“I’m glad you understand.”
“But you’ll still buy me a last dinner as a couple?” she says with an unnaturally bright smile.
Something sharp flashes in her eyes, but I’m too tired to analyze it. She’s probably just upset and shocked by the abrupt end to our relationship. “Of course.”
“And we’ll be friends? This won’t impact my deal with Sebastian Jewelry?” she asks, like she needs to reassure herself.
“Yes to the first and no to the second,” I say, since I feel just the tiniest bit guilty about how abrupt I’ve been with her.
Her smile grows relaxed. “Well then.” She lifts her glass of water. “To your marriage.”
Chapter 7
Lucienne
Two days after I meet Sebastian in his office, my chauffeur James drives me to Gion Shiyaki for our lunch date. Bianca is sitting next to me and unloading all her concerns.
“You sure you’re going to be okay?” Her dark eyes dart back and forth between me and the windshield. On her ears are the diamonds I gave her for her last birthday.
I smile to reassure her. “I’ll be fine.”
She raises an eyebrow and makes a vaguely skeptical noise. She knows me, probably better than I know myself. We grew up together, ever since her dad started working for Mom as a chauffeur when we were babies. Went to the same schools all the way up through college. My mom and grandfather paid for her private tuition because they wanted me to have a friend I could count on.
Bianca’s been that and so much more. I don’t know how I would’ve managed everything that’s been going on with Roderick and Peery Diamonds without her. She even got into anI’m going to scratch your eyeballs outfight with Vonnie when we were in high school because she tried to sleep with my boyfriend.
Bianca slides an impeccably manicured hand along her black chignon. It’s something she does when she’s unhappy about a situation. She was shaking mad when I told her what I discovered when I walked into the suite in Barcelona. If I hadn’t told her I needed somebody to hold me, she might’ve driven to Preston’s place and run him over with her car.
Which would’ve been a shame. She just bought her dream car—a pretty silver Mercedes coupe—and getting blood all over it would have been terrible.
“I don’t like any of this,” she says finally. “Sebastian Lasker is a capital-J jerk.”
“He doesn’t want to marry me. So his attitude is understandable.”
“But ignoring my request for an appointment for over a week, then treating you like that in front of his assistant?”
“He didn’t know he was on speaker. I’m sure he was chagrined about that.” But he clearly doesn’t care about my feelings. He couldn’t have made it more obvious that he hates me and this arrangement.
“And he was seen with his girlfriend immediately after you went to see him! You know he did that on purpose!” Bianca rages, her hands clenched.
“I know, I know.” Google Alert sent me links to the photos of the two. They looked amazing together. Gabriella Ricci is a stunning woman, gorgeous enough to grace Sebastian’s arm. She pressed her breasts against his arm with a sexy smile, and he dipped his head and whispered something in her ear, the picture of a loving boyfriend.
She must be the woman he loves, the one he has to give up to marry me. The thought lances me with an abrupt force that leaves me breathless for a moment.
“Based on how obnoxious and rude he’s been, he’s going to stand you up and do everything he can to humiliate you,” Bianca adds.
“He won’t,” I say, although I’m not so sure. I texted him the lunch date details, but he never responded. In case he thought my messages were spam, I told him it was me, but still nothing. I know he read them. Maybe he wants to be difficult and contrary, just like he was when I visited him.
If he stands me up, he stands me up,I tell myself, even as dismay wriggles its way to my heart at the possibility. I’m not going to let it bother me too much as long as he shows up for the wedding. He wouldn’t be the first person to humiliate me. Lots of people have, and I’ve stopped expecting anything better, even though a part of me is extra-disappointed at the thought ofhimdoing it.
He was so nice to me in Paris. Showed me what I needed to do to fight.
And Iamgoing to fight. Once I get Roderick out of the way, I’m going to pour all my energy into getting the Sebastian Peery collaboration launched. I need something to show the board at the next shareholders’ meeting that I have what it takes to keep my position as CEO. Some of the board members, especially those from Nesovia, are going to be nervous that Roderick will no longer “manage” me. They might even try to replace me with somebody else—someone with a penis, of course.
“Even if he does come, he’s still too old for you,” Bianca grouses.
“He’s only nine years older.”
“Nine years more insulting.”
