Married in Name Only

“Vegas?” she asked, quirking a brow. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“It’s fast, simple.” Lucas smiled. “Unless you wanted to prepare and plan. A cathedral wedding would be fine, and actually not bad for my reputation. We could invite the press and—”

“Vegas it is.” She narrowed her eyes. “One more stipulation. You’re buying the gown of my choosing.”

Lucas could care less about the gown—more what was beneath. He’d have something sexy and sheer ordered for her for their wedding night and have it waiting in their suite.

He’d also have his jeweler get a stunning rock sent over as soon as possible. Their marriage might not be traditional, but Lucas wasn’t going to have his wife walking around with anything less than the best.

“Done,” he finally agreed.

Paisley stared at him another minute, cautiously keeping her emotions guarded, which he didn’t like. The Paisley he used to know had always been an open book, and she kept slipping into that state, but he could also see the independent woman she’d worked so hard to become. She was strong, she was resilient...and she was his.

Finally.

She’d have his ring on her finger and her body in his bed. This might not be the way he’d imagined they’d end up together, but they were going to be together nonetheless. They’d both get what they wanted.

Lucas had been naive years ago to think love would carry them through all their happy days and into old age. Then life smacked him in the face with a dose of reality and he finally saw that love didn’t exist. Money, power, careers—those things lasted and could be controlled. Love was nothing but a made-up emotion for people who lived in a fantasy world.

Love wasn’t for him...and never would be.

Four

They still hadn’t discovered it was me. Sterling Perry was exactly where he needed to be. Oh, he hadn’t murdered anyone, but the fact that he was taking the fall for my mistake thrilled me more than I should allow.

The man was a dirty bastard and deserved to rot in prison...or hell. Either were appropriate for the selfish, greedy man. He ruined my life, ruined so many others. The town and TCC were better off without him.

So long as he stayed in prison and the body wasn’t identified, I’d be home free. I’d already lost so much, I deserved happiness and that was exactly what I’d be going after...no matter who I had to step on or over to get there.

Ryder Currin was another who’d ruined my life, but he’d pay, too. He deserved no less than the treatment Sterling was getting. They’d both pay, maybe in different ways, but they’d pay.

People would remember me for great things, not the murder that I was forced to commit. I’d had no choice! My hands had been tied and then I’d panicked. But then my plans had fallen into place. I will ultimately come out on top. You wait and see.

My future will be secure and everyone will know my name.

I promise you that. Wait and see.

* * *

“What the hell is that?”

Paisley glanced down at her one-of-a-kind lace jumpsuit. The plunging neckline, the open back, the slit up the front of the legs to her thigh...they were all sexy, flamboyant and one hundred percent not part of the wedding “gown” of her dreams.

Which was why she’d purchased the tacky ensemble—with Lucas’s credit card, of course. The nude swatches of material were strategically placed beneath the lace, but the rest was bare skin.

Oh, the look on his face was priceless and worth every bit of nerves she had curling in her belly.

Mustering up all the confidence and attitude, Paisley held her hands out wide and gave a dramatic turn. “You like? I figured since we’re in Vegas, I might as well have some fun. But I wanted to be sexy for my fiancé.”

His eyes raked over her and that visual sampling he gave had her trembling. This wasn’t supposed to arouse her. She wanted to torment him. Damn him and those baby blues she never could ignore.

“Every damn person can see through that,” he growled.

Lucas grabbed her arm and ushered her to the nearest nook at the Hunka-Hunka Burnin’ Love Chapel. Despite the name, this was the classiest chapel on the strip and Lucas had paid to have the absolute best. He also paid for them to have the place to themselves, save for the man marrying them and a couple witnesses.