Page 178 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

“Yes,” he says as if the answer steals his breath away.

I can’t stop shaking my head. Frankly, I don’t even want to talk about it anymore. The more we do, the easier it’ll be for him to convince me that his engagement isn’t as solid as a contract signifies.

“It’s fine, Hercules. We don’t have to talk about it. Let’s just not talk about it.” I pull my legs on the sofa and sit with them crossed. “We’re planning a party for two friends who are getting married. It’s a happy occasion. So let’s talk about that. And only that.” My smile falters by the end of my release of unedited words.

Hercules carefully rises to stand. I keep my watery eyes on him until he sits beside me. Oh gosh. I can’t stop myself from inhaling deeply, drinking in his delicious scent as it wafts across my face.

“Paisley, I never go down without a fight. And I’ve done a lot of fighting, and I’m still standing.”

“Okay” narrowly escapes my throat. The desire to kiss him has turned into a need especially when he puts a hand on my knee.

“Just so you can get a better understanding. This is how it works. Every seven years, on the third quarter, a substantial amount of money is paid to the most deserving Valentine clans. An amount is determined by a stepdown scale of value points. But you have to have at least fifty million in the bank to be considered for the payout. Hugo Thomas Valentine, the one who created the stipulations, wanted to make sure those who plundered their assets were through.” He pauses for what I guess is an effort to see if I’m following him.

I nod.

He nods then says, “Males who marry a fifth or sixth cousin land a substantial amount of the trust. There are only six families in the running. A marriage between Rain’s family and mine could be beneficial to both sides.”

I’m sort of floored by what he just revealed. I want to ask what century his family thinks they’re living in. But I remember my parents’ push for me to marry Ronald Ashton. The one thing both circumstances have in common is money.

I shake my head as I stare unfocused at the coffee table. “It’s so funny. Those who believe money could make them happy have never had a lot of it. That’s why every single cent that I have could just dwindle away. As long as I live among my friends and I have my imperfect family who loves me just as much as I love them, I’ll be happy.”

I face Hercules. I’m instantly lost in his sexy eyes.

His Adam’s apple bobs, and he whispers, “I have to tell you something.”

His tone alarms me, and I brace myself for bad news. “Okay.”

“Rain is living in my building for now.”

I inhale rapidly. “She’s living in your penthouse?”

“No.” He shakes his head vigorously. “She’s in a guest apartment on the other side of the building.”

There’s something I saw in his cousin’s eyes that I’m not sure he’s aware of. “She likes you, Hercules. She wants to be married to you.”

He falls back against the sofa. “I know. But I’m never marrying her.”

“But you signed a contract.”

“It’s only binding for the purposes of the trust.”

“And if I you don’t go through with it?”

“Then I lose my inheritance.”

I take a moment to examine how relaxed he looks about losing his money. “Is that okay with you?”

“I don’t live on my inheritance, Paisley.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “No?”

“No. I live off interest from my investments. It’s not the Valentine billions that benefit from grandfathered interest rates, but I’m successful in my own right.” Hercules gets cozier as he smirks and stretches his arm across the top of the sofa and behind me. “You have your royalties, and I have my interest.”

I release my tension with a chuckle. “I guess so.”

You can’t kiss him, Paisley

“Well…” I suddenly lean forward to open the storage drawer of the coffee table and take out the sheet of paper that had been placed in an envelope and taped to my door, waiting for me when I got home last night. “This is a list of my duties. Two of them, she wants me to do with you. Like plan the joint bridal shower and bachelor party. The problem is, I’ve never even been to a wedding, let alone participated with any festivities associated with one.”