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"No?" He sat back in his chair, his mocking smile still firmly in place. Why did she get the impression this was what Satan looked like when he haggled for immortal souls?
Or that she'd have to sign this treaty with her own blood?
"No." She repeated.
"What is it that you want in return?"
She walked to his desk, the pushed the tabloid into his view. "I want us to take on Franco Del Rossi as a high-profile priority client."
"Franco Del—Have you even been watching the news? Have you seen this?" He flicked the cover in front of him, then stared up at her.
If anything, she supposed it was a small victory that grin of his was gone.
"You want us to set up a guy who got a supermodel pregnant and is walking out on her? You want me to tank my company in order to—"
"Nobody has to know he's our client. We're the number one company in discreet match making. You say it all the time in meetings."
The hard line of Brooks' mouth softened, then he said. "And what do I get out of this?"
"Me." An indecent proposal, clear and easy.
"I'm not going to take advantage of a woman who doesn't want to be with me. If I'm going to do this, it's because we're on even footing."
"I thought you just wanted a deal."
"Oh no, the deal is a means to an end."
"Which is?" She swallowed, and part of her already knew the answer.
He wanted her to want him. Wanted her to fall into step with all the other women who fell and swooned at his feet.
Well, if that was what he needed from her, he'd be waiting a long, long time.
Rather than answering, he smiled and said, "You had time to think. Now it's my turn. Close the door on the way out, won't you, Ms. Gains?"
As she did what he asked, she could still feel his gaze on her.
Seering into her skin.
Making her feel naked and raw and...
Exposed.
Chapter Four
Deadbeat Billionaire Strikes Again
In spite of media outlets everywhere rushing for details in the celebrity baby scandal of the century, billionaire shipping mogul Franco Del Rossi has made little to no effort to clear up his side of the story. While reporter after reporter has reached out to the family, begging for everything from baby names to paternity tests, the tight-knit family has remained silent as ever.
In fact, the closest anyone has come to the Del Rossi camp was to contact a local flight attendant who claimed to have been on a date with Del Rossi only a few nights ago. Of the evening, the flight attendant (who chose to remain nameless), said, "He was cold. I wouldn't be surprised if that baby was his. And after dinner with him, I think the baby might be better off if he’s not around."
Harsh words from a passerby. Goodness only knows what the real truth is behind the Del Franco wall of silence.
Since the moment she'd made the deal, she'd regretted it.
Which, of course, would have been totally fine if new stories about Franco hadn't been cropping up ever fifteen minutes. She'd get up the nerve to march to Brooks' office and call the whole thing off and then bam, someone somewhere would have something to say and she'd remember why she'd agreed to all of this in the first place.
And if she could have called Franco and convinced him to settle everything up, that would have been one thing, but there were only so many times she could call and skirt around the one subject she had no need to discuss.
