Page 37 of Beautiful Lies

I raise a brow, glaring at him, because surely, he can see what’s wrong with this picture.

This is clearlyhisroom. It looks like him, smells like him,ishim. And he’s acting like it’s perfectly fine for us to be in here together.

“Knox.”

He ignores me.

“This is your room.” Heat crawls up my throat at the implication.

“For the next six months, it will beourroom.” He sounds as calm as if we’re discussing the weather.

Meanwhile, my stomach drops straight through the floor and keeps going. Right into hell. “No way. No fucking way.”

He finally looks up, staring at me with narrowed eyes as if I’m the one being unreasonable. “Yes way.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’m always serious.”

I throw my hands up, pacing a few steps across the pristine floor. “There are at least ten other rooms in this house, and you expect me to sleep here? Withyou?”

His lips quirk into a menacing grin. “You’ll survive.”

“Survive?” My voice pitches higher. “You think this is some kind of joke?”

He studies me quietly with that cool, unreadable expression only he can pull off. “If it helps, you can take the left side of the bed.”

Jesus, the audacity of him and that calm, infuriating confidence make me want to throw something at him.

“That’s it. I’m not doing this. No way in hell.”

This whole night has been one goddamn fever dream. I spin on my heel and march toward the door, every step fueled by disbelief and anger. I grab the handle and twist, but Knox movesfaster than I can blink. He stops the door from opening, bracing his arm across the frame and caging me in.

“Move,” I snap.

“No.”

My pulse pounds in my throat. “You asshole. I didn’t sign up for this.”

“Yes, you did,love.” He leans in, his body a wall of heat and lethal dominance. “Page eight, clause thirty-two, section two point four—Residential Cohabitation. The contracted party agrees to reside primarily at the principal’s designated residence for the duration of the contractual term… including shared quarters as reasonably determined by the principal.”

I blink at him, stunned. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

He’s not. Not even a little. But surely, he can’t actually expect me to crawl into that bed with him and act like that’s normal.

“This is way beyond reasonable.” I fold my arms, trying to anchor myself to something sane.

“We’re getting married. Married people share a bed.”

“We’re not married yet.” My voice spikes, thin with disbelief, the words tripping over the panic building in my chest.

“A mere technicality.” His mouth curves, not quite a smile, something darker. “You’re going to be my wife. Start getting used to the role.”

Heat simmers up my neck, every nerve sparking with fury. “You areunbelievable.”

He gives a small shrug. “Call it a trial run. My new staff already talk too much. If they see us in separate rooms, it’ll start rumors I don’t have time to deal with.”