Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“An Adventure”
POV Alessia
I step into a busy coffee shop and order a coffee.
“Name, please,” the cashier asks.
“Alessia.”
“Alex?”
“Alessia,” I repeat.
“Lisa?”
“Whatever.” I tap my card and wait patiently near the counter.
I wait for what feels like forever.
“Last call for Alex? Your coffee is getting cold.”
Fuck.
I grab my coffee, and before I can leave, a handsome man with gorgeous green eyes steps in front of me.
“Hi, I can’t believe I’m doing this. I just broke up with my fiancée, and I need a stand in for a family gathering. I’ll pay you whatever you want,” the man says.
“I’m not a call girl or a prostitute. You have the wrong girl.”
“Listen, Alex. I just sat and listened to them call out your name for ten minutes, and I saw this beautiful girl pacing back and forth, obviously unaware that her coffee was waiting for her, and I thought…”
“I would be stupid enough to say yes?”
“Maybe. Or maybe you had a lot going on and could use the distraction.”
I just caught my boyfriend of three years cheating on me.
So he’s right about needing a distraction.
“What are you? A wolf? A dragon? Fae?” he asks.
“You can’t tell?”
He steps closer and takes a sniff.
“You smell lovely. You’re a wolf.”
“And you?” I ask.
“Let’s keep this simple. I will pay you any amount you want to be my fake fiancée. Name your price. One night. No strings attached.”
“How do I know you’re not a serial killer?”
“You don’t.”
“Are you a vampire?”
“No.”
“You’re right. I could use the distraction.”
I take a sip of my coffee.
“Ew. It’s cold.” I shudder.
“Plain coffee for Alex,” he calls to the cashier.
“What’s Alex short for? Alexandra?” he asks.
“No. Just plain old Alex. My father wanted a boy,” I lie.
Might as well have some fun.
“So, how much are you willing to pay?” I ask.
“Is a hundred thousand enough?”
“Plenty, if you make it out in cash.”
“Sure. Half now and half later.”
He writes a cheque and hands it to me.
“Alex? Plain coffee for Alex?”
I grab my coffee and follow him out the door.
We step into a limo.
Shit.
What if he’s a human trafficker?
He writes a quick list of important people and who they are, then hands it to me.
“How long have we been dating?” I ask.
“Two months,” he says.
“How did we meet?”
“Skiing.”
“I don’t ski.”
“Fake it until you make it.”
“Should we have a code word?”
“For what?” he asks.
“In case someone starts asking too many questions, or you need an escape?”
“Sure. How about, ‘I love the painting over there’?” he laughs.
“Sounds perfect.”
“The rest we’ll just wing.”
“Oh, and your name?” I ask.
“You don’t know who I am?”
I roll my eyes.
“Austin Winters.”
“Okay.”
He slides his hand onto my thigh, and I immediately move away.
“You can’t move away. You have to play the role starting now.”
We pull up to a large medieval castle.
He gets out, takes my hand, and guides me up the steps past dozens of other people.
“I thought this was a quiet family get together. Not half the town.”
“I have a large family, and we’re far from quiet,” he smirks.
His hands are huge and warm. He smells faintly of sweet musk. His eyes keep drifting back to me, checking my mood and watching how I’m taking everything in.
He introduces me as his fiancée, Alex, to countless strangers who aren’t even on my list.
Women constantly step into his path, brushing against him and glaring at me for holding his hand.
For thinking I’m the girl who gets to have him.
If only they knew.
I left the love of my life back at my pack this morning after catching him with my best friend.
I drove all morning to a random city and stopped for a coffee.
Then I was going to figure out my life.
I was going to sit down and decide what came next.
But then my coffee got cold, and now I’m here.
And I could really use another coffee.
As if reading my mind, Austin snaps his fingers at a waiter.
A fresh coffee appears moments later.
I breathe deeply, and suddenly the world doesn’t seem quite so terrible.
Soon he introduces me to his parents, who are so far the only people on my list.
They pretend to know me.
I’m not even sure why he needed a stand in.
Then an incredible redhead with pale blue eyes approaches.
I notice the change in Austin instantly.
He lets go of my hand and pulls her into a hug.
“Ashley.”
He steps closer and takes a sniff of her scent.
I take a small step back, intimidated by her beauty and suddenly glad we’re not a real couple.
I wander over to the food table, make myself a small plate, and disappear into the crowd.
I already have half the money.
I could just leave.
Would he even notice?
