if you decide to stay together as lawfully married, you’ll together receive the grand prize of ONE MILLION DOLLARS and an all-expenses-paid honeymoon package!”
I look around. All the couples are yin and yang. It’s like they ran our personality tests through a machine and picked out the person we’d be least compatible with.
“Now, we understand this is a big commitment on your part, so we’ll give you and your partner five minutes to talk things out and decide what you’d like to do. Please note that once your decision is made, it is final, and you will be married here, on the spot, before you board a flight to where the real competition will begin.” He winks at the losers’ wall. “If you drop out now, you’ll go home with fifty thousand dollars, but if you decide to continue on, you’ll earn seventy thousand and the chance to compete for even more! Time starts . . . now!”
I turn to Penny. She’s hugging herself and won’t look at me. “Hey. I’m in.”
She doesn’t say anything.
I wave a hand in front of her face.
“Are you crazy?” she finally says, staring at me. “I’d never marry you.”
“Fine. Forget the marriage. This is about the money. And I need the money.”
She sighs. “But . . . my parents . . .”
“Fuck your parents. Fuck everyone. Who cares? After we win, we’ll get it annulled. But I need the money, and you do, too, right? Think of all the people you beat out so far to be here, standing on this stage. Let’s fucking do this.”
She stares at the ground. “We won’t win.”
“Hell yeah we will, girl. You’ve got the brains, right? I’ve got the brawn. Whatever challenges there are, we can handle them. Trust me. We’ll kick ass.”
She wipes her hair from her face and stares at the countdown clock, which shows we have less than two minutes to come to a final decision.
I nudge her. “What are you afraid of?”
“I . . . I don’t know,” she says, her voice quiet. “That I’ll make a fool of myself on national television?”
“I won’t let that happen. Anything else?”
She looks up at me with those big blue eyes, and it gets me. Right there. In the heart, in my cock. I want to pry open those big soft lips with my tongue and have my way with her.
“That you’ll fall in love with me?” I grin at her.
Her eyes widen more, and her face reddens. “No. Not that.”
“Good. Then what’s your answer?”
She stares at her hand, and at first I don’t get it. But then I do. That’s where the ring is supposed to be. “It’s just that . . . all my life, I’ve dreamed of a romantic wedding. With an actual ring, a white dress, and a church and cake and the man I’m in love with. Not this. This is cheesy and gimmicky and just . . .”
Just then, the buzzer above us sounds.
“Time’s up!” Will Wang says, dragging his microphone down the line of contestants. “So, we come to Shveta and Ace. Before you let us know your final decision, please tell us, have you enjoyed your time on Million Dollar Marriage thus far?”
Ace frowns. Shveta says, “Yes. Up until now.”
“Ah. All right. So now, what is your final decision? We do, or no way?”
Shveta leans into the microphone. “I’ve decided . . . no way. I will not be continuing on. Thank you.”
The crowd starts to murmur. “Ah. And why have you decided to give up the chance of winning a million?”
“I can’t,” Shveta says as Ace scowls at her. “In my culture, we are very strict about marriage.”
“Okay, okay.” He thrusts the microphone at Ace. “And how does it feel for you?”
“It fucking sucks. But I didn’t want to marry this bitch anyway.”
Will shifts uncomfortably because Ace looks