Page 25 of The Wrong Promise

“It will cost me more if we fuck it up,” I whisper.

“Do I need to remindyouabout cussing,” she says in her posh voice.

Cute.

“How much is this deal worth to you?” She takes a sip of her champagne, eyeing me.

“A billion or so.”

She coughs, choking on the champagne, and it sprays from her lips. “Oh, no, no,no.I’m not doing this. I’m not going to be the one to blame.” She stands and dabs the champagne droplets on the table with her napkin. “Pretend our arrangement was never mentioned because I’m out.”

“Sit down, Zara.”

“Don’t tell me?—”

“We are meeting Sir James tomorrow. The arrangement is already in place.”

She folds her arms. “I’m not doing it.”

“You’re making a scene.” She glances around and slowly lowers into her velvet-backed chair, downing the entire contents of her glass. She goes to refill, and I place a hand over hers to stop her. “Wait for the server, please.” Her chest is rising up and down faster than normal. “You’re going to be fine. I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t think you could do it.”

She closes her eyes and slowly shakes her head. “It’s not worth it. I know the expectations of your family. I don’t live like that.”

“Some risks pay off.”

Her eyes round. “A billion-dollar risk?”

“Everything will be fine. Be yourself. Be patient. If you’re nervous, then tell me, and I’ll guide you through it.”

The lobster arrives, and Zara has finished her third glass of champagne. “I’m no longer hungry.” She moans.

“Eat, Zara. You can’t survive on champagne alone.”

Waiting for her to take her first bite before I continue eating, I feel like a piece of shit for making her nervous. Zara has potential, and I need to show her that taking a risk can be beneficial to more than your own means. Her long lashes flutter as she forces herself to swallow every mouthful.

She’s clueless about her task being significantly easier than my end of the deal. While in London, how am I going to live with Zara and manage to keep the relationship between us platonic? Right now, I want to take her in my arms and tell her everything is going to be okay.

Then do a hell of a lot more than that.

8

ZARA

When I agreedto help Jobe last night, I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t being the pawn in a billion-dollar deal.

Arriving home, he asked about my dress and shoe size, then stared at me like I was dessert. The anticipation faded before anything else was said when he turned his back and walked toward his bedroom.

He was gone when I woke.

Now, I’m sitting in a café across the road from my office block, though this morning, I need something stronger than coffee to get me through the day.

Piper walks into the café at the same time she has every other weekday. “Have you been here a while?” She adjusts her bag’s strap over her petite shoulder and lays a box on the table.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. Are these mine?”

“Chocolate muffins today.” She smiles at me. “Do you want another cup?”

“Sure. Thank you, and I need a sneaky bite now.”

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