Twenty four year old, Asher 'Ash' Hunter has a reputation as an Alpha who never loses. But by deciding to choose his mate for him, his father has just challenged him to the biggest game of his life.
Plagued by rogue attacks, secret plots, and the s...
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"You want me to do what?" Stormy, grey eyes met a pair of sparkling, chestnut orbs.
"I want you to play the part of my chosen mate in exchange for returning your family home. Though, you would use the term fiancée, I suppose."
The voice remained calm and steady, with no hint that its owner was preparing any kind of punchline, but hearing the sentence a second time did not in anyway make it any less insane.
"You can't be serious!"
"I don't recall smiling when I suggested it." Lips that appeared designed to carry a permanent smirk curled up slightly at the edges, one perfect eyebrow rising all of its own accord.
Katherine sat poised on the very edge of the chair, her mouth half-open in incredulous surprise. Several tendrils of hair had escaped from her carefully selected bun, and in her agitation her fingers rose to twist them into an angry corkscrew. "I... I..."
Her brain refused to form a complete sentence. After all, What do you say to such an absurd proposal? Instinct drove her from the chair to the far corner of the room, wringing her hands in agitation.
He calmly watched her pacing, his eyes never wandering far from her face.
“You must be completely mad!” she finally blurted out. “Marry you? Why the hell would I agree to that?”
“Your reaction is not entirely unexpected,” he observed dryly, “but, you seem confused. Perhaps I didn't phrase it quite right. You don't actually need to mate with me – " she flushed crimson, and his lips curled further upwards, “I simply want to hire you for a task of some delicacy for which I feel you are highly suited. Your payment will be the deeds to the house, and any expenses you might incur along the way.” He sounded as if he were discussing the price of a new pair of shoes. “I am only in need of a temporary mate.”
A temporary mate... Her mouth formed the words silently, her brain still struggling to wrap itself around the suggestion. She sank back into the chair, forcing herself to think clearly. “You want to hire me?”
“Yes.”
“To pretend to be your... your... fiancée?”
“Yes.”
“And then you'll return the deeds?”
“Yes. Not forgetting you'll also get the considerable pleasure of jilting me in public.” He tilted his head, full of curiosity. “Is breaking it into pieces helping?”
Not really... Katherine stared at him for the longest moment. “But what for? I've never heard of anything so... so ridiculous.”
“My father...” He trailed off, lips pursing. “No, perhaps not the best way to begin. My bro –” He broke off again, a rueful expression developing. “To be honest, I hadn't given much thought on how to explain it.”
