by C. D. Samuda
“Shit.”
“Who are you?” a deep, smooth, sexy voice, riddled with sleep asked.
Slipping from the driver’s seat she made to run off, but remembered Sweetie who was playing with her tail on the hood of the vehicle. The man rushed from the back seat and sprinted in her direction. Hadn’t she stopped to get the cat, he wouldn’t have had the chance to grab her collar.
“You’re not getting away,” he said, while he pulled a cell phone from his pocket.
Shade tried to wrangle from his grasp but he was a hell of a strong fellow. She tried to twist around to see his face, but his grip on the back of her collar was choking her. A few seconds later he was talking to the police. She kicked back, but he shifted. Driving her elbow back ward came into contact with a brick wall. He didn’t even flinch at her feeble attempt.
The ten or so minutes it took for the patrol car to show up was spent with her trying to breathe while attempting to pry his strong fingers from her collar. This wasn’t happening. In the last few years of her doing this, she’d never been caught. How did Brick miscalculate this heist?
The patrol car came blazing won the street with red flashing lights. No sirens as this was one of the more opulent neighborhoods in the city. The patrol vehicle pulled to a stop adjacent to the car. Two officers alighted their vehicle and came to stand a foot away.
“I found her trying to steal my car.
“I was doing no such thing,” Shade denied. “What would I want with your cheap Accord?”
“She broke into my car,” the man said.
He still hadn’t let her go, while he proceeded to tell the police exactly what happened. Her attempts as denial were futile as she could not give an explanation for her being inside the car. The conclusion was that if she wasn’t trying to heist the car, she was about to steal something else.
“Looking for drugs then?” one of the officers asked.
“Drugs are bad for you.”
“Looking for something to pawn for alcohol?”
At that moment Sweetie meowed loudly, humped her back and raised her hairs as the police roughly cuffed Shade. All this time, she still didn’t see the face of her accuser.
“I didn’t steal anything,” she insisted. “You can’t arrest me.”
“You’re been taken in for breaking and entering,” the officer said. “I’m sure some of our neighbors will be kind enough to allow us to view some of their security footage.”
“No need for that,” the owner of the vehicle said. “My vehicle has its own camera.”
Weakness sprinted through Shade, causing a tremor in his legs. Her stomach flipped over as a cold sensation crawled over her skin. No. She couldn’t allow them to take her. Everything would be over for her. She had to find a way out of this before they arrested her.
“Please, I’ll do anything,’ she pleased. “Just don’t arrest me. I don’t do drugs. I don’t do prostitution … I only do this to feed my cats. I’ve never been arrested.”
The policeman looked at her keenly. His eyes took in her old torn jeans, her raggedy old jacket and the frayed ski cap on her head. He stared at the grease stains on her cheek before making contact with her eyes. They stared at each other briefly before his eyes shifted to settle on Sweetie who was now rubbing up against her leg.
“How many of these critters you got?”
“Three.”
“Where are the others?”
“At home.”
He beckoned to the other officer to take the cat. “I’m sure we can find him a good home. You look like you need a good home as well. How old are you anyway?”
“Twenty six.”
He laughed. “You think I’m going to fall for that? Come one, how old are you? Eighteen … nineteen?”
“Twenty six.”
Shade felt, rather than heard movement behind her. The policeman was nudging her towards the vehicle while a conversation between the car owner and someone else was taking place. She was shoved into the back of the patrol car, while one of the officers took Sweetie in the front seat. The cat seemed not to mind the second officer and allowed him to pet her.
As the vehicle drove off, she glanced through the window. Two men were getting into two cars while one man was standing in the driveway. Shade wasn’t worried about going to jail because he tried to rob a car. She was worried about what the police would discover about her once she told them her real name. And there was no way she was going to risk it by telling them that. As far as the world was concerned, she was Shade Montgomery, and that’s the way it was going to remain.
Chapter 3
“State your name,” the officer said.
“Shade Montgomery.”
His brows knitted. “Shade?”
“Yes,” she replied, keeping her eyes level with his.
Briefly, she wondered if she was making things worse. Would they run a background check? If they did, they would perhaps discover that the SNN was fake. She prayed that Papa Johnny’s fake identity worked. The policeman input the information into the PC. A few minutes passed before his eyes came back to hers.
They were sitting at a desk in the precinct. Several other desks were scattered around the main detention area as other felons were being questioned. Her heart pounded as dread enveloped her. This was the last place she thought she would end up.
“It says here you’re twenty six.”
“That’s what I told you.”
“Yes you did. And you’ve never been arrested.”
“Officer please,” she leaned her elbow on the desk. “I promise I won’t do this again and I didn’t steal anything.”
“It is the prerogative of the vehicle owner whether to press charges or not.”
“I can apologize. I will clean the toilets in the station, just please don’t let him press charges. Please?”
She gave him her brightest smile, showing her white even teeth, her soft brown eyes twinkling at him. He seem to relax as he returned a smile and nodded.
