Harlequin Desire May 2015 - Box Set 2 of 2: Minding Her Boss's Business\The Sheikh's Pregnancy Proposal\Sex, Lies and the CEO by Janice Maynard

Author:Janice Maynard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Harlequin Desire
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

Gabe walked into Gerald Fortier’s office in Paris flanked by Xavier and Hasim, Gabe’s personal assistant, just ten minutes short of midnight. They were all wearing the formal business attire of Zahir: well-cut suits, white shirts with ties and white kaffiyeh headdresses fastened with black rope agals. Kadin’s agal was differentiated by the badge of his family, a lion rampant.

This was a meeting he had demanded ten days ago, after he’d received information that Nadia was not staying with an aunt in the South of France as her family had claimed but instead was shacked up with an Italian count in Tuscany. Fortier, clearly aware that Gabe could declare the marriage contract null and void on the basis of it, had ducked the meeting until now.

Gabe presented his ID to a doorman who seemed mesmerized by his scar, the headdress and the entourage. Seconds later, they stepped into the elevator to the penthouse suite. When they emerged, Fortier was standing at a large plate-glass window, staring out at the spectacular view of Paris at night and the glittering landmark of the Eiffel Tower.

Fortier turned to face Gabe. As always the older man’s expression was smooth and urbane, although when he noted the kaffiyehs, something usually reserved for formal or ceremonial occasions, his dark gaze became wary. He consulted his wristwatch, as if he were in a hurry to leave despite the late hour. “You’re lucky you caught me, I have a plane to catch.”

“To Tuscany?”

Fortier’s expression paled as he indicated they should sit down on the comfortable black leather chairs grouped around a coffee table.

Gabe ignored the offer of a seat. He produced a photocopy of a snippet from a French newspaper where Fortier had stated Gabe was holidaying in Tuscany with his daughter. “You know very well I’ve been in New York and the United Arab Emirates for the past few days.”

Fortier placed the page on the coffee table. “It was a solution. Damage control.”

“Only if I still wished to marry your daughter.”

Fortier stiffened. “There’s no reason our agreement can’t stand, especially since a substantial partial payment has been made. The agreement is sealed.”

“Not any longer.”

Fortier plowed on as if Gabe hadn’t spoken. “Of course I can compensate you for a certain...breach of the conditions.”

The breach being that Nadia was no longer a virgin and, according to the report Gabe had received, hadn’t been for quite some time. Gabe also happened to know that Gerald Fortier had been well aware of that fact when he’d signed the marriage agreement.

Until Gabe had spent that one night with Sarah he hadn’t realized just how much integrity in his relationships mattered. “I’m afraid,” he said softly, “that part of the agreement is nonnegotiable.”

There was a small, tense silence. Fortier’s gaze flickered over Xavier and Hasim, who were flanking Gabe in an unmistakably military fashion. Fortier jerked at his tie. “In that case I will require immediate and full repayment of the funds you’ve received.”

Gabe kept his expression neutral. With the small constitutional change Gabe’s father had made, repaying Fortier would not be a problem.

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