He wanted to forget that she was responsible for all this. Forget that the more he spoke to her, the more he doubted that her character was as black as he’d first thought. Reyes just wanted to forget. And in that moment, he wanted to use the most elemental way possible to achieve oblivion.
Her.
That stirring grew until his whole body thrummed with a carnal demand he couldn’t deny.
What was wrong with him?
His youngest advisor cleared his throat. ‘If Your Highness prefers, we can pursue this as a short-term union. Only until the economic situation in the kingdom stabilises.’ He tapped a few keys on his tablet.
Reyes drummed his fingers on the table as he waited.
Finally, the advisor looked up. ‘And I think Miss Nichols may be right. She’s suitably placed to help.’
‘She hasn’t brought up any new solutions to Santo Sierra’s problems that we haven’t already considered.’
‘No, but she could be the right person to broker a temporary marriage for you.’
‘Excuse me?’
Reyes’s eyes narrowed at her outraged tone.
His advisor glanced at her, then back at his tablet. ‘According to the information I have here, you brokered the marriage between a US senator and his mistress once you arranged a discreet divorce from his wife of thirty years.’
Jasmine’s mouth dropped open. ‘That’s supposed to be confidential.’
A douse of cold water cooled Reyes’s raging temperature. ‘Seems there’s no end to your dubious talent,’ he murmured.
Her face flushed. ‘I wasn’t responsible for him leaving his wife, nor was I responsible for finding the mistress, if that’s what you’re implying. I only assisted with the financial arrangements and ensured each party walked away happy.’
Her gaze swung to the men at the end of the table. How was it possible that one look from her commanded their silence? Reyes watched, intrigued, as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes for emphasis.
‘That’s not what you’re asking me to do, surely? For what you need for Re...His Highness, you require an elite professional matchmaker. That’s not what I specialise in. When I said I’d help I meant with the economic issues facing the kingdom.’
‘This is an issue facing the kingdom. And one that has to be addressed sooner rather than later. With Isabella’s marriage off the table, we need to give the people something to sustain their faith,’ Alvarez said.
Pressure built at Reyes’s temple. He wanted to deny what his council were saying. But deep down he couldn’t dismiss that his people needed a healthy dose of bolstering news. Reyes had dashed their hopes of a royal wedding once before, five years ago, when he’d thrown Anaïs out of his life.
With his mother’s subsequent death four years ago behind the wheel of her lover’s car, and his father’s illness soon afterwards, the only good news the Santo Sierran people had been given was the signing of the treaty and Isabella’s wedding.
Both had failed to materialise. In the meantime, Mendez was pushing his greedy fingers into Santo Sierran affairs. It needed to end.
But marriage...
The only template he’d witnessed had been one mired in deception, misery and acrimony. It wasn’t something he wanted to reproduce. If he was to take this road, it needed to be permanent. With both sides clear in their role and with no room for misunderstanding.
He looked down the table. Clenching his jaw, he nodded. ‘The marriage will be a permanent one, not a short-term try-it-and-see-what-happens. My life isn’t a scripted reality show to peddle to the people.’
Costanzo beamed with pleasure. ‘Of course, Your Highness. That’s a very wise decision. We’ll set the ball rolling straight away—’
Reyes held up his hand. ‘No, we’ll reconvene in three days.’
The smile turned into a frown. ‘But, Your Highness—’
‘Arrange for the royal press secretary to include an addendum to my Paris itinerary. They can sell it as an investment-stroke-leisure trip.’ He turned to Jasmine, noting that she’d gone pale again. ‘Miss Nichols will be responsible for finding me five suitable candidates. Fly them to Paris for interviews after my investment meetings.’
‘You’re going ahead with it?’ Her face was deliberately blank, but her eyes were pools of shock.
Somehow that bothered him. He shook himself out of the curious feeling. ‘For my people’s sake, yes.’
She drew in a shaky breath and looked down at her linked hands.
He surged to his feet, not liking the feeling that he’d been judged and found guilty. Nor did he like the sensation of a noose closing around his neck.
‘Three days, gentlemen.’
‘Yes, Your Highness.
In that moment, Reyes hated his title. Hated the responsibility weighing down on his shoulders. But despite the mixed emotions, there was one solemn vow he couldn’t deny. He owed his people a better life than they’d enjoyed so far. And he intended to do whatever it took to make right his mistakes.
* * *
‘You know you could’ve been done with me much quicker if you’d told them.’ Questions had been swirling in her mind since Reyes’s councilmen had left hours ago. But the one she’d wanted to ask wouldn’t form, so she was trying a different route.
Reyes turned from the view to stare at her. ‘Told them what?’
‘What my role was in...’
‘The treaty’s disappearance?’
Jasmine jerked her head, still surprised he’d joined her for dinner and even more so that he’d stayed after they’d shared a delicious Spanish tapas meal on the terrace. Although the meal had gone by in near total silence, she couldn’t help but feel a little less apprehensive of her fate.
She cradled the as yet untouched glass of red wine in her hands, watching the sun set on the horizon. Trying not to stare at Reyes Navarre’s stunning profile as he leaned against the large pillar, facing the garden.
‘Because if I had you’d be on your way to a maximum security prison in Santo Sierra. Your crime would be condemned as treason in my kingdom.’
Her heart stopped and her palms grew clammy. ‘Aren’t I headed there anyway? Something about getting a permanent tan?’
‘Perhaps. But you might want to do something about delaying your arrival there. Before I came to Rio, I was in the process of enforcing a law that prohibited male and female prisoners being housed in the same penitentiary. That law hasn’t passed yet.’
She inhaled sharply. ‘You mean men and women are kept in the same prison?’
He shrugged. ‘The old council deemed all criminals to be worthless regardless of their gender.’
Ice cascaded down her spine. ‘But...that’s barbaric!’
‘They didn’t care that they were potentially turning criminals who could be rehabilitated into irredeemable monsters. So do you regret my silence on your behalf?’
She slowly shook her head. ‘No, I don’t.’ Her eyes met his. Whatever he saw in hers made him lift an eyebrow. Jasmine looked away quickly. ‘I... Thank you.’
His mouth compressed. ‘I neither want nor accept your gratitude. Retribution is still coming your way, one way or the other.’
The warning sent further chills dancing over her skin. While a part of her wanted him to spell out her fate and