The Marriage Contract - Marlee Kimbrell (ebook offline txt) 📗

open, and crept as quietly as I could, inside. As I rounded the corner into the living room, I could see Ryland. His back facing me, gone was his usual business attire. In its place, a flesh colored tshirt, one or two shades lighter than his skin, and light colored jeans. His hair was neatly disheveled - if that makes any sense - and his guard down. 

 

"Their nashing teeth and criminal tongues, conspire against the odds. But they haven't seen the best of us yet... If you love me let me go," he sang out, completely oblivios to my watching his from across the room.

 

"If you love me let me go! Cause the words are knives and often leave scars, the fear of falling apart. Truth be told, I never was yours! The fear of falling apart."

 

As he sang, I could feel his passion seeping into the words. Much like me, when I sang. As this realization sunk in, I saw Ryland in a different light. 

 

"What happened to you," I whispered to myself, but apparently not quiet enough. 

 

His playing abruptly stopped and he spun around facing me. For a half of a second, I saw a vulnerability in his eyes, but as quickly as it was there, it was gone, and replaced with his emotionless, stone cold expression that he always kept in place. 

 

"How long have you been standing there," he said cooly. 

 

I shrugged. "Long enough. You're really good, by the way."

 

His stony expression softened a bit as he looked at me, "Thank you," he said simply looking over me. For a second, I though he wasn't going to notice my hair, but I was sadly mistaken. "What the hell did you do with all of your hair?"

 

This time, it was my turn for my face to harden. "I cut it off. Don't you like it dear husband-to-be," I asked sarcastically.

 

He said nothing as he got up from his place on the bench and stalked towards me. I took a step back, slightly nervous as he reached a hand out and gripped the end of a loose curl and tugged on it. "Suits you."

 

Shocked. 

 

That I'd the only word that could sum up how I was feeling. "Did you just complement me?"

 

His face hardened again, "No. I simply said it suits you." 

 

My stomach dropped and for some unknown reason I wanted to cry. I don't know if it was angry tears, sad or stress tears, but they brimmed at the bottom of my eyes as I looked at him. "Would it kill you to not be an ass for two seconds," I snapped as he walked away.

 

He looked over his shoulder at me and his face softened again for only a second before his mask went back up. "Words are knives," he quoated from the song and walked off down the hall. 

 

As I stared after him, I almost let the tears fall until my phone buzzed with a text message:

 

                    Hello, Miss Aurora. This is Will. 

                    Would you like to take up my 

                    offer of coffee?

 

As I read the message, I forced the tears back and a determination came over me. I'll show him.

 

                    Yes, Will. I would love to. Meet 

                    you in the lobby in an hour?

 

It didn't take long to get a message back.

 

                    I will be waiting on you there ;)

 

I smirked to myself and walked off down the hall and into my bedroom. I went straight over to my closet and searched for something to wear. After a few minutes of searching, I settled on a white tank top under a light washed denem button up, that I left open and rolled the sleeves up to my elbows, darker washed boyfriend skinny jeans and white vans.

 

I didn't worry much with my hair or makeup considering it was already done from earlier in the day. I grabbed my bag and my phone, and walked out of my bedroom only to bump into Ryland.

 

"Where are you going," I asked.

 

I glowered at him and stomped past him to the door,"Out."

 

He gaped at me as I slammed the door behind me. Happy with myself, it didn't faze me when I got into the elevator - Ok, that was a lie, but whatever. As I walked out of the elevator, I saw Will standing over by the magazine rack. He looked good.

 

His hair was down and almost touched the back of his grey tshirt. He wore dark washed, straight leg jeans and work boots. He looked up as I walked towards him and smiled.

 

"You look beautiful," he said in his thick Australian accent.

 

"Laying the flattery on thick, aren't we," I said and he smirked and shrugged.

 

"You caught me," he simply said and I laughed, following him out of the building.

 

* * * 

 

 

-Ryland's POV-

 

I loosened my tie as o walked into the flat. That was the longest day I think I have ever had at the office. The fact that I couldn't focus and didn't enjoy my work unnerved me. I always enjoyed work.

 

Ok, I know that sounds weird, but who doesn't enjoy being successful? But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew what was wrong with me, and I didn't want to accept it.

 

I could kill my father for this. I was fine. I was at the new op of my game: but, enter dad. Then enter...her. 

 

Flashback

"Mr. Steel, your father is on line two," my secretary, Laura, said, poking her head inside my office door. 

 

I nodded at her and picked up thw phone that sat on the corner of my desk, "Yes, dad?"

 

"Ryland, son. You need to come to see me at your earliest convince."

 

"Yes sir. May I ask why?"

 

He hesitated for a moment, "A...business arrangement of sorts," he said cryptically. 

