Page 26 of An Inevitable Marriage

He’d never heard me speak to anyone like I spoke to Snow. Because I never had. It was the strangest thing. With her, words effortlessly rolled off my tongue. And after knowing her for less than a day, getting under her skin became my new favorite hobby.

Could have been because of the way those green eyes widened. Or possibly how she tugged her lip between her teeth or chewed on the inside of her cheek. Maybe it was the way her breath hitched when her gaze met mine.

I didn’t know.

Just that I didn’t hate it.

“All right.” Tristan cleared his throat. Obnoxiously loud. “Let’s get started.”

Disappointed that the moment with Snow was over, I parked my ass—so did she—and listened while Tristan read over the contract.

“Ten million is too much,” Snow said softly.

She didn’t look at me. Her attention was on Tristan, and just as I had with Rafe, I had a very strong desire to shove him out of the way so I could take his place.

“It’s what we agreed on.” I was proud of the steadiness in my tone. Especially since my insides were anything but.

She turned to me then, and man, I swear, I’d never get used to the feeling I felt the instant her eyes landed on me.

“No, we didn’t. You threw the number out, then left.”

“Actually, you were the one who left.” My brow quirked. “If you want to get technical about it.”

Snow’s gaze narrowed dangerously. “I just left the room;youleft the conversation. Not that it matters because I never agreed to that amount.”

“I’m sorry,” Tristan interrupted. “Are you saying you want less money, not more?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Snow and I spoke at the same time.

Tristan’s gaze flicked from mine to Snow’s before settling on mine again. He didn’t even have to open his mouth, I saw the “what the fuck” written all over his face.

“Listen,” I started. “We’re not going to get anywhere like this. The contract says ten million. Keep what you want and donate the rest. Or maybe give it to your family. You are doing this for them, after all.”

At the mention of the people she so clearly cared about, a mask of sadness fell over her face. It didn’t stay there, though. She schooled her features almost immediately, but I hadn’t missed it.

My heart did that funny thing again, where it beat too fast and felt too big for my chest.

“Is your father doing better?”

I hadn’t meant to ask; the words just slipped out. But honestly, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wondered about it since I’d overheard her phone conversation.

“He’s…not.” Her lids fluttered closed, and she inhaled deeply. Once, twice before those eyes were on me again. “If it’s all the same, I’d rather not talk about it here, now. Or ever.” The last part came out soft and a little broken.

What an asshole I was for making her hurt. I opened my mouth with an apology poised on the tip of my tongue. She was faster.

“Can we maybe speed this up?” Her attention was on Tristan again. “I don’t mean to sound rude or anything like that. It’s just… Today is my only chance to get the rest of my things from my old apartment before—”

“You’re moving? I thought I made it clear we’d live at the penthouse.”

“Really?” She rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you give me a chance to actually finish my damn sentence? I know where we’ll live, but we’re not married yet, and until the day we say ourI do’s, I can do whatever I want. So if I want to move out of my apartment and stay in a motel, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

“You’re not really staying at a motel?”

Snow crossed her arms over her chest. “So what if I am? Are you afraid it might ruin your squeaky-clean reputation to have your future wife stay at some cheap motel?”