"What's up, Mom?" I asked as we got to my room. She suggested we talk in private so we came upstairs.

"We need to talk, Harper. About the wedding."

Christ, what now? "Okay...what about it?"

She started pacing and crossed her arms over her chest. "You know how important this merger is, right?"

"Yes," I answered, no idea where this was going.

"You know that your father and I are depending on you to do this, right?"

"Yes, Mom. What's this about?"

She stopped pacing and met my stare. "So, why are you trying to get out of it?"

Wait...what? "I'll admit I'm not crazy about this whole thing, but I haven't done anything to get out of it."

She raised a brow. "So, it's just a coincidence that you decided to invite your friends to a family gathering? And it's also a coincidence that you planned your bachelorette party here, too?"

She was really starting to piss me off. "I invited them to my wedding vacation because they are in the wedding, Mom. We had already planned my bachelorette party before you sprung this on me."

She scoffed before saying, "Please, Harper. You've been trying to ruin this since the beginning. You refused to find a dress, you refuse to quit your job, you--"

"Wait a minute. I will not quit my job to satisfy you and dad or Ryan's parents. Teaching is what I love. I worked hard to become a teacher and I'm not giving that up. I'm already giving up my chance to find love for the sake of--"

Nothing in my life shocked me more than my mother slapping me across my face. My eyes watered at the pain and I clutched my cheek with my hand.

I couldn't speak as I saw her expression. She wasn't sorry for what she did. But there was fear in her eyes, too.

"Stop being selfish, Harper. Love is for children and fairy tales. You are going to marry Ryan. You are going to quit your job in the fall and work for his family. There is no other option."

I didn't move or say anything as my mom left the room. I stood there for what seemed like hours before finally going into my bedroom. I was dazed as I crawled into my bed and did something I hadn't done in awhile.

I cried.

When I finally woke up, it was almost one in the morning. After the fight with my mother, I stayed in my room for the night. Ryan had come by looking for me earlier, wondering where I went. I simply told him I wasn't feeling well. I used the excuse that I was in the sun too long and needed to rest. I told the same thing to my friends when they came up here looking for me. After they sent me a dozen text messages that went ignored.

Still in my bathing suit, I felt a chill as I threw off my blanket. I finally gathered enough energy and crawled out of my bed to go into the bathroom. As soon as I flipped the bathroom light on, I sucked in a short breath. On the left side of my face, where she slapped me, was a faint bruise. It was light, but it was also noticeable up close.

I closed my eyes tight as I turned and left the bathroom, not wanting to look at myself any longer. I didn't want to think about what had transpired here hours ago. I walked to my bedroom door and saw Lanie asleep on the couch. She had clearly fallen asleep reading one of her books. I slipped back inside my room and grabbed a towel before heading out and going downstairs.

I knew everyone was asleep so I wanted to take advantage and see if the jacuzzi was accessible. I wanted to soak in the hot water and forget everything that happened. .

Relief washed over me as I saw the gate to the pool area was open and there wasn't a soul occupying it. I sat my towel down before sitting on the edge, letting my feet dangle in the hot water.

Against my will, my mother's words rang in my head. I had never seen her this way before. So scared and angry. She's never struck me a day in my life.

"Hey, Princess," Jackson said quietly.

My eyes slid closed at the sound of his voice. I'd been hoping to hear from him this afternoon. So many emotions rolled over me as I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Hey."

He was still in his swim trunks but he had a shirt on now as he sat across from me.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked. I knew he was looking at me even though I had my face turned.

"I needed some air. You?"

"Same. And-- I was worried. About you. When you didn't come back earlier."

"Im fine," I lied, even though I knew he saw right through me.

"You aren't fine, Harper. I wanted to come to your room, or at least text you to see if--"

"Why didn't you?" The question was out before I could stop myself.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to. Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"

I gave him a half shrug. "What good would it do? It doesn't change anything."

"You wouldn't have to bear it alone."

I thought about what he said for a minute. Besides Lanie, he was the only one I felt comfortable talking to about this stuff. He was one of the few people who saw this whole arranged marriage thing as a fucking mistake.

"We can't talk here," I said regretfully.

He got to his feet and whispered. "Meet me on the beach."

I waited a good ten minutes before I got out of the hot tub and started walking a different path to the beach to meet him. I didn't think anybody was up and could see us, but I didn't want to take the chance. Even if they did see us, we were just talking.

