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“Tell me what I can do to make this better for you.”
“Nothing you can do will make this better for me, and don’t you ever forget that.”
“Isn’t love supposed to conquer all?”
“Love?” She jerked back with wide eyes, startled by my question. “You think love is involved in this merger?”
“I think it can be.”
“Wow,” she breathed out. “You’ll say anything to get what you want, won’t you?”
“It’s what we both want.”
“At what cost?”
“I can think of worse things than being my wife and the mother of my children.”
“Children?” she repeated. “As in plural?”
“I mean, why not?”
“Are you listening to yourself right now? You sound insane. We haven’t seen each other in twenty years, and now I’m just supposed to walk down the aisle with you and get knocked-up, on what? Our honeymoon?”
“I was thinking more like our wedding night, but that works too.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“You already said that.”
“And I’m going to keep saying it for as long as I have to for you and everyone else to understand this plan is absurd.”
“If it gets us the title of CEO, then it couldn’t be more logical.”
“Stop speaking to me like I’m another one of your hostile takeovers, Tristian. I don’t want to marry you, let alone have your baby.”
“Then what, huh? Everything you’ve worked so fucking hard for was for nothing? Because that’s exactly what you’ll receive. Not. One. Damn. Company. You want to see one of your brothers or cousins step into the role that should be yours?”
The truth of what would happen was getting through to her. I could see it in her eyes.
“How is this even legal?”
“You and I both know in our world, the two of them make the laws.”
I pushed off the wall and reached for her hand. “You once told me you wanted to prove your family wrong. Well, here’s your chance, kitten. Make a future with me, and I’ll make all your dreams come true.”
“Sounds more like a nightmare.”
“Well…” I smiled before I spoke from experience, “You know what they say—your best dreams and your worst nightmares usually have the same people in them.”
Chapter Three
—Belle—
I walked into the conference room like a woman on death row, and in a way it felt like I was. With my heart beating out of my chest, I inhaled one last heavy breath. I was losing my mind, but I tried to remain calm on the outside.
Mr. Hawkins greeted, “Nice of you to finally join us, Belle.”
“I’d have been here sooner had you and my grandfather included me in your plans for my future.”
