Page 215 of Modern Romance March 2025 (5-8)

“Is he aware of your situation? Have you ever asked him for help?”

Laughter broke from her although the situation was far from funny. “Aware? He was a business partner of my husband’s. He was also the one who bailed me out of jail when I was locked up for debt.”

“What?”

“Yes.” Bile rose to her throat at the memory—the humiliation, the small, hot women’s dormitory at the debtor’s prison, the hopelessness she felt. The invasive questions she’d been asked, the courtroom. “I’d been helping Hind with her reading—I used to tutor, just to keep myself busy—and she was quite attached to me. I don’t know why Sheikh Rashid believed me, but he did.”

Desmond crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Probably because your husband ran off with some of his money as well.”

“We made an agreement that I’d work for him and in exchange he’d become the guarantor for my loan.” She paused, swallowed hard. “I haven’t exactly been up front with him, either. I’m fairly sure he assumes I’m divorced by now, which is why he believed your story.”

Desmond was looking at her steadily and her heart quickened. What was he thinking?

“I have a proposition for you. You’ve got your goals, Val, and I’ve got mine. And right now, they intersect.”

“That’s a little presumptuous to say.”

“Help me do this,” he challenged. “If I get the deal with Sheikh Rashid, I’ll pay off your debts. All of them.”

What?

“Desmond—”

“Trust me, I can afford it.” The words sounded arrogant, even to him, but he pressed on. “This is about elevating my business, Val, not necessarily just about the money. We’re in a position to help each other.”

Help each other? Valentina stared at him, her insides in turmoil. She was feeling so many things at once that she didn’t know which to address first. There was a residual warmth from the memory of his hands on her body just hours ago, coaxing pleasure from her.

She forced the thought away as quickly as it’d come. Desmond Tesfay was not an option for any type of lingering thoughts. Wasn’t that why she’d chosen to spend the night with him in the first place?

“If you’re trying to kill that napkin, there must be better ways than slow strangulation,” Desmond said dryly.

She looked down to see the mangled white linen in her lap.

“I—”

“There are no downsides to this, Valentina.”

There it was, her full name again, his voice warm and honeyed around the syllables. Would it be hypocritical of her to insist he not use it again, since it sparked such warmth in her? She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself.

Emotions are weaknesses to be exploited.

Never put the power to hurt you into anybody’s hands.

She repeated the mantras in an attempt to control her thumping heart, willing that new softness inside her to a place where it could not affect what she said to the man looking at her now.

“It’sVal, as I told you before,” she said haughtily. “And let’s be frank, Desmond. I’ve beentrappedin a position to help you.” Part of her wanted to cringe at her own frankness. She could hear the note of bitterness in her voice. “I don’t want to owe you anything.”

“It’d be an equal and fair exchange!”

“You don’t understand. It’s never that simple.” She swore softly and laughed at the shock on his face. “Think of the consequences!”

“Only if you choose to see it that way, Val.”

“Yes, everything’s about thespinin your line of business, isn’t it,” she said a little archly. “Are you this dismissive of everything?”

“Only of things that shouldn’t matter.” Desmond sighed. “I’m sorry for what happened to you. You shouldn’t have to pay for his mistakes.”

“Pretty words.”

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