Chapter 4
The lawyer was the first one to react, choking on air. His fit continued as a pair of brown eyes brewed into a darker shade as they trained on Emily.
Though her gaze didn’t waver, her heart shuddered. Nicolas’s aura was a no-bullshit kind and maybe because she hadn’t faltered, his head tilted ever so slightly.
After what felt like the longest moment, he tore his gaze away. “You didn’t close the door, John?”
He winced. “I was in a rush. I know you hate tardiness.”
Nicolas shook his head. “What is the meaning of this? Did you hear what she just said?”
John scurried over to her. “Miss, I would advise you to step ou—wait. Aren’t you Emily Pinault?”
She flushed, but nodded. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
The lawyer’s face grew a bit red. “Oh, wow. I mean…wow. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I never thought I’d see you in California.
You haven’t put anything out in a while.
Wait. Are you actually working on something?
So the retirement rumors aren’t true, then?
Or am I getting ahead of myself and you’re just here for pleasure? ”
“John,” Nicolas interrupted with a deep voice. “Prior to your little chitchat, I had asked you what the meaning of this was. Are you two well acquainted?”
“Well, not necessarily, sir. This is Emily Pinault.”
“I know who she is.”
His eyes didn’t seem quite happy at the recognition.
Emily felt her expression faltering.
John grinned. “Of course, it'd be impossible not to with her being one of the best movie stars to walk the planet.”
“And why is the acclaimed ‘movie star’ suggesting that I take her hand in marriage?”
He was asking her, not John.
“Because I heard you’re in need of a wife.”
Nicolas’s eyes darkened. “Who sent you here?”
She held her hands up in mock surrender. “Whoa, slow down. I heard you say it yourself just now.”
“So you were eavesdropping.” His thumb ran against his bottom lip, his gaze assessing her. “I see old habits die hard.”
Heat crept into Emily’s cheeks. His eyes strayed on them for a split second.
She was embarrassed that he still remembered that. It was so long ago.
Then again, she did.
“No! I was—” Emily sighed. “Okay, maybe I was, but does that matter in the grand scheme of things?”
“Let me get this straight.” His posture straightened. “You eavesdropped and decided to propose? Is that what you’re trying to tell me right now?” His voice had the edge of a knife. “What do you think this is, some kind of auction? You throw in a bid and suddenly I’m yours?”
Would it be bad if I said ‘yes’? A snarky part of her thought.
Of course, it would be, Emily! The rational side informed.
“I’d suggest you get out of this room if you don’t want any problems between us, Miss Movie Star.”
A shiver hit her at Nicolas’s icy tone. But the more he froze over, the hotter she burned.
“I’m trying to solve your problem,” Emily fired back. “And don’t call me that.”
His eyes darted between her gaze as if he couldn’t believe she’d said that.
“I. Don’t. Need. You. To.” He enunciated each word slowly, as if he were teaching a child their ABCs.
“No, but what you do need is a wife.” His gaze hardened at that. “Turns out I need a husband too. Let’s help each other out. Simple as that.”
He leaned forward, his hands steepled. “What makes you think you’re qualified for that position?”
What is this? A job interview?
Burying the snarky remark, she forced herself to say otherwise. “You know my social standing and I know yours. But beyond that, I can give your company the kind of visibility no board member can argue with. My image might not be squeaky clean, but I have influence. Influence no one can deny.”
His brow rose with an unreadable expression.
“There will also be a prenup.”
A corner of Nicolas’s mouth twitched, his eyes brimming with amusement, but he said nothing.
She did her best not to waver under his gaze during the silence. It was causing something to happen inside her stomach. Butterflies? They better not be.
“Plus, there are no obligations about a business merger or anything of that sort. We can do this the old-fashioned way. No strings attached.” Her bottom lip slipped between her teeth, her patience growing thin.
Why is he so goddamn quiet? It’s unnerving.
Nicolas had been taking in every word she’d said without blinking. His eyes clung to her, as if she might vanish if he looked away.
Emily had never been the superficial kind, she tried not to overindulge in worldly pleasures, but Nicolas had her imagining what it was like to constantly get attention from someone who looked like him. It must be a riveting experience. Or it would be if he wasn’t such a pain in the ass.
