Alice ignored the implication that she was a fool, given that it had never occurred to her to question what was written about him. ‘I just can’t see this working.’
Determination fired in Thanos’s expression. ‘I would not suggest it if I didn’t think we could convince Kosta.’
Alice’s stomach flipped and flopped. ‘Marriage is a very permanent way to fix a problem like this.’
His smile was bordering on indulgent and Alice felt, suddenly, very naïve. ‘Marriages frequently end in divorce; ours would be just the same.’
‘Fated from the beginning,’ she said, nodding slowly.
‘As most are.’
She was too caught up in the complexity of this to properly note the hard cynicism to his voice.
‘So how would it work?’
He expelled a breath, as though he was relieved, taking her acquiescence for granted, so she hastened to add, ‘I’m not saying yes. I’m just curious as to the details.’
‘I admire your prudence.’
More pleasure, this time slamming against her ribs and catching her completely unawares. ‘Have you eaten lunch?’
‘Lunch?’ The unexpected question roused her from her thoughts. She thought of the bare pantry at home, and her stomach grumbled betrayingly. ‘No.’
‘Fine. Let’s go and discuss this properly.’
‘It’s two o’clock in the afternoon.’
‘So?’ He gestured towards the door with his natural authority and she found herself walking towards it.
But as she crossed the threshold, she felt the need to insist, ‘I’m not agreeing to this, Thanos. I think this is one of the craziest ideas I’ve ever heard, actually.’
‘Fine.’ He nodded, brushing aside her objection with ease. ‘But you are intrigued, no?’
‘Yes,’ she admitted, a half-smile reluctantly lifting her lips. ‘I’m intrigued.’
‘Good.’ He grinned. ‘Then this is a beginning.’ He moved to the elevator, pressing the button. It opened instantly. ‘I promise, I will make it impossible for you to refuse me, Alice.’
She stepped into the lift, and when it began to ascend instead of descend, she suspected the loopy feeling in her tummy had very little to do with the sudden change in altitude.
Alice knew there was a helipad on the roof of the building. She didn’t know that a helicopter was parked there, nor that it was sleek and black, the sky equivalent of a private limousine. As they walked towards it, Thanos pressed something in his pocket and the door slid open.
‘After you,’ he prompted, as if all of this was completely normal. Alice stared at the aircraft, her mouth open in sheer awe, but after a few seconds she pulled it together, forced herself to take a breath and step up into the helicopter’s interior. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before. All beige caramel and white glossy wood, pure luxury and glamour.
Thanos took the seat beside her, and, despite the generous proportions of the craft, he made it feel tiny. She was conscious of his every exhalation, conscious of the way his frame was so large that his legs were so, so close to touching hers. She kept her own pinned together, her hands in her lap.
‘Clip in,’ he said, turning to face her, nodding towards the seat belt.
Alice reached behind her, fumbling the seat belt as she tried to clip it into the unfamiliar lock. He reached over, his eyes holding hers, a slight smile at the edges of his face. ‘May I?’
Feeling both naïve and stupid, she nodded. ‘Thank you.’ The words were crisp, and she was glad she’d spoken before he actually reached for the seat belt. Because the way he dragged it across her body sent a thousand volts of electricity into her nervous system, so heat pooled in her gut and spread through her limbs.
It was an innocent gesture though, and Alice had to remind herself that she was definitely not his type. That was the reason he was proposing this ridiculous marriage of convenience. Except—was it really so ridiculous? She could perfectly see the benefit to him, if it meant he could secure the purchase of P & A.
And for Alice?
Dared she hope he would offer some kind of salary to her—better than she was earning now—in order for her to go along with this? That had to be what he had in mind.
‘Here.’ He handed her a white headset then looped his own in place, before flicking some dials and switches and bringing the rotor blades to life. The noise was loud—too loud to speak over. He tapped the headset again, smiling as he lifted up off the rooftop.