Chapter 3 The Contract

Feeling a burning sensation against my skin, I furrowed my brows and slowly opened my eyes, adjusting them to the light. Groaning as I stretched out my limbs, only for them to hurt as hell.

Memories from last night replayed in my mind. My eyes widened in realization.

My cheeks reddened as I remembered the things we had done, the way we had gone wild all night. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced all my life.

But as I looked down at myself, I realized I was clothed in his shirt.

I buried my nose in the collar of his shirt and inhaled. He smelled like strawberries, quite feminine for a man like him.

I walked to the mirror just in front of the bed and looked at the hickeys that spread across my skin down to my legs.

That could explain why I was sore everywhere. I looked down at the table and found a thick envelope and a box just beside it.

I lifted it, and just then my eyes widened. I scampered to the bed and took my phone from my purse just to be shocked.

“9 AM, shit I am cooked,” I cursed, quickly picking up the envelope, opening it to find a paper and cold bundles of cash in it.

I shrugged, thinking he was just rewarding me for a good night. I needed the money!

I quickly hailed a cab, and it didn’t take long for me to reach the hospital in time to pay the bills. The money was more than enough.

I don’t know if I will see him again, but if we meet again, I would love to say thank you.

I was just on the way to my mother’s ward when one nurse stopped me. I had not received a call from Maisie, so I guess she was still hungover.

I nodded to the nurse, and she directed me to the doctor’s office. She extended her hands to the door, and I bowed my head slightly.

When she left, I took in a deep breath, readying myself for what the doctor was going to say to me.

I carefully opened the door and popped my head in, ready to greet the doctor with a cheerful smile.

“Oh...” Wait... My eyes widened in shock.

I shut the door back, and I drew in rapid breaths. Maybe I was just seeing things, but the rush of memories from last night caused my core to ache.

“Miss Mia Athens, you can come in now.” The doctor’s voice filtered through the doors.

I almost forgot to breathe, as I froze in place. I turned back to face the door and taking a painful gulp, I twisted the knob.

I opened the door and popped my head in again, smiling at the doctor and not looking at the passionate man in a tuxedo sitting there.

“Oh, hi doctor. How have you been?” I asked, a smile spread across my lips.

“I have been okay, um, come. Sit down beside Mr. Asher here.” He replied, beckoning to the chair beside my handsome war God.

I almost didn’t want to comply, but I just had to. I took for the chair without even looking towards the ‘Mr. Asher’

“Well, alright, let’s talk about your mother’s case first.” He cleared his throat as he settled his hands on the table.

The doctor explained that my mother had heart cancer, with a tumour that had dangerously grown in her heart.

I could not help but shudder at the weight of the doctor’s words. My fist tightened against my thighs as a thousand things ran through my head.

One of them was that I didn’t want my mother to die.

He talked about the surgery and the chemotherapy and was then elated to tell me that the rest of the bills had been paid by “Mr. Asher” and I regret not knowing his full name.

I violently turned my head to look at him, my brows raised and my lips pumped into a pout. “Say what now?”

“So I would leave you both to discuss for a while,” the doctor added with a soft smile as his eyes darted between me and my hot stranger.

Wait, no don’t go! I couldn’t voice out the voice in my head till the door closed in front of me.

The hair at the back of my head stood on the ends. I knew he was boring holes at me, and crimson spread across my cheeks.

“Miss Mia.” He murmured, and I flinched.

I turned my head slowly to face him, and I almost melted yet again. If I could turn into water, I would do it right away.

“That dress looks wonderful on you.” He mused, taking my appearance with his blue eyes from head to toe.

I felt insignificant under his gaze. I cleared my throat, snapping my eyes shut and opening them to clear my mind of unholy things.

“What are you doing here? How did you know about me?” I rambled on, my eyes darting to the thick men standing behind him in black suits.

My eyes darted to them once in a while. Should I be scared?

“A little background check on you did the work.” He muttered under his breath, his voice deep and bone-thrilling.

“Wait, that’s an invasion of privacy.” I scowled at him, and his lips drew into a smirk. I don’t think I can do this.

“How? You are going to be my wife, is only right I do this much.”

This much? What the f**k did he even mean by that?

“What do you mean, wife? I think you got the wrong person” I half laughed, and rolled my eyes. Is this some kind of trend?

I won’t fall for it.

“No, I think I got the right person,” he whispered huskily as he suddenly leaned in and looked at me. Maybe I might look like a red tomato now.

My heart was drumming fast against my ribcage.

“Now that we have settled this, you are coming with me.” He suddenly declared and beckoned for his Goonies.

But then waved them off so they could stop. And then looked at me with a smirk perched at the corner of his lips.

My heart did a flip. That can’t be good, right?

He suddenly picked me up like a bag of potatoes and carried me over his shoulder. When I tried to wiggle, he would slap my ass cheeks.

“I should have let you wear fucking jeans,” he bit angrily.

My hair fell over my face and I couldn’t even see anything. His shoulders nestled me like I weighed nothing.

I shouted, struggling to get down. dizziness set in, but this man took me out of the doctor’s office.

“I don’t even know your name!” I groaned in retaliation.

“It’s Ryder, baby, Ryder, who is going to Ride you.” That silenced me, I laid still on his arms and the only thing that echoed in my head was that he was going to Ride me.

I think I need Jesus, cause my mind is dirty.

****

We had visited all the stores at the mall, and he didn’t forget to branch at the Mimiso store to get me whatever cute thing that I wanted.

At first, I was reluctant to let him buy me anything, but I didn’t have a choice. The girls there were drooling for him and whenever they set their eyes on me, they threw me daggers with their gaze.

Only if eyes could kill.

And when I saw the shopping bags that filled the trunk, I was filled with ecstasy that I finally fulfilled my lifelong dream.

Break a bank! But wait, it wasn’t my bank.

“It didn’t even cost much,” he taunted. My joyous expression must have pleased him so much that he had to step on it.

Who would want to marry this jerk?

While on the ride to God knows where both of us were silent. He was on a call one minute and the next minute he was typing something on his phone.

I assumed he was a busy man. The car did a stop, and I almost hit my head against the back of the driver’s seat, which was easily stopped by Ryder’s hand.

He smiled, and we went into the restaurant, which was a beautiful Japanese one, and I was amazed. I couldn’t look like a first-timer, so I just let Ryder take me to wherever.

By the time we were settled into one of the private rooms and ordered what we wanted, he cleared his throat and I settled my eyes on him.

I smiled at him, as I got ready to receive what he was going to throw at me! To be his girlfriend, maybe?

“Here, sign this contract. Read through it. And sign it.” He instructed, his face serious and lacking emotions.

“What?”