“Okay, I will see what I can do. But it’s procedure to take your information anyway. What is your address?”
“I live in the abandoned building on Pecthan Street.”
“That place isn’t safe,” he said. “Why you living there. Where’s your family?”
“I got no family.”
“That place isn’t safe for a young woman as yourself. If you are set free, I’ll have to take you to the shelter down one Seventh Street.”
She could live with that. She’d spend the night and return home in the morning. He typed at his keyboard for another thirty seconds because he left her under the watchful eye of another officer. Shade prayed that the owner of the car would have mercy on him.
“Are you out of your fracking mind Braeden?” Kurt shot at him. “I strongly believe your grandfather has made you gone mad. That old man is messing with you that you can’t even think straight.”
“It’s perfect,” Braeden said. “It will annoy the hell out of him and he won’t be able to do anything.”
Braeden and Kurt had been waiting in an interview room. One long wooden table sat in the center with a few chairs. In one corner was a water cooler. Kurt skipped over, took a disposable cup and filled it with cool water. Leaning against the wall, he sipped, his glare boring into Braeden.
The officer who had brought in the woman had returned and gave them her information. She was homeless, perhaps looking for money to buy food. She didn’t seem to be an alcoholic nor did she appear to take drugs. The officer mentioned that he’d seen many women from off the streets, but this one seemed different.
Although her clothes were worn, they were clean and she didn’t smell of cigarettes smoke either. What was more, was that she was twenty six and had never been arrested for anything. Her preliminary background check came back clean but if he pressed charges, they would do a deeper check on her.
Braeden stood and walked a few paces, his shirt sleeves were rolled up revealing his sinewy forearms. His mind was at
work, trying to come up with a plan that would make his grandfather squirm. Marry someone from the gutter – literally. That would send him to his grave must faster. Moreover, the girl was black and he knew his grandfather hated black people.
Kurt was shaking his head. “You’re trying to kill him aren’t you?”
“I’m teaching him not to mess with me.”
“But her, why?”
“She’s a nobody,” Braden answered. “She wont get any ideas. She’ll be easier to handle than some socialite who just wants to marry me for my money.”
“This one might get ideas. You never know.”
“No. I have the video footage of her breaking into my car. That will give her at least five years in jail.”
“So you’re blackmailing her to marry you?”
Braeden gave Kurt in incredulous look. “Are you crazy? I’ll only use that video if she gets any ideas.”
The officer returned, escorting the young woman. Her hair was covered with a tattered ski cap. She held her head down as they entered the room. Her hands were folded together in front of her. His eyes dropped to her hands and noticed the skin on the back of her hand was deep honey with a touch of caramel. When she looked up, Braeden tried to get a look at her face, but it was smeared in grease. But her soft brown eyes were pleading with him.
“Thank you officer,” Braden said. “Can we have a word alone?”
“This is unusual Mr. Harrington, but I will allow it. I’ll be outside this door if you need me.”
“Thank you.”
The young woman was invited to sit at a table where she kept her eyes down most of the time. Braeden stood and walked to the cooler where he filled cup and placed it before her. She stared at the cup then raised her eyes to his.
“I didn’t mean to break into your car,” she said,
Braeden was taken aback by the husky warmth of her voice. Her eyes were glossy as though she would break into tears any moment. She connected those big brown eyes with his and for a moment he almost forgot why he’d sent for her. Blinking, he returned his mind to the issue at hand.
“I know that,” he replied, returning to his seat. “I have a proposal for you.”
“I’ll do anything you ask.”
Braeden and Kurt glanced at each other, before Braeden’s eyes returned to her. Braeden was uncertain as to why he felt that he’d lost his nerve just about then. He hesitated, doubting his plan was sound. Then he remembered why he was doing this.
“I want you to become my wife for six months.”
Her eyes flew to his and widened before a deep crease entered her forehead. Then her eyes fell to the table. There was silence in the room that he could hear Kurt’s breathing from five feet away. The young woman’s shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh. She then stood slowly, placing her palms down on flat surface of the table. Leaning forward, she connected her eyes with his.
“Sir, you may have got the wrong impression about me,” she said. “I am not that kind of girl. If you will excuse me, I have a date with a jail cell.”
“You got me wrong,” he said easily. “It will be in name only and you get one billion dollars at the end of six months.”
She didn’t even blink when he mentioned the money. She kept her gaze steady. If Braeden wasn’t the kind of man he was, he would have been intimidated by her. But he found her attitude quite amusing.
“Your money doesn’t faze me, Sir.”
“Don’t you have dreams of leaving the streets?” He ventured. “Everyone needs money, and all you have to do for that amount of money is pose as my wife for six months.”
“Why me?”
“Why not?”
“All I have to do is pretend to be your wife?”
“No, we will go to the court house and get married. After that you don’t have to do anything. When we go out, you will be the loving wife, but that’s only for show.”
“I’m not sleeping with you,” she said.
