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Still, he didn’t have to mention her. He could tell Glory about the project without having to reveal his motives.
‘It’s fine,’ he said dismissively.
Mercifully at that moment the stewardess interrupted to take drink orders and organise other refreshments, giving Castor a moment to pull himself together.
He undid his seatbelt and shifted in his seat to get more comfortable, stretching his legs out, crossing them at the ankle.
Glory had undone her belt too and kept giving him wary glances from underneath her lashes. He didn’t miss how her gaze kept dropping to his body either, which made all his muscles tighten, made him think that perhaps he should keep the conversation light, flirt with her, tease her, seduce her.
Make it all about her so he didn’t have to deal with the prowling grief that ached in his heart.
But flirting was too dangerous when he was in this mood, especially with a woman he had this level of chemistry with. And most especially when she was someone he shouldn’t ever touch.
Besides, there was a part of him that wanted to tell her. That wanted to tellsomeoneand why shouldn’t it be her? She’d seen something good in him without him even having to do anything, so why shouldn’t she know?
He was tired of keeping it to himself.
‘The project I’m talking about is something I’ve been doing for the past ten years,’ he said without inflection. ‘And that is using my wealth to infiltrate some well-known and notorious European human trafficking rings.’
Glory’s eyes went wide. ‘Human trafficking rings?’
‘It’s undercover work of a kind, I suppose. I pass on any information I’m able to get onto the authorities who can then rescue the people being trafficked. However, there is one ring in particular that I need access to so I can get the information I need and my reputation is working against me.’
She was staring at him in shock, not saying a word, so he went on. ‘The inner circle of this particular ring are family men, as ironic as that sounds, and they are wary of admitting anyone who doesn’t have the same values. Hence me marrying you. I’m hoping that a declaration of love and a wedding will help them change their minds.’
There was a dumbfounded expression on her face. ‘You’re...kidding, right?’
Of course she wouldn’t believe him. Why would she? When the facade he presented to the rest of the world was so complete?
‘No,’ he said, holding her gaze and letting her see the truth in his eyes.
She was silent a long moment. Then she said at last, ‘That’s...amazing. Just...an incredible thing to do.’
He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but for her to not only take what he’d said at total face value but also think it was amazing was not it.
He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable for some reason. ‘You believe me?’
She blinked. ‘Why wouldn’t I believe you?’
‘People lie for all kinds of reasons, believe me, I know.’
‘But you’re not lying. I can see that you’re not.’ Abruptly she sat forward and her hand came out again, slender fingers resting on his knee. ‘I told you that you had a good side.’ Her dark eyes glowed. ‘You’re like...like the Scarlet Pimpernel.’
Castor had no idea what to say to that, especially when the light touch of her fingers was burning through the denim of his jeans, scattering his thoughts.
‘Does anyone else know about this?’ Glory went on, oblivious. ‘The police obviously, but other people?’
‘No. And the fewer people who know, the better.’ He tried to ignore her hand. ‘The only reason it works now is because the people who run the trafficking rings don’t suspect me. I have such a terrible reputation for a reason.’
‘Oh,’ she breathed. ‘So you look like one of them?’
‘Yes.’
Her brow wrinkled. ‘It must be awful having to pretend to be someone like...that. How do you do it?’
The unexpectedness of the question and the sympathy in her husky voice took his breath away, and for a second he didn’t know how to answer. He could already feel himself wanting to smile, to make some dry remark to distance himself from grief inside him. But there was something so unguarded and genuine in her face that he couldn’t do it.
So he went with the truth.