His eyes drifted to her nervous lip bite. She could have sworn she saw the flicker of an impulse there, or maybe the alcohol had messed with her senses.
He turned to John. “You said to give them what they want, right?”
The lawyer’s eyes lit up with recognition.
“You have thirty minutes,” he said. “Call David to run her background. If there’s so much as a rumor that can’t be buried, we walk away.”
John left the room with his phone pressed to his ear. That was when Nicolas finally stood up.
She gulped.
He was tall. So damn tall. At least 6’5”.
Emily’s breath staccatoed as he walked toward her. One blink and he was already leaning in. The scent of him blurred her thoughts. Whatever it was, he smelled exquisite. It must have been custom-made to match the kind of man he was.
His lips were an inch away from her ear as he spoke. “If I say yes to this proposition, you do understand what you’re getting yourself into, right?”
She didn’t flinch. Not with the smugness dripping from his voice.
“Do you?”
The heat which had bloomed behind her ears faded as his mouth went away. She felt colder than before with it gone. Certainly the aftereffects of the alcohol from earlier.
This time Nicolas didn’t try to hide how humored he was as a wicked grin split across his face.
“I’m just making sure that you understand.
I’m not the one who looks like she’s auditioning for a role in some noir film.
” He tilted his head, intensely eyeing her.
“Misunderstood heiress? Disillusioned actress? Runaway bride?”
“I’m not a runaway bride.”
She hated how she couldn’t deny the other two.
“Really? Then why can’t I seem to believe you? It sure doesn’t help your case smelling like Veuve Clicquot.”
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Damn him.
“I had a…moment,” she muttered, her cheeks betraying her as the earlier flush returned.
His eyes caught it. “I can tell.”
She frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Women who have moments…” He ignored her caustic tone, his gaze lingering just a beat too long. “They’re usually the ones worth remembering.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Words floated in her mind, but none felt safe enough to say. Emily feared she’d already crossed enough lines tonight. His eyes zoned in on the intake, but his words landed somewhere else, a place that seemingly bothered him by the way his face went rigid.
“I still can’t understand why you need me to marry you. Aren’t you engaged to Mallion?”
He spoke Jake’s surname with deep distaste, which was unsurprising given the rivalry between their agencies.
Still, Nicolas held the upper hand. He owned an entire media group, not just any company or a single agency.
Its status, revenue, and reputation overshadowed any rivals, even if those rivals existed mostly as a benchmark on paper.
“Miss Pinault, are you listening? I’m trying to tell you that I’m not willing to be a cuckold—”
“A what?”
“You heard me.”
She gaped at him. Downright had her jaw almost touching the floor.
This man…
Yes, he was right to ask what he had. Her dating Jake was public knowledge. It would’ve been strange for him to agree to this proposition without knowing they’d broken up. But to have heard this shocked her. It was the last thing she expected from someone who looked so…proper.
Emily’s eyes narrowed. “How do you even know about my engagement?”
Nobody knew about it except Zariah and Chelsea whom she’d told to keep it a secret from their family until the time was right. Meaning until they tied the knot and they’d have no choice but to accept Jake. Or she’d hoped they would have…if she ever spoke to them again.
“There are eyes and ears everywhere, darling. It’d be best to remember that.”
She smirked, ignoring the term of endearment. It felt condescending if anything. “Well, the engagement’s off. I take it that’ll rid your fear of being the other man.”
A dark glint sparked inside Nicolas’s eyes. “I assure you, if you were my wife, you’d know there could be no other man.”
Her heart beat wildly within her chest and before she could reply, Zariah burst through the doors, breathless with two phones in one hand and their purses in the other.
“Gosh, Emmy, you scared me! I’ve been looking everywhere for you…” Zariah trailed off when she realized there was company.
“Hello,” she greeted Nicolas.
He gave a curt nod.
Much to Emily’s surprise, his eyes were still on her.
She swallowed nervously.
Was he going to say something else? Even with a new audience? She hadn’t minded John, so maybe he wouldn’t mind her friend.
Zariah was quick to usher her out before he got the chance to prove that though. “Let’s go before someone makes a story out of you.”