content shaking hands and blocking people’s attempts to embrace him. His actions had caused me to giggle. I didn’t blame him one bit. I was particular about who I hugged too.
“Story of my life,” I said. The smile on my face dropped and I finally allowed disappointment to creep into my expression.
Now, my focus was being drawn back to the towering man standing beside me. Why hadn’t Arjen left yet? I wasn’t very friendly to people I didn’t know, although there was something about him that kept shouting for my attention, nonetheless.
“You can wipe that look of disappointment off your beautiful face,” he said, recapturing my full attention. “The way I see it, you’re getting the best part of this whole deal.”
“And what deal is that?”
One of my brows lifted, waiting for his answer as my metallic nails tapped against my arm.
“Me. I’m the deal. Since my ex-fiancée is in love with and has married my brother, it appears it will be you and me tying the knot.”
The laugh I didn’t fight too hard to keep to myself, escaped. Was that his idea of a proposal? Was he really about to flip-flop us around like we were pieces on a game board?
Shut the fuck up, Mecca! The voice of reason in my head yelled. Arjen is the head of the Vallin family, and your uncle left you in charge of an empire on the brink of collapse.
At those inner thoughts, a smile slowly materialized.
“Is that what you believe? That I’m getting the best deal?”
Being cocky, I folded my arms across my chest, which caused my tits to lift and flash some cleavage.
“Don’t get it twisted. The way I see it, you’re the lucky one.”
A wide smile lit my face, flashing him a trace of my devilishness. I didn’t miss his eyes zeroing in on my tits. The sound of my voice lifted those pretty eyes back up to meet mine.
“You’re the one that almost missed out on the best thing you didn’t even know you needed,” I stated boldly.
I may not have been getting the man I was supposed to marry, but with Arjen, I sensed that things would be interesting. This was also a way for us to make the Vallin-Evans alliance a more solid pact.
“Are you ready?” he asked, pointing across his shoulder, so broad, I swear they muffled the sound from behind him.
“Ready for what?” My gaze raked him from top to bottom again before locking with his as I shifted my stance from the left foot to the right.
“Why do you think the pastor is still standing up there?” he asked.
Since I was eye-level to his shoulder, I was forced to lean to the right to peek around him to find the pastor on stage, talking to a few of the guests in attendance.
After I straightened my stance, I jerked my neck back, revealing my wicked side-eye.
“Hell, no!” I barked, stretching the two words out as a heavy dose of attitude spiked in my system.
“I want my own shit. I’m already feeling salty about being your second choice. Do you honestly think I’m settling for a damn second-hand wedding too? It’s tacky as fuck. No! Just no!”
He stood before me, doing his best to suppress the laugh tickling his lips at my antics, a good sign that he had a sense of humor.
“You must be smoking bad crack if you think I’m getting married in an off-the-rack suit that I bought on sale.”
With a stiff finger aimed at the expensive white jumpsuit I wore, I continued my rant.
“If we do this, I want an overpriced dress and cake, a bunch of stuck up guests that I don’t know, a bigger venue, expensive food and drinks, and a rock on my finger that cost enough to break one of your bank accounts.”
His hardy laugh escaped, especially when he realized I was serious. I knew what I wanted, and he appeared to be at ease with my logic. If I was marrying a man I didn’t love, for a less than honorable reason, I may as well get what I wanted.
“Laugh all you want, future husband,” I warned. “I don’t intend to be second in your life, but this one time. If I didn’t love my cousin as much as I do, your brother would be standing his ass right here with me, hearing the same speech.”
The statement caused his laughter to push out harder. Seeing him laugh had me fighting back the urge to join him. He