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‘You doubted our ability to pull off an authentic attraction. I’ve just proved you wrong.’
‘You’ve just proved that we’re both half-decent actors. I’ll grant you that much. It still doesn’t answer my question as to why I’d ever think of indulging you in this absurd caper.’
His eyes darkened dramatically. Coupled with his glare and the stubble gracing his firm jawline, Draco’s ‘fallen angel’ demeanour ratcheted up her already racing heartbeat. He clenched his fists at his sides, his nostrils flaring briefly before he inhaled control back into his body. The whole process was fascinating to watch and Rebel found herself following every subtle movement.
‘It seems you were right. I wasted my time coming here.’ With an arrogant shrug, he cast another condemning glance around the room, then strode to where she stood. ‘I’ll be reporting you and your father to the authorities the moment I leave here. I suggest you save yourself a few hours of unwanted attention, and don’t try and make a run for it. No doubt the press will get hold of the story by morning anyway. I’ll also be pursuing civil charges to recover the stolen money so make sure you hire a good lawyer.’
He was leaving. Just as she’d wanted.
He would be pressing charges against her and her father. Killing her chances of reconciliation or putting her nightmares behind her so she could finally lay her mother’s ghost to rest.
Just what she didn’t want.
As he walked past her and disappeared through her living-room door, Rebel knew she needed to stop Draco. But what had happened between them minutes ago had struck a vein of irrational apprehension in her heart. Whatever his ultimate plan was in seeking a fake fiancée, she was instinctively convinced she would come out the worst for it.
But the alternative...
Ice drenched her as her front door was pulled open.
The alternative for her father was unthinkable. She’d already deprived him of the love of his life. Could she sit by and watch him be deprived of his freedom as well?
‘Wait!’
He froze in the doorway. The hand gripping her door handle tightened, but Draco didn’t turn around. Fear climbed up her throat, the thought that he might carry on walking a live wire snaking through her.
‘Can we talk about this some more?’ she addressed his silent frame.
He released the door and faced her. ‘No. You’re under the impression that you can bargain with me. You can’t. Either agree to my demands or face the charges.’
She swallowed. Leaning against the hallway wall, she speared her fingers through her hair, seeking rationality in a world gone wildly askew.
‘I don’t even know what I’m agreeing to exactly.’
‘I’ve given you the broad parameters of what I want from you. The finer details will be ironed out once I have your agreement.’
She chewed on her lower lip. ‘So I agree to be your pretend fiancée for three months and you call off the search for my father and drop all charges?’ she verified.
His jaw flexed for a moment. ‘Provided you play your part right, yes.’
‘And nothing I agree to will interrupt my training programme?’
‘Your training will proceed as you wish, but you have to be prepared to accommodate a travelling schedule. Considering you were attempting to relocate, that shouldn’t be a problem. I assume you’re doing your dry-land drills at the moment?’
She gave a surprised nod. ‘Yes, I’ve been alternating the on-site training and dry-land training. I return to the snow next month.’
‘We’ll work out a different schedule when the time comes.’
‘I...okay.’
They stared at each other, Rebel unable to believe what she was a hair’s breadth from agreeing to. Draco’s expression remained shuttered, but he stared at her with an intensity that pierced her to the soul.
‘I think you’d better tell me exactly what you want from me. I can act it up with the best of them, but I’m not sure I can pull off wide-eyed innocent if that’s what you require.’
Draco stepped back into the hallway and she released a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. With an agile foot, he kicked the door shut. Sauntering back, he leaned one shoulder on the opposite wall. ‘Since that’s the type of woman I’m trying to avoid, my suggestion is that you be yourself with one or two modifications.’
‘Just so we’re clear, what do you think I am?’
‘A reckless pleasure seeker with very little regard for anyone’s feelings but her own.’
Rebel wasn’t sure why her stomach dropped and rolled or why disappointment cut so deep. She had nothing to prove to Draco Angelis. His opinion of her didn’t matter. All that mattered was her father was safe from whatever hellhole had been intended for him. She still had a chance at closure, might even dare to seek absolution for the wrongs she’d done.
