Say Less. I Love You. Full Season Ebook Bundles

An Excerpt:

I stand in front of Jacob Stone, my fists clenched, my breath ragged. The weight of my decision presses down on me like a boulder. I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

“Fine,” I say, the word slipping out before I can second-guess myself. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry you.”

Jacob’s eyebrows shoot up, genuine surprise flickering across his face. “Wait, what? You’ll do it?”

I nod, feeling the gravity of my choice sink in. “Yes, I’m serious. I don’t have any other option.”

He recovers quickly, a smirk forming on his lips. “Well, I didn’t expect you to change your mind this fast.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” I mutter, crossing my arms. 

"You really know how to make a guy feel good about himself, Nyla Thomas," he responds with a smirk. 

"With all your ego, you'll be fine. Alright,” I say, taking a deep breath. “We need to hash out the details."

Jacob steps closer, his presence dominating the small space. “Well first, we need to make it look real. We’ll have to attend events as a couple, and, of course, convince my family.”

“Your family?” I raise an eyebrow. “You didn’t mention that before.”

“They’re part of the package,” he says with a shrug. “You’ll meet them, and they’ll scrutinize every move we make. Think you can handle that?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “I’m a nurse. I deal with life and death situations daily. I think I can handle your family.”

“Fair enough.” He looks at me, his eyes intense. 

"Also, no one at the hospital can know about this. I don’t want this getting out and becoming some ridiculous soap opera.” 

Jacob’s smirk fades into a more serious expression. “That’s going to be tough. The media is all over me, and they’ll be sniffing around for any hint of a story. Keeping this under wraps might be impossible.”

“Then we make it believable,” I counter, my voice firm. “But the people I work with—they can’t know. I don’t want them treating me differently or thinking I’m some gold-digger.”

He runs a hand through his hair, contemplating. “Alright, we’ll keep it as low-key as possible. But you have to understand, the minute we step out together, people will start talking.”

“I get it,” I say, crossing my arms. “But I’m not going to be the next tabloid headline. You need to control the narrative.”

Jacob chuckles, a deep, rich sound. “You’re feisty. I like that. Okay, we’ll control the narrative. We’ll release a statement—something about a whirlwind romance. People eat that shit up.”

I roll my eyes. “Great. Just what I always wanted—to be part of a billionaire’s love story.”

"You know, you might be surprised, once you're with a billionaire…" I cut him off before he even speaks that thought into existence. 

"Let's get one thing straight." I say, holding up a hand to stop him mid-smirk. "This marriage might be fake, but I have real boundaries.”

He tilts his head, intrigued. “Go on.”

“There will be no sleeping together,” I declare, watching his smirk falter. “This isn’t some cheap romance novel. We’re not going to fall into bed just because we’re under the same roof.”

Jacob nods slowly, taking in my words. “Got it. No sex. What else?”

“I’ll give you one public display of affection for every public encounter. But don’t expect anything more than a kiss or holding hands. And it’ll be on my terms.”

His eyes gleam with amusement. “Your terms, huh? I suppose I can work with that. Anything else?”

“All public appearances need to be communicated to me at least two days in advance. I’m not going to drop everything because you decided we need to be seen together.”

Jacob chuckles, a low rumble that vibrates through the room. “You drive a hard bargain, Nyla. But fair enough. Anything else?”

I look Jacob straight in the eye, my resolve unwavering. “We need to tell my parents.”

He frowns, his jaw tightening. “You sure about that? I mean I could give two shits less about lying to my parents, but I don't know what relationship you have with yours.”

"I just don’t want them finding out from some tabloid. We tell them, then we tell them it didn’t work out. They deserve at least that much.”

Jacob nods slowly, considering my words. “Alright, we’ll tell them. But remember, this is all part of the act. We need to be convincing.”

I sigh, feeling the weight of the decision settle on my shoulders. “Fine. But they need to hear it from me first.”

Jacob extends his hand, a smirk playing on his lips. “Deal.”

I shake his hand, the contact sending a strange jolt through me. “Deal.”

We stand there for a moment, hands clasped, eyes locked. I can’t help but wonder how I ended up here, making a deal with the devil himself. But for my grandfather, I’d do anything.

“Alright, when do we tell them?” Jacob asks, breaking the silence.

“Soon,” I say, my voice firm. “I’ll call them and set it up.”

“Just let me know where and when,” responds, releasing my hand. 

I nod, already dreading the conversation. “I’ll text you the details.”

As I turn to leave, Jacob’s voice stops me. “Nyla, one more thing.”

I glance back, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“This marriage... it might be fake, but I want you to know I’ll hold up my end of the bargain. Your grandfather will get the best care, no matter what.”

I study his face, searching for any hint of insincerity. But all I see is determination. “Thank you,” I say softly, and I mean it. For all his faults, Jacob Stone might just be my lifeline.

“See you tomorrow?” he asks, flashing a grin that’s both infuriating and oddly reassuring.

“Yeah,” I reply, heading out the door. 

As I walk down the hall, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve just signed up for the ride of my life. But with Jacob’s promise echoing in my mind, I know I’m doing the right thing. For my grandfather, I’d face any storm. Even if it means weathering it with Jacob Stone.