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‘That’s not what you said to the press.’ Nate grinned at her.
‘That was a ruse. You know this whole thing isn’t real. And in the eligibility stakes isn’t he a bit out of my league.’
‘You’re the granddaughter of a duke.’
‘Estranged granddaughter,’ she reminded him.
Nate shrugged. ‘Makes no difference. You have a legitimate aristocratic heritage going back generations. Much further back than his. There could be no objection to your marriage.’
‘Except that he’s a tyrant,’ Lily muttered.
The tyrant lounged in his chair. Broad-shouldered, divinely handsome.
Even if their relationship were real she wouldn’t marry him. His wife would be side-lined over and over in the name of royal duty. But in a dark, locked-away corner somewhere, a part of her still reached for him. For his heat and his strength and all the things he could make her feel.
His hand rested on the desk, fingers slowly drumming. She shivered. Those fingers were magic.
Their eyes clashed. His gleamed. He knew exactly what she’d been thinking.
‘Is there a purpose to your visit?’ he said.
Purpose...
What was it again? Oh, yes.
Big donation.
Queen’s cousin.
Theft.
She sat up straighter. ‘I think George Hyde-Wallace is behind the theft.’
‘Yeah, we know,’ said Nate bitterly. ‘He’s been boasting to one of his cronies that I’ll soon be gone from Khaled’s inner circle and that Khaled’s going to have to start toeing the line or risk being ousted. And by “toeing the line” he means dropping all attempts at reforming the role of the Council of Families, which means George will maintain his hold on power. The traitorous bastard.’
‘How do you know all this?’ Lily asked.
‘George believes he has the entire Council in his pocket. He’s wrong,’ Khaled said darkly.
‘But it’s all hearsay. We can’t prove a thing,’ Nate added. ‘He’s covered his tracks too well.’
‘Then call his bluff to draw him out. Make a big deal of the Hyde-Wallace donation and start on the projects the money was raised for. If the funds are being used as intended, how can he cry foul without revealing that he knew something already.’
‘You’re missing the essential point,’ Khaled said. ‘The money is gone.’
‘Only ten million—I’m sure you’re good for it.’
‘But if the theft becomes public it will look like I covered it up and Hyde-Wallace will discredit me anyway.’
‘Then your plan needs the sanction of someone in the highest of places,’ Lily said.
Khaled looked blank.
She rolled her eyes. ‘Duh. Your father. Who would dare question the word of the King?’
‘You know, that idea’s got legs,’ Nate said. ‘Why didn’t we come up with that yesterday?’
Lily’s flush of pride was forgotten. ‘What do you mean, yesterday?’
