It Started with a Bang by Piper James

Chapter Five

Anabelle

“Ican’t believe I’m doing this,” I mumbled as I pulled out onto the highway.

I’d been slightly mortified when I woke up this morning. Not by my offer to pay Ryder Perry a million dollars to marry me. Despite being severely outlandish, I still thought it was a good idea. It would get Dad off my back without actually bowing to his ridiculous mandates.

No, I really thought marrying Ryder would solve all my problems. It was that kiss that still had my face flaming twelve hours after the fact. Call it liquid courage or pure stupidity, I’d been determined to put him in his place. He didn’t say as much, but it was obvious he found me somewhat…frigid.

He’d all but dared me to kiss him, and I took the bait. Hook, line, and sinker. I wanted to show him I wasn’t some prissy, spoiled princess. I was a woman. I had the ability to turn up the heat, and I wanted to see him squirm.

But the whole thing backfired. As soon as I tasted him, my brain fogged. Instinct took over, and I wanted more. When he deepened the kiss, I’d purred like a damn kitten, completely losing my resolve to show him how in control I was.

It wasn’t until he’d gripped my hips and jerked me closer that I remembered where I was. Who I was.

And who he was.

I’d skedaddled out of there as fast as I could, yet here I was, searching him out to continue our conversation and attempt to secure our deal. If he was going to turn me down, I needed to know. This idea of a fake husband had buried itself in my mind, and I was sure it was the only way to get my father off my back.

If Ryder was going to refuse, I needed to know so I could find another candidate.

I didn’t want to find someone else, though. Ryder was perfect. Handsome and well-built, he’d look amazing in a suit, fitting right in at any social events we’d need to attend together. He owned a business with his brothers, and my father would respect that, despite the fact that his family didn’t run in our circles.

But best of all, we didn’t like each other. We’d both go into this as a business arrangement, and there’d be no hurt egos or tangled feelings when it ended. He’d have his money, and I’d have my company. He’d go back to California, and I’d never see him again.

That’s it. The end.

Now I just needed to get Ryder to see how perfect it was. Which was why I was on my way to the Golden Eagle Ranch, ready to reinforce my offer now that there was no question about my sobriety.

“Are you high, indeed,” I mumbled, making the turn off the main road onto the dirt drive that led to the ranch.

Of course, I’d felt high as a kite after that kiss…

No. My body only responded because it had been so long since I’d kissed anyone. It had nothing to do with Ryder, his lips, or his hands. And if we were going to do this, I’d have to get used to it. Because while we’d be all business in private, he was right—in public we’d have to act like a happily married couple.

And married couples kissed. And touched. And…

I shook my head to clear the panic trying to take hold as the ranch house came into view. I eased off the accelerator, rolling to a stop as I stared, open-mouthed, at the dilapidated home. The place was falling apart.

A small smile curved my lips. I could use this in my pitch. A million dollars would surely come in handy with all the money that would need to be spent fixing this place up. If I offered to pay a portion up front…

My thoughts cut off as a shirtless man hopped off the porch and strode toward me. Holy shitballs. He was a fucking Adonis, with shaggy brown hair and golden skin that stretched tightly over lean, sinewy muscles. He stopped beside my door, tilting his head as he stared at me through the glass with bright golden eyes.

Coming to my senses, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed from the car. Adonis smiled, showing off a mouthful of white, movie-star-straight teeth.

“Can I help you?” he asked, his deep voice smooth and pleasant.

“I’m looking for Ryder,” I said, silently cursing the hitch in my voice.

“Ah, you must be Annabelle Parker,” the golden god said, nodding.

“How do you know my name?” I asked, but he only chuckled.

“I’m Chase Perry,” he said, wiping his hand against his shorts before holding it out for me to shake.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, taking his warm hand in mine.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he said, grinning widely. He turned toward the house and yelled, “Ryder, you have a visitor!”

“Who’s here?” another voice called out just before a second stranger appeared from around the corner of the building.

This one was built much like Chase—tall, lean, and muscular—but he had black hair and a scruffy beard. Something about the way he carried himself as he walked toward us screamed trouble. The cocky grin he shot me when his dark eyes met mine reaffirmed the thought.

“Well, hello there, beautiful,” he said smoothly as he stopped in front of me.

Chase lifted his hand, flicking him on the ear. “Noah, this is Anabelle Parker. Anabelle, my idiot brother, Noah.”

I held out my hand to shake Noah’s, but when he grasped it, he pulled it up to brush his lips against my knuckles. He watched my reaction from beneath his thick, dark eyelashes, a secret smile playing on his lips.

“Knock it off, Noah,” a familiar voice said before I could respond.

My eyes darted to the right, catching sight of Ryder coming down the rotting porch steps, yet another gorgeous man behind him. This one was clean cut with short brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He gave me a friendly smile as he approached with Ryder, the only frowning face in the bunch.

“What are you doing here?” he asked grumpily, but the other guy nudged him aside before sticking out his hand.

“Ignore his rudeness. I’m Ethan,” he said.

“Annabelle,” I said, shaking his hand before meeting Ryder’s eyes. “I wanted to continue our discussion from last night.”

“Oh? You met up last night?” Noah asked, his eyes darting between us.

“By accident, I assure you,” Ryder answered, his dark eyes never leaving mine.

“I’m sensing a pattern,” Noah goaded. “You two seem to keep bumping into each other.”

“Fuck off, dickhead,” Ryder said, shoving him.

“Language, Uncle Ryder,” a small voice called out from behind me.

I turned to see a small boy with dark, shaggy hair and brilliant copper eyes. He gave me a curious look as he dusted his dirty hands against his chest.

