Page 65 of Vows In Corruption

“Okay, so we have our list of need to know people. What else do we need to figure out?”

Not a single beat is missed. “Living arrangements.”

“Excuse me?” The question comes out a little too loud and sounding way too surprised.

We’re getting married, did I think that we were going to leave separately? Well, maybe.

“We have to live together to make this believable.”

“Right. Believable.”

If I want to ask him for the money that I need, then I have to with it and make sure that this marriage comes off as real, no matter how fake it may be.

Besides, I already agreed to PDA, I can handle leaving with the man for two years.

As I try not to spiral, we continue to talk about our living arrangements and decide what is best for both of us. Which is Charlie and I moving into the Lane compound sometime in the next week. Since we are moving in with Bennett, I offered to pay rent, which he turned down before the words were fully out.

I should have been made that he wasn’t going to let me pay him, but a part of me is relieved at the agreement, because it means that for the first time in my adult life, I don’t have to worry about paying rent for two years. I’ll have to find a new place to live after our time is up, but that is something that I will think about when the time comes.

After figuring out how we are going to live, we move on to the the type of wedding that I want. My fiancé? was very specific about that.

Even though this isn’t a real marriage, he still wants me to have the wedding that I want. Not a single expense matters.

Give how I grew up, I never really thought about what my wedding would look like if I ever had one. Sure, there has been a time or where I’ve scrolled though social media and really liked a dress or a ring and might have pictured myself wearing them, but it never went passed that.

So why is it that as I sit here, I want to tell Bennett that I want a big wedding. I may not have the friends and family that will fill the seats, but I still want to feel like a princess. I still want to see myself in a big puffy dress, possibly even wear a tiara, get my makeup and hair done and just be the center of attention for a day? I want all the flowers and all the candles. I want the wedding that any girl would think of.

But I can’t find it in myself to ask for it. He’s already done so much for me, and going to do a lot more from the sounds of it, and I can’t seem to find it in me to ask for it.

Which is why I suggest a small wedding. One that doesn’t have the big puffy dress and all the flowers in the world. A small wedding that is just us and our families.

Thankfully we don’t have to look far for a venue or even a cater because Bennett offers the Lane compound and all the chefs that he has on staff.

Once the wedding is planned along with our living arrangement and the rules that we will keep during out marriage have been set, there is only one thing left to discuss.

What I get out of all of this.

“You don’t know what you are offering.” I let out when Bennett reminds me that he is willing to give me anything and everything that I want for helping him with this.

“But I do. Give me your price, Elizabeth and it will be yours.”

Ask him.

Ask him and you will no longer have to look over your shoulder everyday or be wary of who you open the door to.

The words form on the tip of my tongue but I can’t make them come out.

I open my mouth a few times, trying to find my voice but no matter how hard I try, nothing comes out.

Bennett is patient with me, not pushing me to say anything until I’m ready.

It takes me whole three minutes to come up with a sentence that won’t break me down.

“Can you promise me that you won’t ask question any questions? That you won’t judge. That you will just keep your end of the deal and that is that.”

He doesn’t even hesitate. “I promise.”

Here goes nothing.

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