“Another woman?”
“There are many. You didn’t think I have been celibate this whole time since you left, do you? If so, you’re far more idiotic than I had thought.”
“I don’t mean one of the many young women that you entertain yourself with on a regular basis – yes, word travels – I mean someone you actually care about.”
“I don’t do that whole caring thing anymore,” I said, but a part of me felt like I wasn’t being entirely truthful. After all, I had been worried sick over Aria’s sudden disappearance. I could lie to myself all I wanted – that I was mad that she was disobeying the contract, or that I simply enjoyed looking at her ass in the office – but I had spent every day of her absence wondering if she had been okay. And when she had made those drunken phone calls, I had immediately sent Ned to take her and her roommates home because I was concerned for her safety. Admitting that to myself was surprisingly scary. The last thing I needed right now was to be blinded by my emotions. I needed to grow out of caring again, as soon as possible.
“Then I’ll make you a deal, Zay,” Gina said, her tone suddenly very businesslike and professional. Before she could convey her “deal,” though, our server came over.
“Are we ready to order, sir?” A young Asian girl asked.
We both looked at her, slightly annoyed for being interrupted. “I’ll have a glass of whiskey and two spicy tuna rolls for appetizers.”
While Gina made her order, I thought of how that was one of Aria’s favorite foods and felt a familiar pang of longing. That first night we had a date in our office was so incredible. She had matched every one of my clever comments with her own, and had been delighted by the exquisite menu that was custom-made in her honor. Her reaction to the champagne in particular had been delightful. I would have to bring her here someday; this would be some of the best sushi she had ever had and I could reserve the whole restaurant just for her if she wanted. If she wanted. She had to, because I had bought her for the next few months.
With a sinking feeling, I realized that I didn’t want her to be around because of some contractual obligation, but rather because she craved my company, and my body, just as much as I craved hers. Angry with myself for feeling this way, I forced myself to believe it didn’t matter what she thought or felt. She owed me her time, willingly or otherwise. I couldn’t let the fact that she was unhappy to be around me get in the way of what I wanted. That wasn't how I functioned. At least, I really didn’t want it to be. What had that feisty redhead done to me?
“Zayden!” Gina had been repeating my name, making me snap out of it.
“Oh yeah, sorry, I spaced out,” I said, slightly frustrated to be taken away from thoughts of Aria. “You were talking about some proposition.”
“Yes, and hear me out before declining my offer,” she said, still sounding businesslike. “We cancel the divorce proceedings-“
“No way. That’s not a deal. It’s just not happening.”
“Hear me out!” She was clearly getting frustrated. All attempts at being sickeningly sweet vanished. No more pretenses. Gina was getting to the point. She wasn’t here because she thought she loved me or something ridiculous like that.
“I know you don’t have any feelings for me, and I am okay with that. But you gain something by having me around; you can shut your mother up and she will stop with the threats if she thinks we are back together and happy.”
“Your point being?”
“We can stay married, but we don’t have to actually be married. You are free to do whoever you want, and I will do the same. Just on the down low. I will have my own room in your house – except when your mother is around so we can sell it – and not bother you with your life whatsoever. We have no physical obligations to each other, or emotional, but to your mother we will appear as a functioning, happy couple. It’s enough to get her off your back. Tons of rich people do this kind of thing.”
“What do you want in return? You obviously wouldn’t be making this deal if there wasn’t something in it for you.”
“Money and security,” she said and shrugged, as though it were only natural.
Even though I always knew these things, the fact that Gina was sitting in front of me like this and boldly stating her screwed-up intentions made me surprisingly angry. She would definitely fit in with “The Real Housewives” cast.
“You are appalling!”
“Some would say I am clever in looking out for myself. Always have been. You are a very difficult person to love. There isn’t a woman out there in the world capable of it, I guarantee you.”
Her words hit harder than they should have. Was she right? Was I just completely unlovable? Not that it mattered – regardless of whether a woman loved me or not, I was still the most powerful man in a 200-mile radius of this town. What did it matter if I could never get some dumb girl to devote her life to me? Love was bullshit, anyway. I always knew this; nobody was capable of loving anybody else…
My mind drifted to Aria again. Until the running out of my office incident the other day, she had always spoken surprisingly highly of me. She had called me a friend and even said that people underrated my character. Surely, Aria would disagree with what this woman was saying?
Starting to get angry with myself again, I scoffed. What the hell did it matter? Why did I care so much what Aria thought? Why was Gina’s comment about me being impossible to love making me think of Aria? I did not want her to fall in love with me. That’s the last thing I would want; it would just complicate things and make it difficult to get rid of her after the contract was over. The whole idea behind our deal was to not have any messy endings. The problem was, as I was just realizing, that I wasn’t sure if I wanted there to be an ending at all. The idea of “getting rid of her” sounded wrong in my head, as though I was planning to get rid of an organ from my own body.
What the fuck was happening to me?
“Are you going to keep spacing out, or are you capable of having a mature discussion about this?”
“Mature?” I sniggered. “What part of any of this is mature? A marriage of convenience? Mostly of convenience to you, I might add, you shameless gold digger.”
“Oh, stop it, Zay. It’s not my fault you were so blind the whole time. I was with other men since before our wedding and you were just in denial. You never asked any questions! I figured it was because you knew what I was after and didn’t really care. Because it was and always has been a marriage of convenience. You just wanted a wife to take to charity events and shut your mother up, and I just wanted your money. We can still continue to have that. Why even pretend to care?”
She was right. I never really loved her or cared for her. Gina was simply a woman my mother approve