Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires #2) by Lauren Asher

He laughs. “It’s been thirty minutes. Max.”

A lightning bolt cuts across the sky. “It’s about to rain.”

“How convenient,” he replies with a dry voice.

“Are you going to tell me what you have planned or are you sticking with the element of surprise on this one?”

“I’m not the one surprising you.”

“What?”

He pulls over and unlocks the doors. “Get out.”

“Are you joking?”

“Unfortunately not. Although I’m sure you wish I was.”

I don’t move a muscle. Cal hops out of the car and circles around the hood to open my door. “Come on.”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“Stop being dramatic. We passed a Starbucks ten minutes ago.”

“Why are we even here?” I’m too shocked to do anything but follow him out of the car.

“Just give him a second.”

“Tell me you didn’t set me up.” I look around, trying to find the him Cal speaks of.

My comment goes unanswered as Cal jumps into his car and does a dramatic U-turn away from me. His tires squeal as he accelerates down the road, leaving me choking on car exhaust.

“What the hell?” I grab my phone from my purse and dial his number.

The dick sends me straight to voicemail.

I start talking the moment it beeps to leave a message. “You better have a good reason for ditching me like this—”

My rant is cut off by a car driving down the road. I’ve seen enough crime documentaries to know nothing good comes from hitchhiking with a stranger. I search the perimeter for somewhere to hide, except I’m surrounded by flat land and a few pieces of garbage. “Fuck. Cal, I’m going to kill you tonight in your sleep. Dead or alive.”

As the car gets closer, I realize it isn’t a car at all, but a white minivan. One that looks awfully similar to those serial killer vans everyone warns women to stay away from. My heart pounds harder against my chest, fighting for a way to get out.

I cross my fingers and whisper, “Please don’t be an ax murderer. Please don’t be an ax murder—”

I startle at the sound of a horn followed by a loud bark.

“Need a ride?”

My eyes widen at the sound of Declan’s voice. “No fucking way.” I bite down on my tongue and a metallic taste immediately floods my mouth.

I guess this is really happening.

Declan steps out of the vehicle wearing his best suit. “I have somewhere I need to be, so if you want a ride, you’re going to need to hop in.” He leans against the hood of the car like this isn’t the weirdest situation ever.

I open my mouth to ask why Cal set me up, only to be cut off by a clap of lightning.

He raises a brow. “So, are we going or do you want to get electrocuted?”

I stomp my way toward the passenger side and open the door. “Drop me off at Starbucks down the road.”

“I’m going in the opposite direction.”

“Then make a U-turn.” I take a seat before the sky opens up above us.

He doesn’t answer me as he shuts my door with a small smile.

“What—” My reply is cut off by a dog barking.

I check out the back seat and find a massive dog attached to some kind of animal car seat. He is covered in fur from head to paws, and I can barely make out his eyes due to his giant poof. I’m surprised he can even fit in the back seat based on the sheer size of him.

“Whose dog is that?” I ask when he opens his door.

“Ours.”

“Ours?!”

The dog barks with a reply.

I’m not even going to touch that comment. Instead, I search the directions for the nearest Starbucks on my phone. “Take me here.”

He completely ignores my map as he turns in the opposite direction.

“Declan!”

“I know I don’t deserve it but give me ten minutes of your time.”

I’m thrown back into the memory of the last time he asked for ten minutes but gave me ten words instead.

I am falling in love with you, Iris Elizabeth Kane.

The memory makes me compliant enough to keep quiet as he drives us down the road. Gray clouds part above us. Rain falls against the windshield, and Declan is forced to turn on the wipers to see clearly.

The dog whimpers at the sound of thunder. “What made you get a dog?”

“You said you wanted one.”

My mouth drops open, and no words come out.

“It took me eleven shelters to find the one that fit your exact requirements, but somehow I pulled it off. I just hope you like him because there is no way he is ever going back to that god-awful place. They would have put him down if it weren’t for me.”

A laugh bursts out of me before I can swallow it. When I made up the story of the dog, I never really thought Declan would actually go out and find one for me. Let alone adopt one that is the size of a bear.

“Why would you do that?” My voice cracking mirrors my resolve.

“Why not? You wanted it, so I made it happen.”

“And the minivan?”

“I thought we might as well have one ready to go for all the kids you want one day.”

My vision turns misty. “You can’t possibly mean that.”

“I do, and I plan on showing you.” He stays silent as he presses a foot on the accelerator.