A Ring for Vincenzo's Heir(11)

Scarlett looked at him uneasily. When he put it like that, he made her sound like an idiot.



Vin looked into her beautiful eyes and a realization chilled him to the bone.

He had no leverage.

No way to force Scarlett's compliance, at least not one he felt  comfortable with. This wasn't the business world, where he could offer a  higher price or blackmail shareholders over their secrets in order to  make them comply with his requests. The standard rules of mergers and  acquisitions didn't apply.   





 

Or did they?

He'd learned enough from his investigator to realize how little Scarlett  had going for her. No family. No savings. Her savings account held the  same amount one might spend for a business dinner with a few bottles of  wine. She had no bachelor's degree, and worst of all, thanks to Blaise  Falkner, she'd have no job recommendation.

But Falkner would suffer for that. Vin's lips lifted. He'd regret  treating Scarlett so badly. He'd regret threatening Vin's future wife  and child.

If Scarlett ever actually became his wife.

He didn't understand why this was so hard. Why shouldn't he be able to  just buy her? He'd be willing to pay quite a bit, as long as it didn't  cost something he actually cared about. Like his time. Or control. Or  any requirement for him to be vulnerable.

But money? He had more than he could spend. Money was confetti to him. A  way to keep score. A way to buy toys. And he wanted Scarlett Ravenwood  more than any toy.

Shifting his strategy, he lifted an eyebrow. "What if I sweetened the  pre-nup with a million-dollar payout for every year of our marriage?"

"No."

He frowned. "Two million?"

"Vin, you can't buy me."

"Everyone says that. But everyone has a price. Ten," he said. "My final  offer. Ten million dollars for every year we stay married. Think about  that."

Her eyes widened. For a moment he thought he had her. Then her chin  lifted. "I told you. Not for any price." Her green eyes glittered  furiously. "I'm not giving you the right to order me around like a  slave-and permanent custody of our baby if I ever try to fight back.  Freedom is worth more than some stupid money."

Vin stared at her, then regretfully decided he believed her. Damn it.  Everything about her body language spoke of stubborn sincerity. He was  dealing with an idealist, with a heart as stubborn as his own.

He had mixed feelings about it. That made her different from his own mother, which would be good for his son's happiness.

But it made Scarlett a more challenging adversary for Vin. How could he gain his objective, if money wasn't enough to sway her?

Standing on the grassy hillside behind the clinic, Vin looked at the sunlight flickering across Lake Geneva.

He wanted Scarlett as his wife, as his lover. In his bed, at his beck and call.

He also wanted his son to be safe and secure and loved, raised in the  same home, with the same name. He wanted his son to have siblings. Vin  wanted to know exactly where his family was and that everyone was  protected, and provided for, at all times.

He looked at Scarlett. "How can I change your mind?"

"You can't," she said firmly. "The only reason to marry someone is for love. And I don't love you."

"You wanted a home. I can give you six." Or more. He couldn't quite remember which ones he'd sold or bought lately.

She looked wistful, then squared her shoulders. "A home without love isn't a home at all."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

But he suddenly knew his answer. He'd use her romantic heart against her.

Scarlett cared about two things: love and freedom. All he had to do was give her both.

Or at least make her think he was giving them to her.

Vin had never tried to pretend to be in love before, but how hard could  it be? He'd been raised by a woman who was a master at it, who'd used  the pretense of emotion as a means of manipulating others.

But could he pull it off? Scarlett was no fool. Would she buy it?

He'd have to move slowly...

Vin tilted his head as if in thought, then took a deep breath and looked up almost pleadingly.

"Maybe you can show me I'm wrong. Prove to me that love isn't an illusion for fools."

Her eyes widened in surprise, then faded. "Please. You'll never give  your heart to anyone. You've made it clear that to you marriage is a  business deal."

