Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Rory's POV

Yesterday at the office

"Come here, babe," I say, opening my arms for Paris and hoping she doesn't realise the documents she had requested for before, are now on her desk.

She comes into my arms and presses her body against mine, sighing heavily. "I'm glad I'm back, I missed you so much. The nights were lonely without your arms." She murmurs into my chest and wrapped her arms around my upper section.

Still, lying to me while I know the truth? Real classy, Paris.

"You still must be exhausted from what we just had."

Paris has always been a good escape when it comes to a wild need to satisfy my sexual desires and I am hers. I'll have to give it to her, but she does and always knows her way to bring out the best there is in me in the bed. Would have hoped for a future for us if I had never crossed part with Taylor and if I didn't know what kind of woman she is.

She's not the faithful type, she never has been. Before meeting her, I did my little digging and all her last four relationships collapsed not because it was the men's fault, but because she always cheated on them and most of the collapse were disastrous and I'm not going to turn blind eyes to all that.

I just have to find a way to free myself from this mess of a marriage I'm in.

"I know, I just don't want to spend another moment away from you."

Taylor's answer still strain me in my heart, she isn't affected, she isn't jealous, nor does she care, and I just get shut out whenever I deal with her. I've done everything I can to make her happy, I've asked her to quit her job and I'll take care of her, but she rejected my offer. I can't blame her, as much as I love her, I don't think I'm ready to put my love for her before the reality that's before me.

She's too good for me.

"I was thinking," Paris begins, pulling away and dragging me into the room.

"About what?" I ask because something tells me her next words won't be good.

"How about we make the engagement this Friday?" She suggests, but with the intense depth of her voice, I know it's not a suggestion, but a decision.

"Whatever you want dear." Is my reply even if I want to say what's the rush Lady?

"Really? She squeals, kissing my lips deeply and I kiss back praying that for a weird reason that it would taste like Taylor's, but nope it doesn't.

She pulls away and pick up her clothes from the side of the bed and begins to put them on starting with her underwear. "Get ready, Darling, I have an announcement to make to the members of staff before they leave and I also need the newsmen here before the closing hours."

"I think you need rest."

She walks to me and wraps her arms around my neck, almost breaking it, because I don't bend to her height. "What I need is to become Mrs Gate soon."

Someone's being impatient eh?

"I know." I give her a weak smile, but more than anything, I just want to leave and find Taylor and fall into her comforting arms.

I don't think they'll be open for me anymore though.

Into the closing hours, the meeting is held and all the staff are gathered together including Taylor. I try no to think of her reaction to what's about to happen, but I can't help it

"I called you all here to inform you that Rory and I," as she says this, she entwines her fingers with mine and the cameras does not miss a single moment from taking shots of us. "Have set out engagement to happen in two days time which is Friday the fifteenth."

Aww. Goes the whole room of over a hundred people and they all burst clapping their hands and cheering in approval as she says this.

"And our wedding date would be on the seventeenth of next month."

My face narrows and I try to figure out what it is she just said. We haven't even talked about this and she's announcing it? I am beyond surprise, I'm speechless and I try to hide every emotion that is running in my expression away.

I tighten my fingers around her and she winces, coming closer I whisper. "There's no way I'm marrying you on the seventeenth of next month." My voice is low, so no one would suspect or hear what I said... This makes her frown, but she giggles and turns to place a quick kiss on my lips instead, but when I respond, she deepens the kiss.

Everyone put their hands together for the amazing couple role which we are excellently playing before them.

We walk out from the meeting room, back to her office and as soon as the closes, I exploded.

"What the hell did you think that was?" I demand.

"I'm sorry." She says, not looking sorry at all.

"You can't just make a decision like you're the only one getting married, and I'm not marrying you on the seventeenth, that's my decision."

She seethes her teeth and crosses her arms. "That's because you want to be with your stupid whore of a lover while you still have me." She vamps on with a high pitched voice I almost did not hear her.