Braeden could not help the bubble of laughter that rumbled from his chest. His boisterous laugh echoed through the room. After a few minutes of him trying to control his amusement at her completely absurd statement, he controlled himself enough to respond.
“You don’t have to worry about that, you’re not my type.”
Again, his words seemed to have no impact on her. The last time he told woman she wasn’t his type, she threw a tantrum. This one seemed almost amused at what he said. A little smile played at the corner of her mouth as she continued to look deeply into his eyes.
“Okay,” she said. “Deal. I will meet you tomorrow…”
“No, our deal starts now.”
“My things…”
“I will take you to fetch them, after you sign the contract.” Braeden then looked at Kurt. “Do you have it?”
“It’s in my car.”
“Get it.”
Kurt left the room and there was a staring match between Braeden and this woman. No one blinked. Something about her should have warned him to back away, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him determined for her to be the one. They remained like that for the few minutes that Kurt would take to retrieve the papers from his car. No one spoke as they both sized up each other. Braeden had a feeling he was making a huge mistake, but he was too proud to back off now.
Chapter 4
Oh no, he didn’t. That stuck up prick. Shade knew the type. The way he leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other knee. The easy way he assumed that she would jump at the chance to become Mrs. Whatever. She didn’t even bother asking his name because she didn’t care.
Not your type, huh. I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t likely forget.
The only reason Shade was even considering making a deal with this bastard was because she could end up in jail instead. But his attitude, the way his eyes trailed over her like some trash made her want to make him squirm. She knew she was wearing rags and that she looked less than desirable, but to turn his nose up at her was unacceptable.
The other one, who seemed amused by all this, went to get some papers from his car. Shade and the hazel eyed freak was engaged in a stare down. She watched the flecks or green and gold swim in his eyes. She was determined not to get sucked in by their magnetic pull.
After about seven minutes of their unwavering stare down, the other man returned. What did her to-be-husband call him? Kurt. Yes, Kurt returned and handed him a document. He quickly glanced through it, plucked a pen from his left breast pocket and pushed the papers towards her.
His fingers were long and well-manicured. Under the dark hairs on his forearm were muscles that flexed with the slightest movement. Shade stared at the paper before her eyes flew to his.
“It’s a contract,” he said. “I assume you can read. If not, Kurt will go over it with you.”
She gave him a broad smile. “Do you mind if I at least pretend to read it, you know to save my self-respect and all, seeing that I am an illiterate?”
His jaw clenched and unclenched. “Suit yourself.”
Shade’s eyes ran through the contract which was simple enough. The document doubled as a prenuptial agreement and marriage contract. She was to become his legal wife in name only. She would move into his home and he’d provide whatever she needed as a wife. In private their lives were separate and she was free to do whatever she wanted.
At the end of six months she would receive one billion dollars transferred to her. She would not contest an annulment and would be entitled to nothing. If for unforeseen reasons the contract would need to be extended, this one would become null and void as a new contract would be signed.
“Do you need Kurt to explain it to you?”
She was tempted to ask for her own lawyer but … she glanced at the name on the papers … Braeden Montgomery took her for a fool. There was a saying she often heard from Mama Ruby, that one should always play the fool to catch the wise or rather those who believed themselves to be wiser than you.
“I’m good,” she finally answered.
Picking up the pen, she looked him straight in the eyes and smiled, then signed her name Shade Montgomery. She then pushed the paper back to him and held out her hand with the pen. As he took it from her, their fingers brushed. She quickly snatched her hand away and lowered her eyes to the table.
She could feel his eyes on her as he rose from his seat and made for the door. Shade remained seated until someone tapped her shoulder. She looked up to see Kurt’s pale blue eyes looking down at her. He seemed to be a nice fellow … more so that his friend.
Kurt held her chair while she stood and then ushered her to the door. She followed Mr. Cocky down the passage and out into the early morning. There were two cars and she headed in the direction where Kurt was headed.
“My car is this way,” Braeden called after her. “You come with me.”
“I’d rather dive with Kurt if you don’t mind.”
Kurt held his hand up. “It’s okay, Braeden. I’ll take her.”
She knew he was not pleased, but she quickly opened Kurt’s back passenger door and slipped in. Shortly afterward, Kurt took his seat behind the wheel.
“You didn’t need to go around aback,” Kurt said.
“I’m good in the back seat,” she said in a soft voice.
“So your name is Shade, I like it.” he said, making small talk. “Where are you from originally?”
“Around.”
“You don’t talk much do you?”
“Nope.”
“Why you doing this?”
“What?”
He caught her eye in the rear view mirror. “Accepting this deal?”
“I’d be stupid to pass up such an opportunity wouldn’t I? At least that’s what your friend thinks.”
“I don’t think that’s the reason,” he replied, one eye narrowing.
“You’re a lawyer right?” she asked and he nodded. “Then stop lawyering me and allow a homeless girl to get some decent clothes, sleep in a warm bed and eat some good food for the next six months.”
“Alright, I know when someone wants me to shut up.”