“You aren’t Mr. Blue, are you?” There’s a sickening sense of certainty but I don’t understand how this happened. “You’re a MacTavish.”
His expensively suit shoulders go up in a shrug. “Aye, Lachlan MacTavish at your service.”
“But- but you knew the code words,” I stammer, “you said the exact phrase! How could this- Wait. Whydidyou take this job? What do you want? Are you going to try to blackmail us?”
Rising gracefully, Lachlan moves toward me slowly, just a step or two but it feels like he’s circling me. “I took the job because…” he tilts his head and there’s something about how the light illuminates his eyes. I see the simmering chaos there. “Why not? You needed me and I…”
He’s closer, so much closer that I have to look up, and then up some more to see his grin. “I wantedyou, bonnie Aria.”
Chapter Six
In which we are witnesses to the worst marriage proposal ever.
Lachlan…
Aria looks horrified.
Not the most flattering reaction, I can’t remember the last time a lass turned me down. But then, Aria isn’t just some girl looking for a good time or getting her hands on my money.
Her pretty coffee and cream-colored eyes are wide and her chest is heaving as she tries to catch her breath. She looks so pure in that white dress, so out of place in my club.
“That’s not part of the deal,” she says firmly. “I have the details to transfer the statue to you. Open your laptop and I’ll-”
“That wasn’t our agreement,” I interrupt.
“It was absolutely our deal!” she sputters, “You do the job, I hand over ownership of a ten-million-dollar piece of art!” She’s vibrating with anxiety and I see her gaze move to the door.
“Don’t bother, it’s locked. When we negotiated this contract, the specific phrasing regarding payment was, ‘If I do this for you, I want something only you can give me.’ I have it on video if you’d like to refresh your memory.”
“What does that even mean?” Aria’s furious now, her hands curl into fists as she glares at me. “We had a deal! The statue as your payment!”
“I said that I wanted something onlyyoucan give me,” I repeat pleasantly. “I don’t want the statue. I want you.”
“Using vague wordplay to change the deal is crap, and you know it,” she snaps. “I’ve researched your family; you don’t renege on an agreement.”
My gaze is on her heaving breasts, and god, I can hardly wait to hold them in my hands, feel their weight, and play with them. Her nipples are pink, I’d wager. Reluctantly, I force myself to focus on her lovely, furious face.
“You insult me by thinking otherwise,” I say. “Nonetheless, the deal was for something only you can give me, and I’m going to collect.”
“I’m not sleeping with you!”
“Ah, well…” I stroll around her, enjoying how she whirls to face me. “You’re a bonnie thing, but a single night ofhochmagandyisn’t worth ten million dollars.”
“What the hell ishochmagandy?”
“Fucking.” I step close enough to feel her rapid breath on my face and sweet Jesus, she smells delicious. Under her light perfume, I can smell the slight scent of her arousal. My girl might be horrified, but her pussy isn’t against the idea.
“Then whatdoyou want?” Aria shouts.
In a moment, I have both her wrists trapped behind her, held tight by my fingers as my other hand squeezes her arse, pulling her against me. I know she can feel mystonneragainst her stomach and she tries to pull away.
“I was clear, lass. I want you. It’s time I married and I’ve decided you’ll be a grand wife.” Admittedly, this plan just occurred to me. I’d been focusing on my lust, but Aria is exquisite. She will makea magnificent MacTavish bride. The vision of her wearing my ring made my cock stiff enough to ache.
And not one of my brothers can give me shite for rushin’ this.
“I was right,” she wheezes, “you’re completely unhinged. I’m not going tomarryyou, you ass! I have responsibilities, I don’t have time for your twisted games!”
“Stop thrashing around, you’re making me harder,” I warn, depositing her in an armchair and leaning over her, trapping her with my hands on the armrests. “Have you considered the professional you crossed by not showing up to your meeting? If he agreed to meet you, he was expecting the job. He will not be happy.”
