“I can see you’re not happy with this arrangement. I’d hoped your father would have prepared you better for it.”
“Just how, exactly, was he supposed to prepare me for being sold to save his precious company?”
Maximilian waved his hand toward the leather couch along the wall on the other side of the office, motioning for her to sit. Wary, Zeta made her way there, never taking her eyes from Maximilian. She sat in the middle for good measure, not wanting to feel trapped or confined when he sat next to her as she knew he would. He raised an eyebrow, but sat to her left. Zeta immediately scooted from the middle to her right, putting the length of the couch between them. Raising her chin as his lips quirked, she refused to feel anything but smug. She might be retreating from him, but she’d just bet he had intended to try to seduce her into agreeing with this nonsense. Men with his looks and money always went the seduction route before resorting to strong-arm tactics.
“Being the wife of a Roth has many social and financial advantages,” he began as if it were a speech he’d rehearsed a thousand times. No doubt he had. “Yes, there will, of course, be a prenup, but you’ll have more than enough financially to satisfy even your most outrageous ventures.”
“Is this how you start all your engagements? Because it lacks a little some-some,” Zeta snapped. “When I marry, it will be for the right reasons. I have no intention of marrying for money, nor will I let my father bully me into a marriage of convenience.”
Again, he studied her for long moments. Zeta knew better than to break his stare. This was one contest of wills she absolutely could not lose. His handsome face hardened, but instead of dissuading her attraction, the dangerous mien he presented sent an unwelcome spike of heat coiling through her. Dangerous men had never been her thing, but there was something about this one that called to her on a primitive level. He needed something from her, and it was more than what was on the surface.
Gritting her teeth, Zeta did her best to ignore his effect on her. If he suspected any give to her, he’d push until she crumbled. Maximilian was exactly like her father. He loved nothing but money and power. Cared about nothing else. Being attracted to a man like that would only bring her pain. Her mother and stepmother could both attest to it. Zeta recognized the exact moment Maximilian decided to throw in a few of those strong-arm tactics. Sure enough…
“How about this,” he said, those cobalt blue eyes seeming to glint in the light. “You can agree to this, or I ruin your father. I don’t mean I’ll sit by passively while his business sinks slowly into the mire. I mean I’ll actually see to it he goes down and goes down hard and fast. When I’m done with him, he’ll be lucky if he has two pennies to rub together in either assets or outright cash. And his ability to do any kind of business will be completely obliterated in the entire region.”
It took Zeta a moment to believe what she’d just heard. “How can one person be so cruel?” She hadn’t meant the whispered question to pass her lips, but there it was. Still, there hadn’t been even a flicker of remorse in Maximilian’s eyes. Only a cold, calculating promise that he wasn’t bluffing.
“The arrangement doesn’t have to be cruel,” he said. “And I’m not a cruel person by nature. You’ll find I’m actually very amiable.” He paused before saying, “As long as you do what I tell you to do. In this case, you’ll agree to be my wife and abide by the terms I’ll spell out for you in the prenup. Do this, and your father will continue with his business until he’s ready to sell it and retire. I think you’ll find the situation isn’t as bad as you think it will be. You and I can lead completely separate lives except when we attend social functions. And, you’ll have anything you’ve ever wanted.”
“Except a husband who loves me.” Zeta hated that she sounded so forlorn. She really had no intention of going through with this, but, no matter how much her father made her want to turn her back on him and walk away, she couldn’t. It just wasn’t in her to be as callous as either of these men. Like it or not, Owen was still her father. The least she could do was hear out the terms of this stupid arrangement.
Maximilian shrugged. “Who’s to say we won’t come to love each other in time?”
“I’m not saying I’m agreeing to this,” she finally said, “but what exactly is it you are proposing? And I want to know why. Not only why you’re doing this, but why you chose me for it.”
Chapter Three
Seeing no reason why he shouldn’t lay everything out for her, Max began. “My father is turning the company over to me, but he has a few…unusual…requirements for me to meet. First, I have to marry. Second, there can be no divorce or illegitimate children.”
“That’s impossible. No one knows how long a marriage will last,” Zeta interrupted. “I’ve known couples who’ve been together more than twenty years who’ve divorced.”
“My mother and father were among that number. My mother left after forty-one years of marriage. For whatever reason, my father has decided that putting this condition on me taking over the bank—and keeping it—will give me incentive to hold my marriage together.”
“Don’t you think you’re going about it the wrong way? I mean, shouldn’t you find a woman you care for before you marry her? Seems like that would solve all your problems right there.”
“I don’t have the time or inclination to get to know a woman that well, Zeta. I simply need to fulfill my father’s conditions and take over the bank. After that, we can live our separate lives. We’ll just have to be…discreet.”
“You’ve completely lost your mind,” Zeta bit out. “You’re all insane!”
Max shrugged. “Maybe. I suppose the way of the rich and powerful is simply not meant for others to understand. But I will get what I want, Zeta. As to the reason I chose you? I’ve watched you since I realized your father’s business was in trouble. You’re intelligent, you have no outrageous vices that would draw the attention of the press or, more importantly, my father, and you’re loyal almost to a fault. If you throw in with this, my guess is you’re all in, which means you’d be a good mother to my child.”
