Excerpt

Trisha Lockhart found herself in a dimly lit room, her heart aflutter with a devious plan. She had played this scenario in her mind countless times, but now, in this intimate moment, her words took on a sensual allure.

Dashiell Vanthorn entered the room, his eyes catching the flicker of mischief in hers. "Trisha, what's this about? You sounded positively diabolical over the phone."

A mischievous grin tugged at her lips as she leaned in with a sultry whisper. "Dashiell, you have no idea. I've concocted the most sophisticated plan."

With a subtle, almost flirtatious hint in his voice, he replied, "I'm all ears. Tell me everything." His icy façade was giving way to curiosity. His heart raced as the room filled with her crisp laughter.

"First, we'll start with a little public humiliation. I want him to see us, to see how happy and successful we've become."

Dashiell's eyes sparkled with mischief as he played along. "Ah, a taste of sweet revenge, huh? I like it."

"But that's just the beginning," Trisha continued, her voice now a tempting lure. "Dashiell, how far are you willing to go for this?"

He stepped closer, the air between them charged with desire. "My lady, you know I'd go to the ends of the earth for you."

She moved closer to him, her lips dangerously close to his ear, and her voice sounded very tempting. "Then, we'll pretend to have a romantic relationship that will make everyone else really jealous of how close we are."

Dashiell's breath hitched as her words sent shivers down his spine. "You're playing with fire, Trish."

She grinned, her eyes alight with mischief. "Isn't that the point?"

But just as Dashiell was about to respond with an equally alluring words, Trisha took a step back, her expression suddenly turned serious. "There's one more thing. A twist in this little game of ours."

He raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Go on."

Trisha breathed in slowly, her voice like a seductive purr as she spoke, "I want our romance to turn into something real."

"Then, I have a proposition for you," Dashiell replied.

She rolled her beautiful eyes. "A proposition?"

His voice was both dramatic and captivating as he stated, "I suggest we should take the plunge and get married."

Her jaw dropped low, caught completely off guard. "Married? Are you serious?"

He nodded, his eyes gleaming with a blend of determination and desire. "Absolutely!"

Trisha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mind raced as she tried to process this unexpected turn of events. Finally, she managed to say, "Alright! But before we get married, there are three terms and conditions you must agree to."

He leaned in, his gaze intense and filled with a hunger for more than just revenge. "Spill it! I'm listening."

She cleared her throat before saying, "First, you must promise to support my big dreams and goals completely. We can think about ending our marriage when I'm satisfied with our success, okay?"

Dashiell was slightly taken aback. His lips curved into a mischievous smile, his gaze locked onto hers as he replied, "I understand."

"Second," she said softly, "we should make everyone think we're really happy and passionate couple on social media and around our friends and family. But remember, we're not actually a real couple, so it's all acting, and no physical stuff, okay?"

He nodded firmly. "No problem!"

"And third rules is," she emphasized before going on, "in our marriage, you must follow my instructions. I want you to be like my partner, my trusted friend... and my servant."