Husband With Benefits

"What is your opinion on me forcing someone into marriage?"

Dora, Kael, Lily, and Cai all looked up at Rafe as if he had just sprouted another head. The mere mention of ’forcing’ was enough to send a chill through the room. The thing about force, after all, was that it never carried positive connotations, no matter the context. Unless, perhaps, someone was forcing out toxic waste...

But marriage and force? Those two ideas did not belong in the same breath.

Kael, predictably, was the first to shatter the stunned silence as he stared at his brother with a look, "Are you talking about something similar to your previous situation? A Contract marriage? Because, let’s be honest, you barely dodged a bullet last time..."

Rafe sighed, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "Something similar, yes, but also different. This girl... she’s trustworthy. I know she is."

"Doesn’t matter," Dora interjected sharply, her tone as crisp as a knife’s edge. "If you’re forcing her into a marriage, then you are the one who isn’t trustworthy." She turned her sharp gaze toward Cai, clearly expecting him to echo her disapproval. "Well?" she demanded, folding her arms as if blaming him for Rafe’s question.

After all, Rafe had been hanging around with Cai more and more. And the Frosts were definitely a bad influence. "What do you think, Cai? Or are you seriously about to side with him? Lily, has this guy tried to force you into anything?"

Cai, however, wasn’t biting. He had his head tilted slightly, his eyes fixed on Rafe with a look of contemplative curiosity. Dora scowled at his lack of immediate response.

"Hey! Don’t leave me hanging here," she said, snapping her fingers toward him. "Are you going to agree with him or not? Is it okay for him to force someone into marriage."