TWO
“GIANNA SEAR,” Spurn said, sinking down into his supple leather chair. “You are mysterious.”
She could say the same about him.
“Which you’re going to tell me men hate,” she said, not expecting him to dip his chin in agreement? Agreement? He wasn’t an easy guy to read. “What is it you want, Mr. Spurn?”
He gestured to the chair opposite, swinging the glass in his fingertips. “Your associate doesn’t understand.”
Associate? According to his reputation, Brogan Spurn didn’t have a friend, thus wouldn’t know the meaning of the word.
Gia ignored his invitation to sit down. “Understand?”
“Money.”
“Her family isn’t one of privilege, but she understands what is important.”
“What’s that?”
“The people we love.” Cute. And God if he didn’t just have the gall to stifle a smile… badly. “She’s a good person. Shanna and I met at Lighting Darkness, a charity organization that offers a lifeline to people in their lowest, most difficult, moments.”
This time he did smirk. “Your father despises altruism.”
“He prefers Lighting Darkness to the volunteering I do in the homeless shelter several times a year. The former I can do from home.”
Her father’s preference was always that she remain at home as often as possible.
“Pretty little do-gooder,” he said. “No surprise you’ve taken on a hopeless cause like Jarrod.”
“Shanna loves Jarrod.”
“Except he’s taken off.”
“He loves her too. Your brother just has… issues.”
“Half-brother. He’s been into drugs for a decade. His addiction is no secret.”
Implying any woman knew what she was getting into?
“The addiction is in his past,” she said. “He’s clean.” Spurn rolled his eyes, to which she bounded forward. “Who are we to judge him? Even if he is back on drugs, he needs help not criticism.”
“Mysterious and na?ve.”
And if she hadn’t been raised with manners and restraint, she might repeat what she’d heard about him.
Deep breath.
“Your mother loved Jarrod’s father once, just as she loved yours. Doesn’t family mean anything to you?”
“My mother is on husband number five or six. She left me with my father just as she left Jarrod with his. That’s where the similarity begins and ends.”
“I don’t believe you have so little humanity. Shanna needs help. Your brother needs help. If you hate his family so much, why not stick it to them and do what they won’t?”
Intrigue piqued him. “You are your father’s daughter, Miss Sear. I’d recognize that manipulative streak anywhere. Unfortunately for you, I’m not easily led. You’re clearly the opposite, which gets me wondering, why not fund the foolish endeavor yourself?”
No amount of preparation or expectation could quell the embarrassment.
“I don’t have access to funds.”
Brief amusement captured him. “Excuse me?”
Gia exhaled. “My father doesn’t like my charitable work. I live at home, I have a driver and a car, but he got tired of me cashing in my jewels and clothes. My mother picks out those things when I need them.”
“Mysterious is accurate,” he said. Just as she was about to tell him to go to hell, he gave what she took as a compliment. “You’re headstrong.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded once. “I’ll fund your friend’s crusade.”
Really? That was… it took her stuttering brain a minute to respond. “You will?”
Her father and brother spoke of this man as the most unreasonable person on the planet, yet she’d said next to nothing to persuade him and there he was offering everything Shanna needed.
“Mr. Spurn, I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Thank you is traditional.”
“Yes,” she said, still in too much shock to smile. “Thank you. Shanna will be overjoyed.”
And she couldn’t wait to tell her friend of the breakthrough. She got a few steps closer to the exit only to be stalled by his words.
“Quid pro quo, Miss Sear.”
Naive hadn’t been far off the mark. Of course he wasn’t doing this out of the goodness of his heart.
Turning slowly, she was almost afraid to ask. “What do you want?”
Satisfaction seasoned his sinister smile. “Your compliance.”
Gia closed her eyes slow and tight. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. It couldn’t mean anything good.
“I… What?” she asked when her eyes opened to this unfortunate reality. “My compliance?”
“As arm candy.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“You get your money and do what you’re told. It’s that simple.
“Do as I’m told?”
“I have no interest in romantic entanglements right now.”
Information that should be completely irrelevant to her, unless he had dishonorable intentions.
“Meaning you have no interest in being loving or attentive.”
“No need. Our relationship would not be real. You’d be a facade. A woman on my arm for social functions.”
“There are women you can hire to be your romantic partner. They’re called prostitutes.”
The slant of his mouth unnerved her. “You come from one of the most respectable families in the country. At least they were at one time. I don’t need a floozy, I need a lady, someone with credibility. Mysterious though you are, you’re also one of the most desirable women in society circles.”
“This is insane, I could never consider—”
“You’re not seeing anyone. You’ve had no romantic involvement since you ended your relationship with Garrett eight months ago.”
Shock upon shock. “How on earth do you know that? You didn’t know I—”
“No one makes it onto my schedule without full vetting.”
