ng her fate. Her mother's boutique-the only thing she had left of her-was slipping through her fingers.
tiny apartment. Rent was overdue, bills piled up on the counter, and her las
erse hadn't done enou
set you up on a blind date
nts still thought she needed to be fixed with a husband. Ever since Bra
ype a firm no when
a Grand. 8 PM. Just meet
ome casual coffee shop. T
ust dinner. And honestly? A free meal at one of the mo
-
The Asto
aiters who moved with the kind of quiet elegance that only came with exorbitant salaries. Elen
for her mystery date, when a deep
're l
That voice. Low. Command
her breath caug
in an impeccably tailored bla
-fiancé
hless bi
destroy her with
Damian's piercing blue
Si
ntense, unreadable-kept her rooted to the spot. Against her bet
be a mistake,"
, his expression un
sts beneath the table. "Did my
t waste time on blind dates. But since w
se pounded.
cument folder on the tabl
rry
len
restaurant fad
ure she'd mishear
full financial backing to save your mother's boutique
, her throat dry. "Why on ear
is trying to take my company, and the board is push
rocess. "So I'd just be... a paw
Ye
er screamed to walk away. But then she thoug
x months?" she
alk away with your
e reached for the contrac
Blackwood's cold, calculat
lways kept h
-
f the contract, her mind racing. Everyth
d y
bou
ther's
ancial struggles crush
emained impassive, but there was something in his eyes-an uns
ed, her voice stea
inst the table in measured pr
ffened. "C
plicate this arrangement. And unlike most women in my circles,
. Like
jaw, forcing herself
eal charmer,
the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "Thi
romantic about this. It was a c
ss as it was, the o
Her debt-erased. Six
one thing she
" she asked, watch
t suffocating. "Then you leave here tonight, go bac
coat things. He laid out the brutal tr
h twisted. "And
unctions by my side. Behave as my wife in public. And
it. Like signing away six months of
r fingers against the contract.
Then the deal is off, and
ran down
sk, no
ruggling... or take a gamble
d Mom tell
nd soul into it. If Elena let it go, she wouldn't just be lo
tightened a
Damian. This wasn
as su
h, she picked up t
hed for the contract and slid it back
oice," he said, rising
eady as she stood. "I'l
that might have been a smirk. "Pack
ch flipped
at s
have time
enced her. He wasn't just a man used to getting what he wanted
next six months,
ay, the weight of what she'
herself to a
was no tu