Page 35 of Dex

“Came as a complete shock to me,” Dexter drawls.“Completely blindsided me.I had no idea you had the hots for me.”

I can’t face him, but I feel my cheeks burning.I try to act cool, try to think about the business side of the deal.“This isn’t about attraction, Dexter.This is an arrangement.Once I removed all the other possibilities, you were the only one left.”

He snorts.“You tell yourself that.”

He’s going to have so much fun rubbing my face in it.I address his father.“I assumed Dexter and I would get to discuss this further before we firmed up our agreement.Before I told my parents, but you robbed me of that.”

“And now here we are,” Paul says smoothly, spreading his hands as if that explains everything.Ignoring every concern I have.

“This is moving very quickly,” I say, trying to slow things down.

“You shouldn’t have told him your choice.You could have delayed things.You’re the reason things are moving quickly,” Dexter points out, his voice unreadable.

“I thought we’d get totalkabout it first,” I fire back, then glare at Paul.“You said you were going to talk to him about it.”

Paul leans back in his chair.“I did talk to him about it.I don’t see the point of beating around the bush.You flew all the way here because you wanted this alliance.Your father wanted this alliance.You told mewhoyou wanted.I spoke to Dex and we’re all go.Why the hesitation?”

This is nothing like how he promised me it would go.

Dexter’s words echo in my mind.

Be careful of my father.

Paul studies me.“Daniela, if you don’t want this, you can back out.Get on a plane and go back to Brazil.”

I narrow my eyes.Why is he so eager?“I know why I’m in a rush to get this done,” I say slowly, “but why areyou?”

Paul smiles, but there’s nothing warm about it.“Once I make a decision, I move with it.I’m not one for waiting around.”

Dexter speaks up, his tone edged with amusement.“Your father owns the biggest telecommunications company in South America.And whenever there’s something that’s ‘the biggest,’ ‘the best,’ ‘the most competitive’ …” He pauses, glancing at Paul, “…our fatheralways wants a piece of it.”

My stomach sinks.

I barely keep my expression neutral as disappointment weighs on me.I just pray we can help our company with this alliance and get some kind of investment, some collaboration with the Knight name.The name doesn’t mean anything in South America, but ever since the market shifted, investors have been backing away.Merging with a solid company, by having a high-profile wedding will help.As will the promised cash injections.

“I was planning to fly home tomorrow or the day after, and tell my parents in person, then make plans,” I say.

“Your plans have already been made,” Dexter announces, pointedly looking ahead.

“How do you know?”I ask, horrified.

“My father will have taken care of it, didn’t you, father?”He looks at Paul.

“I’m working on it.Almost done.”Paul steeples his hands.

“When are we getting married?”I ask, as insides toss and turn with anxiety.“And where?”

“Don’t ask me, ask your fiancé.”

Dexter groans.“I’m not her fiancé.We’re not engaged.”

“You’ll need to propose, and buy her a ring that’s impossible to ignore,” his father says.

“Fuck.”Dexter sinks back into his chair, and my heart plummets in my chest.This is going to be … difficult.Dragging this man to the altar.He hates me and I’m already convinced that he’s going to make everything infuriatingly impossible.

“We have no chemistry,” I lament.“I don’t see how this will work.”

Maybe Rio might be a better choice?

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