Page 17 of Accidental Mile High Daddy
“And Lauren,” I clarified. “It takes at least two to get married.”
“I know how a marriage works,” she scoffed, taking that step forward again like it meant nothing. “Why on earth would I want to do that? Why would I want toseehim—either of them—again after what he put me through?”
“Because I’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars.”
Her lips parted, then closed, then parted again. “What thehellkind of man?—”
“One who’s tired of letting his little brother ruin everything he touches,” I huffed, cutting her off. “One who hasnothingto prove to Ryan, but plenty to gain from watching him squirm. And one who happens to think you deserve to get to make him feel small.”
Sienna’s throat worked as she took another step forward, and then another, closer now than she’d been before as she leanedforward onto the table. It took every bit of control not to let my eyes wander down to where the top hem of her dress was gaping from the position. “Do you genuinely think I’m going to parade around my ex’s wedding as apropjust for a check?”
“No,” I said, quieter now, leaning forward onto my elbows and closing the distance just a little bit more. I could smell her — that same scent from the flight, light, floral, and sweet, with a hint of something sharp underneath. “I think you’re going to consider it. I think you know it’s not about the money. And more importantly, I think you understand that it’s about the look on his face when he sees you happy, thriving, andwantedon my arm.”
Her chest rose and fell like she’d run a mile. I kept my gaze locked on hers. “I don’t trust you,” she rasped.
“That’s fair.”
“I think you’re cold. And calculating, and maybe a little bit full of shit.”
I shrugged. “You’re not wrong.”
“Why on earth should I believe anything out of your mouth?”
I didn’t blink. “Because I’m not trying todoanything to you, Sienna. I’m giving you an option and a reward. And because, if it truly makes you feel better, I’ll swear on my son’s life that this isn’t about getting you back into bed, and instead is about getting us both a little closure.”
Her brows knitted. “You have a son?”
It was horrifically unsurprising to me that Ryan had never mentioned him. “Zach. He’s five.”
She stared at me incredulously. “Youhave akid?”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you want me to get out my phone and show you photos?”
She held my gaze for what felt like hours, her eyes flicking between mine, studying me like I was a riddle she could solve. “You’re serious.”
“About the offer or about my kid?”
A little crease formed between her brows. “Both.”
“Yes, I’m serious.”
The silence that lingered coiled tight, like charged static flicking between us. I reached into my jacket pocket, pulled out a card, and slid it across the table to her.
Slowly, her gaze dropped, her fingers closing around it slowly as she read the two lines of information written on it: my full name and my personal phone number.
“Seriously? Metal?” she scoffed, turning it over in her hands like it personally offended her. “That’s, like, next level asshole-ery.”
I snorted. “I’m sorry, would you have preferred I’d printed it off on a standard eight-by-eleven and folded it?”
“You could have just written it on a napkin like a normal person in a bar,” she mumbled.
“I’ll keep it in mind next time I’m offering a hundred grand to make my brother feel half as small as he made you,” I chuckled. “Just think about it, Sienna. You don’t have to answer right away. The wedding’s in three weeks, you’ve got a little time.”
“I hate you,” she grunted, pushing back upright with the card solidly in her palm.
My smirk turned into a full grin. “No, you don’t.”
Chapter 7
