The car pulled up in front of Agus’s concrete monstrosity.
Aside from the medical centre in town, it was the only building made of concrete, but it had been painted a rich earthy orange similar to a Spanish hacienda.The gardens out the front were beginning to take hold and were full of frangipanis, bougainvilleas, and other lush tropical plants.
Two men with a Belgian Shepherd came around the corner of the house.Security.
Did Agus actually have to worry about his safety, or was this all for show?Mila wasn’t certain what illegal activities he took part in, but from the rumours she’d heard, it sounded as if he was part pirate, part smuggler.Maybe he’d made powerful enemies.
As she walked down the path to the front door, she noted another two guards with a dog coming from the other side.
Did he have more covering the back, or didn’t they realise how easily someone could scale the cliffs and get in via the back while both guards were at the front?
She hoped the latter, particularly if Agus decided to keep her here.
Inside, the house was cool.Two doors led off the main hallway and stairs led to the next floor.The corridor in front of her led to another door on the opposite side of the house facing the cliffs.She followed Agus and Vance into a lounge room which contained heavy sofas covered in thick brocade, a stupid fabric for this kind of humid climate.Though the air-conditioning was blasting, so perhaps he didn’t have to worry about such things as mould.
She shivered as she sat on the sofa Agus indicated.“What do you want, Vance?”The less time she spent here, the better.A strand of her dark hair fell across her face and she quickly undid and redid her loose bun.
“I wanted to apologise.”Vance sat next to her and tried to take her hand.She shifted away and clasped both hands in her lap.Agus stood across the room, watching with interest.
“That woman meant nothing to me.”
“So you ruined your engagement for nothing?”Was it better that it was just sex?No, neither option made her sympathetic to him.
He pressed his lips together before giving her his sad puppy dog eyes.“She seduced me.”
So now it wasn’t his fault.God, she’d been so stupid to fall for his charming, loveable rogue act.
Or so desperate to have something in her life that had meaning.
Mila shifted in her seat, wanting to be anywhere but here.She sighed.“Go ahead.”
Vance frowned.“What?”
“You said you wanted to apologise,” Mila replied.“I haven’t heard one yet.”
His eyes widened and then he grabbed her hand.“Of course.I’m so sorry I hurt you.Please forgive me.”
Mila tried to pull away but Vance held tight.Not wanting to make a scene, she said, “You’re forgiven.”She’d dodged a bullet finding out about Vance’s infidelity before the wedding and it had given her the excuse to break off the engagement so she didn’t seem flighty.
Vance sighed in relief.“You’re so good to me, Mila.We can return home on the next barge and tell everyone the wedding is still on.”
Mila burst out laughing, but Vance stared at her in all seriousness.Her laughter died and her skin crawled.“No.”
“But you said you forgave me,” Vance said, his expression wounded.
“Yes, because your affair showed me what you’re truly like.I’m not marrying you.”
Vance’s scowl peeled the earnest façade from his face.“My father wants me to settle down, get a proper job, and get married.”
The truth hit her and she lost her breath.“That’s why you dated me.To get a job with Dad.”She acknowledged the hurt even though she didn’t care for Vance any longer.
“Right.”He agreed as if it wasn’t a big deal, shifting into bargaining mode, and her weak heart ached.
She’d been so flattered by his attention and so surprised he’d been interested in her despite the far more glamorous and sophisticated women at the fundraiser.
“We get married, I get my job back at your dad’s company and my father continues to pay me my allowance.”
Mila switched her attention back to what he was saying.She stared at him.Was he serious?“And what exactly is in it for me?”
