Page 16 of Her Lion Lover

"Your father and I did not raise you to shirk your responsibilities. You're talking about Pride Holdings, the company your father and I built, so that we could pass it on to you. The company you've been learning to run since you were a child, because that's what you wanted. Your father entrusted Pride Holdings to you, not your uncle. It's not just a company with shares you can sell to the highest bidder. Pride Holdings is all about its people. People who will lose their jobs and entitlements if your uncle is left in charge. What about Cat and her boys?"

And there it was. Leo couldn't shirk his responsibilities to go off and become a porn star, or even a stay at home dad. Not unless he found Pride Holdings a better CEO than he could ever be, and no, that wasn't Uncle Jeremy.

"What do I need to do?" he asked.

"You need to get married. Look like you're ready to settle down, and that you plan to take up residence at Hea Sanctuary. That was always your dad's plan. Oh, he talked about retiring there, but could you see him in a small cottage, going fishing every day? Your dad didn't even go out hunting any more, unless you were home, and then only if you went with him. The house in the sanctuary was for you and your family, not us. Which is exactly what this is about. Starting a family to prove to the board you're in this for the long haul, to create a legacy to hand over to your children. So what we need is a society wedding, as soon as possible. No press invited, but we'll send out a press release with some photos. Shots that show you at your best, so they'll definitely feature prominently on the news sites. None of this photoshopped pornography nonsense."

Leo slammed down his fork. "Well, if I could just find my mate..."

"Oh, there's no time for that. Meeting and courting and planning a wedding to mark the start of forever...not to mention the honeymoon! Oh, no. What you need is a marriage of convenience. Someone young and pretty and unknown, who'll sign a prenup and accept the arrangement for a small fee, and then divorce you quietly when this is all over and you do find your fated mate."

Leo thought of his overflowing email inbox. Full of offers from women he couldn't stand to look at, let alone live with. He couldn't marry some stranger. Not even for Pride Holdings. "Mother, no one would agree to that."

"Oh, I have just the person. She's perfect. Wait until you meet her," Mother gushed. "Lily, dear, would you come out and meet my son? This is Lily, our new maid while Mrs Parker is off visiting her grandbaby. Lily, this is my son, Leo King."

TWENTY

Moray Castle was an impeccably kept Victorian mansion, with most of the rooms shrouded in dust sheets except on the monthly tour days, when the public was allowed to visit for a tour, guided by the housekeeper, of course. Tours Alica King, Lily's new boss, didn't expect her to actually give as part of her duties.

"I'm sure I remember enough of the family history to conduct a tour or two, as long as you make sure the rooms are presentable. Mrs Parker always dusted and vacuumed the morning before, and the morning after a tour, of course. People will bring their children to these things, and there's always one with sticky fingers!" Alicia shook her head as she gave a delicate shudder.

"I take it you don't have any children, then?" Lily asked, crossing her fingers. If it was just her and Alicia in the castle, her job was going to be an absolute breeze.

"Just my son, but he's not a child any more. He's very busy with work at the moment, so I'm sure you won't see much of him. If he's any trouble, just let me know. He might be a grown man, but I'm still his mother, and if he needs a scolding, I will see that he gets it."

Lily believed it.

Alicia would scold the king himself, if she thought he deserved it.

Lily was both maid and housekeeper, but Alicia kept a cook and gardener on staff, too, though neither of those lived on the property, so Lily would have occasional kitchen duties, which mostly involved heating up whatever the cook had left for dinner, as per her strict instructions, and loading the dishwasher after dinner.

Much like at Mirror Academy, meals were included as part of her room and board, and Sher the chef had barely shaken her hand before demanding a list of both her dietary requirements and favourite dishes, which he insisted he would make better than anything she'd ever tasted.

Lily suspected Brenda could give him a run for his money, but dutifully gave him the list. She wasn't going to turn down a free meal made to order that she didn't have to cook. After choking down a couple of Chloe's leftover supposed superfood meals, Lily would happily eat just about anything.

Until Alicia's son arrived home.

Alicia King's son was Leo freaking King. The man she'd danced with at the ball, Bachelor of the Year, and all around hottie. Pity he was gay, but all the best ones were, right?

Lily did her best to avoid him – what if he recognised her? – and she managed fine until dinner on the third night.

The first course was something the Mirror Academy cooks had often made for the headmistress, which Lily had tasted, found she liked, and requested whenever it was her turn. Barszcz was a clear beetroot soup with mushroom dumplings, and as long as you didn't wear a white shirt, it was wonderful.

Well, until Alicia called, "Lily, dear, would you come out and meet my son?"

Then Lily had choked, spluttered, and spilled soup down the front of her shirt. A black uniform shirt, thank heavens, but it was still soaked. She swiped at it with a tea towel, but short of changing shirts, there wasn't much she could do.

She dragged herself to the dining room and met the eyes of Leo King.

Who looked her up and down with a complete lack of passion – well, he was gay, wasn't he? – before he turned to his mother and said, "They'll take one look at her and know I married the maid."

Alicia blew out a frustrated breath. "If she were wearing her uniform, maybe, but in a grand wedding gown, with full hair and makeup...Lily will make the perfect bride. Won't you, dear?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Lily blurted out. She couldn't have heard right.

Leo gave a tight smile. "My mother wants you to marry me."

Lily smelled a rat. "So you don't really need a maid. What you want is a mail order bride."

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