I Married My Archenemy to Burn Them All Down

The second Elsie stepped through the door, Rachel was on her, worry pinching her face.

“Elsie, where on earth have you been? You didn’t come home all night.”

“Mom... I got married.” Elsie couldn’t keep something that huge to herself.

Rachel froze. “Married? To who?”

Elsie handed her the marriage certificate.

Rachel read the name and went still all over again. “Kingsley Reynolds? You married Kingsley Reynolds? How in the world did that happen?”

Elsie told her everything—about the night before.

“Elsie.” Rachel’s voice cracked, caught somewhere between hurt and disbelief. “How could you do this?”

It hurt Rachel more than anything.

Tears welled in Elsie’s eyes. “Mom, I didn’t have a choice. I need to clear Dad’s name, take back what’s ours, and make sure people like Liana Roberts get what they deserve.”

Rachel pulled her daughter into her arms.

Elsie tried to keep it together. “Mom, it’ll be okay. Kingsley isn’t as ruthless as people make him out to be. I mean, he married me, didn’t he? He said you could come live with me, and he even offered me a job at J.C. International.”

“Really?” Rachel wiped at her tears.

Elsie nodded, jaw set. “Yes. Let’s pack and go. Right now.”

There wasn’t much to pack—just a few changes of clothes and a handful of personal things.

Once everything was ready, Elsie took Rachel to Kingsley’s estate in the suburbs.

“Miss Gomez, welcome. Mr. Reynolds told us you’d be coming. Please, come in.”

The butler greeted them warmly.

Seeing how thoughtfully Kingsley had arranged things, Rachel relaxed a little.

The butler led them into the living room. “Miss Gomez, Mrs. Simpson, your rooms are on the second floor, to the left.”

“Thank you.”

“If you need anything at all, please let us know.”

Elsie nodded and helped Rachel up to their rooms.

Both rooms were guest rooms. That didn’t surprise Elsie.

Given how impulsive the marriage had been, she and Kingsley weren’t some traditional couple. Sharing a room? Out of the question.

“Elsie,” Rachel said, watching her daughter with worry.

Elsie gave her a reassuring smile. “Mom, it’s fine. I just need his name—his status—to get what I want.”

Rachel sighed and swallowed the questions rising in her throat. She knew they would only weigh Elsie down more.

“Mom, get some rest. I’m going to take a walk, and I’ll come get you for dinner.”

She wanted to get familiar with the place fast.

“Okay.”

Once Rachel was settled, Elsie went downstairs.

She asked the butler to gather all the staff. She wanted to introduce herself to everyone.

She also explored the sprawling estate.

By dinner, Kingsley still hadn’t returned. Elsie ate with Rachel, then helped her to bed.

When she left her mother’s room, she ran into Kingsley on the staircase.

“You’re back.”

Kingsley was still getting used to having someone else in his home. “Yes.”

“Have you eaten? Want me to have the kitchen make you something?” Elsie offered.

She might have pushed him into marrying her, but she planned to play the part of his wife—at least on the surface. The rest would come with time.

Unused to anyone paying him that kind of attention, Kingsley’s heart skipped a beat. His gaze caught on Elsie, and the memories from the night before came rushing back. He masked it with a hard expression. “No. That won’t be necessary.”

“Then I’ll run you a bath,” Elsie said, already heading for the master bedroom before he could answer.

She’d asked the butler earlier which room was his, but she hadn’t stepped inside until now.

The room was huge, done in monochrome tones—simple but refined, with an air of cool detachment.

In the bathroom, she started the water.

While she waited, she noticed a bathrobe on the shelf and stared at it for a long moment.

The moment Elsie left, Kingsley walked into the bathroom. The tub was full, bath salts added, scented candles lit.

He undressed and let the heat soak the day’s tension out of him.

“Um... can I come in? I swapped your bathrobe for a clean one,” Elsie’s voice came from outside the door.

Kingsley’s gaze snapped to the door.

Before he could answer, Elsie peeked in—and got an eyeful of a very naked Kingsley.

Startled, she slipped, crashed into him, and sent them both tumbling into the tub.

Her loose nightdress soaked through instantly, clinging to her skin in a way that was anything but innocent.

The tub was way too small for two people.

Elsie ended up pressed against him, her hand braced on his chest. She felt exactly how their closeness was affecting him.

“I’m sorry—it wasn’t on purpose.” The apology came quick, but every shift of her body only made things worse.

Kingsley felt heat surge through him, a sharp, growing ache.

“Not on purpose?” He grabbed her and flipped them, so he was above her. “So it was deliberate, then?”

Elsie couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Trying to seduce me?” His eyes burned with anger, his grip tight around her wrist.

It was a seduction. But she denied it anyway. “No.”

“No?” His gaze turned cold, razor-sharp. “My robes are swapped out daily. Why would it be dirty? You used the bathrobe as an excuse to come in. You spilled the bath gel on purpose. Then—oh, how convenient—you fell right onto me. Every bit of it was calculated.”

She looked sweet and innocent, but she was clearly no amateur.

Elsie hadn’t expected him to see through her so easily.

“If you knew,” she said, finding her nerve, “why didn’t you stop me? You wanted this too.”

She leaned in close, arms looping around his neck, and whispered, “You want me, too. Don’t you?”

To keep Kingsley’s interest, she’d taken special classes—prepared for every possibility so she could execute her revenge.

Kingsley shoved her back hard. Her head hit the side of the tub.

“Liana claims your father assaulted her. With Fabian’s help, she took over your family’s company. You’re using me to clear your father’s name, oust Liana, and maybe punish Fabian.”

The hit left Elsie dazed.

She’d already realized hiding her motives from Kingsley was pointless. That was why she’d been upfront from the start.

“You don’t really think that just because you got into my bed, I’ll be so captivated I’ll help you get revenge, do you?”