Andie Brock - Vieri's Convenient Vows

But that was then. No sooner had Vieri paid the money into Leah’s account than she had absconded. But, crucially, not before he had announced to his delighted godfather that he had taken his advice. That his wish had been granted and Vieri would be introducing him to his fiancée in the very near future.

Now he was left with a problem. When security had alerted him that Leah was back he had made the short journey from his offices in Midtown Manhattan, determined to have it out with her, to make her honour the deal. But the defiant young woman perched on the seat before him wasn’t Leah McDonald and he was no closer to solving the infuriating situation.

Or was he? Harper McDonald said she had no idea where Leah was and he believed her. But maybe she could help him in another way.

Vieri coldly assessed the twin sister in front of him, his eyes narrowing as he waited for common sense to veto the crazy idea that had popped into his mind. Because it was crazy, wasn’t it?

‘So what do you intend to do?’ Harper’s anxious voice cut through his thoughts. ‘About Leah, I mean. Have you involved the police?’

‘Not yet. I prefer to deal with these things in my own way. For the time being at least.’ He drummed his fingers meaningfully on the desk.

It had the desired effect. He saw her swallow hard, her imagination no doubt running away with her. Well, he wasn’t going to try and stop it. For the time being it would suit his purposes to let her fear him. The fact that he abhorred physical violence and had striven to eradicate any organised crime from his establishments was of no consequence.

‘Look, I can help you find her.’ Like a fish on a hook, Harper squirmed about, trying to come up with something that would appease him. ‘And I’ll pay the money back myself if I have to. All of it.’

‘And how exactly will you do that?’ Vieri regarded her coolly. ‘From what Leah tells me, your family are destitute.’

He saw the flush creep up her neck. ‘She had no right to say such a thing!’

‘So it’s not true? Paying back thirty thousand dollars won’t be a problem?’

‘Well, of course it will a problem, the same as it would be for any normal family. But that doesn’t mean I won’t do it.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really.’ She pushed her hair away from her heated face. ‘I could work here, for example, for free, I mean.’

‘I think one McDonald sister working in this establishment was more than enough, thank you.’ Sarcasm scored his words.

‘Well, some other job, then. I’m practical and capable and a fast learner. I’ll do anything. I just need a bit of time and the chance to try and find Leah myself.’

‘Anything, you say?’

‘Yes.’ Sheer determination was written all over her pretty face.

‘In that case maybe there is something you could help me with.’ He deliberately held her gaze. ‘You could honour the commitment made by your sister.’

‘Yes, of course.’ She blinked, thick lashes sweeping low over those wide hazel eyes. ‘What is it?’

A beat of silence hung in the air.

‘To become my fiancée.’

CHAPTER TWO

‘YOUR FIANCÉE?’

The word sounded just as ridiculous when choked from Harper’s closing throat as it had done uttered from Vieri’s now purposefully drawn lips.

‘Si, that is correct.’

‘You want me to marry you?’

‘No.’ He gave a harsh laugh. ‘I can assure you it won’t come to that.’

‘What, then? I don’t understand.’

‘Your sister and I made a deal. In return for a generous payment she agreed to play the part of my fiancée for a limited period of time. It’s really not that complicated.’

Not to him maybe, or her loony sister. But Harper was certainly struggling with the concept. ‘But why? And what does limited mean?’

‘In answer to your first question, in order to please my godfather. And as for the second, it will just be for a matter of weeks, months at the most.’ He paused and took a breath. ‘My godfather is dying.’

‘Oh.’ Harper could see the pain in Vieri’s eyes. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Vieri shrugged. ‘His last wish is for me to settle down, take a wife, start a family. I would like to be able to fulfil that wish, in part at least.’

‘But how? I mean, if it’s just a lie...surely that wouldn’t be right?’

‘I prefer to think of it as a small deception.’

Harper frowned. It still sounded like a lie to her. ‘And Leah agreed to this?’ She didn’t know why she was bothering to ask. It was just the sort of madcap idea that her sister would leap at.

‘Actually, it was her idea.’

That figured.

‘So what exactly is the deal? What did Leah sign up for?’ She swallowed hard, bracing herself for the answer, a kick of dread in her stomach. Thirty thousand dollars was a huge sum of money. And had she heard him say that was the first instalment? But she knew Leah—she could have agreed to just about anything for such riches. An anything that Harper herself might now have to honour. It was a terrifying thought.

‘Flying to Sicily, meeting my godfather, acting like the doting fiancée.’

Harper nervously chewed her fingernail, waiting for more information.

‘It may entail several visits, maybe some lengthier stays. I would like to spend as much time with him as possible.’

‘I see.’ A tight silence fell between them as Harper tried to get to grips with this. ‘Go on.’

‘That’s it. The arrangement between Leah and myself was left deliberately fluid.’

Deliberately fluid? What the hell did that mean? Faced with this formidably handsome man, Harper found her thoughts flying in some very surprising directions. Reining herself in, she stared at him primly. ‘Obviously before I agree to anything I need to know what else would be expected of me.’

Vieri made a low noise in his throat. ‘If you mean will you have to share my bed, then the answer is no.’ His dark, mocking gaze slashed across her hot cheeks. ‘I am not in the habit of paying women to sleep with me.’

‘No, of course not.’ Harper hurriedly tried to erase the erotic image of being in Vieri’s bed. ‘Anyway, I know my sister would never have agreed to such a thing.’ That had to be true. Didn’t it? ‘And neither would I, to be clear.’

Argh. Why didn’t she stop digging and shut up?

‘I’m very pleased to hear it.’ His deep blue gaze slid over her. ‘So, do we have a deal? Are you prepared to take on your sister’s debt?’

‘I don’t know.’ Still Harper hesitated. ‘If I did, what would happen about Leah?’

‘I would have no further interest in her.’

If Harper had thought his bald statement would be a comfort, she was wrong. Suddenly the idea that Vieri Romano had lost all interest in her sister worried her almost as much as the thought of him hounding her. She didn’t know how to start tracking Leah down, whereas Vieri knew people; he would have contacts, resources at his disposal.

‘But what about this Rodriguez guy? You must want to speak to him?’ A sudden spark of hope mixed with fear lit inside her. ‘He might be the one responsible for stealing your money. He might have kidnapped Leah.’

‘Unlikely. From the little I saw of your sister she didn’t look like kidnap material.’

‘And what exactly does kidnap material look like?’ Harper indignantly challenged the idea that no one would want to kidnap Leah, and, by association, her too.

‘Heiresses, high-profile celebrities, children of the filthy rich.’

Clearly the McDonald sisters were none of those things.

‘Well, there’s the thirty thousand dollars. Rodriguez might have somehow lured Leah away to try and get his hands on that.’