Summer Alphahole: Ms. West, have you forgotten that you are getting married in precisely 3 hours?
Me: I am trying my best.
Alphahole: Stop being obstinate.
Me: Stop being so dominating.
Alphahole: I was born this way.
Me: You know what they say about people who try too hard to project themselves?
Silence Me: It’s that old saying about how those with small balls try to overcompensate in all other fields of life.
Alphahole: I can assure you my balls are bigger than normal size, as is my dick. As you must have guessed from
the way you thrust your pelvis wantonly against my groin.
Me: Anyone ever told you that you’re crude? And does anyone use the word 'wanton' anymore?
Alphahole: I do.
Bet the jerk has his lips curled in that smirk. My thighs clench. Damn it, can’t I have a single normal interaction
with this man without getting hot and bothered? I wipe my clammy palms on my shirt.
Alphahole: Are you there, Ms. West?
Me: Does it make a difference?
Alphahole: No.
Jerk.
Alphahole: As long as you turn up for the wedding, I don’t care what you wear.
It’d serve him right if I turned up naked.
Alphahole: Don’t do that.
Me: You have no idea what I was thinking.
Alphahole: Don’t I? You’re too predictable, Pink.
Bite me. I am going to spring a surprise on him, and he won’t see it coming.
Alphahole: Don’t embarrass me, Bird.
You think? I snort.
Alphahole: You wouldn’t have the courage to do that after our time together, either.
Me: Stop putting words in my mouth.
Alphahole: That was too easy.
Me: What? Being able to predict that your ego has no bounds? You think you can manipulate anyone and get away
with it.
Alphahole: Can’t I? I’ve gotten you to toe the line thus far, haven’t I?
I toss the phone aside. Begin to pace. Think of the money in the bank. The million that was already d eposited.
Another million on the day of the wedding—today—then for every day after until we reach the thirty days, or my
father agrees to join forces with him, whatever comes first. If he wasn’t holding that video recording over me, I’d
have walked out by now.
If he hadn’t been holding it over me, I wouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place, either. Damn, poverty sucks.
Exc ept, I am no longer poor. I just have to get through the next twenty-five days. That's all.
The phone vibrates again and I ignore it. And again.
After the third buzz, I swoop down and pick it up.
Alphahole: That was uncalled for, I’m sorry.
Wait, what, he apologized?
Alphahole: Don’t expect me to do so again.
Just as I was thinking he had no heart he had to go and break the illusion. That’s not good. I don’t want to see him
as human, for he isn’t. He’s a freakin’ heartless monster and I am best served thinking of him as one.
Alphahole: You there?
No.
Me: Yes.
Alphahole: The doc gave you a clean bill of health.
Right. He'd arranged for his personal doctor to check me out in the privacy of my bedroom yesterday. Of course,
he could have warned me about it, but no, why would he?
The doctor had shown up and I'd been livid.
I'd wanted to refuse... until common sense had won out.
When he'd recommended I use the contrac eptive injection, I'd agreed. Best to be protected. The last thing I want is
to become pregnant. I swallow.
Alphahole: I'm clean too.
Riiight... I chew on my lips. What does that mean?
Are we going to have sex on the first night of our marriage? My cheeks flush. God, I sound so archaic.
Besides, no way do I want to have to sle ep with him... Do I?
Silence. A beat. Another, then the dots jump on the screen.
Alphahole: I know what you're thinking.
Me: So you can read my mind now?
Alphahole: Very easily. Right now, you're stressing out that I plan to seduce you on our first night. You're wrong.
Eh?
Alphahole: I'm going to take what is already mine.
Me: I'm not yours.
Alphahole: We'll see.
Me: Fuck you.
Alphahole: I am counting on it. Oh... and Pink What?
Alphahole: Don’t embarrass me.