Page 19 of Forbidden Earl

“Nothing.” Cassidy and he said at the same time.

The doorbell rang, and Cassidy jumped out of her chair. “I’ll go find out who it is and give you a few minutes so that you can talk to Gigi alone.”

He leaned closer and told his Grannie. “I found out who my “true love” is according to the palace’s IT Department.”

Her face looked crestfallen. “But what about Cassidy?”

“It was Cassidy’s name.” He showed her the print-out.

A huge smile grew on her face and she patted his cheek while tears formed in her eyes. She nodded, “I knew all along you two were meant to be.”

A knock sounded on the sitting room door and he stood. Cassidy’s face was white but she motioned for him to come out to the hall. “Sorry to interrupt, but one of the visitors is here to see you.”

Grannie waved at him that he should go so he followed without question. But in the hallway, once she closed the door, he asked, “Who is it?”

Her lips were pursed and she seemed cool as she pointed ahead of them, past the main room in the opposite direction. “Lucinda and my sister. I sent Lucinda to the library for you to talk to her.”

His eyes widened. This was unexpected. He placed his hand on Cassidy’s back. “Why is she here?”

She walked ahead and dropped his arm, but she when she entered the main room, she turned and stared at him like he was the devil himself. “I’ve no idea. You need to go and find out why your ex-girlfriend has a suitcase on the front step.”

Suitcase? No. This was too much. He stiffened, but then leaned closer to Cassidy ignoring the distance she’d created. “Be right back. Wait. Don’t go anywhere on me while I’m talking to Lucinda.”

She crossed her arms. “Is that all that’s going to happen?”

He placed his hand on his heart and the other in the air, like he was swearing in as the President of the United States on a bible. “Absolutely.”

Color returned to her face as she let out a puff of air and nodded. “Okay, I’ll talk to my sister and check in on Gigi.”

He watched Cassidy float toward a small study down the hall. Her hips swayed, and he knew without question that in bed, she’d be delicious to possess. But he shook the thought out of his head the second she disappeared, and he threw open the library door. “Lucinda, what’s going on?”

The tall, blonde, blue-eyed model sashayed over to him and gave him that wicked smile of hers that tempted even an honest minister. She placed her hand on his chest like she used to and said, “I missed you, baby.”

He stepped away from her touch. Cassidy’s integrity made her ten times more appealing than the girl who probably appeared on countless posters across the globe. “You stormed out of my house and called me a monster.”

She fixed her loose pink bra strap under her red dress and pouted to show off her lipstick. “The pre-nup was extreme, baby, but I see now you just needed to protect yourself. I came to forgive you.”

Tension built in his shoulders. The pre-nup he’d offered protected 100% of his assets from her and had clauses to ensure she never put his name in financial harm. Lucinda was many things. Beautiful, though only skin-deep on the outside, and inside, she was a shark always on the hunt to get her way. With his money, he’d have to keep her name off everything in order to protect himself.

Cassidy, however, was the opposite and was about to restructure her estate which had become a burden she’d been forced to carry alone. He’d help her see the benefits and it wasn’t just money. Unlike Lucinda, Cassidy never changed who she was to fit in. The choice he’d made seemed even clearer as he crossed his arms. “I’ve moved on, Lucinda.”

Her nose wrinkled. “You can’t be serious, not with that nerdy little thing that answered the door.”

This conversation was over. He inched toward the door but glared at his ex. “Lucinda, she’s important to me. Don’t talk about her like that.”

Her hands were on her heart now and tears formed in her eyes. “And I wasn’t?”

Truthfully, he never gave a thought about her when she wasn’t in the room. And even if she was in the room, it was to show that his money mattered. Cassidy had called him on that one. He dropped his arms to his sides, and lowered his voice to be nice. “You were good for me at the time, but I’m getting married in two days.”

She came toward him, rolling her hips with each step. “You can still change your mind and marry me. I’ll sign the pre-nup now.”

Her timing was impeccable. He narrowed his gaze and widened his stance. “Why did you show up with Cassidy’s sister?”

She tugged on a diamond in her ear. “Chelsea gave me a ride.”

Cassidy was edgy about appearances. Her sister would know her. All at once why they were here, now, hit him. He turned to leave. “Or you’re both here to stop the wedding. Lucinda, it’s time for you to go.”

“Don’t make assumptions.” She grabbed his arm. “Why would you taint your family lineage when she’s nowhere near as beautiful as either of us?”

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