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‘As often as I can, but her father doesn’t always allow it.’
Alex frowned. ‘Why not?’
‘Because he likes to be cruel?’ Milly shrugged, glancing back at him with bitterness in her tone and pain in her eyes. ‘He’s a capricious wastrel, and he enjoys nothing more than being petty and cruel simply because he can. I’ve arranged a visit many times and at the last moment he slams the door in my face.’
Alex stiffened at the thought of a man being so wantonly wicked. He knew what capricious cruelty looked like, what it felt like, and he hated it with a fierce and deep-seated passion. ‘Can’t your sister get away to see you?’
‘She’s only fourteen, and she’s afraid of him.’ Milly’s arms wrapped around herself, almost as if she were keeping herself together. ‘Five million euros will help to protect her.’
‘How, if your stepfather is as capricious as you say?’ Making the point was hardly in his favour, yet he couldn’t keep himself from it. The last thing he wanted was for her to regret their marriage more than she had to.
‘I can pay for her school fees,’ Milly said in a low voice. ‘That will make a big difference. And if I offer Carlos a financial incentive, he might be willing to let Anna visit me more often.’ Her gaze flew to his face. ‘That would be all right, wouldn’t it? To have her visit...’
‘Of course,’ he said tersely. ‘I’ll make sure to stay out of the way.’
She looked surprised, but then she nodded. Of course, she wouldn’t want him there, scaring her sister.
‘Who is this Carlos?’ he asked. ‘As a matter of interest?’
‘Carlos Bentano. My mother’s third husband, ex for the last six years.’
‘Ah.’ There was a wealth of meaning, a world of bitterness in her simple statement. He remembered her saying how she would never want to divorce. ‘And what about your father?’
‘He’s on his third marriage. My mother has moved on to her fourth, although I doubt they’ll last very long.’ She shook her head, her hands now clenched in her lap. ‘I don’t see either of them very much at all.’
‘It sounds like it was a difficult way to grow up.’
‘Not much fun,’ she agreed, and then deliberately made herself relax. ‘Not the way I’d choose to raise my own child, certainly.’
‘Our child,’ he reminded her, and watched her eyes flare—with alarm, no doubt. He needed to remind her of the purpose of their marriage—to produce an heir, and as soon as possible. Just in case she might forget that a wedding night was most certainly part of the deal, and as many nights thereafter as it took for her to become pregnant. After that he would leave her alone.
That persistent ache intensified, and his fingers itched to tug at that sash and watch the dress come undone. He pictured himself standing before her, spreading his hands to span her waist, feeling the warm, silky flesh come alive beneath his palms.
Then he pictured her flinching beneath his touch, averting her face. No, their wedding night, or any other encounter, wouldn’t happen like that. It would be as businesslike as the rest of their marriage, because neither of them wished to suffer through anything more.
‘Yes, our child,’ she agreed softly as she lowered her gaze, her head bent.
‘Should we talk about the terms now?’ Alex asked curtly. They’d had enough of getting to know each other, it seemed.
She looked up, her momentary surprise replaced by stoic composure. He wished she didn’t look as if she had to endure him quite so much, but he knew he couldn’t expect anything else. ‘All right.’
‘So the terms of the contract will be simple. In exchange for five million euros, you will marry me, stay faithful to me, and agree to share my bed until you become pregnant.’
She swallowed, the sound audible. ‘And how often am I to share your bed?’
The way she said it made him think she wished to as little as possible. Alex hesitated, surprised by his own reticence to make this aspect of marriage as cold and clinical as the rest of it. And yet of course it had to be. ‘Three times a week, unless it is during your monthly courses.’
‘My...’ Her face began to flush with colour. ‘All right.’
‘Do you wish to suggest something different?’
‘No...’ She swallowed again, and then let out a shuddery little breath. ‘No.’
&n
bsp; ‘I will endeavour to make it as pleasant as possible,’ Alex said, his mouth twisting into a sardonic grimace. ‘I appreciate the difficulties, of course.’
She didn’t answer, which bizarrely annoyed and even hurt him. He had to stop caring so damn much. ‘Is that all satisfactory?’
