Page 32 of Protégé King

As to what this is, I keep it straight and to the point. “A favor, Alana,” I say, letting my hand fall away from her hair. “I need this merger to happen.”

“A favor,” she repeats flatly, before adding, “Ten years later?”

“Do favors have a time limit?” I challenge.

“What does me being your fiancée do to help you close the deal?”

“The board feels like me in a committed relationship is a better look than me as a bachelor. They want me married off before I take the seat.”

“Married? Oh, no,” she says, holding up a hand stop sign fashion. “That’s not happening.”

“I don’t have to marry you, Alana. I just need them all to believe I will. The two of us together will get plenty of the right press. And we’ll be convincing in a way I wouldn’t be with anyone else. We have a history. There is no one in this world who knows me like you do.”

“I knew you ten years ago.”

“You know me better than anyone,” I repeat.

“I’m not sure what that says about you,” she contemplates.

“I’m sure you’ll analyze me and figure it out.” My lips curve. “You were always analyzing me.”

She doesn’t laugh or smile. “What do you want from me, Damion?”

“I told you—”

“Specifically.” She enunciates with a tart tone.

“You can begin by going to dinner with me,” I say. “We’ll start the buzz and talk this out.”

“I don’t want to go to dinner with you.”

“Pretend you do.”

“How do you know I don’t have a man in my life who will be bothered by this?” she counters.

If she did, I would have already gotten rid of him, I think but what I say is, “I have ways of finding out things. You know that.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Dinner, Alana,” I repeat. “Now. Tonight.”

“How long do I have to play this little game?” she asks.

“If we get her to sign the deal quickly, there will still be a due diligence period when it could all fall apart. As long as that takes.”

“No,” she says. “That’s too open ended. You have a month. That’s all.”

“Three,” I counter.

“Two,” she says.

“Two and half,” I argue.

“Two,” she replies firmly. “And only if the terms are acceptable.”

“Then we’ll talk over dinner.” I offer her my hand to help her out the door.

She just stares at me with those pretty green eyes of hers.

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