Auctioned By The Ceo novel Chapter 24

“I … that is … right. I guess congratulations are in order?” Claire looked at Hannah for confirmation, and she forced a smile on her face. “This is all a bit sudden, isn’t it?”

“You should know by now that I don’t waste time in securing what I want, and I wouldn’t call it sudden,” Logan interjected. “Hannah and I have been in a relationship for some time. With the rumor mill going into overdrive, we decided the time was right to go public to reassure all these concerned people that our private life is just that and has absolutely no bearing on what happens here at work.” He paused, got to his feet, and opened the door for Claire in a clear dismissal. “If that was all?”

“Right, yes, erm, congratulations again. Have you set a date yet?” Claire asked.

“Of course, you can expect Hannah to need some time off at the end of the month. I’ll let you know exactly how many weeks. I don’t plan on a long honeymoon, but I do want to spend some time with my new wife.” He glanced at Hannah when he said that, and the heated intensity in his dark gaze took her breath away.

Okay then…

Her core temperature just went up several degrees at the promise in those dark eyes. Try as she might she couldn’t find the outrage she surely ought to be feeling at his underhandedness in just announcing their engagement, yet all she felt was an odd sense of rightness.

“Right, yes, congratulations again. Will you make an announcement?” Claire asked, and Logan raised an eyebrow in contempt. “Right, none of my business, I get it. Shall I tell the staff then, or…”

Logan looked toward Hannah, and, somehow, she got her voice to work.

“If it shuts up the gossip, then by all means do, though it’s really no one’s business, is it?”

The other woman smiled, a genuine one this time, and a heavy silence fell between Logan and her, when the door snicked shut behind her.

Hannah kept her gaze firmly rooted to the floor, not trusting herself to not erupt into hysterics of some sort. That moment had passed after all. If she was going to object to this crazy plan then she should have done so when Logan declared their engagement, not now when the proverbial horse had bolted and was running around the office holding up a banner for all to see. His trainers appeared in her vision first, and then his deep sigh ghosted across her face, as he cupped her chin and tilted her head up.

“You could look less like a woman about to go the gallows about this.” He smiled as he said that, but the fingers on her chin trembled and tension radiated off his large frame in almost palpable waves. “Thank you for agreeing by the way.”

Hannah wrenched her chin out of his grasp and glared up at him. Or tried to at least. It wasn’t arrogant Logan she saw, however, but a man who looked tired beyond belief. For that one brief moment, she saw beyond the mask he wore to the bone-weary, desperate man underneath.

“You didn’t exactly leave me much choice, did you?”

Logan shrugged and sat back down on the desk.

“Perhaps not, but I also knew that little spitfire Hannah would have no compunction at tearing me down a strip, if she didn’t want to do this. You do want to do this, right?”

The slight wobble in his voice made up her mind.

“No, I don’t want to marry you. Why would I? I do want to help Rhia, however, so I will.”

His jaw clenched in response, the only outward sign of his emotions.

“Right, let me guess, you want a generous divorce settlement to—”

“How fucking dare you.” Hannah shot to her feet, interrupting him, and his eyes narrowed in silent scrutiny of her.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not doing this to get at your money. I’m doing this for Rhia, because that little girl needs stability, and being shipped off to live with grandparents she’s never met isn’t going to give her that. And because I know how the system works, and I know your solicitor is right, damn it. It shouldn’t matter that you’re single, but you’ll be in a much better position to be looked on favorably if you’re married or at the very least in a stable relationship. So, yeah, I get that, and I’ll be your trophy wife, but don’t think for one goddamn minute there is any other reason for me to agree to this. I want a prenup, stating exactly what we can expect of each other, and I don’t want a penny of your money once this farce of a marriage will be over, do you hear me?”