Page 22 of A Linton Scandal

“I told her everything, but the fact that it was set up. As for my father and brothers, I haven’t had the chance to tell them. Though as far as my brothers are concerned, we don’t intrude on each other’s lives. My father may be an issue, but you can ignore him.”

I could only question his intelligence with that remark. How was I supposed to ignore the father of the man I was supposed to marry, a fake marriage but still? What daughter-in-law to be, ignored her husband’s father? Was his plan to have his family hate me, so they wouldn’t think twice when I left three years later.

Turning my attention back to the passing view, I decided to ask him a safe question. “What are their names? If I’m going to play your fiancée, I should know the names of the people in your family.”

“I’m the oldest, and then there is Castor, he’s an officer in the military. Sofario, he’s been into the car industry lately. Then there’s Uthur, he’s lately been investing in IT companies to get my father off his back. I don’t even think he knows how to program a computer.” Mihai’s eyes narrowed and I could hear a clear note of irritation in his voice. “I’m the sole Heir to Linton, Inc. and the only other who works in the family business is Sofario. Though he much prefers staying out of it. All three of them have little to no interest in taking my position. The lazy fuckers.”

I pursed my lips together to hold back my laughter, it sounded like Mihai’s brothers were a lot more amusing than I thought. “And your parents?”

He sighed. Shifting in his seat finally looking at me. “Audrey Linton is my mother, her maiden’s name was Khari, so any Khari you meet later are my cousins. My mother has always lived with money. She’s never gone a day without, still she took her education seriously and had every intention of building her own investment firm, but her family sought a match with the Lintons. And she was married.”

“Wait.” I lifted my hand. “What do you mean by they sought a match? You make it sound like they had an arranged marriage.”

He tilted his head back and gave me a long look. “It’s normal for people in my circle to do so. Especially when money is involved.”

The last time I’d even seen the term arranged marriage. I’d been watching Pride and Prejudice, with Sophie and then there was that one time we’d had to do a chocolate design for a wedding, and the groom and bride were rumored to have had an arranged marriage. But for me, your average American girl, it was like looking at another reality.

“We really do come from two different worlds,” I muttered without thinking, facing him once more I asked. “Do you think we can pull this off?”

“We can,” he said.

For some reason I believed him, and in believing in him I felt the courage to face his family. “Okay, I’ll do this.”

His hand landed on mine and I felt the beat of my heart spike. “We’ll do this, together.”

His words shouldn’t have stirred up warmth, but they did. Once again, I had to chide myself to remember that this was fake. I needed to get a grip on myself.

Mihai

Her hands were warm and soft in mine, and while I’d done it as a show of solidarity. I also did it out of the desire to hold her hand—no, scratch that. I wanted to touch her, to place my hands all over her body, to feel the silky-smooth sensation of that warm brown skin under my palm.

Holding her hand, I could almost forget about what DuVall had told me. He’d been the one who’d connected me with a child therapist for Nelu.

Ever since the night my wife died, my son had clammed up. Refusing to speak, it was almost like someone had tied a ribbon around his throat. No matter what I said or did he wouldn’t say a word. It had gotten to a point, where my frustration had gotten the better of me and I said something I shouldn’t have.

In that moment, I truly realized that I had never truly spent any time with him, and the one person who’d been his rock in this life had left in a cruel manner.

Ever since then, I’d left him to the professionals, feeling like a wall was growing between us. Sadly, even with the help of professionals he still wouldn’t speak, but luckily he was close to my mother, and that was the blessing in the shit show that was my first marriage.

Still, I couldn’t stop the feeling of disappointment that he still hadn’t opened up to the child psychiatrist, who he’d been going to see once a week.

Thinking about it now, I saw the questioning look from Juliette when I mentioned my son. I was surprised she hadn’t demanded answers right then, but I was slowly learning Juliette was more the type to think over something for a longer time before she brought it up.

Even now I expected her to express her displeasure with the sudden meeting with my parents. I knew a few women who’d have taken it laying down, but instead she’d shot me a glare before changing to come. I wondered what she’d do when she was truly angry.

Something told me it would be worth seeing.

I glanced at her stomach, wondering what our child would look like. Would she have her mother’s beautiful skin, and round face or would he be fierce with tight curls similar to hers.

My thoughts ran in a circle, as the silence grew in the car until we finally arrived. The car came to a stop, and she went to open her door. “Wait, I’ll get it for you.”

She shot me a surprised look, I got out and walked around to the other side and opened her door. I could hear her snort, before she took my hand and got out of the car. “Aren’t you a gentlemen,” she whispered low enough that only I could hear. “Where was this man, when I wanted to drink a cup of coffee?”

“I’ve always been a gentleman even when I took your cup of coffee,” I responded, both of us sharing a heated look.

“That’s debatable,” she muttered.

“Mihai, we’ve been waiting for you,” my mother shouted from the door as she eyed me up and down. “You finally decide to come to dinner, and you come late.”

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