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“Work if you want. Quit if you want. Doesn’t matter to me.”
“My brother’s medication?”
“I’ll put a sum of money equal to a five-year supply in an account accessible by you and your grandmother. That way, no matter what, he’s covered for a while. Does that work?”
My stomach flips. Five years? That’s a very large sum of money. Except?—
“Ten years,” I say. He looks surprised and I stare him down. “You can afford it.”
That makes him laugh. He nods and makes a conciliatory gesture. “Alright, ten years.”
I start pacing back and forth. We’re negotiating, which means I’m seriously considering this, which means I’ve officially lost my mind. Except it’s so obvious how marrying him will make all our lives easier—everyone except for him. Only I don’t care if I’m a problem, as long as Jason has his meds and isn’t stressed, and Nana gets a little slice of luxury like she deserves.
All it takes is a yes. One word, and I’ll change everything. He’s not telling me everything—Saul definitely expects more than he’s saying—but it’s all too good to pass up.
I face him again, heart racing. “What happens if I want to do this?”
“We’ll get married. There’s a waiting period in Pennsylvania, but I can be patient if you don’t mind.”
“That’s fine.”
“Wonderful. But there’s one more thing.” He stands. I don’t know how this man fits in my tiny kitchen. He fills it out with his wide shoulders and full chest and his enormous personality. I can’t look anywhere but at him and it’s almost painful. I want to tear my gaze away, to get a break from his masculine jaw and his full lips, but I can’t. It’s overwhelming.
“What?” I ask as sweat beads down my back.
“You can’t meet my family. Not at first. They don’t know about you and I haven’t figured out how they’re going to find out.”
My mouth opens. I hadn’t expected this. “I’m your dirty secret?”
“You’re related to the enemy.” He steps closer and talks before I can deny it. “Your cousin. Your uncle. I’ve asked around about you, and it’s obvious you have some clan ties on your mother’s side. And who knows about your father. Regardless of how actively involved you are, my family and my organization will not be happy about me marrying a girl like you. Which means, for a while, you’re a secret. Can you live with that?”
No, no, I can’t, I can’t live with any of this. It’s too much and for some reason, knowing that I’m a dirty secret, that his family wouldn’t approve of me, that makes it so much worse.
“Fine,” I say, looking away, hugging myself tighter. “I don’t care.”
Which is obviously not true but he doesn’t call me out on it. Instead, he comes closer, one more step. He swallows the space between us and a chill runs down my spine.
“Then you’ll marry me?” he asks, tone sultry and low. Whoever taught him to talk like that deserves jail time.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He almost groans, which just about kills me. That noise is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. The fact that he wants me, that he wants this, and can’t help himself, makes me want to throw myself into his arms. Instead, he comes forward until his hands are on my hips and I’m leaning back against the counter, breathing hard.
“Seal it with a kiss,” he whispers.
My mouth opens in surprise. “But why?—”
He doesn’t give me a chance to argue. His mouth crushes mine, lips blistering, tongue invading, and I’m completely lost. The kiss drives all sense from my brain, leaves me upended and reeling, and leaves me absolutely sure that I’m making an enormous, life-changing mistake.
Chapter 12
Molly
I’m more than a little distracted during my shift at the diner. My mouth is almost bruised from the intensity of Saul’s kiss and I keep tasting him like recalling pieces of a dream. It gets bad enough that Marsha corners me during my next break. “You okay?” she asks. “Feeling worse today?”
“No, I’m fine. I mean, I’m as bad as I usually am.” Meaning I only had to puke once, which is a small blessing. “It’s something else.”
“Does this something else have to do with the man you talked to the other night?” Her eyebrows waggle up and down.
