Love and Chaos Read Online Free PDF Page A

through his door. He did not want to connect. Not with her, and not with
others.
    “You’re
a hard man,” she said softly.
    He
nodded once. “Yes.”
    “You
know nothing about me. But you’re prepared to bring me into your home, and to
legally tie yourself to me for three years. Granted, that doesn’t mean a damn
thing in terms of a personal relationship,” she added. “But…”
    He
shrugged. “You came here on your sister’s behalf. You show a great deal more
love and concern for her than she showed for you. Seems to me that if I were
willing to tie myself to Jen for three years, I’m getting a better deal with
you.”
    “You’re
expecting love and concern?” she asked with disbelief.
    “Not
in the least. But you’ll probably be liked in my social circles, and that’s
important. You’ll be an asset.”
    “And
your family?” Emma wasn’t sure why she persisted, but she needed to know what
she was up against.
    “What
about them?”
    “Jen
said they hated her.”
    “They
didn’t know her. But she’s right. They weren’t impressed.”
    “Why
not?”
    “They
thought she was with me for my money. They weren’t wrong.”
    “No.
I guess not.” Emma took a deep breath. She needed to get out of this house.
Needed to get alone and think. Surely if she had a few moments to herself, she
could think of a way out of this. Turning to Mason, she said simply, “I need to
go. I want a copy of the contract to take with me.”
    He
looked at her in amusement. “Looking for loopholes, Emma?”
    “Of
course.”
    “You
won’t find any,” he assured her, moving back around his desk to locate and hand
her the file he’d given her previously. The original was locked in a safe at
his lawyer’s office.
    “I’m
not optimistic, but I’ll try.”
    “Fair
enough. I’ll see you on Friday. And Emma, if you don’t show up, I’ll file the
lawsuit that afternoon. And I’ll notify the authorities to pick up your
sister.”
    She
tried one last appeal. “Look, you’re a nice-looking guy. Surely you know some
nice young woman who would love to marry you.”
    He
shook his head firmly. “I want no strings attached, Emma. I don’t want emotion
involved. That’s why I did it this way.”
    “Why?”
    “Why
what?”
    “Why
no emotion?”
    “That’s
not your concern.”
    Sighing,
Emma tucked the file folder into her purse, and then turned back and looked up
at Mason. “I’m going to want my own contract,” she said to him.
    “There’s
no additional financial gain here, Emma.”
    “Screw
you. And your $450,000. I want safety nets.”
    She
felt a glimmer of vicious humor at his surprised look. “Safety nets? What do
you mean?”
    “First,
if you ever physically hurt me, the contract is null and void. No trial, no
nothing. I go to my lawyer, who goes to your lawyer, and I’m out. Second, if
you compel me to do anything I do not want to do, including forcing any
physical advances on me, the contract is null and void.”
    “You
have formed quite a high opinion of me, haven’t you?” One eyebrow went up as he
looked over at Emma. “First, why in God’s name would I ever hurt you? And do
you honestly think that I would need to force myself on a woman?”
    She
blushed. Actually, she imagined that most women would eagerly accept any
advances this man made, but she had no illusions here - if she got sexually
involved with this man, she would be left cold. He might marry her, he might
sleep with her, but that would be the extent of it. The end of the road would
be the same - divorce.
    “What
else?” he asked in amusement.
    She
didn’t hesitate. “I want a prenup.”
    He
looked at her with an impatient expression, as if she were a few steps behind
him and he was waiting for her to catch up. “I already told you that there is
no financial gain – that’s already been drawn up.”
    Shaking
her head, Emma was quick to correct him. “No. It’s to protect me. I want to
protect my own assets from