"What do you mean 'I have to marry him'?! I'm not your puppet. I don't 'have' to marry anyone. I'm nearly eighteen! I should get to make this decision!"
"Rosalina! Child, you don't have a choice. Our family is going bankrupt, and the Gray's have money. This isn't about you!"
I scowl. "I don't want to. I refuse to!"
"Rosalina," my father snaps "We're not asking."
There's a knock at the door to my room and our butler, Arthur, appears. "Lord Gray is here, milord."
I let out a very frustrated groan, making my mother gasp. "Rosalina! Now is that anyway for a lady to act?"
"Let me guess: he's three times my age, growing a beard, and dying of a heart problem."
My parents blatantly ignore me as my maid, Lilith, urges me forward with a sympathetic smile. Lilith has been more of a parent to me than either of them ever have.
"He probably walks with a cane, too," I say to her as we walk down the hall. I speak loudly, being rude and obnoxious on purpose.
Lilith has amusement in her eyes, but nonetheless says, "Lady Rosalina!"
"His face probably sags. I bet his hair is thinner than—"
I stop talking when I see him. I freeze too. Okay. Fine. So, maybe he doesn't look all that bad.
"Lady Rosalina Hastings," he says charmingly. He bows. "What an honor it is to finally meet you."
"I, uh—"
He's striking, I'll give him that. Piercing blue eyes, silky black hair all swept to his right side and hanging in his face a bit. He's tall, slender... but I can see his muscles flexing in his arms.
I can't say I'd be too sorry about marrying that. Then I remember that I don't exactly have a say in this whatsoever, and that thought goes out the window.
Lord Gray offers his hand to me, to which reluctantly accept do to the firecesome glare my mother is giving me. She was basically telling me to take his hand or she'll have my head. Gray presses his lips gently to my knuckles,
"I look forward to getting to know you, My Lady."
"Rosalina," my mother says as I can't seem to remove my hand from his grasp quick enough. "Lord Julien Gray will escort you to your birthday ball next week."
My jaw drops. "Mother, you can't be--" I stop talking when she gives me a look I know all too well. So I compose myself and say, "Yes, Mother."
It's silent for a moment. My birthday ball? Is this woman crazy?
"If that is all, I'd like to be excused to my room, please."
"Nonsense, you'll join Lord Gray in the garden and wait for lunch, that is," my mom's tone of voice changes to a high-pitched fake politeness, "if you're willing to stay, My Lord."
I cast a glance at him, hoping that for some odd reason he'll decline and leave me be. But of course I could never be that fortunate.
He gives my mother a dashing smile and replies, "Why, of course."
Victoria Hastings swoons. "Rosalina. Show him to the garden." When she disappears with my father around the corner, it takes everything in me not to slouch.
"Come on," I say. "This way."
I lead the way out to the garden, neither one of us sharing a single word. I bring him to an iron table matched with a couple of iron chairs. He sits in one, crossing one leg over the other and resting an arm on the table. I, however, do not sit. Instead, I look out at the rows of lilies and roses before. The lilacs are my favorite, though. They're absolutely stunning.
"I'm assuming there's more in this for you than just my hand in marriage?" I say like it's a question. "Not to offend you, but you don't seem like the kind of person to do things out of the goodness of your heart, giving us money, I mean." When he doesn't reply right away, I keep going. "You do, however, give the appearance of a true, charming gentleman. Unless…" I catch a glimpse of him over my shoulder. "...you're pretending."
He sighs. "I won't lie. There's more to this than you know. I'll give your family money, and I'll entertain you in the process. I'll do whatever it takes to reach my goal."
My eyes grow wide with interest as I turn around. "Oh? And just what is this goal you speak of?"
He smirks at this. "Ah, it seems I've piqued your curiosity."
I smile a bit, but it's more like a sneer. "Perhaps."
"Well, princess, unfortunately, you don't get to know that detail. It's curiosity that killed the cat, you know."
"I'm sure I'll find out eventually, Lord Gray," I state, shrugging and turning back to flowers.
"Please, call me Julien."
"Hm," this makes my brows furrow a bit. "So you say you will entertain me, and yet you don't want me to continue on with formalities? After all, I'll only be playing your wife."
I didn't hear nor see him stand up and don't notice until his fingers wrap around my chin, turning my face towards him and pulling dangerously close towards him. "It's difficult to be my little wife when you walk around calling me Lord Julien, yes?"
"Women call their husbands by their formal name all the time--"
"Tsk. Tsk. But you see, you and I have to seem madly in love. Our image is everything, my dear. I will not let your stubbornness be the reason that this goes to hell."
"You're disgusting," I seeth.
He gives me an unsettling smile. "I've been called worse."
"Release me," I command him. He listens to me and returns to his seat. "You strike me as a man of many secrets, Julien. Many dark secrets."
"And so maybe I am, dear. Maybe I am." I clench my teeth as he goes on to say, "You'll be a good wife, won't you? You wouldn't want your precious family in ruins, now would you?"
"I could care less about what happens to this family," I spit.
He chuckles at this. "Mm. But you don't mean that. And you know this."
Balling my fist, resist the urge to throw myself at him. "I will stay out of your way, but mark my words, make a fool of me or my family and will screw your so called 'image' all the way up."
I spin around and point an accusing finger at him. "Because regardless of what you say, you need me. I'm not stupid. If you mess with me, I won't hesitate to mess with you."
Julien lets out a low whistle, standing once more. "Alright, darling, alright. You win. But just know," he leans close to my ear, lowering his voice, "there's so much worse I could do to you and no one would ever know. You can threaten me, but that would only make the punishment so much more painful."
Fear prickles my body. "You wouldn't," I say darkly.
He raises his hands in defence, as if following where my mind is going. "I do not believe in hitting women, darling. You'll just have to see what I mean for yourself. I never said it had to be physical. Believe it or not, I'll respect you, but I require no less in return."
My eyes shoot lasers at him, to which he finds seriously amusing.
"Just you wait," he says. "Our little adventure has only just begun."
"Lord Gray! Lady Rosalina! Lunch is ready!"
Julien's innocent smile is back. "Perfect timing! Shall we go, my dear?" He asks me, offering his arm.
I scoff, continuing to glare as I walk past him and into the estate.
I'm not going to fall for that. He has some serious attitude issues-- not that I'm trying to call the kettle black or anything-- but… he's cockier than my mother during a garden party with her snarky, self absorbed friends. And if he isn't going to hurt me, what is he going to do to me? And what does he expect to gain?
I knew he was too good to be true. You can't have a good personality with looks like that. That's fine. I'll play Julien Gray's little game of house. Mark words, though, I, Lady Rosalina Hastings, will defeat Lord Julien Gray at his own game. That is a promise.