Page 36 of Meant for Mayhem

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Damn past Shannon for not writing out a list of questions I should have asked first.

“I have a guest room,” Mikko said, sensing my distress. “But it’s occupied.”

That made me look up. “By whom?”

This time he didn’t make eye contact with me. “My parents.”

“Your parents? As in, right now?”

Mikko’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Yes. My mom has been staying with me since Leena and I came home from Finland this summer, but my dad arrived last night to help her get home.”

I was so shocked by this announcement, I had to force my mouth shut. “What have you told them?”

Leena grabbed my hand, wrapping hers around my thumb as she put her pacifier in her mouth, eyes getting heavy. I brushed her hair away from her face, taking in the sleepy little girl at my side instead of the confusing man in the front seat.

“They know I brought Leena up to see a friend.”

“A friend,” I repeated. “We’re not friends.”

Mikko chuckled, the sound rumbling through the otherwise quiet car. “That’s right, wife, we’re not friends. We’re married.”

Something about hearing it out loud was so much different from thinking it; the word feeling far more substantial than a promise of a few months spent together while we both helped Leena adapt to her new life.

Because holy shit, I was married.

“What am I supposed to say to your parents who are for sure going to jump to the worst conclusions about me? They’re going to think I’m only here because you’re—” I gasped when I realized one massively important step we’d skipped right over. “You didn’t make me sign a prenup, Mikko.”

“I know.”

“You know? You thought of this and said nothing? What else did you think of that I haven’t yet?”

“Well, I added you to my health insurance policy, and made you an appointment for a passport card. If you don’t need it, we can cancel. Oh, also, I ordered you a car.”

“You what? When?!”

Mikko looked back at me, his brows drawn down. “Before you got to the courthouse. Was that wrong?”

I stared at the little sliver of his face showing in the mirror, only now realizing that I didn’t know this man at all.

Part of me was shocked he was so organized, and the other half didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he’d made so many choices without consulting me.

“What kind of car?” I asked, like that made a lick of difference in this completely outrageous situation.

“The same as mine. It has the highest safety ratings of any SUV on the road and an all-wheel drive package fit for the Colorado winters. I didn’t mean to overstep. It’s just, I need you healthy and safe.” He cleared his throat. “For Leena.”

I shook my head, feeling like he’d put me in checkmate before I’d even put my pawns on the board.

But, damn him, I needed both health insurance, a passport, and a car.

And damn my stupid heart for beating faster, knowing how much thought he’d put into this.

Sure, maybe I’d jumped into this marriage thinking of it as another caretaker position, but it was becoming increasingly clear that Mikko didn’t see it that way.

Didn’t see me that way.

“Okay,” I said, not sure how to sort out the emotions hitting me like a tidal wave. “No more making decisions about my life without talking to me first. I want to be in charge. I need to.”

“That’s not⁠—”