Wife Wanted (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance)(16)

 

Riley sat down in his chair and glared at Diane sitting stiffly in her chair, arms crossed tightly over her chest. “I don’t know. Do we need to call them?”

 

Her eyes narrowed even more. “You wouldn’t dare.”

 

“Technically, you are trespassing. What do you want?”

 

“I wanted to see if we could come to some sort of deal about your…predicament.”

 

“Really? And what, may I ask, is that?”

 

She smiled slowly…until she saw Tony standing in the corner. “Not in front of him.”

 

Riley rubbed his forehead, trying to ignore the headache blooming there. “Tony, could you please wait outside?”

 

“As long as she doesn’t try to slap you again,” he muttered, then went out and shut the door behind him.

 

“There, we’re alone. Now what do you want?”

 

The sly smile returned to lips painted in dark red lipstick. She leaned closer to the desk, pushing her cleavage up. Riley glanced at it briefly, then stared back at her, bored. “I have an offer.”

 

“I’m listening,” he said, trying to sound as if her sudden seduction was working.

 

“This little issue about marriage…there’s a simple solution. One that fits both our needs.”

 

He leaned closer too, letting his lips turn up in a smirk. “And what is that?”

 

“We’re roughly the same age. I might have ten years on you, but who’s counting?” She leaned closer still until her breasts were barely a foot away from his face. She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and pursed her lips, trying to be coy. “Why don’t you just marry me?”

 

Riley leaned in closer, acting as if he was going to kiss her, but then the smile fell from his face and his eyes narrowed to angry slits. “Get out of my office, you crazy bitch, before I have Tony throw you out.”

 

She shoved back from the desk with a curse and paced around, arms crossed over her chest once again. “You know this would be simpler if you said yes. Who’s going to agree to marry you in less than two months? Clock’s ticking, Riley, and if you don’t figure it out quick enough, I’ll take everything that was supposed to be yours.”

 

“So you want to share it with me instead,” he asked, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t seem like the play-nice type of lady.”

 

“I have my moments,” she shrugged. “I don’t want to have to fight you on this.”

 

“Who’s fighting?” He stood and walked around the desk, hands clasped behind his back. “I’m going to find a wife in two months, then you’ll be out of my grandfather’s life and his legacy for good. I don’t know what he saw in you, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you weasel your way in here when you’re clearly bedding down with the enemy.”

 

“How dare you suggest such a thing!”

 

“You’re the one that showed up to his wake with William Yancey on your arm! What game are you playing at, Diane?”

 

She marched right up to him and poked him hard in the chest with her sharp-nailed finger. “One that I’m going to win, and in two months, it’ll be me sitting pretty in that damn chair and you out of here, on the streets where you belong.”

 

“Tony,” Riley called. “The lady is ready to leave now.”

 

“What? We’re not done here,” she snapped as Tony opened the door and grabbed her arm.

 

“Yes, we are, unless you want me to call the cops.”

 

“Consider my offer, Riley, otherwise in two months, you’re screwed!”

 

“Over my dead body, bitch,” he whispered as Tony dragged her out of his office, down the corridor, and disappeared towards the elevators. Riley walked around his office, hands curling and uncurling at his sides. She wanted him to marry her? She couldn’t be serious? All she wanted was the company.

 

And he knew damn well she was more than ten years older than him. Her wrinkles showed through her foundation a bit more than she would have liked.

 

Marry Diane Chandler, his grandfather’s girlfriend? It was like the start to some bad tragic comedy where he’d wind up dead and she’d gain everything in the end. And why should he be out on the street? His parents were white collar. They didn’t come from trash, so why would she say something like that? He sat back down and dialed Ben’s cell before he started to look through the papers that needed to be signed.

 

“Hey, Riley, what’s taking so long? Your date is in like…twenty minutes.”