Page 18 of Temporary Vows

“Listen.” I lean forward and plant my hands on the desk. “I’m not in this to find some freaking soulmate. There is no right person for me. Whoever I choose to marry will know right from the start what to expect from me—which is nothing. They’ll get a nice cushy lifestyle where they won’t want for anything. We’ll pop out a child and look like a family for the media’s sake. But we’ll live separate lives. That’s what I’m doing.”

He sighs, raising his hands in surrender. “Fine. Do that.”

I dip my head. “I will do that. Right now, there are bigger things to worry about. The investigation team hasn’t found shit, and come Monday, I’ll have cousin Parker grating on my ass.”

Knox winces. “What are you going to do about him? You guys will be working together.”

“Oh no, we won’t. If that fucker knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay the hell away from me.”

“I think it’s out of order that Dad brought him on board.”

“It’s a scare tactic for me, and it worked.”

Parker is our aunt Jennifer’s son. She’s my father’s younger sister. They live in England and take care of the Vale Global branch there. Parker has the same job as me, so he’d easily fall into my role if I failed.

He’d also be all too happy to step into my shoes because my father is giving him an opportunity his side of the family would otherwise never have.

The line of inheritance and positions at the company lies with my father and his sons. My aunt’s children would only ever take over if something terrible happened to us. Or if like now, my father changed the rules—which he can do if he deems one of us unfit. So, that’s what he thinks of me. That I’m unfit.

It’s more a slap in the face that my father summoned my cousin, of all the people, because he knows we don’t get along. We’re the same age, have near enough the same interests, but we clash in personality.

Knox reaches across the table and taps my shoulder. “Stay focused, man. I’m sure whatever plan you come up with will work. Then I’ll happily send Parker on his merry way back to London. I have no need for his pompous ass here.”

“Thanks.”

“No worries.”

A knock sounds at the door. I lift my head. “Come in.”

The door swings open, and Levi struts in, a bright smile on his face. “Wait until you see the women I found you.” He holds up the blue folder in his hand.

“God, Levi not now.” I frown, giving him a thin stare.

“Come on. Don’t be so lame.” He waves me off and saunters over, flapping the file back and forth. “When am I ever going to get to do this again?”

“I never asked you to do it in the first place.”

“It’s my brotherly duty.”

“Don’t you have work to do?” I glare at him.

“Locke has it all covered. This isimportant. You need a specific type of woman.”

Knox chuckles. “He’s right. And what’s the harm? Besides, it’s more appropriate for him to help you with this than me.”

Because Knox is so obsessed with his wife, no other woman exists in his world but her. I roll my eyes, showing my disdain.

Levi lays the file out before me and takes out five report-style pages with headshots of young women who I know will be New York’s finest.

He moves his hand over the files like he’s showcasing multimillion-dollar diamonds. “These are my top five. These women will make your abrasive-as-fuck ass look like Saint Dorian of Manhattan. Think the Dalai Lama’s long-lost protégé.”

Knox bursts out laughing while I seethe.

“Levi, I swear to God, one of these days, you’re going to test the wrong nerve. If you ever compare me to a saint again, I’ll throw you out that window.”

Levi grins, completely unfazed. “See? That devilish attitude right there is exactly why you need a good woman.”

Knox leans back, arms crossed. “If he murders you, I’m not cleaning it up.”