Page 4 of Her Naughty Billionaire

She steps away from the window, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. "Mr. Thorn," she acknowledges with a nod. "I’ve been considering your proposal. Before I agree to anything, I believe we have some terms to discuss."

A smirk tugs at my lips. "Straight to business then?"

She arches an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "It isn’t a marriage proposition until you get on one knee," she says, "so until then, we’re going to treat this as a business arrangement."

I admire her boldness, her need to take control of the situation. "Very well, Ms. Carter. Business it is."

With a nod, I gesture for her to follow me.

As I pass Claire, I catch her attention. "Cancel the rest of my appointments for the afternoon," I instruct, ensuring that Sophia and I won't be disturbed.

We make our way to one of the smaller, more private conference rooms reserved for intimate negotiations. I pull out a chair for her, and she takes the offered seat gracefully, crossing her legs and placing a sleek leather folder in front of her. I settle across from her and wait for her to begin.

Sophia's voice, smooth but laden with steel, breaks the silence. "I propose we begin with a trial period."

I lean back in my chair, scrutinizing her. "A trial period?"

She doesn’t waver. "All marriages have them. It would look suspicious if we didn't."

"So you mean an engagement," I correct her with a smirk.

She gives a nonchalant shrug. "You can call it that if you wish."

"Do I need to get you a ring?"

"Don't trouble yourself. I can get my own," she retorts, her tone suggesting she’s more than capable of buying something more stylish than whatever I might choose. "As for the time frame, I believe six months is sufficient."

Six months? The audacity of the proposition takes me aback. "Six months is a long time. Especially for an arrangement as unique as ours. I’ll give you one month to get accustomed to the idea of marrying me before you walk down that aisle."

Her eyes narrow slightly, clearly not used to her terms being challenged. "One month is hardly enough time to get acquainted."

"We're not here to get acquainted. We're here to secure an alliance. One month, Ms. Carter," I state firmly.

The tension in the room intensifies. The undercurrent of power dynamics, unsaid words, and suppressed desires all converge, creating palpable electricity.

Sophia's chin lifts defiantly. "I won't be strong-armed into this, Thorn."

I stand, placing both hands flat on the table, leaning in just a fraction closer to her. "This isn't about strong-arming. This is about what's expedient for both of us. Let them call it a whirlwind romance. One month."

She swallows, the first sign of vulnerability I've seen from her. But her voice, when she speaks next, doesn’t betray it. "Very well. One month. But there will be terms."

I decide to humor her. “Such as?”

"One public appearance a week."

"Two public outings a week," I correct her. "Of my choosing."

She narrows her eyes, assessing my insistence. "One public appearance a week that you get to choose.”

"That's a start. But I insist on two. It's necessary for the image we're trying to project."

She hesitates, the gears clearly turning in her mind. "Fine. But in exchange, I want full autonomy over my work with the Carter Family Foundation. You stay out of it entirely."

I nod slowly. "I've no interest in your business dealings, Ms. Carter, as long as they don’t interfere with mine. However," I add, raising a finger, "I do expect you to leverage your connections."

She tilts her head slightly, taking a moment to process. "Certainly, as long as it is mutually beneficial.”

“Of course,” I answer with a smirk. “That’s the key to a long and happy marriage, isn’t it?”

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