But Tabitha refused to be bullied. Yes, he was intimidating, and, yes, he was undoubtedly the most powerful man she had ever come up against. Yet she had seen another side to him, been held by him, ravished by him, adored by him albeit fleetingly.
Fear didn’t come into it.
‘If I was confused before, you’ve completely lost me now,’ Tabitha admitted with a slightly exaggerated sigh, then gratefully took a sip of champagne, because it was the only thing she could do other than look into his eyes.#p#分页标题#e#
‘For once in his gormless life Aiden actually had an idea that might have some merit.’
He watched as she sat down at the dressing table, watched as she took some tissues and wiped the livid red lipstick from her lips, pulled out the jangle of pins that held her Titian locks.
He remembered with total recall the feel of those silken curls beneath his fingers, releasing the tight pins, running his hand to free them, the cool tumble of her hair as it cascaded down her pale shoulders, and realised he was clenching his fists, having to physically restrain himself from crossing the room and helping her.
‘Maybe this will make things clearer.’ His voice came out too harsh, too sharp, the quilted muscles in his face refusing nonchalance as he reached into his suit and laid a cheque in front of her.
‘This is a joke, right?’
‘I’ve never been more serious in my life.’
Her hands were working faster now, pulling out the pins with impatience, and apart from a brief cursory glance downwards, to see what he was doing, her eyes never left the mirror. She had no desire to examine it more closely—no desire to see the undoubtedly ludicrous figure he was offering for her services.
‘I suggest you take a closer look,’ he said, his voice deep, his eyes boring into her shoulder. ‘It’s not every day one gets offered this amount of money.’
‘It’s not every day one gets to be made to feel a tart.’
Her words were like a slap to his cheek and Zavier involuntarily winced. ‘That isn’t my intention.’ His response sounded genuine, almost apologetic, but, clearing his throat, he carried on in a more impassive voice. ‘It’s merely a solution to a problem.’
‘What problem?’
‘You have major financial problems; I have a father who longs to see one of his children married. Time isn’t on my side, and from what Aiden’s told me you’re up against the clock to come up with some money. You’re up to your neck in debt.’
‘No.’ The violence behind her denial literally brought Tabitha to her feet. ‘I’m not.’
He didn’t move a muscle, didn’t even deign to look at her. ‘Why do you need money, then?’
It did enter her mind to tell him—she even opened her lips to speak. But it dawned on her then that telling Zavier the truth would end things here and now. If Zavier knew the debt was her grandmother’s rather than hers then their conversation would effectively be over. And, though his suggestion of marriage was as preposterous as it was ludicrous, Tabitha was intrigued and, perhaps more pointedly, ten minutes more of Zavier’s time were ten minutes she craved.
‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
‘I bet you don’t,’ he snapped, before taking a deep, steadying breath. ‘I’m offering you a way out, a solution to our respective problems.’ He pushed the cheque towards her again, and this time Tabitha did look, her eyes flicking down to the extravagant scrawl, widening as they saw they impossibly huge figure. ‘This is part-payment.’
‘Part-payment?’
‘On acceptance,’ he said, his tone businesslike. ‘You’ll get the same amount again after the wedding, and double that in six months—providing, of course, you’ve been a good wife.’
‘A good wife?’ The bewilderment in her voice was audible even to Tabitha, and she mentally kicked herself for repeating his words. She sounded like a parrot.
‘No scandal, no talking to the press, and no objections to a quick divorce.’
‘D-divorce?’ A parrot with a stammer, Tabitha thought ruefully, focusing on anything other than the ridiculous conversation that was taking place.#p#分页标题#e#
He gave a wry smile. ‘I’m not expecting you to sign your life away—just six months.’ He gave a small shrug, but Tabitha knew the nonchalant gesture hid a lot of pain. ‘My father’s been given three months to live at best. Six months will give a respectable time-frame before the family hits the headlines again. Otherwise, it might look a touch callous for you to leave me so soon after his death. I’m not out to trash your reputation.’