She pursed her lips at his counter-move. Would he end up giving her back Tarrantloch? He hadn’t made any promises. Nothing was written down or signed. They had consummated their relationship, but did that mean anything to him other than yet another sexual conquest?
Angelique gave a little shrug of her shoulder as if it didn’t matter to her either way. ‘I’m sure you’ll do the right thing when it comes to the end of our relationship.’ She met his gaze again with a bold look. ‘Have you got a date in mind or are we just going to wing it?’
The screen was still down over his eyes but a tiny muscle tightened near his mouth. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll give you plenty of notice.’
She smiled a saccharine-sweet smile. ‘Big of you.’
He let out an audible breath. ‘You have first shower. I have some things to see to. We’ll eat out at nine.’
‘But I—’
The door clipped shut and after a moment Angelique dropped her shoulders on a sigh. He had a nasty habit of getting in the last word.
She would have to break him of it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
REMY HAD BARELY stepped out of the hotel when his mobile buzzed. He looked at the screen and winced. ‘Rafe, I was just about to call you and—’
‘Tell me I did not just see you telling the press you’ve married the devil’s spawn, Angelique Marchand,’ Rafe said.
Remy glanced around to see if anyone was close enough to listen in. ‘That’s not a very nice way to speak of your brand new sister-in-law, bro.’
Rafe let out a curse. ‘Are you out of your mind? What the hell are you playing at?’
‘Hey, it’s not Angelique’s fault her old man is a double-crossing tool.’ Remy couldn’t help thinking how ironic it was to find himself defending her when normally he was finding any excuse to criticise her.
‘Don’t tell me you’re in love with her, because I don’t believe it for a second. The only person you love is yourself.’
‘That’s a bit harsh. I love lots of people. Even you.’
‘Come on, Remy, this is me—Rafe. I know you. You would never fall in love with Angelique. She’s as far away from your ideal woman as she could be. You’ve always said what a little slutty shrew she is. What’s going on? Has Henri Marchand done the dirty on you? Forced you to marry her? Set up some sort of dodgy deal?’
‘None of the above,’ Remy said. ‘Angelique followed me to Dharbiri and, to cut a long story short, she was found in my room and I had to marry her to keep from causing a public riot which might have ended up in one or both of us losing the skin off our backs. I decided not the take the chance.’
‘Are you kidding me?’ Rafe asked.
‘Not at all,’ Remy said.
‘You said she followed you to Dharbiri. Why didn’t you say something earlier if you were involved with her? Why let us find out like this?’
‘I wasn’t involved with her. Before this I hadn’t seen or even spoken to her in years. She came to see me about her father’s house. Remember Tarrantloch in Scotland? I won it off Henri Marchand in a bet.’
Rafe swore again but this time it was more a sound of admiration. ‘So, it’s just a marriage on paper, right?’
Another little silence, while Remy thought of how to answer. He didn’t want to lie to his brother but neither did he want to discuss what had happened not ten minutes ago. His body was still singing from what was
one of the most—if not the most—exciting sexual encounter of his life.
‘You haven’t,’ Rafe said, sounding stern and incredulous at the same time.
‘Hey, what is this?’ Remy said. ‘I don’t ask you about your sex life with Poppy. Back off. I know what I’m doing.’ Sort of. ‘It’s cool. Everything’s cool.’
‘You married our family’s worst enemy’s daughter without a pre-nup,’ Rafe said. ‘I don’t think that’s cool; I think that’s outright stupidity. You’re jeopardising everything we’ve worked for, just like Nonno did. Have you learned nothing in your thirty-two years on this planet?’
‘What was I supposed to do?’ Remy felt his hackles come up. ‘Let her take the rap for being discovered in my room? I had to think, and think fast. There wasn’t time to draw up a pre-nup. I did what I thought was the best and safest thing.’
‘Being legally tied to Angelique Marchand is not safe,’ Rafe said.