Fake Wife (Taming The Bad Boy Billionaire 8)

“Why not?” he asked. “You gave me permission, even suggested we get together.”

My mouth fell open, and Marlene cackled from behind him.

“I’m going to use Charlie exactly the way he wants to use me,” she said.

Charlie just stared at her. “You’re using me?”

She gazed at him. “Aren’t you doing the exact same thing?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to use anybody. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Oh, Charlie, please don’t tell me you’re growing a conscience!”

“Please take your purse and go,” Charlie said. “It’s best this way.”

I threw her purse toward the door.

She glared at me. “Touch my property and I’ll call the police.”

“Sorry. My apologies. I thought you might enjoy a game of fetch, since you’re a bitch and all.”

“You two both deserve each other! Neither one of you can settle down because you’re both has-beens! Nobody wants you. You’re both all washed up.”

“Get out!” he said to her, pointing at the door.

“Are you mad because you were so easy to seduce? I think we’re perfect for each other. I can marry you with no feelings attached. Isn’t that what you want? Why are you suddenly deviating from the game plan?”

“I planned on marrying somebody with no feelings attached,” Charlie said, “when I first came back to town, but...” He gazed over at me. “But things have changed.”

“What’s changed? Are you actually falling for Jaime? Good luck getting rid of her in two years.”

“Who says I’ll want to?” he asked. “Maybe Jaime and I are two unperfect people refusing to give up on each other.”

Those words melted my heart and I gazed into his eyes. Those were the exact words I said to him on Halloween, the night I’d broken into his house.

Marlene laughed and looked at me as if I was some kind of insect. “You’ll be better off with me, Charlie. I don’t care who sleeps with you, and I’ll never be a jealous or nagging wife. There will be no strings attached, and sex with me will always be on the table...even literally if you want,” she announced with a wink. “We’ll have a happy divorce, and I’m not gonna expect you to stick around. Once that money comes in, it’s a done deal. What other woman’s gonna give you that? What other woman will allow that? I’m exactly what you’re looking for.”

“What I was looking for. I’m not looking for that kind of shallow life anymore.”

“Damn. I should’ve snagged you the second you arrived in Blue Ridge.”

“I asked you out when I first got to town, but you turned me down.”

“Well, you shoulda mentioned the money, Charlie. I would’ve let you put a ring on it that very night. Hell, I would have settled for one of those plastic rings from a bubblegum machine!” She then turned to look at me. “I hope you enjoy such a shallow man.”

“Wait. You’re accusing him of being shallow? Do you even hear yourself, Marlene? You literally just offered to marry and sleep with someone for money! There’s more to Charlie than you’ll ever know,” I roared. “Now get the hell out of here.”

“She’s right. Go,” Charlie said when she looked at him pleadingly.

“Call me if you change your mind,” she said. “The offer will remain open, till I get a better one.”

“You won’t...and it’s not an offer anymore,” he said.

Glowering at me every step of the way toward the door, Marlene grabbed her purse and marched out. “Bitch!” she threw at me right before she closed the door.

“Right back at ya!” I yelled.

Charlie shook his head.