He was waiting for me by the surf and, as if he sensed me coming, he turned to look at me.

I frowned when I noticed his expression went from concerned to angry.. "What is it?" I asked.

He walked up to me and tilted my head to the side. "Who did this?"

The amount of anger in his voice surprised me and I turned my face away on instinct; not wanting him to see.

"Tell me, Harper."

"My mother."

He cursed under his breath and ran his hand over his face. "Your mother? She struck you? Why?"

I gave him a sad smile. "Why do you think, Jackson? She knows I don't want to get married. She's saying that, by bringing my friends and wanting to have my bachelorette party, that I'm trying to plot some way to ruin it. Never mind the fact that she's demanding that I quit my job and work for your father."

"That doesn't give her the right to fucking hit you."

I felt my eyes water and I refused to meet his stare. I started to walk off and he reached for my hand. He stopped me and slowly pulled me closer to his body.

He cupped the sides of my face with his hands; being careful not to hurt me. He wiped my tears with his thumbs as he whispered, "No one is worth your tears, Princess. No one."

He hugged me and I welcomed it. I wrapped my arms around him and sighed into his chest. I allowed myself to take in the comfort he was offering.

"I'm sorry for what I did," he said quietly.

I pulled away, confused by his apology. "For what?"

He ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Your friend..."

"Danielle?" I asked and my heart sped up a little. When he didn't answer, I asked, "Did you sleep with her?"

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry for what happened at the pool."

I could tell by the look in his eyes he was telling the truth. "Jackson, we were both trying to make each other jealous. You have nothing to apologize for."

He let out a short laugh. "I got so worked up, you had me almost punching my brother in the face."

"Really?" I giggled.

He raised an eyebrow. "Princess, two more minutes of seeing your tongue down his throat, I would have thrown you over my shoulder and taken you to my room. Sod anyone who would have seen."

I bit my lip and smiled. "Oh, would you have?"

"You know what you do to me." His voice was deep and throaty and I shivered.

Truth was, besides lust and passion, I didn't know what I did to him. Not really.

"What do I do to you?"

He closed the short distance between us and traced the strings of my bikini with his finger. "I've never met someone like you. You're witty and funny. You've definitely got a mouth on you."

I couldn't hold back my laugh as he continued, "If I'm being honest, I've never gotten jealous over a girl before."

"Well, I can't say I'm not happy to have popped that cherry."

He laughed at my joke. "That right there is what I'm talking about."

He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. It started out slow at first. Then when I traced my tongue along the seam of his lips, he groaned and opened his mouth to me. My hands gripped his waist as the kiss turned heated.

He trailed a line of kisses to my neck and I tilted my head, giving him better access. "Jackson?"

"Hm?"

He continued his torturous kisses as I said breathlessly, "I have an answer for your offer."

He pulled away and looked in my eyes. "And?"

I couldn't hold back my smile. "Yes."

He let out a long breath. Like he had been holding it in this whole time. "Its about fucking time, Princess."

I gasped when he picked me up. "What are you doing?"

He started walking in the direction to one of the cabanas on the beach and laid me down on the large chaise. "I've been waiting for over a week to be inside you. I'm not waiting anymore."

He hovered over me as he kissed me with deadly talent. As always, my body was ready and willing. He traced his hand down my chest and stomach before untying the strings on my bikini bottoms. He tossed them to the floor before he slid a finger deep inside me.

"Oh, God," I moaned against his mouth.

He stilled his finger and I whimpered in protest. What was he doing? Why was he stopping?

"Jackson...." I pleaded. Didn't he know I needed him right fucking now?

He cocked a smile at me. "We need to be quiet, Princess. Or someone will happen upon us. Can you do that?"

He slowly started moving his finger in and out again. I gripped his shoulders as pleasure tore through me. "Yes, I promise."

"Good. Because I need you."

"God, yes." I needed him, too. I needed to feel something good after the day I've had.

I heard the sound of clothes rustling as he removed his swim trunks then he positioned himself between my open thighs. I wound my legs around his waist and he slid inside me with one hard thrust.

"Fuck," he moaned as he dropped his head into the crook of my neck.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who needs to be quiet," I said breathlessly as he started moving his body faster inside me.

I heard his deep chuckle as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.