Page 89 of Forbidden Protector

“You’re proposing... to date me?” Roisin’s voice carries a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

“I’m proposing we date while we’re engaged.”

She begins to lean forward, eyes never leaving the ring. But then she hesitates. “But this is too much, I mean...”

“I want to do this properly,” I reassure her. “I want to take you to the movies and to fancy restaurants like this. I want to go see your plays and be on your arm at the after-parties. And if it works? If we can tolerate each other and want to take things further, then you can make that call. I won’t force myself on you.”

I take her hand in mine. “But I also want to try.” I’m an assassin. I get what I want through stealth, persistence, and firepower. But what I want from Roisin can’t be bought that way.

Roisin bites her lip, her expression betraying her turmoil. “Why can’t we just date without the ring?”

I look away. This isn’t where I wanted the conversation to go, but she deserves the truth, however hard.

She seems to sense my resistance. “What?”

“If you don’t want to do this, you are entirely within your rights,” I explain. “But I won’t lie to you, Roisin. If this engagement doesn’t happen, the contract between your brother and me becomes void. I promise you I will do right by your brother to the best of my ability. But if anything were to happen to me…”

Roisin’s hand tenses in mine. “How much does he owe you?”

“Everything.”

“What do you mean, everything?” she says in disbelief. “You’re partners, right? He must have paid for something.”

I shake my head, a sense of resignation settling over me.

“So everything in that warehouse...”

“Every salary, every bailout,” I clarify. “My name is even on the vodka paperwork.”

Roisin seems to grapple with the gravity of the situation. “So if anything were to happen to you, it would just go, vanish.”

I nod. “The entire empire. I have no heirs, so in the event of my death, by our contract, he would inherit it all.”

“Why would you do that?” Her voice trembles with emotion as she tries to understand.

“My uncle’s money is wasted on the likes of me. I was already independently wealthy; my contracts always had a steep price tag. But my uncle’s estate was astronomical. I have no need for it, nor do I want his blood money.” I pause, taking a deep breath. “Besides, he always hated the Irish.”

“I... Don’t know what to say.”

I try to ease the tension with a sigh. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to lay my cards on the table. But I mean it, Roisin. I never expected to like you as much as I do. And my parents—well, they were married but they hardly tolerated each other. I’d like to try something different.”

“Wait—” Her eyes widen in shock.

“What I mean to say is,” I cut over her before she can deny me a final truth. “It would be incredibly easy to fall in love with you, Roisin.”

In the soft, romantic glow of the restaurant, Roisin is utterly captivating. Her face is bathed in the warmth of her surprise, her features illuminated with a delicate radiance that accentuates her beauty. She embodies a captivating blend of vulnerability and strength, making her all the more enchanting in the soft, intimate ambiance.

I realize with a start how much I want this, to have the opportunity to fall in love with her. And how painful it would be if she were to reject me right now.

“Could I…” she whispers with uncertainty. “Try it on?”

“Of course.”

I take the ring out of the box myself, carefully placing it on her finger. It fits so perfectly, I can barely believe it.

“What do you think?” I say after clearing my throat.

“Arnie, it’s beautiful.”

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