Page 41 of A Diamond for My Forbidden Bride

‘He slipped me notes under the door.’ Val sounded oddly muted. ‘They were all,“Why don’t you do what Papa says?” “Give in and he’ll let you out”.There was no apology for betraying me. There was no empathy there at all. And you know what they say about psychopaths.’

I heard it then, the note of pain and fury. But I couldn’t tell whether it was directed at Constantine, his father or at himself.

‘Well?’ he asked. ‘Will you turn over for me?’

Not an order this time, but a request. And why not? He’d given me a choice and, while his stroking hands might be a manipulation, it was one I’d engineered myself. And that we were both enjoying, apparently.

Besides, I liked his hands on me. It felt as if all my bones had melted.

I turned, keeping my eyes closed against the bright light, and I heard his soft intake of breath. It made me smile, even though I knew I shouldn’t. ‘It’s still working, then?’

‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Minx. And, yes, it’s still working.’ The husky note of amusement lingered in his sexy voice. ‘So he wants heirs, you said? Nothing wrong with being a wife and mother, but you must want more than that for yourself. You’re ambitious and driven; I can see that. And I’d love to hear about your company and what your plans are for it.’

Despite myself, I couldn’t help feeling a warm glow of pleasure at the genuine interest in his voice. Then cool liquid slid between my breasts and I shuddered as a different kind of pleasure, a more sensual kind, joined it.

‘I want to make sure all the diamonds we sell and use in our jewellery are from ethical sources,’ I said, because again there was no reason not to tell him and this was a pet project of mine. ‘Because at the moment they’re not.’

‘Well, I approve whole-heartedly of that. Why isn’t that the case already?’

‘Because the board are dragging their feet. They’re concerned about the bottom line.’ And they were suspicious of me introducing new ideas that weren’t in step with theirs. As if insisting people’s lives were more important than money was a new idea.

‘Sounds about right.’ He stroked down over my chest, massaging in the sunscreen, his fingers curving around my breasts, his touch sensual yet not wholly sexual. ‘And I’m not sure having Constantine in charge will help you with that.’

I bit my lip, giving up the fight to keep myself separate from the pleasure of his touch, relaxing entirely into it as his hands moved on, caressing my hips and down over my stomach.

‘So, let me propose a counter-offer. You could marry me instead.’ His fingers gently massaged the sensitive skin above my pubic bone, but no further. Not touching me where I so badly wanted him to. ‘Marry me, and in return I’ll pay Wintergreen’s debts. I won’t oversee your management. It’s clear you have the skills to do it, and anyway the debts were your father’s, not yours. You shouldn’t have to pay for his mistakes.’

I stilled beneath his hands, oddly taken off-guard by his insight. Was that why I’d felt uncomfortable with Constantine’s offer? Because I had, though I could never really pinpoint why. But maybe it was simply that, in insisting on having financial oversight, he’d made me feel as if those debts were mine. As if I was responsible for the company’s mismanagement, not Dad.

Val’s fingers were on my thighs now, massaging in firm, sure strokes. ‘I will give you freedom, Livvy,’ he went on. ‘I’ll never tie you down or limit you. I’ll take care of you when you want it. And I’ll certainly give you as much pleasure as you can handle. I’ll always satisfy you. I’ll never leave you hungry.’

My brain struggled to process what he was saying, everything in me having melted completely into the sun-lounger.

It sounded good, I had to admit. Marry him instead, have Wintergreen’s debts paid, be in control of the company. Have my freedom, though why he thought freedom was his to give was anyone’s guess. But...he hadn’t mentioned children.

He gave me one last stroke and then I felt him move away.

I took my forearm from my eyes, blinking against the sudden, painfully bright light.

Val stood next to the lounger, looking down at me, and I could see the hunger blazing in his eyes. His whole body radiated tension; he was holding himself back, but only barely.

You’ve done that to him. You’ve brought him to the edge.

‘Well?’ he demanded, suddenly fierce. ‘What do you say?’

‘What about an heir?’ I asked, my voice thick and sleepy sounding. ‘Constantine promised me that too.’

For the first time since he’d brought me here, I saw uncertainty ripple over his features. ‘Children? Really?’

‘Yes. Wintergreen is a family company and I need a family to pass it on to.’

All the warmth and desire in his eyes drained away, his expression shutting down hard. ‘No,’ he said flatly. ‘No. I won’t give you that.’

Something in my stomach lurched, even though I knew I should have expected it. After that night in the sea, I knew how he felt about the issue of kids.

But Wintergreen was important to me. Passing it on to my children was important to me. I’d hoped that by having Constantine I could bypass the issue of IVF, but if Val wasn’t prepared to give me a child, then what else could I do?

‘I’ll have to give myself a child, then, won’t I?’ I said, holding his gaze. ‘I assume that won’t be a problem?’

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