Authors: Z. Elizabeth
The Deal
Copyright
© 2014 by Z. Elizabeth
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or names features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First Printing: 2014
Cover designed by Yasemin Maggarkeinenfisch
Editing by Natasha Bowyer
Acknowledgements
I'd firstly like to thank my best friends for their support, especially Rozian for her overwhelming excitement and love for me and my book. Only a handful of people knew I was writing a book and their constant enthusiasm and questions over the story made my heart swell. When your best friends support you, it makes everything that little bit better when you self-doubt yourself.
Secondly I'd like to thank Anna Bloom for her editing my book, for her support and for pushing me to write and finish writing The Deal. Motivation is not a strong point of mine, but with her encouragement, her excitement and her friendship, I actually finished my book. Without her emailing and texting me, telling me she needs more Craig and Nic, I would have given up finishing their story a long time ago, but because she was relentless (haha) I got to give Craig and Nic their story. The story that has been in my head for years. (I'd also like to thank her for letting me use Benjamin Chambers – from her Uni Files series – in my book. He is definitely a book boyfriend of mine.)
I'd also like to thank Mallory Dodge. She and I became fast friends when she, too, was writing her book. We spent many a night and day emailing, supporting and motivating each other every step of the way and we had fun doing pushing ourselves. She's my writing buddy, my friend and I'd love to get to meet her some time in the future to thank her for her undying support. I want her to release her book as well as it is amazing. But be warned, Knox is mine!
Many thanks to my beta readers for wanting to read The Deal and help make it that much better. So many of your comments helped me shape the storylines and the characters into what they are now. And Mal, Matt is totally yours and Zili, Jamie is yours, too. You can tax them for yourself ;)
I'd also like to thank everyone who has encouraged me and has shown interest in reading my little book. It means so much that there are people who want to read it and delve into the lives of my characters. You will never know how much it means to me that you have picked my book up. Whether you like it or not, thank you.
Contents
Prologue
Nic
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. We were never meant to be more than this. More than what our parents demanded from us; for us to stay away from each other and acknowledge that the other doesn't exist. But for some God forsaken reason our grandparents had to get involved, they had to spin both our axis around and meddle in something they probably thought would be a great idea. I don’t think they even stopped to see how much pain it would put my parents through, how much pain it would put me through, yet they did it anyway and now I have to live with the unbearable consequences of their actions. Actions that have drawn tears from my eyes countless times, made my heart break with each passing day but most of all brought forward the overpowering love in my heart, love that I know will never fade.
But the worst part? Love that I know will never be reciprocated.
It's time to start the game, begin the deal.
White dress. Black suit.
2 separate pieces of a chessboard.
Both playing the same game.
One little move
And
Checkmate.
Chapter One
6 weeks previous
July
“So, Nic, we’re really doing this then, you letting go of Jones and becoming a fully fledged Thomas?” Of course he couldn't do this one little tradition and STAY AWAY. I wanted to be alone, get ready alone so I could collect my thoughts, but no, Craig had to push his way in. I turned around to see him leaning against the door frame of the bedroom, dressed in a black, crisp suit, his hair a shaggy mess and his eyes a dark blue, piercing into my green ones. His arms moulded perfectly into his suit jacket and all I wanted to do was stride over to him, rip his clothes off and fuck him against the door; Grip onto his muscular arms, wrap my legs tightly around him and throw my head back in ecstasy but I controlled myself and instead I quickly gave him a cursory once over and turned back to my dressing room mirror, continuing to tie up the last of the loose strands of my chestnut hair.
“I suppose we are, Craig.” I shrug back.
“So seeing as this marriage is pretend, does that mean I can still shag around?”
