Sample Sunday - Double It

March 2023. Release Date TBD. Enjoy!

“You don’t think she’ll turn you down purely out of spite?” Shiloh asked, breaking through my thoughts with a possibility I’d definitely considered, but chosen not to entertain, because —

“She will not let spite overrule preserving her mother’s legacy,” I shook my head.

Shiloh shrugged. “Maybe not. But she definitely might make you regret forcing her into a choice.”

I grinned. “I’m absolutely hoping she tries. Why do you think I have you setting up accounts for her? Most likely, she’ll try to shop her way onto my nerves.”

“I was thinking more like… stab you in your sleep?” Shiloh said, then breezed out of my office, presumably back to her own to finish the task at hand.

She didn’t give me a chance to argue against the idea that Nalani might get violent – which was honestly a consideration not to be taken lightly. I’d backed her into a corner before she even knew a predator had her scent. And unless I was sorely mistaken, she wasn’t one to simply cower.

Even if she “surrendered” now, it would only be for the opportunity at a better position for when she flexed her claws.

The idea of which was actually a turn-on for me.

I loved a little tussle.

Which was precisely why instead of being annoyed when Shiloh showed up at my door again an hour later to let me know I had an email from Demetria Byers, I smiled.

“So she put her lawyer on it,” I mused, sitting forward.

“Like you said – smart woman,” Shiloh replied. “She has a contract – a premarital agreement with expectations, not to be confused with a prenup – which she wants as well.”

“I expected no less.” I was already navigating to my email when I asked, “so what does it look like? What is she asking for?”

“What makes you think I read it?”

“Besides the fact that this email arrived thirty minutes ago and you’re just now letting me know?”

“I could’ve been busy.”

“If you were busy, you would’ve pinged me – instead, you came to the door. So it must be juicy. Come on, spit it out,” I jeered as I double-clicked the summary attachment for myself.

“Scheduled sex,” Shiloh answered, clearly amused by the idea of it. “She fucking hates you.”

“It’s better that way,” I chuckled, skimming the document for myself – a high-level breakdown of the things Nalani wanted in the deal.

“Do you really believe that?”

“Believe what?” I asked, pulling my attention to where Shiloh was standing in front of my desk, arms crossed.

“That the sex will be better because she hates you?”

I smirked. “I do – and I’m going to fuck her into hating me even more—” I looked back to the screen, “—at least once every two weeks, but no more frequently than once a week, with consideration for her menstrual cycle.”

“Are you saying your dick is wack?”

“The opposite, Shi, keep up,” I chuckled. “She’s gonna hate that she wants it.”

Shiloh’s face curled into a frown. “Ew. If you say so,” she mused. “Just make sure you wrap it up – you see she says no babies for at least two years?”

“That’s a nonstarter,” I shook my head. “That will need to be the first ball to get rolling.”

Her eyes went wide. “She’ll never agree to that.”

“She will if she wants me not to redline her requests. Which, she can hang up this hyphenated name fantasy,” I said. “Sterlings don’t do that.”

“She is definitely going to stab you.”

“Wouldn’t be me first rodeo with knife play,” I shrugged. “When is Ms. Byers sending over the actual contracts, so my lawyers can dissect this shit?”

Shiloh grinned. “Oh – you didn’t read the actual message, did you? They’re insisting on an in-person meeting to hammer out details. In their building, on their terms.”

“Oh,” I chuckled. “Audacity in abundance – I like it,” I said, already pushing back from my desk. “Clear the next two hours on my schedule,” I told her, moving to the coat rack by my door to grab appropriate outerwear for the frigid Blackwood weather.

“Do I even need to ask why?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

I shook my head as I pulled open the door. “Nope. You already know.” I stopped halfway through to grin. “Did I see a minimum carat requirement for the future Mrs. Sterling’s engagement ring?”

“That was the other thing I loved about that summary,” she nodded.

“Of course you enjoyed that,” I laughed. “Find my future wife’s ring by this afternoon, please.”

“I will get right on it,” she agreed. “Any stipulations?”

“Whatever the requirement was – double it.”

Shiloh frowned. “Ri, that would be obnoxious.”

“Yeah. That’s the point.”