He hadn’t wanted to tell her his situation in front of Madame Alexa and her assistant, to protect his own interests. Now he had to. A ball of frustration knotted his stomach. He’d seen the disappointment in her eyes, detected it in her voice when he refused to screw her.
A good sign. She wasn’t in it just for the money. She wanted him.
Would that still be the case after he told her about his situation?
He scratched his chin. Well, what could he do anyway. His lawyer had advised to keep the story with Eleni under wraps. He’d paid her enough for silence, and one didn’t get rid of one blackmailer simply to find another. Sure, Amaya seemed like a genuine person. What if she wasn’t? Would he jeopardize his image and his chance to shift from vice president to president of Rhodes Enterprises?
She joined him in the cabin, choosing the seat in front of him and not the one next to him. For a few seconds, she glanced around, without focusing on one place in particular. Then she grabbed a magazine from the rack and began to flip through pages.
“Amaya,” he said, and immediately her gaze darted to his. His throat clogged, and the damn collar got even tighter. He touched it to loosen it, but changed his mind. The more in control he appeared, the better. She didn’t need to know how much his body roared for her. Roared for the kind of no-barrier sex they both needed, but would take time adjusting to. “We need to talk.”
She put the magazine to the side and adjusted herself on the seat. “Sure.”
He bit back a smile. She didn’t play games—she probably wanted to know why he’d decided not to finish what he’d started.
“I’m expected to marry someone in a couple months,” he said, his voice steady. He looked at her square in the eye and registered her surprise. She opened her mouth but hesitated, and the pulse in her neck jumped.
She frowned. “You’re—you’re engaged?”
“Not officially. My family and Talia’s family were always very close, and they made this arrangement when we were young. Of course, I didn’t think I’d have to see it through, but now I have to.” To keep my uncle from driving my family’s company to the ground and our name through the mud. “If we get married, we’ll merge with her father’s company—which is smaller, and could use the boost. In turn, her father will give me the stocks from Rhodes Enterprises he’s owned for a long time as a wedding gift. Those stocks added to mine and my father’s will make it possible for me to be in charge of the empire and change the lives of thousands of employees.”
Currently, his father and his uncle acted as co-presidents, but because of his uncle’s support from key board members, Theo’s father’s hands were tied when it came to big decisions. Besides, his father wasn’t getting any younger, or healthier. A strand of sadness traveled through him, and he dropped his shoulders a notch. The family duty tradition ended with him. He’d never hold his future children responsible for maintaining the old-fashioned custom, or saving the company. They would be free to do whatever they wanted.
“Then why do you need me? Is this a long-winded bachelor party?”
He sighed. “My future bride is a virgin. I’m a big guy. I want to make sure everything goes smoothly. What better way is there to practice than with a virgin?”
She drummed her fingers on the armrest. “You’re an experienced guy. Why practice?”
Shit. She wasn’t going to let go, was she? Because the last virgin I bedded almost ruined my life. Guilt stabbed at him, even if a part of him reminded he hadn’t known Eleni had been a virgin—and that had been a major part of the problem. Too much alcohol and not enough talking. She’d seduced him, but he should have known better. “I’ll be more direct. My dick is bigger than most. While I’m well versed in screwing, virgins aren’t exactly my thing because they’re particularly tight. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Because of the arrangement, she has the possibility of backing out after a month if she’s not happy. I’m assuming she’ll be a lot happier if our sex life goes smoothly.”
She nodded, relaxing in the chair, shoulders dropping a notch. “You’re shockingly practical about this whole thing. How about her? Is she as pragmatic?”
“I’m sure she would be, had I told her,” he said. From the many times he’d seen Talia in a business environment or family functions, he always gathered she favored duties and goals over anything else. In fact, he couldn’t remember sharing a personal, meaningful conversation with her that didn’t involve stocks or assets. “See, until we get married and have to produce an heir, this is a business arrangement only. So I’m a free man for the time being,” he said, though he could have laughed at the irony.
He was as free as an abused, caged lion in a rundown circus. Maybe he hadn’t signed the contract for a marriage yet, but their families had bonded them long ago—and recent events only cemented the need for the union. He was trapped but couldn’t afford to be selfish enough to find an escape.
“You’re also a good salesman. But I guess I don’t have to buy into anything, right?” She tapped her fingers on her lap, looking out the window. “You were the one doing the buying.”
Doing the buying. The words echoed deep in his soul, causing nausea to form in his stomach. He glanced at her lap; she now threaded her fingers together, her thumbs tapping each other. The icky sensation floated up his throat. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and he touched his neck, willing away the bile. Shit. Until now, he hadn’t realized his situation might make her feel uncomfortable. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Amaya.”
Maybe the sorrow in his voice caught her attention, as she turned her face to him. “I thought being well-endowed was a good thing.”
“In theory, yes.” He pursed his lips, remembering all the pats on his back he’d received from friends in high school. They all probably believed the same as her. She cocked her head to one side, her big brown eyes flickering with interest. No doubt, she wanted to know the truth. Wanted to know him.
His chest shrank to the size of a gold-plated cufflink. Opening up to her would not only put him at risk, it’d weaken him. Best to change the subject and make it about her. “What’s your story? Why were you selling?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The light shone on her sultry tresses, and the tips of his fingers tingled with a need to touch her mane. The damn sensation shot up his arm. Hell, maybe she was a good saleswoman, too. “I need the money.”
“Obviously. Money’s a need we can’t go without. Why? What grand plans do you have for you to agree to such an unorthodox offer?”
“I’m responsible for my older brother, Diego. He’s autistic, and I’m all he’s got. My parents died about a year ago, and I’ve been stuck with bills. I want him to go to a good home where they treat him the way he deserves. Where he has top-notch therapists.” A light of hope sparkled in her eyes, and an invisible force clutched his heart. He felt the affection in her tone when she mentioned her brother. She, too, was trapped to family obligations and unfair promises. “I never…imagined I’d sell my virginity at such a high price. It’s kinda crazy.”
“How much do you think it’s worth?” he asked. When he’d made his exorbitant bid for her, he’d been impulsive, but it had also made sense…in the grand scheme of things, the amount didn’t seem like a huge price.
“I have no clue. How much do you think it’s worth?”
If screwing her was half as stimulating as talking to her… “I’ll have to wait and see to reply.”
