to my habit, the first thing I did is to check my phone when I woke up. And I instantly regretted it. Because my phone was flooded with hundreds of notifications.

Oh God.

I opened Instagram and every post was about me. Me and Calix. That whole video where he proposed me was just trending.

I am so going to murder him.

I roll over and pick up the remote from the nightstand and turn on the TV and switch to a news channel and goodness, they are all going crazy.

I can't believe they are so happy that I got engaged, I mean it's not a big deal!

But then...they all have been shipping us ever since so I can't blame them. The only person to blame is that idiot.

Stretching my arms, I sit up straight and grabbing a pillow throw it on that said idiot who was sleeping peacefully on the couch. Yep. We shared a room but there was no way I was going to share a bed with him so I made him sleep on the couch.

The pillow lands on his face and his nose scrunched up before he rolled over to his stomach and buried his face in the pillow.

I picked up another pillow and again throw it at him making him grunt.

"Get up!" I shouted. "Look at what you have done."

"What? Did one of the ladies die because she couldn't handle my charm and sexiness?"

I groaned loudly. "You need to humble yourself. You are not that charming. And no one is going to die for you, idiot."

Okay...that was a lie. The women are ready to die for him. They literally drool over him and he knows it.

He once did an advertisement for Jockey in which he was shirtless and everyone lost it. Except me of course. Cause firstly, I hardly saw that ad because I didn't want to see him shirtless. And secondly, I have never seen him shirtless and I don't wish to but still he can't be that perfect as the world, or the women label him as.

I check the time and say to him, "Get up, Calix. I want to go back home and please tell me you came here by your jet because my team must have already left. And I want to go back home, right now."

I got off the bed and move in the direction of the bathroom. "You better be up when I come back." And I went inside.

When I came out after brushing my teeth and taking a shower (Calix had someone pick up my things from the hotel I was initially staying in), he was still sleeping and half of his body was hanging off the couch and he was about to fall down any minute.

"Calix, you are about to fall down." I warned him but he was in a deep sleep.

Aargh. "CALIX!" I yelled making him wake up finally but it was of no use because I shouted too loudly and he jolted and fell down on his back eventually.

A chuckle left my mouth on seeing him fall down and his eyes snapped to me and he shot me a glare. "You could have woken me up nicely."

"And by nicely you mean...?"

I am surprised how quickly his expressions changed and he grinned. "With a kiss, baby." And he winked.

Yup. He definitely has hit his head. I threw the towel with which I was drying my hair on his face and he chuckled hoarsely.

The sound of his deep, hoarse chuckle did something to me, I could feel a tingling sensation in my belly.

No. What is wrong with me?! Stop it!

"I want to go back home, Calix. So, please get up."

He removed the towel from his face and sat up straight. "Did the great Althea Coleman just say 'please' to me? Oh my, I should have recorded it." He said dramatically.

I rolled my eyes. "If you are done with the drama then get the fuck up."

Thankfully, he obeyed me and got up and walking to me, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. "As you say, baby." And then he went inside the bathroom.

Why does he have to kiss me so much? As if he actually likes me and just pretends to hate me.

Nope. Not going there. He is just demented and nothing else.

.

.

.

"And you didn't think of discussing it with me first?" I questioned dad who looked kinda guilty.

He leaned back against the kitchen countertop and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's for your safety. He will keep you safe."

"Dad, he would rather murder me himself! I hate him and the feeling is mutual."

"No, he doesn't hate you." Dad started to defend him. "And he promised to take care of you."

"His promises means nothing to me."

"Look, Althea, I trust Calix and I trust Rafe, and if they say you will be safe, then you will be."

"I understand that uncle is your best friend and you trust him but Calix? He is a reckless man! He already has so many enemies and when I become his wife then I will be more of a target, don't you think?"

Then I realised something. "Wait, he always used to say that he will marry me, are you supporting him in that?"

Dad pushed himself off the countertop and stepped closer. "Didn't you say that this marriage is only for six months? If he really was marrying you because he wanted to, he would have never agreed to this six months pact. He would have remained married to you forever then."

I sighed in defeat. "But it still doesn't make any sense, dad..."

Dad ran a hand over my head and placed a kiss there. "You are a strong woman, Althea. We are just trying to keep you safe."

"Yeah, by throwing me into the lion's den."

Dad gave me a small, assuring smile. "He will take care of you, I promise."

And that's how at the end of the week I found myself standing at the altar infront of Calix.

It was a small ceremony, I didn't invite any of my teammates, I know it's rude but I didn't care.

The church was decorated beautifully and it was just our families, no one else. No paparazzi and no outsiders.

I tried to somehow focus on the priest when he asked me, "Do you Althea Coleman take Calix Hanzall Andrews to be your husband. To have and hold. From this day forward, For better or worse, For richer or poorer, In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish, Till death do you apart?"

Calix's hands held mine firmly as if he was afraid I might run away. I can't blame him, I thought of doing that twice.

I hate to admit it but yeah, he looked devilishly handsome in his black tuxedo and I haven't seen him in a week and in that time, for the first time ever, his usual clean shaven face was adorned with a light stubble.

And I have never said it before and I will never say it again but at this moment I have to admit that the stubble made him look so mature and so fucking hot. Like I have never seen him like this and I hate the fact how I had to clench my thighs when I saw him standing at the altar.

No, it's just my hormones. I can't possibly be turned on by this idiot. But then again maybe he did this on purpose, he knew the stubble will make him look so sexy.

Calix squeezed my hand and I realised that the priest was still waiting for my answer. Oops.

I cleared my throat. "I do." I answered as I signed away my life with the devil for the next six months.

His lips twitched. He was finding this fucking funny.

"Do you Calix Hanzall Andrews take Althea Coleman to be your wife. To have and hold. From this day forward, For better or worse, For richer or poorer, In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish, Till death do you apart?"

He gazed at me instensely, his lips curling up into a small smile. And he didn't even hesitate. "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Fuck no. No way. He is not going to kiss me.

But one look and I knew he had every intention of kissing me and this kiss wasn't going to be a chaste one. He was going to devour me, his eyes were twinkling with it and it made my heart skip a beat.

Nope. I am not giving him my first kiss. That's right, I had a number of boyfriends over the year and I have been very intimate with them but I never kissed them, I always saved my kiss for someone special and this idiot is not going to take it away from me.

My jaw clenched as he slowly lifted the veil off my face and then very softly and huskily he whispered, "You look like a dream, Al."

I have been given hundreds and thousands of compliments but never has anyone told me that I looked like a dream. I guess that's the best compliment I have ever received.

I didn't ponder on it much because I was still panicking about giving him my first kiss. I can't do that. He can't take that away from me.

I shut my eyes firmly when his lips hovered over mine with every intention of kissing the daylight out of me.

I placed my palms over his chest and fisted the lapels of his suit jacket tightly.

Just when I thought his lips were about to touch mine, I felt his lips somewhere else, on my forehead.

It wasn't a normal forehead kiss like he used to before, instead a hot, open mouthed kiss on my forehead.

And I exhaled shakily in relief as our families applauded and cheered behind us.

When he pulled back a couple of seconds later, he looked hurt. Seriously hurt. "Didn't know that the idea of me kissing you would disgust you so much, Althea."

What? That's not what I was thinking! I was just saving my kiss for someone special. It's not that I was disgusted with that...I could have kissed him, it wouldn't have been a big deal but...

Shit. In all the years, I have never seen him so hurt.

I opened my mouth to explain to him but I didn't know what to say exactly. He took my hand in his and led us towards our family members, his jaw clenching.

And for the rest of the day, he didn't even look at me.