BLOOM

-3-

Honey, sweet thing, let's get into it, we can do whatever

[KARTER]

The ride to my home was quiet. Too quiet in fact. My nerves and brain were still reeling from tonight's events. Did I really agree to a sham marriage, and give birth to a real baby for this man? I'd officially lost my goddamn mind. The impulsive nature that had been bestowed upon me after I turned three had been an enormous burden for me, and others, let my mama tell it. At this point, I was going to believe her. I wanted to pop myself in the mouth. No, rip my lips off!

A warm hand slipping in mine pulled me from my thoughts. "I put up the partition, he can't hear us. Talk to me, please?"

I looked down at Taehyung's fairer hand wrapped around my brown one. "I was in my head." I said before my eyes snapped up to his.

"Explain," he didn't intend for it to come out as a command. It came out softly so I obliged him.

"This, eh, arrangement, I'm not going to pretend that I didn't do that on an impulse. Your mother just pissed me off with her lies and it came out,"

His chuckles made me roll my eyes. "I know that you don't care for her. She irks my nerves too Karter, but she's still my mother," he massaged my knuckles with his hand in a soothing manner.

I shrugged and grunted as he laughed once more. "I meant what I said Taehyung. If we go through with this and if I have a baby, she's not going to be allowed around them. I don't want our kid being mistreated just because of their skin tone."

"When the baby gets here, I'll do everything in my power to make sure they are protected and treated properly. Mother or not, I won't allow her to mistreat my child." His face frowned up, while the grasp he had on my hand tightened.

I slowly pulled my hand out of his grip. "Actions speak louder than words Mr. Kim."

"Well, I'll prove everything to you Mrs. Kim," his sly grin after his words made me mug him, but he didn't care.

"Na uh. Don't call me that. We need to discuss the contents of the contract," I reminded him.

"We can do it over breakfast," he said as the car came to a stop.

I looked out the window and noticed that we had reached the front of my apartment complex. "Let's not. How about dinner? I'm sleeping in tomorrow." Saturdays were deemed my self care days. Days away from stress, computer screens, notes, work in general. Most importantly, they were the days I stayed the hell away from Kim Taehyung. He knew to leave me alone on Saturday's. But this was important. I couldn't run from it since I agreed to put in a show with him. Now, I'd have to deal with him for seven days a week.

He groaned. "Faye, come on,"

I whipped my head around to glare at him, "Didn't I ask you not to call me that?!"

Tae laughed while tossing his hands up in mock surrender. "I don't want to stop, and I'm not. I'll just refrain from doing so at work."

Ignoring his words, I unsnapped my seatbelt and picked up my purse. The back door opened and there stood Jungkook in a black suit. He waited for me to get out of the car. He looked exhausted and, ready to go home. I smiled, Jungkook was also one of my closest friends.