The Innocent's Emergency Wedding. Natalie Anderson

The sooner it’s done…’

      She paled as she looked at the screen of the tablet on his desk, and then colour rushed into her cheeks so quickly he wondered if she were unwell.

      His entire body tensed. ‘Are you that afraid of him, Katie?’

      She hesitated. ‘I’m afraid I won’t be able to say no to him for ever.’

      ‘But you can say no to me?’ He really shouldn’t feel as if that were a challenge.

      She nodded a little too vigorously. ‘You have no reason to ask anything of me. I’m the last person a guy like you would want in his life. I’m no risk to you and you’re no risk to me.’

      Instinct argued against that instantly. In fact, he wasn’t sure he’d heard a less true statement. That feeling was crazy…she was no threat to his business, his career, anything. Yet his sixth sense still warned him.

      Did he really want to revisit the miseries of his past when he’d come so far? Would the Fielding siblings come after him?

       Bring it on.

      ‘Once it’s all arranged with you—once we’re married—then I’ll get straight back and look after Susan.’

      He checked at that comment and shot her a measuring glance. For Katie to spend her early twenties nursing her foster mother round the clock wasn’t healthy. She needed her own life, her own career. But he wasn’t about to go there—not yet. One issue at a time.

      ‘It’ll only be for a few months…to ensure Brian doesn’t try anything else,’ Katie continued in that rushed fashion. ‘You’ll get a stake in my sauce company, and you’ll get the property in the end—we just give Susan lifelong residency rights. You won’t lose any money…’

      He waved away her breathy, too-earnest promises.

      Katie Collins was in trouble. She just couldn’t see another way out of it. If he were to get her out of the country and away from Brian the bully for a while she’d have time to clear her head and see sense. He’d think up a better plan when he was more refreshed too.

      ‘I’m not going on a commercial flight.’

      He checked his watch and made a few calculations. He could catch up on some work away from the constant interruptions in the office. She’d get the rest she clearly needed. They’d resolve it easily from there.

      ‘But we can still go today, seeing as you’re that impatient.’

      ‘We can?’

      Her eyes shone, their amber centres flickering like fire. Her lips parted, reddened and soft, and her skin simply glowed. She was luminescent. Sparkling wasn’t the word—she was suddenly stunning.

      Alessandro’s skin tightened. Suddenly he wanted to get closer and taste.

      ‘Thank you so much. I really appreciate your help.’

      She sent him a huge smile of gratitude. As if he was some kindly uncle. Alessandro leaned closer, feeling that frisson of danger—of something forbidden—sharpen.

      ‘Don’t start thinking I’m kind, Katie,’ he muttered without thinking. ‘Because I’m not. I’m ambitious and I’m always out for myself. Everything I do stems from selfish motivations, so rest assured I’ll claim complete payment for this.’

      Her smile froze. ‘Of course,’ she breathed nervously. ‘Whatever you want…all you have to do is ask.’