Chapter
3
Now that she found herself sitting across from this man she knew that there was no way that she could marry him. The size of him made her stomach turn. The look of him made her sick. She wanted to stand and run out of the house, run back to the airport and fly back to her little apartment with Quincy.
“Miss Martin, I’m glad to see that you made it safely
to Florida. I’m sorry that I kept you
waiting.” Lou reached into him right
desk drawer and grabbed a stack of papers.
“ I just have some small details to go over with you.” He smiled at her. “It won’t take long at all.
Soon we’ll have you up in your suite of rooms getting ready for
tomorrows festivities.”
Kamelia sat quietly as she listened to one of the
lawyers detail the outline of the contract.
She was going to get a suite of rooms here at the house. The option of an apartment anywhere in the
city for rendezvous, if she wished.
She’d get a hefty allowance to do with as she pleased. She had to produce an heir within the first
six months of marriage, but wasn’t expected to sleep with Mr. Perlman. Other heirs were to follow as deemed by Mr.
Perlman. She was able to obtain a job
within any of Mr. Perlman’s many companies all she had to do was ask, although
she wasn’t expected to work. A nanny
would be provided to care for the child(ren) and she wasn’t expected to care
for them at any time. “And finally, Ms
Martin, if at any time this marriage should fail, you lose all contact with Mr.
Perlman and any children you may have.
You lose all holdings you may have and will be asked to leave the house
immediately.”
Kamelia swallowed past the lump in her throat. She didn’t know what was worse the thought
actually having to sleep with the man or possibly leaving children behind
should there actually be a child. “Do I
have time to think this over?”
The three men looked from one to the other before Lou
finally spoke. “Kamelia, we are getting
married tomorrow.” The way he said it
made her think that she didn’t have a choice, but she hadn’t signed anything
yet. Lou now reached into his left hand
top drawer. He pulled out a large
manila folder. “Here’s the deal Ms.
Martin. Either we get married tomorrow
or something terrible might happen to someone you love.” He flipped out a picture of Quince that had
to have been taken that morning on his way to work. “I’d hate for your ex-roommate to pay for your bad choices,
wouldn’t you?”
Kamie wanted to cry.
What had she gotten herself into?
What choice did she have? She
couldn’t let anything happen to Quince.
She had to marry this man. She
had to go along with what ever they had planned for her. How would anyone believe her if they told
her that she’d flown her for an arranged marriage and now they were threatening
her best friend because she wouldn’t go through with it.
Lou continued on, “The wedding is planned here at the
house, just a quiet little ceremony with a hundred or so people. Business associates mostly. I’m sorry that we can’t fly your family down
at this short notice, but I’m sure that you understand.” He put the picture of Quince away and pulled
out a booklet. “We’re honeymooning in
Fiji, then we’re off to Chicago to a friend of mine that specializes in
Invetrofertilization. I know that I
said six months in the contract, but I think we should start right away, any
objections?” He placed the contract in
front of Kamie. “All I need is you
signature.” He pulled the pen out of
the holder in front of her. “Anything
that you’d like to add?”
What was she going to add? She got money, her own apartment, children she didn’t even have
to care for, the ability to have an affair on her husband and the location to
have it. Heck he even was giving her a
choice of jobs. What more could she
want? How about her freedom? She had a sinking feeling that she’d already
given that up the moment she boarded the plane. Might as well make it legal and binding, might as well sign her
soul over to the devil himself. Kamie
took the pen Lou held out and scrolled her name on the bottom line.