“Even if you’re right, I’ve not agreed. To live my life in a prison, no matter how gilded, is still more than I own my father. Besides, I’d think marrying a black woman in this part of the country would only hurt your social standing. Perhaps you should find one of the blonde bimbos you normally have hanging on your arm and marry her.” She was caving. The questions on race were only a buffer. Her last barrier. She wasn’t there yet, but he almost had her.
“What if I gave you a month?” He raised a finger in front of him. “One month to be my fiancée. I’ll show you how good you could have it, then you can make your decision.”
Zeta immediately shook her head. “A month isn’t nearly long enough to decide my entire future. This is something I can’t do quickly.”
Max stood, offering her his hand, urging her to stand with him. “How long would you need? How long do you need before you trust me to see you’re happy with your new life?”
“I don’t know,” she said, watching him warily. Had Maximilian been inclined to get to know a woman, it would be this one. She didn’t give in like he’d expected. Most women he’d known would have jumped at this kind of chance; if not at first, most definitely when he’d threatened her family. That would have been their excuse to take what they already wanted, no matter how noble. Not Zeta. She wanted time to think about it. She stood, pacing the length of the room restlessly. “You’re giving me little choice, but I’m still not sure I can do this.”
Maximilian looked into her dark eyes, looking for any sign of weakness. Surprisingly, even though she was indecisive and backed into a corner, he found none. Rare in anyone he’d faced for any reason. But there was something else. A thread of steel ran through her, a quiet strength that could prove difficult. Unfortunately, he again found himself growing aroused by those same qualities.
“Not only can I give you anything your heart desires, Zeta, but I can show you ple
asure,” he whispered. He stood, moving closer to her. She likely sensed he planned to do something because, when he took her hand in his, she tried to pull free. Max didn’t let her go, pulling her closer so he could loop an arm around her back to settle his big hand on her tiny waist. “Though we will have a marriage of convenience, I see no reason we can’t enjoy each other. In fact, I’m sure it’s an expected part of marriage.”
She shook her head, again trying to pull free of his hold on her as she took a step backward. Was that interest in those impossibly large, chocolate-colored eyes? If so, he could tell she didn’t welcome it. Before she could protest, Max pulled her closer so her breasts mashed pleasantly against his chest, then covered her mouth with his.
The instant he touched Zeta’s lips, Max knew it had been a mistake. Electricity seemed to arch between them, shooting straight to his cock. The intense, immediate reaction was more than he’d ever experienced with a woman—a sudden sharp need to claim her. Even as Maximilian knew he’d chosen his future bride well, he had to wonder if she would prove more than he’d bargained for because this was one woman he wasn’t sure he could bear to let go once he had her.
The light, clean scent of her soap and shampoo washed over him in an instant. With every breath he took, that enticing smell filled his lungs so that he was sure he’d never truly be rid of it, and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to be. When she gasped, he took it as an offering, an invitation to deepen the kiss. Sweeping his tongue inside, Max found hers, stroking it with sensual flicks of his own until she trembled in his arms.
Zeta’s fingers dug into his shoulders as she clung to him. Half expecting her to shove him away and slap him again, the tiny bite of her nails was welcomed. What would it feel like to have those nails scratching along his naked back as he fucked her, giving her as much pleasure as he took from her? That thought sent a fresh spike of heat through him.
As she tried to pull herself together and push Max away, Zeta called herself all kinds of foolishness for letting him do this to her. It was yet another weapon in the sensual arsenal of Maximilian Roth. He was an expert at seduction if the tales were to be believed. Given the expert way he kissed her now, Zeta had no doubt the rumors were true. Even knowing she needed to pull back, to assert herself and let him know she couldn’t be played like every other woman in his life, she found herself relaxing into that stupid kiss. Was helpless not to. The promise of so much more pleasure was there, as he no doubt intended, but she knew that way lay disaster. If she were going to survive this, she had to keep her perspective. Maximilian wanted her so his father would turn over the bank’s leadership to him. Her father had sold her to this man so he could keep his own company. Zeta was a pawn to both men, and if she knew what was good for her, she’d run like hell and never look back.
But what would it be like to be loved by a man like Maximilian? Not loved in the literal sense—she wasn’t even sure the man was capable of it—but physical love. Though she’d had a few lovers in her past, none of them had ever give her such pleasure from a simple kiss. Even now, she was helpless to resist. She wanted more. Craved it like she did her next breath. Beneath her hands, his muscles bunched underneath all that expensive clothing. One hand, though gentle, cupped her face in a work-roughened palm. He might be a rich and powerful man in the corporate world but he was no stranger to hard work. This was a man who was everything she’d ever dreamed of in a lover. Her whole body shook with the need to follow where he led on this erotic adventure, yet she couldn’t. She didn’t trust Maximilian as far as she could throw him, and that made it impossible for her to surrender her body.
