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I toss my pen onto the desk and push my paperwork aside when my phone rings.

“Julian,” Caesar says when I answer, “it appears one of your accounts was hit by fraud. This morning, there’s been a string of charges from bulk food and bedding companies, like Costco and Pottery Barn, and toy stores.”

“No fraud,” I say.

“Are you opening a homeless shelter?”

“No, it appears I’m just financing one. All charges on that card are approved.”

23

After the fewdays of hell I’d had, I woke up this morning to something to smile about.

Fresh pink peonies in a pink vase were on the nightstand.

A note written in Julian’s handwriting was beside them, making my heart fuzzy.

You’re used to peonies being delivered daily.

Here’s my credit card. Buy yourself something nice.

Be good.

Julian said to never expect romance from him, but flowers sound pretty romantic to me.

I’ve spent the day carrying the peonies around with me everywhere.

In the bathroom when I showered.

In the closet when I got dressed.

And now, they’re next to me as I sit at the island, shopping on my MacBook.

I’m not shopping for myself.

The shelter needs supplies, and usually, I spend a few thousand dollars a month buying them. Just because I’m broke now doesn’t mean those necessities disappear.

A smart person would probably use the credit card to buy a plane ticket or flee the country. But I refuse to spend my life running, and I signed a contract. My father might’ve ruined our family name, but I’m still an Astor who keeps her word.

I’m also almost positive Dima would hunt me down.

That man seems adamant I’ll be his wife.

So, uterus, buckle up and start doing your thing, please.

Dima surely won’t want a wife knocked up by another man.

When I finish shopping, I open a new browser tab to a grocery delivery service, place an order, and then text Julian.

Me: Come home tonight. I have a surprise for you.

Julian made a big mistake.

He proved to me that hecouldbe romantic.

I’m going to make him realize it.

Show him his heart isn’t as black and wicked as he thinks.