Chapter 6

**Blue**


I slowly stop laughing when I notice the guy's face hasn't changed. He isn't cracking a smile or laughing along with me. Neither is the woman next to me.

"Are you serious?" I ask with clear disbelief in my voice.

"Yes." He says.

"Okay. Can I ask why?" I'm not sure what to ask if I'm honest.

"I'll be right outside Mr. Rhodes." The redhead says before leaving me alone with this crazy man.

"I need your help with a problem I'm having." The man says as he moves and stands at the edge of my bed.

"Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step but what does that have to do with me marrying you?"

He doesn't seem amused by my odd comment.

"I need to be married by Sunday. My family has a tradition where all children are supposed to be married by the age of thirty. Either to someone of their choice, within reason, or to someone of their choosing." He says this in what I assume is his way of explaining the situation.

It only makes me more confused though.

"Aren't things like forced marriages against the law here? Why would you let your family do that?"

He sighs and fiddles with his shirt cuffs. "My family is a business. Out of youthful ignorance, I made the mistake of letting my father loan me money to start my business. Doing that meant that he could hold that over my head for as long as my business survives. One of the conditions was that I would follow this marriage rule. At the time I didn't care because I had so much time, but that time has run out. That's where you come in."

I gawk at him. That's a lot to take in. First, he's almost thirty. He looks so young. Also, that's a pretty messed up thing for his family to do.

"Why me?" I decide that is the next logical thing to ask.

"You don't fit the usual type of woman they would want me to consider marriage with which makes you perfect for the role." He smiles slightly like that doesn't sound offensive at all.

"Wow, thanks. I'm glad to know I won't meet your family's approval."

His smile falls and he looks at me like he doesn't understand my offense to what he said. Figures.

"Look, I can pay you. Whatever you want and you'll have a nice home to live in. If we get down to it you are getting the better end of the deal."

Is he for real?

"I don't want your money." I snap at him. "I'm not for sale."

"I didn't say you were. I am offering you a whole new life to do me this favor. From the looks of things you could use my help."

The bastard!

"Get out!" I yell.

He doesn't make a move to leave so I pick up the remote with the nurse button on it so I can ask for him to be escorted out. A firm hand covers mine before I can do anything and suddenly a very handsome asshole is looking down at me.

"Don't."

I narrow my eyes at him and try to dislodge his hand but he's a lot stronger than me.

"Let go." I sneer through clenched teeth.

"No. We're going to talk this through without interruption and then you will agree."

I scoff at his cocky attitude. "Right? All of this isn't going to convince me to marry some prick who I'm guessing posted a photo of me on the internet."

He releases me but his hand moves down to rest on the bed next to my leg. This puts him face to face with me making my breath catch.

"What are you doing?" I whisper.

"You won't say no, so why are you making things so difficult?"

"You're delusional," I say back.

That makes him smirk. "No. I just know what I want and don't back down."

He stands straight again and reaches into his suit pocket to pull something out. It's a small box. He takes my hand and turns it over to set the box on it.

"What's this?" I ask giving the box a suspicious look.

"Open it." He says.

I do and I feel like I might faint again. "What the hell is that?"

"Consider it a gesture of good faith. This costs more than most people make in a year. If you agree you will get to wear that on your finger and have access to a lot more."

He is really pushing this money angle. The giant diamond ring is impressive but way too big. I would never wear anything like it even if I could afford it.

Instead of accepting it like he thinks I will I snap the box shut and hold it out to him.

"I don't want it. I already told you I don't want your money."

"What do you want then?" He sounds frustrated, but that's too bad.

"I don't want or need anything. I'm perfectly happy with the way my life was until you sent a wrecking ball through it!"

"Fine. I can admit my mistake, but with that in mind you will need protection. I can offer you a safe place to stay and security. I don't expect anything else from you. I'm not interested in this being a real marriage. It's me simply fulfilling a contractual obligation."

He stays quiet after that and I look at him. I really look at him and although I would rather tell him to get lost, he has a point. The least he can do is protect me after what he's done.

"Fine. I accept your protection, but I don't want to be paid to marry you. I have some self-respect."

Then he smiles like he just won and I'm back to wanting to hit again.

"Deal."

"Great! Now, there is one thing we have to do before we exchange vows." I say.

"What is that?"

I hold my hand out to him. "Hi, my name is Blue."

He looks at my hand and then back up at my face. "Blue? Like the color?"

"Yes. Now you." I shake my hand at him and he finally takes mine to shake.

"Artemis Rhodes."

I smile sweetly at him. "Nice to meet you, Artemis Rhodes. I accept your proposal to marry you with no financial exchange for my services."

"We'll have something more than a spoken agreement between us." He says releasing my hand.

He moves over to one of the open seats and gets comfortable.

"Okay, like a prenup?" I ask him.

"Yes. With a clear set of limitations provided by both of us along with expectations from this relationship."

"I thought you said you had no expectations from me."

"I don't personally. There are however some expectations from my family. In short, a child."

I nearly choke on my tongue. "A child? You expect me to get pregnant? When? I'm twenty-one!"

He shrugs like this is no big deal. "They don't have a specific timeline, but it would be best if the child is born before two years of marriage."

Is he for real?!