 

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, "What are you up to, dad?"

 

My father laughed, "Nothing that won't do you some good," he said. "I'll speak with you later son." And he hung up.

 

I stared at the dead line for minute, before I rolled my eyes and put the phone down. 

 

After a couple of hours, it was five o'clock and I had finished my work for the day. I shut down my computer, grabbed my laptop and headed out for the day. Before going to dad's, I ran back to my flat to change into a pair of jeans and tshirt, then started the fifteen minute drive to my parents house. 

 

When I arrives, the gates were already opened for me, so I went ahead inside. Parking my car in the front of the house, I walked inside and found my dad lounging in his office.

 

As I enters, my dad looked up from the stack of papers in front of him, and smiled at me, "Ah, finally here. Sit down son," he said gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. 

 

"Alright dad, what type of business arrangement are we talking about here?"

 

A sinister smirk crawled over his face as he pushed thebl stack of papers at me. It was a contract:

 

THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

 

The following parties: Ryland Ares Steel and Aurora Danielle Burke will be entered by will of fathers: Ryan Michael Steel and Everett Christopher Burke into this all binding, legal contract. Said parties shall enter into a valid, legally binding marriage for the minimum of one year. 

 

Neither party, Ryland or Aurora may have any sexual/physical affairs outside of the lawful marriage. Any sexual/physical affairs will be seen as a breech of contract. 

 

If any breeches are initiated the following shall occur:

Ryland Steel:

        • CEO position in Steel Inc. foreited

          (Handed to Paruniversities

Aurora Burke:

        • Position in Burke Industries 

          forfeited

        • no involvement in musical 

          programs/colleges/universities

 

Entering into effect two weeks from date signed: May 16, 2015

 

Signed: Ryan Steel 

Signed: Everett Burke

- 

I gaped at my father as I read the contract. "Dad! You can't enter me into s contract without my knowledge! Especially about a marriage! I don't even know this girl," I yelled throwing the papers back at him.

 

My father scowled and me and stood. "I can and I will, Ryland," he shouted. "And I do know Aurora. She us a good girl. Independent. Good head on her shoulders. Just a bit...opinionated."

 

I all but growled at him and looked over the contract. It was legally binding. I couldn't get out of it. "Whatever, dad." I slid the contract back at him. "I'll do it," I snapped and walked out of the room and went back home.

~

I still can't believe he has put me into this. But I would do whatever it took to keep Steel Inc out of Parker's slimy hands.

 

Parker Hansley was one shisty son of a bitch and you couldn't trust him as far as you could throw him. He would run the company into the ground and I'll be damned before I see that happen. 

 

I tried to keep that in mind when I met Aurora. But damn it that girl new how to push my buttons. Her name was fitting of her. She was beautiful and could light up any room she walked into, like the light she was named after. 

 

The first day met her, she peaked my interest, but her clear distaste for me put me off, obviously. Naturally, my pride got in the way and I did nothing to help it, but its like she was born to piss me off.

 

I sighed and ran a hand over my face as I changed into some comfortable clothes. Once I was finished, I knew I was alone, so I went into the living room and started to play one of my favorite songs on the Baby Grand.

 

The words to This Is Gospel easily rolled off my tongue as I released some stress. My mind drifted back to her and I couldn't stop it.

 

I didn't notice when Aurora came in, until I heard her light whisper and I spun around to look at her. "How long have you been standing there," I asked her rather rudely. I mentally cringed, knowing deep down, I wasn't like that.

 

She shrugged. "Long enough. You're really good by the way," she said.

 

I was shocked, but I didn't show it. "Thank you. What the hell did you do to your hair," I asked not meaning for it to sound the way it did.

 

"I cut it off. Don't you like it dear husband-to-be," she said. 

 

Before I could stop myself I made my over to her and pulled on one of her perfect curls. "Suits you."

 

"Did you just complement me," she asked shocked.

 

"No. I simply said it suits you." Ryland you jack ass.

 

I could see the tears brimming on her eyes and I wanted to kick myself. I turned around and started walking away feeling like a horrible excuse of a person when she yelled at me, "Would it kill you to not be an ass for two seconds?"

 

I looked back over my shoulder and quoted lyrics from Panic! At The Disco that I knew rang far too true, "Words are knives," and walked away.

 

A minutes pass and I hear her for slam. "Ryland, what did you do?"

 

About an hour passes and we both came out of our bedrooms. She held her bag and phone in her hands and I inquired where she was going. She continued on her way to the door,then turned and glared at me. "Out."

 

I stared at the door after she slammed it shut for a few minutes until I decided to follow her. She went to the lobby and met a man. As I watched them talk, I couldn't deny the red hot jealousy that flooded through me. She's marrying me. Not him. 

 

And I'm