As if sensing her decision, he ended the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers, an oddly tender gesture when she knew there was no tenderness in him. His breaths came as deep and ragged as hers, which gave her a small measure of relief. At least their encounter hadn’t been one-sided. Despite pulling back from her, Maximilian didn’t let her go. He held her close as if he actually cared about her and needed the closeness.
“Say you’ll give this a shot. If one month isn’t long enough to make up your mind, tell me what you need.” His voice was husky, sex roughened. Naturally it made her panties wet with need nearly as much as his kiss had.
“Six months,” she finally said. “Give me six months to see if I can do this. If I can’t, we call it quits. And you give my father the loan he needs to keep his business afloat until that time is up.”
“If I’m giving him the loan anyway, then you have to actually live with me. No setting yourself up in an apartment across town.” There went that plan. “You’ll behave as my fiancé in truth, attending social functions as well as living in my home with me.”
“What else does your prenup include? Before I even step one foot into this, I need to know.”
“Only that you have no claim to the bank or any of my business finances. I agree to give you a generous allowance as well as provide anything you need for public appearances. Once we have a child, you may go wherever you wish. If you don’t want the child, I’ll see to his raising and care, though I don’t see you doing that. It’s simply not in your makeup. You can keep him with you with the understanding that you educate him according to a strict curriculum designed to prepare him to take over the bank when he’s ready.”
Had Maximilian dumped a bucket of ice water over her head, he couldn’t have jolted her out of her muddled thoughts any more thoroughly. Was he kidding?
Zeta tried to pull away from him, but Maximilian held her fast, even tightening his arms around her to prevent her escape. “Do you have no compassion for anyone? Even your own child? As much as it makes me want to vomit, I can reconcile myself to being your whore, but I absolutely refuse to bring a child into this unholy union. Forget it. You’re talking about this like it’s just another obstacle to be overcome in your quest for power.”
He shrugged. “That’s all anything is.”
“You cold-hearted bastard.” Zeta was horrified. How could she even contemplate this?
“Maybe,” he said, finally letting her go. “But you’ll do this. If for no other reason than to give your father a chance to pull something out of his hat and save his business.”
Zeta opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out. Because as much as she loathed him in that moment, Maximilian was right. It was the reason she’d come up with the six-month figure. If her father could turn his business around in that time, maybe she wouldn’t have to go through with this ridiculousness.
“Six months,” she said. “After that, I’ll reevaluate everything. But I have to tell you, as it stands, there is no way I’d ever agree to marry you, let alone have a child with you.”
He just gave her a smug, slightly superior smile. “We’ll see.”
Six months. She could put up with anything for six months. And she’d be damned if she let Maximilian kiss her ever again.
Chapter Four
“I didn’t intend to start this now,” Zeta groused. Maximilian had to suppress the urge to grin. If nothing else, this merger was going to prove interesting in the extreme. Not only did there seem to be an undeniable magnetism between him and the lovely Zeta, but she was the most intriguing puzzle he’d ever come across. Now, as they sped across town in his Mercedes S65 AMG toward her apartment, she actually seemed vexed that he hadn’t let her have a day or so to “prepare herself,” otherwise known as a day or so to talk herself out of it. The infuriating woman didn’t even seem impressed she was riding in a six-figure car.
“If not now, when? Tell me when would be a good time to begin our…arrangement?”
“I don’t know,” she snapped. “After I’ve had a chance to fully realize what I’ve committed myself to.”
“You’re not getting out of this for at least six months, Zeta. But I’m confident I can convince you to proceed with the whole thing. It’s not as bad as you think. You can still find…companionship if you wish.”
“Yeah, yeah. I got that. I just have to be discreet. You
’ve mentioned that.” Never had anyone spoken to him in this manner. Maximilian wasn’t sure if he wanted to throttle her or kiss her some more.
“You know, for a woman trying to save her family’s fortune, you’re not very deferential.”
“Yeah, well, get used to it,” she grumbled, turning to look out the window. “Don’t like it? Choose someone a little more suited to your station in life. Someone who’ll be a little more impressed with your money and power.”
The woman truly had audacity! There was no containing his chuckle this time. Zeta had no idea how she affected him, which was good. If she did, she’d use it to her advantage. In Maximilian’s experience, women used two things shamelessly to their advantage. Sex and tears. If one didn’t work, the other one usually would. Never had he seen a woman use vexation to her advantage the way Zeta did.
“I don’t see anything so goddamned funny about any of this,” she snapped. “Why I agreed to give you six months is beyond me. I can’t even stand to be around you six minutes!”
“No one says we have to actually be around each other,” Max said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at her. “Which is what I’ve been trying to get through your thick skull.” He laughed. God, he was enjoying goading her! “The only time we need to be together is at social functions and to…conceive my son.” Even the thought of having her—no matter it would only be for a short time—made his blood boil with a raging lust. Why in the world he found it so was beyond him. Hell, even being near her in the confines of the car made him hard. There was a tantalizing smell about her. A combination of a light orange blossom scent and the musky heat of warm woman seemed to hover around his nose, taunting him with what he couldn’t have. Yet.
Loving the Bastard Page 2