she said, just as coldly, “are made to be broken.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Did you lift that line from some trendy legal show?”
She flushed. Close enough. She’d taken it from an article about how a hotshot movie star had gotten away with walking out on a film.
“And you’re right,” he said, taking the contract from his pocket, flipping to a page and holding it out. “Some are. This one is not. Take a look at paragraph three.”
Why did doing as he’d suggested smack of defeat? Was it his smug tone, or was it the instinctive knowledge that what she’d find in that paragraph would not be good? She snatched the contract from his hand, read the pertinent sentences… and felt a shock of disbelief flash through every nerve in her body.
Failure of the party of the first part to complete the agreed-upon commission and/or to fulfill the additional duties required of her in their entirety …
Her head snapped up. “What?”
“Ah,” he said, his voice a low purr, “I can see that you really didn’t read this before you signed it. A bad decision, I’m afraid.”
“That’s insane! You cannot contract for—for a mistress …”
“Keep reading,” he said softly.
Did she have a choice? Her gaze dropped to the contract.
Such failure shall result in forfeiture of all goods and services already provided and repayment for same.
“What goods and services?” She looked up and flashed a triumphant smile. “You haven’t provided any.”
“Have you forgotten you’re flying to Aristo with me? Did you think I wouldn’t provide you with a workshop and tools?” He jerked his chin toward the contract. “There’s more.”
Finally, in the event of forfeiture, an additional penalty to be paid by Maria Santos in the amount of …
The typed-in number had so many zeroes it made her laugh. Alex’s eyes narrowed.
“I assure you, this is not meant for your amusement.”
No. Of course not, but what else could she do when the penalty for walking away was easily ten times the value of everything she owned?
“You must know I can’t afford anything even close to that!”
He shrugged. “I know only what is in the agreement you just signed.”
He sounded as removed as if they were discussing when the snow might stop. It not only killed her hysterical laughter, it killed any hope she’d had that this was a joke.
“But—but I’d lose everything. This loft. My clients. The people I deal with would suffer, the ones who subcontract to me. And Joaquin, who’s been with me from the start—”
“Your lover’s welfare is not my concern.”
“Joaquin is not my lover.” Maria flung the contract at his feet. “He works for me.”
He bent and picked it up, smoothing the pages, his expression blank.
“It doesn’t matter one way or the other. My only concern is this contract. Are you going to abide by it or not?
She stared at him, hating him, hating herself even more. How could she have slept with him that night? Better still, how could she have returned his kisses just now? Was she truly, pathetically her mother’s daughter?
She wanted to curse him. To pummel those broad shoulders with her fists, but what would that change? Nothing, she thought bitterly, nothing at all.
“This is usury!”
He grinned. Such a ruggedly beautiful face, she thought wildly, made even sexier by that quick devil’s smile.
“An impressive legal term,” he said. “But incorrect. The penalty to which you’ve agreed has nothing to do with a loan.”
“Damn it,” she exploded, “do not play word games with me! I know what usury means. And I know what this contract is.
Unconscionable. Immoral. Cruel and mean-spirited and—”
“And enforceable.”
“You cannot coerce a woman into—what was your phrase? Into warming your bed!”
Suddenly, he was standing much too close. She stumbled back but his big hands were already framing her face and lifting it to him.
“There’s not a word that even hints of coercion in that contract,” he said softly. “You signed it of your own free will.”
“How can you do this?” she said shakily. “Don’t you have any scruples?”
He laughed softly. “An interesting question, coming from you.” His smile faded; his gaze dropped to her lips. “One month, agapi mou. That’s all it will be. One month of being in my bed. Of spending the nights with me deep inside you.” His lips twitched, as if he’d made a joke, but his eyes were so dark they seemed bottomless. “I can endure it, if you can.”
His words made her blush. How could he joke about the devil’s bargain he was forcing on her?
“I hate you,” Maria snapped.
Alex grinned. “Hate me all you like, sweetheart. It’s not your heart I’m after.”
No, she thought, no, it wasn’t. And that was fine because her heart would never be part of this arrangement.
“Understand something, Your Highness,” she said, searching for and finding a way to salvage one tiny bit of pride. “Being in your bed is one thing. Participating in what happens there is not something you can ever expect.”
His teeth flashed in a quick smile. “A challenge?”
“A statement of fact.”
“A challenge,” he said flatly. “One I am happy to accept.”
He bent his head, brushed his lips over hers. His mouth moved against hers again and again in the lightest of kisses. She wanted to lean into him. Wanted to close her eyes, part her lips, clasp his head and bring it down closer to hers…
I feel nothing, she told herself.
And wished to God it were true.
What in the name of Chronos was she doing? Was she packing everything she owned? Jeans. T-shirts. Sweaters. Sneakers and sandals and, hell, another pair of jeans.
Alex looked at his watch, scowled and shook his wrist. Was the damned thing working? Impossible that only five minutes had passed since she’d first turned on her heel, marched away from him and dragged a suitcase from a corner of the loft.
The loft. Her
