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“So what you did for me tonight is a freebie?”
A faint smile hovered on the corner of his lips. “I’m a man and I love sex. But I want more than just sex. I want a relationship.”
She was flattered of his intention, but at the same time, it made her wary. She didn’t need a lover. She was content on her own, living her simple, uncomplicated life. Men came and went. Especially good-looking ones like Hervé or Armand. Considering the promise he’d made, Armand still blackballed her. And she thought they had shared something special, something magical. Guess she was wrong. Belle cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I’m not ready for one.”
Hervé fell into silence. “Do you like Armand better?”
She was startled. “Your cousin’s blackballing me. I don’t think I’m his best interest at the moment.”
Something flashed in Hervé’s eyes.
“Let’s get this over with. My place or yours? Or do you want to call this even?”
“You need me. Your family know I’m your boyfriend.”
“Actually, I don’t care about it anymore.” Belle drew a long breath, suppressing her anger that her mother had hatched a devious plan to get her under her thumb again. Belle realised why her mother also invited Trent to the dinner party. Knowing she wasn’t very social, her mother and her sisters wanted to ridicule her boyfriend and pressure her to accept the engagement with Trent. Only they didn’t expect she would show up with someone like Hervé, who happened to be a significant somebody in the rich socialites’ circle.
Hervé was right. This whole thing must be a sham. After cold-heartedly dumping her years ago, why would Trent suddenly agree to be her fiancé? Her best guess was this was nothing but her sisters’ prank. Clara and Sarah must have been bored, and they couldn’t help themselves planning a nice trick for a good laugh. Trent had lost a wager to them before. She wouldn’t be surprised if it had happened again, and this time, it involved their mother, too.
But she wouldn’t fall into their game again. She wouldn’t care if her mother got mad because she disobeyed her. She was an adult now, and she had a nice life she’d achieved without her family’s help. Her mother couldn’t tell her what she could or could not do any more.
And as for Hervé, Belle thought it best if she settled her debt and returned to her quiet life. A guy like him didn’t fit into her future. Not in a million years. If his cousin could blackball her after everything he’d promised, there was no guarantee Hervé wouldn’t do the same thing. She held Hervé’s gaze evenly. “I don’t want to continue this charade anymore.”
“You’re going to accept your engagement with Trent?” Hervé’s voice sounded as scandalised as the expression on his face.
“Hell no! Not even when hell freezes over. I’m going to tell my mother to leave me alone from now.”
“You’re really going to do that?”
“I can’t run away forever, can I? I must stand up for myself and not let her walk all over me ever again. I’ve been a coward all these years.”
“You’re not a coward.”
Belle sniffed. She hadn’t been anything but. “So. Should we call this even, then?”
It took him a while to answer. Hervé finally tore his gaze from her and cleaned the remnants of the hotdog, putting them all in the paper bag that came with it. “My place.”
His place it is.
Chapter Four
The air between them changed right after she agreed to give her body to Hervé for the night. There was a tension, si
lent and tight like an overly stretched harp string waiting to snap. Belle stole a glance at him. Hervé looked serious and determined as he slammed on the gas on his ultra-expensive car, driving home like a NASCAR racer. What did I do? Is he mad at me because I wasn’t interested in becoming his girlfriend?
His lips thinned into a grim line as he stopped at the traffic light. His eyes caught hers. The shimmering glimmer was back. The unsettling aura. His eyes looked luminous, like the first time she saw him in Maison Plaisir.
“My cousin wants you badly, love. And so do I. I’ll take what was meant to be mine tonight, but don’t ask me to back away that easy,” he told her.
Armand wants me? Belle found it peculiar. If he really wants me, then why can’t he keep himself sober? “What did you see in me, anyway?” she murmured. “I’m nobody.”
The light went green. Hervé hit the pedal. “On the contrary, I see a lot in you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be bothered in chasing you. Trust me, I don’t usually do this.”
Oh, Belle believed him. A guy like Hervé was practically a chick magnet. He could dress in rags and drive a half-wrecked car and chicks would still be all over him. What she didn’t understand was why he wanted her in the first place? Was he jealous because his cousin had had some and he hadn’t?
Hervé glanced at her. His face looked stern. “I’m not like Trent, if that’s what you were afraid of.”
“I don’t think you are.”
