Page 37 of The Big Daddies of LA

While Savannah, on the other hand, is kind, loving and views everything with a fresh, appreciative outlook.

If I have to suck it up and bite the bullet, I’d much rather spend my days and nights with Sav.

“Have you lost your mind?” Margo asks. “This has to be a joke. I refuse to believe anything else. I mean, really, Nicholas. Did you fall down, hit your little head and marry the first hooker you saw on the boulevard?”

I feel Savannah flinch and cast her an apologetic look. I knew an encounter with Margo was going to be bad, but she’s being downright nasty. And, Savannah doesn’t deserve to be treated like a whore. “Jealous, Margo?”

She forces a laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding.” Finally, she turns her full attention to Savannah. Her gaze rakes down her and I squeeze Savannah’s hand, wishing I could prepare her for the blast about to happen. “I don’t know how you convinced him to marry you, but I’m sure it won’t last. Whatever you’re basing this farce of a marriage on, it’ll grow old. He will get tired of you and leave you.”

“Shut up, Margo,” I hiss.

“You’re an idiot,” Margo snaps. “She could be your daughter.” With a disgusted sound, Margo turns on her heel, slams the key down on a table and marches to the front door. She pulls it open then hits us with one more barb before she leaves. “Have fun with your child-bride. Are you sure she’s even legal?”

After the door slams shut, Savannah pulls her hand out of mine. She looks a little stunned, like she’s trying to process what just happened and I feel terrible. “I’m so sorry,” I say.

“She was pleasant,” Savannah says in a dry voice.

“Margo’s a bitch. You didn’t deserve that.”

“How long were you two together?”

I let out a long breath. “A year.”

“I’m sorry.”

A half-laugh bubbles up within my throat. “It wasn’t always horrible. But, lately, she’s grown more and more unbearable. She was pressuring me to propose and gave me an ultimatum.”

“But, you were considering it, right? I mean, you must’ve loved her at one point,” Savannah says.

“I was never in love with Margo,” I say. “I already told you-- I don’t fall in love. And, if I would’ve married her, it would’ve been a marriage of convenience.”

I know that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. Something flickers in Savannah’s eyes.

“Is that why you married me? Convenience?”

“No offense, Sav, but I’m talking about money. Margo’s family is worth half a billion dollars and I’m pretty sure yours isn’t.” I cock a brow. “Am I wrong?”

“My parents are retired school teachers.”

I nod. “So, no, I didn’t marry you for your money.” Even though I try to make light of her question, Savannah isn’t satisfied with the way I dodged it.

“What about us?’ she asks. “Why did you dare me to marry you, Nick?”

It’s actually a really good question, but one that I don’t have a definitive answer to. “I don’t know,” I admit. When her face falls, I hurriedly add, “but I don’t regret it.” I take Savannah’s hands in mine and search for those gorgeous blue eyes. “Please, believe me when I tell you it wasn’t a mistake. I look forward to getting to know you and-”falling in love with you?

God, where did that even come from?

Because I don’t do that. Ever. That would be breaking rule number one which would leave me vulnerable.Not gonna happen.

She raises a brow. “I just don’t understand. Margo was trying to get you to propose for months probably. So, what possessed you to marry me after 24 hours?”

I suppose this might be a good time to mention my inheritance. Or, the fact that I was wildly attracted to her. Instead, I squeeze her hands and turn the question around on her. “I can ask you the exact same thing. After I was such a jerk to you, why did you agree to marry me?”

“Because I saw beneath that,” she says without hesitation.

“What do you mean?”

She lays a hand against my chest, over my heart. “I saw inside. I glimpsed who you really are and it was...beautiful.”

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