His head jerks in a singular nod.
“Then don’t.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Then you’re not really sorry,” I say, pulling away.
“Okay, I’m not. But I have my reasons for that.”
“Reasons I don’t give a stuff for! I won’t do it,” I add, sounding like my nephew, who is currently in his tantrum era.
“London, in many ways, is like a small town. Believe me, you wouldn’t like the news of our assignation to get out.”
“You overestimate my reputation. No one will care if I’ve been in here boffing you for hours. Or even boffing you, Tom, Dick, and Harry, and the whole Chelsea football team.”
“You know that’s not true. That I’ll make sure it’s not true.” His hand lifts, tenderly sliding my hair from my shoulder.Stupid me, I let him.“More than a dozen people heard Tod say you’d settle his debt howeverIsaw fit.”
“Tod wouldn’t have said that.”Unless he’s tired of living.
“It’s all a matter of perspective, princess. And what I tell those people to say. In ten minutes, I could have everyone in this house believe I’d fucked you seven ways from Sunday over that very desk, that you’d done so, that you’d demeaned yourself… for him.”
This is such a mind fuck because what Raif did on that desk wasgive. Where’s that man now? I hate what he’s saying—hate more that what he says is true. People are always willing to believe the worst.
“It’s not just your reputation at stake. What about your family? Your gallery.”
“Why are you doing this?” I whisper.
“And then there’s Tod,” he adds, regardless. “You’d be ruining his career, too. Though maybe you think he’d deserve it.”
“I don’t. Tod wouldn’t…”
“Make you fuck me for money?” He shoots me a sad smile, the kind that makes it seem as though he’s sorry for me. Bastard.“Surely, that’s the very definition of toxic masculinity. Who’d ever want to back that artist?”
But fuck Tod and fuck this! I won’t be scorned and pitied, least of all byhim.
“You’re despicable,” I spit as I press my palms to his chest and push. “I wouldn’t choose to marry you if you were the last man on this stinking planet!”
“Ah, that’s your problem,” he says, grabbing my arm again. He spins me to face him and wraps me in his arms. “You lack the choice,” his honeyed voice whispers in my ear.
“Get off me!”
“But I can make it easier for you because you’ll do it. If for no other reason than the prenup.”
“What?” My head rears back as I stare at him.Is this bloke on something?
Other than a power trip, obviously.
“A million. A million sterling in exchange for being married to me for one year.”
“Huh!” Such derision. So why is it I can hear the sounds of cash registers ringing? “You’ve got to be joking.”Right?
He says nothing, and his expression doesn’t flicker.That is some poker face.Which I suppose would go some way to explaining how I’m in this predicament. My heart hammers like it wants to break free from my chest, and the feeling of his body pressed against mine is… something I refuse to think about.
“But why would you?” A million?” I repeat, so confused. “What about the three hundred thousand that got me in here?”
“Think, Lavender. You know you’re not here by accident.”
“But—”
