A Deal Before the Altar

He sat behind his desk, his dark eyes watching her. She wouldn’t let him intimidate her. She had to remain as calm and detached as possible. So much was riding on her being able to deliver her proposition in an efficient, businesslike manner.

‘I want my sister to be happy, and Carlo makes her happy.’ She tried to keep her voice steady and devoid of emotion. This hard businessman obviously believed all that was written about her in the press. He believed she was cast from the same mould as him. ‘From my understanding of the situation, there is only one solution.’

He didn’t say a word, waiting for her to continue. His silence unnerved her, but she had to stay strong, remain focused.

Quickly she pressed on. ‘I know about the condition in your father’s will.’

‘You are very well informed of my affairs, Ms Henshaw, but I fail to see what business of yours that is.’

His hard expression gave her a glimpse of the formidable businessman he was. She’d done her research on him. ‘I know you have built your business up to the international concern it is today since your father passed away, and that once either you or Carlo marry the business will pass solely to that brother.’ She paused, almost wanting to give up as she looked at him, his dark eyes as bleak as a starless night.

‘Full marks for research,’ he said, his voice as emotionless as she hoped hers was.

It had been Emma who had told her about the condition of the will. She’d sobbed for the loss of her dreams of marrying the man she loved, dreams of living happily ever after with Carlo, just because of the greed of his elder brother.

‘I also know Carlo doesn’t share your appetite for success. He has little or no interest in the business, wanting only to live a normal life married to my sister.’

‘A normal life?’

She knew he was stalling, being evasive. Wouldn’t she hate it if he picked apart her private affairs? But she had to carry on before she lost all confidence in her plan. For Emma she had to do it, just as she’d had to five years ago.

‘A life that isn’t centred on a business but one that is centred on a happy family home.’ The words flowed from her with practised ease.

‘And an example of that would be your own family, would it?’

She felt her eyes widen, shocked he’d brought it up. ‘I see you have done your own research, Mr Ramirez, but my parents’ marriage has nothing to do with Emma and Carlo.’

‘I have no wish for my family name to be joined by marriage to a woman’s whose mother is an alcoholic and whose father has been absent so long nobody knows where he is.’

‘So it has nothing to do with your power-hungry need to take the business from Carlo by preventing this marriage?’ Her heartbeat was rising and her emotions were beginning to take over. She had to remain composed.

‘They have sent you here to plead their case, have they?’

He glowered at her. But her last words seemed only to have bounced off his tough exterior. She took a deep breath, wanting to appear poised before she spoke again.

He laced his long tanned fingers together in front of him on the desk in a relaxed fashion, but Georgina knew he was anything but relaxed. The firm set of his broad shoulders gave that away. He was confident, self-assured and powerful.

‘On the contrary, Mr Ramirez, they have no idea I’m here and I want it to stay that way.’

One dark brow quirked up, but he said nothing.

‘I can see only one way to secure their happiness...’ She paused, refusing to be drawn. ‘And to satisfy your insatiable need for business success.’

He leant forward at his desk. ‘And that is?’

‘You get married first, inherit the business, and leave them to enjoy a happy married life together.’

As he looked at her his handsome face set in a mask so emotionless she blinked in shock. Did this man not have any compassion in his heart?

‘As you seem to have it all worked out, who do you suggest I marry?’ The question came out slowly, as if he was sure he’d foiled her plan.

She took a deep breath and looked directly into his eyes. She mustn’t show any nerves, any fear. He was like a predatory lion and she knew he’d smell it.

‘Me.’

There—she’d said it. And now she had she wanted to bolt like a frightened animal. He didn’t say a word. Not a trace of emotion could be seen on his face. Silence hung between them, and a tension so taut she thought it was going to snap with a crack at any moment.

* * *

Shock rocked through Santos as he listened to her ridiculous proposition. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear, but then her reputation should have given him forewarning. She already had one marriage behind her—one that had made her a very wealthy woman indeed. And if rumour was to be believed it had not been a love-match.

‘Why, exactly, would I wish to get married? And to you, of all women?’

His voice was hard, his accent suddenly more pronounced. He sounded dangerous.

Briefly Santos saw pain flash across her face, saw the curling of her manicured fingers and wished the words unsaid. Marriage was the one thing he wanted to avoid at all costs, but even though his legal team were working on a solution he had to consider the option. If he wanted to save his business, and the last five years of hard work since his father had first become ill, he might actually have to take a wife. So wouldn’t this woman, who had so willingly walked into the lion’s den, be the perfect choice? Costly, maybe, if her track record was anything to go by, but he could deal with that.

‘It wouldn’t be a marriage in the true sense of the word.’

Her words, spoken with conviction, dragged his attention back to her face.

‘And what is that?’

‘A marriage for love, of course—like the one your brother and my sister wish to make. A commitment for life.’ Her words flowed freely, and once again he thought he heard a spark of passion.

Suspiciously he looked at her as he sat back again in his chair. ‘You are not looking for love, Ms Henshaw?’

‘Not at all, Mr Ramirez. I only want my sister’s happiness. I will do anything to achieve that. Once they are married we can annul our marriage and go separate ways.

Santos considered this wild suggestion more seriously. Would it hurt to go along with it for now—to have another option if his legal team were unable to sort out an alternative?

‘And you would want what, exactly, from this marriage?’ His mind raced. On a business level it made perfect sense. He would finally have the security of inheriting the business he’d built up and would have done his duty by his brother, freeing Carlo of obligations he had little or no interest in.

‘I want nothing from you other than our names on a marriage certificate. Once that is done we need not see each other. We just apply for an annulment.’

Her voice had hardened and his past rushed back at him. He saw the teenager who had hardly grieved for his controlling mother. Felt the pain as his father eventually remarried and moved on with a loving and kind woman whom Santos had resented. A woman who had changed his father, almost taking him away from his firstborn with the power of her love.

‘I find that hard to believe. You must want something.’ Experience had taught him that. Everyone wanted something. Everyone had a price.

‘Nothing more than I’ve already stated.’

Her cool, calm words sounded believable.

Santos thought of the conditions of the will and gritted his teeth against the memory of the day he’d realised what his manipulative father had done. It seemed this attractive woman knew a lot about the will, but she didn’t know it all. She hadn’t mentioned the other conditions that he would have to meet before finally inheriting. It wasn’t as simple as marriage.

‘I require more than that. My wife, when I take one, will be a wife in every sense of the word.’

Did she really think he was going to accept her proposition meekly, without attaching his own conditions? If he had to get married he’d rather do it for business than become as vulnerable as his father had after his second marriage. There was also the matter that he was a hot-blooded male and this woman had stirred his blood the second she’d walked proudly into his office.