Page 30 (1/2)

"Yes"

"But I don’t have to have sex with you"

"Right"

"If I don’t marry you, you won’t marry anyone else"

"Correct"

"And there’s no chance of you going to work for your family’s company"

He shook his head e ree toall yourthe rest of your life"

He blinked "Wellyes"

I snorted "Gee, no pressure"

He lifted his hands, palesture "It wouldn’t have to be forever Just five years and then we could get divorced"

"Five years!" I exclaimed, freshly horrified "I’m thirty-one years old, Jackson; that puts me close to forty by the time you’re finished with me!"

He looked pained by my choice of words "I think your math is a little off there, Bianca"

"What if I want kids? Have you considered that? By the tiet divorced, I’d be an old maid!"

He said, "Hardly And you could always do IVF I ate Or adoptwhy are you looking atan out-of-body experience Somehow I’ve been transported to an alternate universe where a psychotic billionaire is trying to convince ive up five years ofin love and sharing a future with someone Someone who loves me for who I am, not what I can do for him Do you really think any a?"

For a onized Really, truly pained, like I’d stabbed hiravelly voice, "You’re right" He sed and backed away a step "You’re absolutely right I’m so sorry This wasstupid Reckless I shouldn’t have thought you’dyou’re not the kind offuck Please forgive me"

He turned around and walked away at a pace that was close to a run

SEVENTEEN

BIANCA

Astonished, I watched Jackson go until finally he disappeared into the night,into the darkness like a phanto Eeny’s and Pepper’s excited questions with an order to get back to work that must have sounded appropriately sharp because they did what I asked, lickety-split

The rest of the night was a fog I kept seeing Jackson’s face when he toldhe said

I kept trying not to think about how a eoman would take him up on his offer

Because one would, I was certain of that Somehow he’d find a woive five years of her life in return Lord, I could think of half a dozen off the top ofin that icebox of ato see Jackson every day