Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part One (BWWM Romance Serial) Read Online Free

over to the seating area and plopping down on the tufted couch. He
eyed the television. “You watching that again? Don’t worry about it. She’s
clearly a mess, but we’ll get this settled. It’s not like you’re actually
married to her.”
    “Aren’t I?” Ian asked. He paused the video on a close-up of
Jada’s face.
    “Of course not. We still haven’t gotten a copy of the
license, but when we do, we’ll be able to prove your signature’s a forgery.
This will be yesterday’s news before tomorrow.”
    “Hmm.” Ian studied Jada, noted how even makeup-free she was
a strikingly lovely woman, with high cheekbones and full lips, an oval face,
delicate jawline. “I don’t think she’s part of this scam, Sullivan.”
    Sullivan leaned back on the couch and studied the frozen
screen. “Well, I’m sure she doesn’t think she’s going to stay married to you,
but you know how people are about fame. They don’t care how they get it, as
long as they do get it. And look at all the attention she’s garnered for
herself.”
    Ian scoffed. “Look at her. If I’m a scheming
celebrity-seeker who wants a shot of fame, when I do get it, do I answer the
door looking like I just rolled out of bed?” Part of him physically responded
to the idea of Jada, warm and soft, just rolling out of bed. He imagined
reaching for her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back against
him, nuzzling her neck.
    “Yeah, she does look pretty rough,” Sullivan said. “That
hair. Good God. And those clothes. Do you think she might be hard-up,
financially? The information I have here says she has a good job with decent
pay, but who knows. Maybe she’s a gambler, or has a secret addiction to buying
jewelry or dog toys.”
    “You should have been a writer instead of becoming a lawyer.
The stories you make up, seriously. And I don’t think she looks rough. She
looks ... sleepy, and ... overwhelmed. Which is exactly how someone would look
if they had no part in pulling off a marriage scam.”
    A light knock sounded on the open door. Cathy stuck her head
inside.
    “Can I come in?” she asked.
    Ian waved her inside and over to one of the chairs. Cathy,
an efficient, attractive young woman in her early-thirties, closed the door
behind herself, quick-footed it to the seat and sat down. She eyed Ian through
thick spectacles.
    Her tone was ominous. “She’s here.”
    Oddly, Ian’s heart thudded once, hard, in his chest. “What’s
she like?”
    “Well,” Cathy said, “at first, I thought maybe they’d picked
up the wrong woman. She looks super different than she did on television. Shows
you what a shower and some makeup can do for a woman. That sounded bad, didn’t
it? I didn’t mean any offense. She’s your wife, and I wouldn’t ever say
anything against ...”
    Ian managed to keep a straight face as Cathy’s voice trailed
off. “It’s fine. Other than her improved grooming, did you take away any
impressions?”
    “No. She seemed just as nice and polite as she did over the
phone. She’s suspicious, still, but you can’t blame her for that. Depending on
what she’s up to, I mean. She’s waiting in outer reception.”
    Sullivan stood and headed for the door.
    “Where are you going?” Ian called out. “We need to go over
her info before I meet with her.”
    “The folder’s right there. I’ve got to take a peek. Be right
back.”
    Ian turned to his assistant. “Thanks, Cathy. I’ll buzz you
when I’m ready to see Ms. Howarth.”
    She nodded and hurried after Sullivan.
    Ian turned off the tv, wiping away Jada’s image. He picked
up the folder and scanned the pages. The information he read supported his
earlier suppositions regarding her character.
    Both of her parents were still alive, still married and
already retired. She had one younger sister, no other siblings. Had never been
married. She’d been employed by a well-respected accounting firm in her home
town since graduating college. She’d had several