“You tell him, kid,” Chase said, moving to stand beside the boy. “Anabelle, this is my son, Daniel. Daniel, this is Miss Parker. Can you say hello?”

“Dad, I’m almost eight years old. Of course, I can say hello.”

A laugh burst out of me before I could stop it. Daniel shot me a gap-toothed grin while Chase rolled his eyes. I squatted down in front of him and held out a hand.

“Nice to meet you, Daniel,” I said.

“Nice to meet you, too, Miss Parker.”

“You can call me Annabelle, if that’s okay with your dad,” I said.

Daniel looked up at Chase, who ruffled his hair and nodded. When Chase looked back at me, he shot me a wink and grinned. Good lord. These Perry brothers were hell on a girl’s equilibrium.

“If you want to talk, let’s get in your car,” Ryder said. “It’s hotter than he—Hades out here and I could use a break from the gnats and mosquitos.”

Daniel shot Ryder a huge smile, saying, “I know what you were going to say!”

“Of course, you do, kid,” Ryder said, his teeth gleaming in the sun as he spoke. “You’re too smart for your own good.”

“Come on, Daniel,” Chase said, leading his son away as he called over his shoulder, “Annabelle, so nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” I replied, nodding to the others as I followed Ryder toward my car.

I climbed in behind the wheel, cranking the engine and turning the cold air on full blast as Ryder slid into the passenger seat. He sighed in contentment as the stream from the vents hit him, drying the sweat on his bare chest.

“That feels amazing,” he murmured, adjusting the vent to blow up into his face.

“Not used to the heat?” I asked.

“It’s not the heat. It gets hot in L.A., too. It’s the humidity that’s killing me. Doesn’t it bother you?”

“I grew up in it,” I said, shrugging.

“I’m assuming you came to rescind your offer,” he said, meeting my gaze as he changed the subject.

“Why would you assume that?” I asked, tilting my head to study him.

A harsh laugh barked out of him. “Uh, because you offered me a million bucks to marry you.”

“I did,” I confirmed, nodding. “And the offer still stands.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you still drunk?” he asked, his eyes wide.

“Please stop accusing me of being inebriated. I wasn’t drunk or high last night, and I’m not now.”

“But…it’s crazy. You know that, right?” he said, his dark eyebrows drawing down.

“It’s a business arrangement,” I said, turning in my seat to face him fully. “Maybe it would make more sense if I explained everything.”

“I’ve got to hear this,” he said, motioning for me to carry on.

“You know my father is Jaxson Parker, owner and CEO of Parker Industries, but you don’t know who he is.”

He nodded thoughtfully, but remained silent as I tried to find the right words. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly before spilling everything.

“My father is a difficult man. He’s a womanizer and a misogynist, and my older brothers moved across the country to get away from him and carve their own paths in life. My father went to great lengths, using dirty tactics to wreck their lives and get them back here, but it didn’t work. They’re never coming back.”

“Okay, but what does this have to do with you and me?” he asked.

“I’m getting there,” I said, sighing. “I’m still here because I do want the company. I could do so much good…it doesn’t matter why. The point is, my father doesn’t want to give it to me because I’m a woman. I’ve jumped through every hoop, succeeded in every challenge that man has thrown my way, but he still doesn’t see my worth. I’m just a girl.”

Ryder nodded in understanding, but a muscle ticked in his jaw like he was grinding his teeth. Like he was biting back some nasty words. I chuckled softly.

“Yes, he’s an asshole. Always has been, always will be. But I have to play his games to get what I want. It’s his latest edict that brought me to this point—offering money to a stranger in exchange for a fake marriage.” I took a deep breath and spit out the rest on the exhale. “He said I have to get married within the next six months, or he’d sell the company.”

“What?” Ryder asked. “Why would he do that? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“He rarely does,” I said, my voice dark, “but in this case, he’s demanding I have a husband because a single woman couldn’t possibly be taken seriously in the business world. And he’d rather split up P.I. and sell the parts than hand it over to his lowly, unwed daughter.”

“That’s just…asinine,” he murmured, shaking his head.

I shrugged. “I’ve always been able to work around him, and that’s what I’m doing now. One million dollars to marry me, Ryder. I’ll have a lawyer I trust draw up a contract stating I’ll give you half after the wedding and half after the agreed-upon amount of time has passed.”

“Half up front?” he asked, arching a brow. “You’d be taking a big gamble that I’d stick to my end of the deal.”

“It’s a show of trust. Besides, I think you probably need the liquid capital right about now,” I said, nodding toward the house.

He followed the direction of my gaze before looking back at me with and unreadable expression. I held my silence, waiting for him to respond. I didn’t have to wait long.

“You don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me. How do you know you can trust me?”

“Call it a gut instinct,” I said, my words slow and measured.

“But we don’t even like each other,” he shot back.

“That’s in my plus column,” I replied. “We can do this without any…feelings getting involved. It’s a business arrangement, and it will stay that way.”

He nodded slowly, obviously deep in thought. “If I were to agree to this—and I’m not saying I am—how quickly would it need to happen?”

“My father gave me six months, but he’s already trying to force me to date men he’s found for me. Men like him. The sooner, the better.”

He blinked a few times, then telling me he’d be in touch, climbed from the car. I watched him walk away, then shifted the car into gear before turning it around to make the drive back to the main road. I just hoped I managed to get through to him. I hoped he’d agree, and soon, so I could get Dad off my back about dating the douchebags he’d lined up for me.

I hoped Ryder and I could fool him into believing what he and I had was real.

And I hoped I wasn’t making a huge mistake.