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If I thought he would be happy, I was wrong. If anything, he appears devastated, and it makes me nervous.
Then the shutters come down and he nods.
“You have a deal. We have a deal and so we must return to the gala and prove to everyone there that we are the happy couple–” he sighs heavily. “As agreed.”
It’s as if an emotional wall has been erected between us, which I hate but understand must happen to protect me. I can’t allow my feelings for this man to develop further because I’m not sure if he’s the man for me.
He has tricked me into something that suits him, not me and Miss. Sinclair’s words are biting back hard. So, until he proves it’s me he wants and not just a business arrangement, I will play his game, but hold back on emotion. Play him at his own game if you like because I’m in survival mode and until I can trust him not to dispose of me too, he doesn’t get my heart.
CHAPTER46
KILLIAN
It’s been several weeks since the gala and we have settled into married life with a routine of sorts. I work most of the time but enjoy spending any free hours I have fucking my wife and hearing about her day. She has thrown herself into this marriage with a thirst for knowledge that impresses me. She is now running my home with James and has organized several changes already.
She is involved with many of my charities and is often attending meeting and functions with other women who do it so well. Purity is becoming everything I wanted her to be, but there is something vital missing.
Emotion.
It’s as if she left it on that terrace of the hotel when she learned the true nature of my business. A little of the light died in her eyes that night, and I hate it. When we fuck, I try to reach in and grasp it, bring it back to me, but she is holding onto it so tightly I wonder if I will ever see it again.
My beautiful, innocent angel is learning and with knowledge comes a certain kind of disillusionment. I can’t fault her on anything she does, but I want to see that spark in her eye – that look she reserved only for me that I crave like the drugs I deal in. Almost hero worship and desire all rolled into one, but now all she gives me is what I asked for. A business deal.
However, today I can’t think about my wife, my home or the charities that bring me a certain kind of power because today is judgment day.
* * *
The air istense inside my office as we wait for the meeting that’s been a long time coming. Saint is sitting, studying his phone and my mind is ticking over with the plan we have devised. It’s almost too much to deal with because today I will step up and be the man my grandfather expects me to be, and today my father will learn what that means.
The intercom buzzes on my desk and my assistant says in her usual breathless voice, “Your eleven-o’clock appointment is here, sir. Shall I send them in?”
I already know he’s here, courtesy of the call from security when he signed in and I stare across at Saint, who nods with a wicked gleam in his eye and I say roughly, “You can send them in.”
Saint moves to his position against the rear wall of my office as my father heads inside, closely followed by Gabriella.
I stand as they enter, and my father’s amused grin does nothing to calm the beast inside me as I contemplate what he has done.
“Killian. So formal. We could have discussed your problem over dinner. Not in this sterile environment.”
He nods toward Gabriella.
“You remember Gabriella, don’t you, son? She has been, um, helping me with business since you fired her so rudely.”
Gabriella smiles with a sensual gleam in her eye as she bats her lashes and whispers, “It’s good to see you, Kill.”
I point to the two chairs waiting for them and say roughly, “Sit.”
Saint’s expression is blank because, like me, he has zero emotion when it comes to business.
As they take their seats, my father glances around the room and says amenably, “What, no refreshment? Perhaps you can ask your sexy assistant outside to rustle up a few drinks.”
“Or we could conclude our business and you can fuck off out of my life forever.” I say with a snarl, causing him to roll his eyes.
“See what I raised, Gabriella. A fucking monster. His mother would be so ashamed.”
I’m aware he is trying to get a rise out of me, so I just lean back and shrug. “Who cares what she thinks?”
“She’s your mother. You have been brought up to respect your family.” He shakes his head. “If your grandparents heard you, they would be ashamed.”
