Page 83 of Blackmailing the Bad Girl

“Yup. And you get to keep the money.”

She scowled. “I don’t want his money. I don’t need it anymore.”

“Then you can give it away to charity. Like you did with the money you stole from me.”

“You know about that?”

He nodded. “And you do realize that with Trenton out of the way, I am now the only person with evidence against you. You have to marry me—because husbands can’t be made to give evidence against their wives. It’s the only way you’ll be safe.”

“That’s certainly worth thinking about.”

He held out his hand. She slipped hers into his, and he tugged her up. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”

He wanted her to marry him, but how could she ever fit into his world? Did she even want to?

The answer flashed up in her mind straightaway. Oh, yes. If that meant she got to keep him, to spend her life with him, she’d put up with anything. But somehow, she didn’t think it would be so bad. He might be rich, but he was a good person.

She was clearly taking too long to answer, because he frowned and then pulled a second paper from his pocket. “Darcy suggested I was going to need something big to persuade you. This was all I could come up with.”

She took the paper from his hand. It was only a single line.

“In the event of her agreeing to our marriage, I, Nikolay Masterton, give all my worldly possessions to Summer Delaney.” It was signed and witnessed by Darcy and Regan.

“All rich people have prenups,” Nik said. “I thought I would keep ours simple.”

“You’re giving me everything? As simple as that?”

“Only if you take me with it. I love you, Summer. Give me a chance to prove it to you. Give me a chance to prove I’m worthy of you.”

She blinked away a tear. “I love you, too.” It was slowly sinking in. She wasn’t going to prison. And she was going to marry Nik, and she’d get to keep him forever, and he knew all her secrets, and he’d saved her life. Something occurred to her. She waved the paper at him. “Does this mean I’d have to buy my own ring?”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but I guess so.”

“Sod that.” She crumpled up the paper and tossed it on the floor. “I’m not buying my own ring.” Then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

A few minutes later, she came up for air and realized she’d forgotten to say the all-important words. He was watching her, an expectant look in his dark eyes.

“I will.”