self to touch the c

at me, almost taunting me-like they al

MARRIAGE

sp black print, as if someone had al

ed up

e you been pl

h to know w

not an

u get, unless yo

a business marriage, setting the rules

the folde

I need something clear: Be

r said

t gives you a stake in the hote

p your o

write

ready in

to the n

ld stay in my name, and Mercer Holdings wouldn't get

d it

ng off the e

es

e renov

they stick t

ff? Their pay,

l provide the funds so

row

ounds g

t mistake busines

es. "Trust m

m, but I caught a t

ic appearances, shared residence, confidentiality, the le

ion made

ate be

es

ticular abo

exactly what I

to

er page. My ey

o attend three publ

rre

s over

reason

nning a hotel on th

the schedule ar

W

ant will h

ed the

the effort, but I won't

ze sha

asked y

write it l

ach other for

ed for t

you want

lin

l nego

you to just say y

e makes it ha

eone who just agreed with me,

ant as praise or an insult. Wi

ed the c

cisions. I need independent access to every account. And if you try to

t's

er reviews t

cour

udie

reeing pre

t affect wh

hat's

d straig

wif

I forgot to bre

at the

y n

ression

ha

e for twelve months? You're Raf

want just

esit

ut he didn'

I tried. "Family, business,

not re

're asking me

rward, hands

fe isn't open

d his

ldn't ask someone to

ost a bit

ns that have nothing t

life-altering decision without g

sil

he

ur lawyer look it over. You

-eight

nder won

e knew exactl

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pers, slid them b

call

ase

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s Ca

urn

more

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expect you to ho

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he same for yo

n't lo

we're

ternoon in my

I left, my h

ons. She insisted the financial support should be written

e getting into?" she asked, s

tand the

not what

oked

soft

ness deal, no matter how tightly the contract's

kno

feelings ge

out a

s unli

any men like Rafe

men to know money doesn't

even con

at the d

llamy Hous

ther's staff

I'd wondered which

e hotel disappe

hed across, sq

e yourself

h I had no idea

House, the lobby

. She'd been with my mother for over twenty years, a

back ear

hed my m

d me ca

good

ed to

ay

ce bri

s wond

ring myself

office but paused-voices spi

bers stood ne

ople are coming next

l happe

starting university soon. I c

es. Their fear

keep believing if I w

one b

l. Rafe

ARRIAGE A

ened

ted. Separate finances, ownership untoucha

legal team is re

so simple

was the sca

returned to Merc

reading something. When h

s Ca

Mer

cid

e contract

mos

es nar

's mi

answ

wh

k a b

me, R

I used his name. I h

not

ion zeroed

e the woman I

art t

personal, even if i

have felt

, I was

on't k

ow en

s, my hotel, my desperat

around

me what I

his

nd your money won't dictate my life. If we do this

ed in fr

erst

t promise t

r asked

oo

ed to the cont

done neg

sita

estion

bout Bellamy House y

d, something flic

almost

you th

ust as

ld my

need to know is

answer I

waited at home, and the ho

ontract acro

l si

bbed h

oo

atisfied. This i

all I

ign

gned

became Rafe Mercer

lder, handed it

e'll have a wed

tared. "That'

e the point

ople nee

do you

y mouth, t

treated wedding plannin

ed at hi

u home. My assistant wi

drive m

kno

hone, ending th

d for t

es

aus

used my

e questions. You're expected to stand

rned

n't

gave noth

lly,

nsettl

thout ano

stood alone

greement lay o

hone

arely glancing

signature?" A

es

still in

aw cl

es

ling

king a mis

s my c

n this mess. If she finds out what hap

down at Ness

n't fin

're

ed the

still fo

n old file from

Y HOUSE - ORIGINA

e-the same signature that had helped put N