Page 284 of The First Taste

"You also need to know that by marrying me, your child becomes mine. I am his father from that point on. No matter what, hell or high water."

Surprisingly, I don’t have anything to add. That one actually seems rather sweet, in a fucked-up way.

“My fourth point is that you must keep the secret of the child’s parentage and of our fake marriage safe from anyone ever knowing the truth. That means you can’t tell your aunt, your friends, your doctor, or anyone else. If you see a therapist, I fully expect that you will lie about this one aspect of your life. No one can ever know. "

He turns, pinning me with his gaze. "I mean it."

I notice that my teeth are no longer chattering. I peel the blankets away from my upper body and exhale dramatically. "That much we can both agree on. I don’t want to tell anybody that I sold myself for my baby. So, the secret is just between us."

I glance away, my eyes narrowing on the horizon. If I were being completely honest with Dare, I would tell him that I’ve already spilled my guts to my best friend Olivia. But Olivia will never tell anyone. And I doubt that Dare is holding his own secrets close to his chest.

He resumes pacing, his back-and-forth movements nearly hypnotic by now. "Oh, I should think that you wouldn’t want anyone to know," he agrees.

I feel a flush rising in my cheeks, but I refuse to be shamed by him. After all, I’m only doing what he wants me to do.

"Is there anything else that you want me to sign my name to?"

His lips lift at the corners, but he doesn’t make eye contact with me. Instead, he just stalks back and forth, his circuit almost predetermined.

"Yes, I’m going to make a final point very explicit in the contract."

"Oh yeah?" I say, my eyes rolling. "What is that? A no-cheating rule?"

He stops dead, his head snapping toward me. The fiery look in his eyes makes me wish I hadn’t said anything. "I didn’t think I had to say that. But yes. There is no looking at other men, no flirting with other men, and no fucking around behind my back. I am the only man you’ll ever look at. Do you understand, Talia?"

I gulp, feeling the blood draining from my face. His glare is so intense; his posture is primed and ready; his hands form loose fists. I’m so caught off guard by it that I just nod.

"I was kidding," I rush to explain. "Of course, I don’t expect to sleep around. I don’t expect to sleep with anyone."

His gaze doesn’t falter for a second. Moving towards me, he kneels in front of me and grabs my hands.

"Swear it. Tell me right now."

My heart beats against my rib cage, a wildly fluttering bird yearning for freedom. My lips are dry, and I can’t look away from my future husband. For just this second, no one else exists in the entire universe. He squeezes both my wrists in his hands, and he growls at me.

"Promise me! I want to hear it!"

"I… I promise. I swear."

"You swear what?" he says, giving me a shake. "Tell me."

I lick my lips; my blood is cold as ice and yet hot as fire all at once. "I’ll never cheat on you."

"Not ever," he grits out, his voice low and rough. "Especially not with my brother."

My breath falters. "Of course not. The whole reason that I am marrying you is that I don’t like your brother at all in any way."

"Good." He hisses. "Well, that brings me to the final point."

God, what could be so serious? He’s looking at me now like he requires my consent to keep drawing breath or something. Like if I suddenly say no, he will stop living or something.

Dare’s face is cruel, callous, and cold as he offers his final edict.

"Don’t fall in love with me." He says it so seriously and with such perfect diction that I find his words confusing.

"What?" I ask, shaking my head as if to dislodge something from my ears. I must’ve misheard him.

"You can’t fall in love with me under any circumstances. It’s a terrible idea. Love is messy. It’s unpredictable. It’s challenging. And I need the opposite of that from you. I'm looking for something as simple, easy, and predictable as the tides. That is what I am paying you for, Talia. You understand, don’t you?"