"I do not have a whore as a lover Paris." I try my cool, calm voice 'cause that's what this conversation needs.

"I'm not stupid, Rory, I have people all over, you were with your whore the last three days and you didn't even come for work." She does know something, not much, but she knows something. "So that was it then uh? You're having her while having me? Fuck!ng the both of us?! Well, so you know I'm gonna find her and when I do, she's gonna wish that she never met you."

The thought of her hurting Taylor makes me go red with anger.

I raise a hand and suspend her next words. Clearly, my cool, calm voice is not what this conversion needs. "First off she's not a whore and secondly, I spent the last three days away from work because I was shot and I almost died. I bet your people didn't tell you now did they?" I bite out at her. "The girl you're calling a whore saved me, and took me to safety."

"And this marriage is a business contract and even though the whole world thinks it's a real one, we both know it's not. I know you've got a lot of male companies, but I am not following you on that so back off from following me. The truth, is we've never had sex because she's too good for me to have a casual fuck with, but believe me, if she gives me a go-ahead, I won't hesitate, because I love her."

Yes, I said it out loud, sue me.

I grab her by the arms, pushing her roughly against the wall. I see panic sets in her eyes as my cold ones dig into them. "And if anything happens to her, I will kill you." My voice raw and thick and hell determine.

I let her go and without looking back at her I walk out of the room and the building.

..

Earlier today. 7:15 am.....

"You're a mess," Keenan says as he hands me a bottle of water.

I collect the bottle. "And you are telling me this for the sixty-seventh time today." I remind him as the bottle which I'm trying to open falls from my clumsy hand to the floor.

"What were you thinking getting drunk? Aren't you suppose to be like the happiest man alive for your engagement?" I glare at him and he gives me a defensive look.

He picks up the bottle and opens it before giving it to me. I flash him a thank you smile and he nod before I begin to drink.

"But seriously man what's happening to you? You're like the one who always has things under control, now you're acting like a high school boy who just realized he's in love for the first time."

"Keenan, you have no idea what I'm going through," I mumble a little disconnected from reality.

"I know and I call it bullshit, but if something is happening and you don't like it, then make a move and stop it."

I sigh deeply, knowing his words are "I love Taylor Snowfall."

"Then go tell it to her, 'cause you've told me this for over one zillion time."

"I have, remember? she doesn't love me, she doesn't even like me, not anymore."

He sits down beside me, "What do you think then? That loving her is a mistake?"

"Never. Falling in love with her is one of the best decision I've made, I just don't know if I can choose love over the future of the Gates family and you know why."

He makes a defeated noise. "You know it's not wrong to believe in love."

I scoff distorted a little. "Coming from someone who's never been in love, should I be happy at that?"

He closes his eyes and tries to suppress the blush that grows on his cheek and I can tell it's because of something I do not know. "What is it? There's someone isn't there?"

"I have been in love before, but yes, there is someone."

"Well, who's the unlucky Lady?" I ask curiously, and he gives me a death glare, but his smile widens.

"She's not unlucky and I met her last night."

"Love at first sight then eh?" I tease with a quick brow.

"No... Well... kind of." He mumbles oddly which never happens might I add. "I don't know her name, but she's the first girl I didn't get her name on the first sight." He pulls out his phone. "Took her home, but she threatened to have my balls if I call her or visits without her permission."

I see the frightened look that settles on his face and I can not help chuckling at the fact that's the lady he's met last night has put fear into him.

I tap on his lap reassuringly, "Come on, Keenan! Girls make that threat all the time, that does not mean they actually mean it."

"Really?" He frowns, more at his awareness.

"Sure," I answer, drinking more of my water to help reduce my pounding head.

"Okay." He begins to dial the number on his phone.

I hold his hand down "Don't call her, go to her."

"Okay." He gets up, looking around the room for nothing in particular, then he turns quickly with a threatening, not so threatening look. "If I return ball-less, I'm not going to keep quiet." He points his finger at me, "that's a threat."

"Haha! Okay, good luck."