Page 11 of Their Diamond Ring Ruse

She wanted to touch him. Find out how hard his body was. Run her fingers through the short, soft red hair that was cut so perfectly that even though she expected it to curl over his collar, it never did.

‘Um...give me a moment. It’s a bit crazy in here. I need to deal with a few more customers then we can talk.’

He gave her a single nod. No words. Just one efficient movement.

She rushed back behind the counter and apologised to her customers before helping them as quickly as possible. In a matter of minutes the queue had cleared, leaving her free to deal with Julian.

‘Let’s go to my office,’ she said.

Her stomach did a little somersault at the thought of being alone with him.

She led him through the passage at the back of the bakery, past the busy kitchen to a closed door at the end. She held it open for Julian, shutting it once he was through and inviting him to take a seat in front of her messy desk. Her computer sat idle to one side. A cork board on the wall was pinned with a slew of slips and papers and different types of ribbon.

To an outsider, it probably looked like chaos. To Lily, it was perfectly ordered.

She took the seat beside his, angling herself towards him. ‘What did you want to talk to me about?’

‘I need you to listen to me with an open mind. What I’m about to say could benefit us both.’

She was intrigued. But also, given the current state of her life, a little apprehensive. ‘I’ll try my best.’

‘That’s all I ask.’

She watched him study her, making her feel even more antsy.

‘I have a proposition for you. A mutually beneficial one.’

‘Oh...?’ She frowned.

His eyes flicked to her forehead before landing on her eyes once again. Lily suspected nothing slipped by his notice.

‘I can get rid of your Lincoln Harrison problem. In return, you can help me get close to your brother, and thereby gain access to a group of people that holds a lot of money and influence in this city.’

‘What? How?’

Her heart began beating wildly. She was willing to listen to anything that would free her of Lincoln.

‘All we have to do is pretend to be engaged.’

That drew her up short.

Lily was certain her heart had now ceased beating. There was certainly no air in her lungs. So she had no idea how she managed to say, ‘Engaged...’ It somehow managed to sound like a question, a statement and a panicked breath all in one.

‘I realise this might seem a bit extreme, but you agreed to try to keep an open mind,’ Julian said.

How the hell could he speak so calmly?

She swallowed hard. ‘I did.’

‘Clearly you are aware of my reputation...’ He paused, continuing only once she’d nodded. ‘Having you as my fiancée will soften my image. In addition, it will make people more amenable to me joining their circle. Zenith. In terms of your situation, being engaged will make it a lot harder for Lincoln to marry you. You could have your freedom. After an appropriate amount of time we will call the engagement off, by which point you should be out of your brother’s house and free to seek any path you wish. I’ll make sure you’re free. You have my word.’

‘Julian...’ Lily said on a breath.

She didn’t know what to say. How could she trust that Julian would let her go afterwards? She couldn’t trust her own family to look out for her. Though she was willing to extend a small amount of trust towards Julian when she told him of the arranged marriage.

‘I’ll put out the word that we’ve been seeing each other secretly,’ he went on. ‘But with your father’s sudden passing we realised it was time our relationship was out in the open.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ She pushed off the chair, pacing to the cork board and back, seeing nothing of her office. ‘People already think I’m with Lincoln—or entangled with him in some way. This would be scandalous. And what about the fact that people are genuinely afraid of you?’

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