“You lied. You knew I was coming?”
Instinct tempted her to walk out. In other circumstances, she might throw a drink in his face first. Mentally throw a drink. Her father would drop dead if she did something so flamboyant in real life.
“Though not that you’d present this offensive request,” he said. “Jarrod deserves his mess. It’s an insult to assume I would help you out of nothing more than goodwill.”
“You want me to refuse?” Checking out his profiles online she’d learned of his vast empire.
The billions of dollars, real estate, private jet…
The women that came and went from his life were plentiful.
He didn’t need a facade. “You had no intention of helping us. Why let us come here, hat in hand, if—”
“A test of your nerve,” he said.
“This was a game?”
“Everything’s a game, Miss Sear. You don’t get a ‘this’ without a ‘that’ in my house. My offer stands as stated. Only you can choose whether to accept or decline.”
Like it or not, Brogan Spurn was their last hope. “What do I have to do?”
“Simple,” he said. “Do as you’re told and tell no one of our arrangement.”
“No one?”
“I will decide if and when others need to be included.”
Yeah, why would he bother to treat her as an equal when the goal was likely humiliation?
“We would be in a pseudo relationship?”
“Yes,” he said, “a serious relationship.”
“And the duration?”
“Until I say otherwise.”
Ha! That was worthy of a laugh. “No. Indefinitely? No one would agree to that.”
“Eight weeks.” Specific. And quick. Another test? “If you renege on the deal, I drop everything and take my money with me.”
“And if you can’t find Jarrod?”
“I can,” he said without an ounce of humility. “There will be ground rules.”
“Such as?”
“Subject to change. Number one is always unequivocal compliance. At all times you will defer to me.”
An all-consuming relationship like that was alien. An all-consuming romantic relationship anyway. A familial relationship like that though… Which led to the first, insurmountable, obstacle.
“My father won’t allow it.”
“Leave your father to me. Once the contracts are signed your business matters become mine.”
“Contracts?” And she hadn’t been talking business. “I don’t have assets or money—”
“You won’t need either,” he said. “Not from the Sears.”
“You want me to prostitute myself to you? That’s what it would be, Mr. Spurn, money for Shanna, sex from me.”
He showed no reaction at all. “Forget about sex. Concern yourself with selling this publicly.”
“This…? Being your girlfriend.”
“Yes,” he said. “For eight weeks, lead the world to believe we are an item. Make them believe it.”
With reassurance sex wasn’t on the table, she could at least consider the request.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Shanna could need thousands of dollars, maybe millions, who knows? Someone could be holding Jarrod hostage. You would bankroll her mission in exchange for a few dates with me? Why?”
“Does it matter?” he asked. “Jarrod’s addiction is just another of your charities. You care for your friend and want to help her.”
And this was a way to do that.
“Is this about my father? You know if I tell him we’re dating that he’ll have a fit.”
“This is not about him. My grievances with your family are strictly business. I have no personal vendetta against them or desire to damage them personally.”
“Then why?”
He stood slowly. “That’s not important. Do as you’re told, maintain the pretense no matter the cost, and keep this arrangement secret… even after it’s over.”
Another deep breath.
She curled her fingers into her palms and moistened her lips. “I agree to be your girlfriend for eight weeks with no obligation to sleep with you, and you’ll give Shanna what she needs to find Jarrod.”
He nodded once. “Do as you’re told, Gianna. For eight weeks. That’s it.”
Resolved, she marched over, arm extended. “Deal.”
“Good,” he said, wrapping his hand around hers. “I’ll pick you up at eight on Sunday.”
“Sunday?”
“Yes,” he said. “Leave your measurements with my assistant, she’ll send you something appropriate to wear.”
Given her mother kept her wardrobe under lock and key. He’d been paying attention. She almost gave him points for not highlighting the fact, that was until his expression loosened. So easily amused. It couldn’t be any plainer.
“You’re enjoying this already.”
“You’ll be given a credit card and an expense account as any of my serious girlfriends would.”
“Serious?” she said, unsticking her thoughts to ask. “How many girlfriends do you have?”
“For the next eight weeks? One. You. And you will be equally faithful to me.”
“You don’t know everything.” Man was cocky in his confidence. “I could have a boyfriend right now.”
He opened his laptop. “You do. Me. Now get out of here; I have work to do. Be ready on time. Don’t keep me waiting.”
“I waited two hours for you today,” she said, putting her glass on the desk. “If you do it again, I’ll respond in kind.”
Spinning around to stride away, she could feel his eyes burrowing into her. As she opened the door and glanced back, that suspicion was confirmed.
They shared a split second of eye contact, just long enough for both to know the other had seen it and then she carried on out to tell Shanna the good news… such as it was.