“Not an hour longer.”
She leaned in across the table. “I’ve got people who count on me, so if you’re dicking me around—”
“I’m not dicking you around. I’m a wealthy man, and I like to have what I want, but I also know that means paying handsomely for it. The rules are in place to ensure you’ll be safe, but there are also rules that protect me.”
“Protect you? From what?”
“From breaking the agreement, from going to the press and splashing my face and name all over the tabloids, etcetera.””
“In other words, if I take this deal—”
“I’m going to have you, anytime and anyway I want,” I finished.
Her mouth popped open, and she bit her bottom lip and met my eyes.
“It’s a lot to consider.” She wrung her hands on the table. “My father is sick, and I’m all he has.”
I placed my hands over hers and stroked them with my thumb. “Then I assume you aren’t in any position to say no.”
I gave her a moment to mull it over. “Should I have my man contact you?”
“As you said; what choice do I have?” I hated that her misfortune worked in my favor, but it wasn’t the first time, and in the end, the other women had been pleased with their time. Most jumped at the opportunity, but there were a few who were timid.
“It’s a yes or a no, Carrie. I can walk out that door and never see you again, but that would be a shame, don’t you think? Think of this as an adventure.” I gave her my warmest smile, and though she seemed reluctant, she gave me one in return.
“Then my answer is yes, so what do I need to do?”
I reached into my pocket and handed her a phone. It was the same one I used for all my women, and I had it wiped clean each time, and the number changed. “Take this, and a man
named Rick Herring will contact you. He’ll make all the arrangements, and I’ll see you when you get there.”
“That’s it? I won’t see or talk to you until then?”
“No, but trust me, Carrie: we’re going to have a wonderful time.”
CHAPTER FOUR - CARRIE
I held Lindy’s hand, thankful that the agreement allowed me to have her with me as I waited to board the plane. My nerves were on edge knowing that once I landed at Chance’s private estate, not only would be at his whim, but I’d have to sleep with him.
“You’ll be okay, Carrie. I promise. I’d take this deal in a heartbeat, virgin or not. It only hurts a little the first time, and then you’ll be so horned up you won’t care.”
Her gung ho attitude was grating my last nerve, and it was easy for her to think this was a piece of cake; she’d lost her virginity when she was fifteen. “Is it strange that it’s the only part of the trip I’m worried about?”
She shook her head. “No, it sounds like a freaking vacation of a lifetime. Ireland is one of the most beautiful places in the world, with magical castles, and from what I’ve seen in pictures, it’s like a fairytale.”
“Magical? You do know there’s no such thing, as magic and fairy tales are bullshit, right?”
She let out a huff. “I’m trying to comfort you. You’ve really had it bad, haven’t you? You can’t see that life can bring wonderful, amazing moments, can you?”
“Um, have you met me?” I gave a half-hearted laugh. She knew me better than anyone on the planet, including my father, and that was only because I’d told her all the secrets I could never tell him. But she knew that life hadn’t dealt me a great hand, and it was no wonder why I thought magic and fantasies were a waste of time.
“I’ll tell you what I know. Your luck is changing. Ireland is a great place for good luck.”
“Did you read that on a postcard?”
She was about to answer, but a man I assumed to be Rick Herring came out of the terminal to greet me.
Rick wasn’t what I had expected from a mediator, which was a middle-aged man in all black with a briefcase. Instead, he wasn’t much older than me and seemed more like a hot IT geek, than someone working for a billionaire with eccentric needs.