Page 29 of Dex

I can’t agree to this.I can’t do this to Rio.He’s my friend and my brother.There’s no way I’ll marry the heiress, but I can’t tell the old man about Rio’s interest.We don’t tell him our business unless it’s a life-threatening situation.

“She picked you,” my father insists, like I have no choice in the matter.

“How do you know?Have you spoken to her?”

“She came to my penthouse this morning for a debrief.”

Innuendos swirl around in my head, but my father is serious.His face is set in a hard line and those cold, reptilian eyes stare back at me.I feel almost sorry that Daniela had to go to his place and have a meeting with him this morning.I remember the phone conversation she had with her parents, and how her voice was soft and filled with so much love.I didn’t understand a word, but I could tell, just from the way she spoke to them, that she cares deeply about them.

“Why did she pick me?”

“We’re going round and round in circles.I have no idea.Perhaps you should ask her when you get to know her better.”

“That’s not happening.I won’t be getting to know her better.”

“Surely it must count for something, having such a stunning woman choose you over your brothers?She’s gorgeous.Simply stunning.Why wouldn’t you be interested?”

He’s such a despicable being.I’m tempted to ask him why he doesn’t go ahead and marry her himself, but that would be awful for the heiress.I couldn’t do that to her, put such a vulgar idea in the old man’s head.I’m sure he would, if there was something in it for him, but I have a feeling using one of us to get whatever the hell he thinks this deal will do for him, is a simpler way.

“I barely spoke to her!”

“Maybe that’s what she likes.The silent type.You’ve seen how she looks.Men gush over her.They’re enthralled by her beauty.She’s used to it.That idiot Rio couldn’t even string a sentence together from what I observed—”

“Don’t call him an idiot.”

My father raises an eyebrow before continuing.“Zach and Enzo would have followed her around like loyal puppies.Jett is with someone who’s a decade younger than him—”

“He’s in love,” I interject.Jett is also someone who believes in marriage.He believes in love.I don’t.I will never marry.

“Matteo flirts with anything in a skirt, and he missed this opportunity.Which leaves only you.”

“I don’t care.I’m still not interested.This isn’t happening.The best thing you can do for her is to tell her to get the next flight back to Brazil.”

“What would you say to twelve million dollars?”

I remember the deal with Jett; the carrot the old man dangled in front of him.It was ten million.The reward has increased.“Twelve million for what?”I ask, but an idea starts to form in my head.

“To stay married for one year.You get a million dollars a month and you can walk away at the end of the year.It will be the easiest money you’ll ever make.”

I don’t know if I can do this, not even for twelve million.Not everything revolves around money.

“I already have more than enough money.I don’t need more.”

“You have access to the Knight legacy, Dex, but I’m not dead yet, so you don’t own much of it.Think about it.Twelve million for a year’s work.Are you really going to turn your nose up at that?”

I glare at him.“Like I said, money doesn’t mean as much to me as it means to you.”

There’s no way I’ll ever agree to marry the heiress when Rio likes her.I need to talk to him first.But I shift in my chair.I already have money.We all do.But still, twelve million dollars, just to stay married for a year?Maybe I could do some good with it?I’ve been toying with an idea, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time but I kept putting off.

“Think about it,” my father says, his voice smooth.“You don’t even have to sleep with her, but then again, if she’s willing, why not?.”

I look away squirming at this so-called fatherly advice.

“She flies back in a few days’ time, and she needs an answer.You don’t have long to get back to me.Think about it.Twelve million dollars for doing nothing.It’s like having roommate.”

Except, it’s not.It’s nothing like that.

I already know what I’m going to do.

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