Page 2 of A Nine-Month Deal With Her Husband

‘I wish I knew why she lied to me and why she never told me who my real dad was.’

The pain in Millie’s eyes was tangible, a living, breathing thing, and Benedikt wanted to pull her into his arms, to give her the support she so badly needed. But he didn’t know her well enough. She was his dead partner’s kid—to her he was the guy who now ran her mum’s business. They weren’t friends—hell, they were barely more than acquaintances.

But Benedikt did wonder why some people—he and Millie, for instance—won the ‘one bad parent’ lottery.

‘It’s obvious Magnús wants me out of his life and I most certainly would like him out of mine,’ Millie told him, sounding much older than her eighteen years.

Ben would like Magnús out of his life as well, but he didn’t see any way of that happening any time soon. Sadly. Benedikt noticed the gleam in Millie’s eyes and recognised it as the same one her mother had when she was hatching a plan...

Danger ahead.

‘Magnús has a lover, she’s been around for a few years,’ Millie stated. ‘I’m not sure if their affair started before or after Mum got sick, but he’s besotted with her. Or besotted with her money.’

He was aware of Magnús’s wealthy lover.

‘He wants to move to Italy with her but, per Mum’s will, he can’t leave Iceland. He has to stick around and look after my interests until I turn twenty-five,’ Millie continued. ‘The only way he can leave Iceland, and be rid of me, is if he resigns as my trustee.’

‘But that will only happen in seven years,’ Benedikt pointed out.

Millie’s gaze was steady on his face. ‘Or it could happen sooner if I marry,’ she stated. ‘I looked at her will. If I marry, my husband can take over as my trustee.’

This was another of her crazy schemes and Benedikt felt ice invade his veins. Millie, Reykjavik’s wild child marrying?

‘That’s a crazy idea, Millie!’

She shook her head. ‘No, it would work! If I choose the right man and if I made a deal with him.’

He couldn’t believe he was having this mad conversation, but Benedikt was intrigued enough by her mature tone and her direct gaze to roll his finger, suggesting she continue.

She leaned back, crossed her legs and folded her arms. ‘I think a marriage of convenience would be the way to go and the marriage would be nothing more than a legal document. I want to go to the UK to study, get out of Magnús’s life and start a new chapter. I know Magnús will be thrilled to be rid of me. He might even forget about charging me with theft of his Ferrari.’

‘Those charges won’t stick.’ He hoped.

‘Maybe not, but it’ll be another scandal.’

‘You’ve told me why marrying would work for you and for Magnús,’ Benedikt stated, ‘but what’s in it for the guy who you plan on marrying? He’s got a stake in this, too.’

He recognised her sly smile and narrowed his eyes at her. She’d borrowed the smile from her mum and it meant trouble. ‘I know you have someone in mind, Millie,’ he told her, feeling sorry for her victim.

She nodded. ‘I do. He’d get rid of Magnús and be able to run this place without interference, from either Magnús or me. He’d be able to live his life exactly as he did before—we’d both pretend we weren’t married and wouldn’t impose any conditions on each other.’

Right.Hewas her intended victim.Gut-punch.

Millie continued her explanation. ‘I want to do an art degree and become a jewellery designer. When I take control of the trust and the shares, in seven years, I’ll sell you my half of the business. All you’d have to do was to stay married to me until then.’

By marrying Millie, he would gain complete control of PR Reliance and could implement everything Magnús had vetoed. He could expand, venture into new markets and take some risks he knew would pay off. He’d have freedom in his business life. And, if he was hearing Millie right, in his personal life as well. Since breaking his engagement to Margrét, Ben had had only puddle-shallow encounters with women. He had no intention of marrying, or makinganytype of commitment, to a woman again. Marrying Millie wouldn’t cause a ripple in his personal life, but it would reinvigorate his business life.

Once he moved past the shock factor, Benedikt couldn’t for the life of him see a flaw in her plan.

Apart from their age difference, it was a no-brainer. But if this was going to be a hands-off, business-only, don’t-have-anything-to-do-with-each-other marriage, would the eight-year difference between them matter? She knew what she was walking into, what she wanted from this arrangement.

After allowing him to think for a few minutes, Millie arched her black eyebrows. ‘Well? What do you think?’

Benedikt rubbed his jaw before speaking again. ‘I have two conditions,’ he replied.

Her eyes closed and she shook her head. ‘Of course you do,’ she muttered. ‘I thought I covered all the bases. Why can’t anything be simple?’ She sighed. ‘What is it?’

He allowed a small smile to touch his lips. ‘One, you stop hitting the headlines. And, two, you allow me to run PR Reliance without any interference from you.’

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