Chayton by Danielle Bourdon Read Free Book Online Page B

something.”
    “If he's of a nefarious enough nature to slip you something in your drink, he's probably nefarious enough to circumvent court orders, too. At least until he's got a ring on your finger.”
    Kate lifted her hands, palms facing upward. A helpless gesture. “What else can I do?”
    Chayton smiled. “Take the option completely away from him. Marry me instead.”

Chapter Five
    Kate stared at Chayton as if he'd grown a second head. Marry me instead. Had he lost his mind? Leaning against the counter, as casual as you please, he didn't look perturbed or upset or nervous whatsoever about his offer.
    “...Chayton, do you realize what you just said?”
    He laughed. “Of course.”
    “But...I don't...--”
    “Think about it. As long as you're unmarried, he'll try to get at you. Some way, some how. Take the option away from him, crush all his hopes. He'll stop bothering you, stop hounding you, stop trying to abduct you.”
    There was a glimmer of truth in what Chayton said. But marriage? That was such an extreme 'fix'. “He won't believe it's true.”
    “Does he attend any of the balls and galas that the other elite usually get invited to?”
    “Some of the smaller parties and balls. He's been trying to claw his way into the upper echelon for a long time.” Kate still couldn't wrap her mind around the idea of marrying Chayton to throw Anton off her tail. Of course she understood without being told that an annulment would be forthcoming as soon as Anton moved on. She didn't think it would take Anton long to find another target if he thought she was officially unavailable.
    “I can fix that. I know the right people and they'll send him an invitation. We'll go as a couple to a few of these functions, 'prove' that we're married. When he sees everyone congratulating us and treating us as a pair, that should convince him. I'm betting it'll infuriate him, too, but we can deal with that.”
    The laid back way Chayton delivered his ideas soothed some of Kate's anxiety. “And what if he makes you his next target? What if he tries to...what if he tries to kill you?”
    “I'm not that easy to kill. Believe in that.”
    Kate watched his expression shift from neutral and casual to something more honed and calculating. This was a man used to dealing with the harsher side of life. He'd mentioned a trafficking ring, indicating he was used to risky ventures. Why a member of the elite would jeopardize their life messing with dangerous situations was beyond her.
    “I'd feel awful if something happened to you. But if you think you can avoid any nasty repercussions, then...I...” Was she going to go through with it? Take the unbelievable step of marrying what amounted to a stranger? She knew nothing of his lifestyle, where he called home, or how they would go about portraying themselves as a married couple. She did think that it would deliver a crushing blow to Anton, however, and the payback, though bittersweet, would be welcome.
    “There's no rush. Take your time and think it over. I'll get you something to eat and arrange to have this floor shut down long enough for you to retrieve your things from your suite. If you need more clothes, or new clothes, I can have that done, too. Whatever you need.” Chayton straightened away from the counter.
    “I guess I just have questions more than anything. Like...where would we do it? Does this mean we have to live together? Where would that be? How soon?” Kate couldn't stop the questions once they started. “How will we get the word out?”
    He shot her an amused smile on his way to the phone. “We can discuss it. Where would you like to do it? I can have an official brought in anywhere. Or we can play out a small wedding so there are pictures. I've got land at many of my residences, a few have gardens. I've also got access to my acquaintance's homes and properties. Castles, islands, you name it. As far as living together, I think that makes it more believable. If he suspects you