Chapter 18: Signed
But Daemon shocked her by complying as he took the contract from the table, a faint smile on her lips.
"Where’s the pen?" He asked, shocking her.
Arianna was dumbfounded. He asked for the pen and was ready to sign without making any effort to read the papers, at least to make sure she didn’t write any agreement he wouldn’t be happy about.
He just asked for the pen straight away as if he trusted she wouldn’t draft any statement that would destroy him.
’Who’s this man?’ She wondered, her eyebrows furrowing into a frown.
"Aren’t you going to read it at least?" She asked.
He stared at her as if she’d just asked him a stupid question as he glanced at the document and then at her.
"Do I have to?"
Arianna couldn’t believe this man. Not only was he strange, but he was also stupid.
No sensible adult would sign a document without reading it first. Considering that he was a businessman, she’d expected him to ask her to give him a moment to check for loopholes.
He didn’t even ask why she’d drafted her own document.
For safety purposes, she’d asked her lawyer to draft her a marriage contract with all the benefits she needed added. She might be there, only a signature away from officially being his wife, but that didn’t mean she trusted him.
She didn’t hide the fact that she didn’t trust him, but he acted as if he trusted her with his life.
’This is insane,’ she thought.
"Yes, you do," she responded.
Daemon’s eyes stayed on her for a second longer before they moved to the document. He picked up and read.
According to the contract, Daemon was to supply Mr. Wesley with every kind of weapon he would need for the future until the war was over. If he failed to do so, the contract was over.
Neither member of a family should hurt the other, or the contract will be terminated.
And most importantly, when it came to intimacy, they would only show it when it was important. They would stay in separate rooms and mind their business.
Any violation of the written agreement would automatically lead to the contract termination and they would get a divorce immediately.
A smirk crept up at the corner of Daemon’s lips, impressed but at the same time worried that if he did anything wrong, she would want a divorce immediately.
"I’ll sign it."
Arianna was stunned for a second time. She’d intentionally added the part that they would get a divorce no matter how small in violation of the contract.
She’d thought he would complain and ask for the statement to be changed. But nothing happened.
She watched him pick the pen she’d placed on the table earlier when he was reading and stain a particular part of the paper with his signature, sealing the whole thing.
"You’re now my wife, Arianna," he claimed, his voice deep and sweet like honey while the smirk continued to dance on his lips.
This was a situation she’d taken without consulting her father. If her father found out that she was now married to Daemon Langford, the son of his mortal enemy, he would flip. Might even get a heart attack.
Arianna cleared her throat before she parted her lips to speak. "You need to make the drop as soon as possible."
Daemon nodded in understanding.
"What weapons do you need?" He asked.
They’d recently loaded in a few matches of weapon crates especially for Arianna. All he needed was to know the exact weapons she needed and he would ship them to New York immediately.
He made a mental note to add in an extra few if that would make her happy.
Arianna’s lips thinned. She’d completely forgotten to get the list from Cassian before retiring to Las Vegas.
"I don’t know for now. I’ll ask Cassian for the list but make sure everything is ready beforehand," she commanded.
Her tone made something shift in Daemon. There was so much authority in her voice.
Another reason he loved her. She didn’t care that he might pull out a gun and shoot her in the face if he wanted to. She simply made her point across without stuttering.
"I’ll see to that," he responded.
Frederick, who was watching from three tables away, narrowed his gaze at them. He couldn’t hear what they were discussing which only left him curious, wanting to know what they were saying.
"Now that you’re my wife, I think we should announce our marriage."
Daemon’s words got Arianna cocking an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue.
"And what better way to do that than to attend Griffin’s wedding anniversary?"
Arianna froze. Her breath caught without her even realizing it.
The Griffins were Vivian’s parents and it was their anniversary.
"You want to announce our marriage there?" She asked, unable to believe her thoughts.
Daemon merely shrugged. "What better place to do that than at the anniversary?"
Arianna gave the idea a quick thought. If it were the Griffins’ anniversary, then for sure, without a single doubt, Logan and Vivian will both be there.
The thought of seeing them again stirred Arianna.
She’d loved their pale expression when they’d seen her at their wedding, both unable to believe their eyes.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get a picture.
Not only that. Her family will know she’d signed the contract, officially making her Arianna Langford.
She shuddered at the glare she was going to receive from her father the moment he saw her.
But what needed to be done was done.
"Alright, we’ll both go to the anniversary celebration together." Then she paused, her eyes narrowing slightly at him. "Do not forget that we’re only supposed to show intimacy when it’s completely necessary," she reminded him.
Daemon nodded in understanding but for some reason, she didn’t believe him.
She might not know the guy but the fact that he proposed marriage just to help her family was already concerning.
