Back at the palazzo, Mist helped smuggle her in through the back entrance, distracting the kitchen workers so that Katy could sneak past, her feet bare so she wouldn’t make any noise.
Once in her room, she took the quickest shower of her life. There was no time to wash her hair. She threw it into a sloppy bun, grabbed the outfit she’d picked out the day before, and was ready in under ten minutes.
Four-inch sling-back heels and a swipe of gloss and she was ready to take on the world. Or a bunch of stuffy old billionaires, at least. She chuckled softly as she took one last look in the mirror, deciding that Emily really did have a knack for picking out clothes that flattered their body type. Black skirt. Red blouse with a scooped neckline. Her waist looked small, and her breasts showed the barest hint of cleavage. Her ass looked amazing, if she did say so herself. Gold hoops and a delicate gold chain completed the look. Sexy, yet professional. She smiled secretively. Only she knew about the racy red bra and panty set she’d selected. Just in case. For later.
She took out Emily’s passport. Time for a little twin swapping. She smiled her best smile. Batted her eyelashes in the mirror. Put a hand on her hip and gave a little wiggle. Somehow, those few changes transformed her from the quiet, reserved Katy into playful Emily. Nodding approval at the transformation, she left the room with two minutes to spare.
Katy walked down the hallway, then took the elevator to the lower level. She didn’t have time for stairs, and besides, she was still sore from Ryker’s marathon lovemaking. She couldn’t complain. She’d loved every minute of it. Was looking forward to more. She’d expected a quick brush-off, yet he’d made her promise to come back. If it hadn’t been for this meeting, she would have stayed. Had that breakfast. Remembering the delicious aromas, her stomach growled, reminding her of the missed meal.
As she approached the large, masculine office she’d waited in the previous day, she smoothed a wrinkle on her skirt. Tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. No matter how many times she pinned the damn thing, it always came loose.
She could hear mumbled voices as she approached. Men speaking in low tones. She knocked gently on the closed door, eager to get the contract signed so that she could think about other things. About Ryker.
Vector swung the door inward and motioned for her to enter. She thanked him with an Emily-style smile and wink, then proceeded confidently into the room. And froze. Her mind refused to acknowledge what she was seeing.
There, standing in the middle of the room, freshly showered and shaved, looking every bit the billionaire, was Ryker. Her heart plummeted.
She met his gaze. Time stood still.
Inside her mind, she screamed. Cried out. Pounded her fists against his hard chest. None of that showed on her face. None of the uncertainty. Pain. Heartbreak. Rage. Had Emily met him before? Should she have known who he was? She had assumed they were strangers. He’d never indicated he knew her. Knew Emily. Bu then, he hadn’t asked her name, either. What if he was Emily’s lover? Slept with her, thinking she was Emily? What if Emily was in love with him?
What had she done?
She turned to Vector. Smiled. She wasn’t Katy Toure in that moment. She was Emily. And Emily never lost her cool in front of strangers. Never. “So nice to see you again, Vector.”
Vector nodded his head in greeting. “The pleasure is mine, Signorina Toure. Please, have a seat at the table. We have everything ready for you.”
Katy took a step forward. The carpet was so thick her heel tilted in the dense pile and she stumbled. In the blink of an eye, Ryker was there to steady her, one hand at her lower back, the other under her elbow. Her body reacted to the familiar touch instantly, and her knees nearly buckled. Heat flooded her body, fed her hurt. Her sense of betrayal. He’d lied to her, even if by omission. Taken her body over and over, kissed her this morning, asked her to meet him. She was so confused. Maybe he hadn’t exactly betrayed her, but her heart said otherwise.
She jerked her arm away. “Don’t touch me.”
Vector looked from her to Ryker as if unsure what to do. It annoyed her to no end that Ryker had to give a slight nod before Vector moved toward the waiting paperwork laid out in neat piles on the desk. “This way, Signorina Toure. This should take but a few moments. I made the changes Signor Draquonir requested. Now that you and he have become intimate, there should be no need for the intimacy clause and the—”
“Wait. What?” What the hell was going on here? Had Ryker manipulated her, or Emily, rather, into bed so that he could change a contract? Katy shook with rage.
Ryker took a step closer, ignoring her rigid posture. “Allow me to explain.”
Katy shook her head and turned her back on him to face Vector. “Explain what?” The only thing to do now was get out of there as quickly as possible. Hope she hadn’t screwed everything up for her sister. She was trapped and had trapped Emily along with her.
Or had she? Perhaps she could bluff her way out of this. Save her sister’s deal. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but the only contract that I am willing to sign is the original. If that doesn’t suit you, I’ll be on my way.”
Ryker turned her around with a snarl. “The original? After last night?”
On the inside she was shaking. However, her face, her body language all told a different story. She reached up to touch Ryker’s face for the last time, her finger brushing against his lips as she wiggled just enough to draw his attention to her figure. The swell of her breasts. He wanted to use sex against her? Against Emily? She smiled with all the sass she could muster, and said in her sexiest voice, “That’s right, sugar. The original or I walk.”
“Never.”
“Then we’re done here.” Katy spun on her heel, ready to leave. She’d blown it. Ruined everything. She walked toward the door, her hand outstretched to grab the handle. She needed to talk to Emily and beg forgiveness. Find out what had happened between her twin sister and Ryker in the past. Find out if he’d slept with Emily, made her squirm and beg and explode in orgasm over and over and…
God. She was a mess. What a disaster.
“Wait,” Ryker growled as she twisted the door handle.
Katy stopped but didn’t turn around again.
She heard papers being shuffled. She closed her eyes. Waited.
“The original contract is ready for your signature, Signorina Toure.”
Katy turned around, walked back to the table, and signed. When she looked up, Ryker was gone.