Page 21 of His Innocent Unwrapped In Iceland

Yet she didn’t want to stand there in silence. She had a plan and it didn’t involve two weeks of ‘excursions’.

‘That sounds lovely,’ she said, trying to sound cool and firm. ‘But I can’t stay, Orion. This isn’t actually a honeymoon—I mean, our wedding wasn’t even really a wedding—and I have to go home. I have to explain to the board what happened.’

Orion raised a brow. ‘Explain? Explain what? Your father and I have handled it, and the board will be fine with me as Kendricks’ new owner. And as far as our wedding not being a real wedding, I have the marriage certificate that proves otherwise.’

Irritation coiled inside her. ‘Youand he might have handled it, but how do you think that looks to the board? I’m supposed to be the CEO at some point and yet there are already deals being done behind my back, without my knowledge.’

‘As I said, I have that handled already,’ Orion stated calmly. ‘Besides, your father wanted you to marry someone, correct? Does it matter who?’

She wanted to tell him that of course it mattered who. Gianni had been chosen specifically because he was one of David’s protégé’s and well-respected by the Kendricks’ board. Someone who would bolster confidence in her, not someone who might cause them to question her leadership potential. The worst thing was that Orion was probably aware of how little they thought of her already. It was why he’d targeted Kendricks’. She was a vulnerability and everyone knew it.

Tension crawled through her, acid gathering in the pit of her stomach. The lovely warmth she’d woken up with was dissipating and reality was asserting itself, the fallout of yesterday crashing down on her.

‘I had to marry, Gianni,’ she forced out. ‘David was his mentor and he had standing with the board. It’s a family company and being oriented around Christmas, that’s what they require from their future CEO. A family. Me having to marry you at the last minute—’

‘Was not ideal,’ Orion interrupted with the same maddening calm. ‘Which was why, if you’d given me a moment, I would have told you that I’ve also been on a video call with the board of Kendricks’ this morning.’

Isla’s stomach dropped away. ‘What?’

‘I met with them to discuss the sale of the company to me. I wanted to tell them personally. Also that I planned to keep the company intact for the next year at least, and to give them some explanation for our marriage and why it occurred in the manner it did. Be assured.’

Shock coursed through her as she stared at him. ‘You couldn’t have waited for me so we could have told them together?’

He only stared back, completely at his ease. ‘I wanted to spare you the awkwardness of lying about how in love with me you were.’

Isla opened her mouth then shut it again, not knowing at all what to say to that.

‘I know that many of them don’t have confidence in you,’ he went on smoothly. ‘That they’re concerned you don’t have the backbone they need in a CEO. You’re too quiet and not authoritative enough. Too much your father’s yes man. And I find that puzzling because the woman I married yesterday wasallbackbone. There was nothing quiet about her when she grabbed my tie and kissed me.’

Isla could feel colour creeping up her neck and flushing her cheeks. She’d never had her weaknesses catalogued so completely one moment, before being refuted the next.

She looked away, unable to deal with the directness of his gaze, staring down at her hands clasped in front of her instead. ‘That’s because I was angry with you. I have to lock that down in the boardroom.’

‘Why? Anger can be a useful tool if you stay in command of it.’

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? She couldn’t stay in command of it. She had a problem with her temper and if she wasn’t careful, it got away from her. It had lost her that one family years earlier, and earned her father’s disapproval when she’d first started working at Kendricks’. She’d tried to bring up the subject of lifting wages for the lower-paid workers in the company, and had been roundly dismissed by the board. And she hadn’t thought. She’d argued and had ended up shouting, before leaving the room in tears. David had been horrified, but not more horrified than she was at herself. She’d kept herself under strict control ever since. Not that she was going to explain that to him.

‘Yes, well, be that as it may,’ she said coolly, lifting her gaze to his once more. ‘It was my responsibility to speak to the board, not yours.’

He shrugged, as if it was of no consequence. ‘Perhaps, but it’s done now. They were happy with my explanation so there’s no need for you to contact them. And our marriage is also done now.’

She wanted to shout at him, but there was nothing to be gained from it, since he was right. ‘So, what? I’m just your wife for ever?’

‘No. I promised your father a year. A year for you to remain as my wife. A year for you to be CEO. And a year for me to keep Kendricks’ intact.’

‘So what happens now?’

‘What happens now is our honeymoon. We can discuss the rest later. So, I’m sorry, Isla, but I’m afraid you’re staying. I have a helicopter flight planned to see some of the major volcanic sites. Also some skating on the lake. You can use your bikinis for a dip in the hot pool near the lodge, since the water is heated by a natural hot spring related to the volcanic activity in the area. I should imagine you’d like to see the northern lights too. Oh, yes, and I was thinking that we could also do an overnight trip to Amsterdam. I’m told the Van Gogh Museum is a must-see.’

The tension inside her pulled tighter. He’d taken control of the situation and of her so easily, and now she was here, in his territory, and it seemed to her as if he wasn’t going to let her leave.

‘Let me get this straight,’ she said, ignoring him. ‘You’re going to keep me here in this lodge, against my will, and we’re just going to...what? Go on little trips?’

He lounged back in his chair, the dark gold of his eyes gleaning wolflike in the wan, snowy light coming through the windows. ‘I’m not keeping you here against your will, Snow White. You can leave at any time. However, you’ll need a pilot since the lodge is only accessible by helicopter. Also, the weather forecast isn’t looking good for the next couple of days, so you’ll probably end up staying anyway.’ He smiled faintly. ‘Why not enjoy yourself while you wait?’

A shiver went through her at that smile and the suggestion of heat in his voice. Oh, yes, she could enjoy herself. Especially if it involved—

But no. She couldn’t get sucked intothatand the way he made her feel. She wasn’t sleeping with him, not again. And as for the ‘excursions’...

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