I quickly found his eyes in the mirror, his cocky exterior rolling over him and I shrugged at his question before going back to fixing my hair. I tried not to let him know how his words affected me, acting nonchalant despite the fact thinking about him fucking someone made me completely uncomfortable and that deep down his words hit into my chest and pierced through my heart. “Do whatever the fuck you want, Craig. It’s not like I plan on shagging you. This is for a year. A year and we get our money, we say goodbye and go our separate ways. If you want to shag other people, I’m not stopping you because I’ll do the same.”
I watched his expression in the mirror, hoping my words would have an impact on him like his had on me. He frowned briefly before covering it up with his trademark smirk and casually slid off the door frame before strolling over to where I was sat and proceeded to stand behind me, intensely watching me fiddle about with my hair. I can’t stand it when he stands so close, let alone when he looks at me like he wants to throw me on the bed, rip off my clothes and pound into me until I am screaming his name. The cologne he was wearing didn't help either – it was entrancing and I just wanted to wrap my arms around his waist and breathe in his scent. Become hypnotised with it and with him.
Ever since we found out we had to get married, he has been staring at me that bit too long, standing that extra bit too close and I can’t take it. I can’t take the fact I want him so badly and that I can’t have him for real. This marriage is going to be an utter sham and at twenty-two, this is not how I expected my life to pan out. I wanted to find love, possibly with Craig, I wanted a real wedding and I wanted a forever. This is not for love, it is with Craig and it’s not a forever. It’s a 12 month payment plan fragmented by our grandparents, whom aren't here for us to scream at. If they were, they would be getting a bloody massive tongue lashing from both families.
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to calm myself down and it didn't help that I felt Craig’s hands rest on my shoulders before I withdrew the breath. That touch sent shivers throughout my whole body and I knew, just knew that if I opened my eyes Craig would have that shitting smug look on his face, the one that says “I know exactly how to make your body react to me.”
The little fucker.
I counted to ten before opening my eyes and I tried to ignore him standing behind me. With his hands still upon my bare skin I got down to finishing the last touches of my make-up. A brush of blusher here, a stroke of eyeliner there and the red stain of lipstick to complete the look. Wanting to get a better look in full, I twisted in my chair and stood up, which in turn made Craig drop his hands and take a step back. Straightening my wedding dress, the mermaid style clung to my every curve, I thanked the lord that I was able to get away with a dress that fit my body like a second skin.
One glance towards the clock to see it rested just a little before midday, I brought my gaze back to level and rested them upon Craig who seemed to be fixated on my attire. His eyes roamed the length of me, from my face to my feet repeatedly. I don’t think he knew where to look or even how to look away from me, but I stood there, trying to act confident whilst he took me in.
“Have you finished checking me out yet?” I smirked, walking towards my full length mirror to get a better look at myself in all my glory. Although we both hated this situation, the guests who were waiting impatiently downstairs thought this was a proper wedding. That Craig and I actually loved one another and that our families had put everything behind them. This could not be further from the truth. My parents and Craig's father and aunt went ballistic with our grandparents – despite the fact they are both very much dead. But we had to calm them down, tell them it was happening because we both have plans. Plans that need that money and it’s for a year. 12 months and then we can get divorced and pretend none of this happened.
Okay, maybe that last part was a lie because I didn't think I could ever forget this, but I had to throw it to the back of my mind and pretend that today was the best day of my life. I plastered on a fake smile and stood straight, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Taking another deep breath and letting it out, I ran my hands over my dress, smoothing out the little creases. I moved left and right to check my lumps and bumps were all concealed then fussed about with my hair. I had completely forgotten Craig was still in the room with me until he stepped behind me and grabbed my hands to stop me messing about any more.
He lowered my hands to my stomach, his still clutched around mine and pulled me back into his chest, where he rested his head on my shoulder. I took in a shuddery breath and swallowed hard. What the hell was he doing? He was just making me even more nervous and now he was touching me and cocooned around me. He needed to back off me but I couldn’t move, I didn’t want to and I didn’t want him to draw away from me.
Fuck you body and the way you react to Craig Thomas. We should hate him, not want to jump his bones.