Married in Name Only

Lucas checked the time on his phone, noting there was no message from Paisley. She’d gotten up early and had gone to the boutique, but her shop had closed three hours ago. He absolutely hated that he cared, that he wanted to know where she was.

He hated even more that he let it bother him that she didn’t consider this a real relationship. If she did, she’d be considerate enough to let him know where she was.

Damn it. Lucas stalked to his bar nestled in the corner of his penthouse. The wall of one-way windows gave him a picturesque view of their charming city, but right now, he didn’t care. He was too pissed at himself for sliding into the role of doting husband a little too easily. He shouldn’t care where she was; they had no real ties or expectations other than sex and him digging into Sterling. That was all they’d agreed upon.

Yet here he was brooding like a loser.

Sex could seriously cloud the vision. But even great sex with Paisley couldn’t prevent him from destroying Sterling.

For completely selfish reasons, Lucas wanted him to be Paisley’s father. That connection would certainly make the revenge that much sweeter since Sterling wasn’t a fan of Lucas, either.

But for reasons he didn’t want to delve into, Lucas almost hoped Sterling wasn’t Paisley’s father. She deserved so much better than an arrogant asshole whose every move was methodically thought out to what would benefit him most.

Lucas slammed back the bourbon and clanked his glass onto the mahogany bar top. He really should sip and enjoy the bourbon, but he was too on edge. His description of his potential father-in-law’s actions could be applied to his own greed lately.

Wasn’t that how he landed a pewter band on his finger?

Selfishness and greed. He’d never been lumped with those terms before, but he was sure as hell owning them now.

The elevator chimed, indicating a key card had been used to access it.

Lucas poured another two fingers and curled his hand around the stemless glass. No way did he want to appear like he’d been waiting. She was free to come and go as she wanted, right?

Hell, he didn’t know the rules to this type of marriage. He’d given her one—that she would be in his bed like a real wife and she’d more than obliged.

He was still holding his tumbler when the elevator door slid open and Paisley appeared. The topknot she’d left with this morning had come down and her hair tumbled around her shoulders.

She looked sexy as hell in that short, button-up navy dress with matching belt and a pair of nude heels that made her legs appear as if they went on for miles.

Lucas clenched his teeth as she set her stuff down on the table near the elevator. She hadn’t even looked his way, as if she didn’t care if he was here or not.

Another niggle of irritation slid through him.

He was just about to say something—what, he wasn’t sure—when Paisley rested her hands on the table where she’d dropped her purse. With her back to him, her head tipped down between her shoulders...shoulders that were shaking.

Ignoring the drink he’d poured, Lucas crossed the penthouse, his shoes clicking across the hardwoods. Just before he reached her, she jumped and spun around, her hand to her heart.

“I didn’t see you here,” she told him. “You startled me.”

Clearly, she’d been in another world if she hadn’t known he was in the same room. The smudged mascara beneath her eyes was like a punch to the gut. He never wanted to see tears on her, never wanted her to suffer for any reason. Despite their past and their messy present, that was one thing he couldn’t handle.

“What happened?” he asked, swiping her damp cheeks. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “No, just angry.”

Angry tears. That was something he could work with, though he wished he didn’t have to deal with tears at all.

“What happened?” he asked, ushering her into the living area.

“Just this bride who stiffed me for a bill that I can’t possibly cover.” She raked her hands down her face and sniffed. “It’s ridiculous, really. I should’ve demanded payment in full before ordering such an extravagant gown, but she put down 20 percent and we had a contract for the rest. But the wedding got called off and she says the dress is just too painful to think about. She’s refusing to pay the remainder.”