"Maybe I'm wrong. Because you're different from any woman I've met."  That was certainly true. "I want you as I've never wanted anyone." Also  true. "You're carrying my child. I respect your intelligence, your warm  heart. I need you. Want you." Clawing his hand back through his dark  hair, he gave her a crooked smile. "Maybe that's how it starts."

He held his breath, waiting for her response.

"You expect me to believe that... That you could someday love me?" She  gave a harsh laugh. "Nice try. What kind of idiot do you think I am?"

"Just give me a chance," he said quietly. "To see where this could lead."   





 

"How?"

He thought furiously. Then he knew.

His eyes pierced hers. "I'll marry you without a pre-nup."

"What?" she breathed. She shook her head in disbelief. "Like you  said-you'd risk half your fortune! From the moment we spoke our vows!"

Vin watched her carefully, watched the play of conflicting emotions  cross her pale, lovely face. The way her white teeth nibbled furiously  at her full, pink bottom lip. "Maybe it's worth the risk."

Yes. He was taking a risk, gambling that he'd quickly make her fall in  love with him, placing her securely under his thumb and willing to sign a  postnuptial agreement before the ink on their marriage license was dry.  Which, he thought arrogantly, was almost no risk at all.

He'd never tried to make a woman fall in love with him before. Usually  it was the opposite-getting women into bed and leaving them before any  emotional attachment was formed. This would be interesting. He felt  strangely excited by the challenge.

Or maybe it was just standing so close to Scarlett, beneath the golden  sun, feeling the cool October breeze against his overheated skin,  knowing that he would soon possess her. In this moment, he would have  been almost willing to pay half his fortune just to get her in his bed.

"Will you?" he said softly, coming closer. "Will you take a chance on me, if I take one with you?"

She seemed to shudder, looking up into his eyes. Her expression was  bewildered, vulnerable, as if she were fighting hope itself. "But why?"  she whispered. "Why does marriage matter so much to you?"

He didn't want to answer, but the new role he was playing, that of a  secretly vulnerable man who could possibly be open to love, forced him  to at least partial honesty. "I know what it's like to grow up without a  father. My son must have a better childhood. He must always know who  his parents are."

She looked confused. "How could he not know that?"

Vin changed the subject. "Family starts with a name. With a home. Our  baby must feel safe and loved. He must know where he belongs." He looked  at her. "Marry me, Scarlett. Right now."

She bit her lip, visibly wavering.

He pressed his advantage. "My private plane is fueled up and waiting. We can be in Las Vegas in..."

"No!" He was surprised at the sudden vehemence of her tone. She licked  her lips. "Um, Dr. Schauss said I could go into labor at any time-"

"She also said she saw no imminent signs." He looked at her pale face  and added soothingly, "We can bring a doctor on board with us, just in  case."

"Forget it." She swallowed. "I'm not getting on any plane."

"Why?"

She took a shuddering breath. "If I do, I'll die! We'll both die!"

"What are you talking about?"

Tears spilled over her lashes. "My father died in a plane crash..."

"Yes," he said, his voice gentle, "but that doesn't mean-"

"Two weeks ago, my own flight almost crashed." He vaguely recalled  reading something about an emergency landing in Ireland for her  London-bound flight. She continued, "After what happened to Dad, I  should have known better than to get on a plane for any reason! I told  myself I was being silly. I ignored my intuition, and it almost killed  us!" Hugging her belly, she shook her head fiercely. "I'll never get on  another plane-ever!"

"But, Scarlett," he said quietly, "there are, on average, a hundred  thousand flights every single day. Almost every one takes off and lands  safely, without incident. Statistically-"

"Shut up! Don't you quote statistics to me!"

Her voice sounded almost hysterical. He had the feeling if he pushed  her, he'd lose even the small bridge of trust he'd created. So he  changed tactics. "I own an airline and also have two private jets for my  own use. I even have a pilot's license, should I ever need to fly a  plane myself. So I can supervise the equipment check, Scarlett. I can  personally guarantee you'll be safe."

Scarlett choked out a tearful laugh. "And I can personally guarantee that I'm never getting on another plane!"