Free Save Me by Shara Azod Page B

less than pleased by her non-answer, so he pushed.
    “I must say, you and your daughter look more like sisters than mother and daughter.” The flattery sounded sincere, much to Claus’ annoyance. However, Alicia wasn’t moved.
    “While I appreciate the compliment, I’d much prefer to put this unpleasantness behind us,” Alicia shocked him by responding calmly. “What’s your price?”
    Well, hell, perhaps he wouldn’t have to think so fast on his feet after all. Claus had never been so proud—or so relieved.

Chapter Nine
     
    Nadir was deadly handsome but incredibly cold. Unlike his younger brother, he kept his locks cropped just long enough for a woman’s fingers, but only on top. Those icy jade eyes were fringed by the thickest, longest lashes she’d ever seen. No way those eyelashes belonged on a man. Yet, he was the least feminine-looking man imaginable, aside from Claus. Although his lips were full—sensuously so—they were cruel. Everything about this man left Alicia cold. She seriously doubted he’d felt an honest human emotion in a very long time, if ever.
    Her answer seemed to surprise him enough for him to lift a brow, but otherwise he showed nothing. She could tell he hadn’t been expecting bluntness, at least not from her. Either intelligent women unaffected by a pretty face were in short supply in his life, or he’d never bothered to engage one in honest conversation. She was willing to bet it was the latter.
    “You understand I’m no longer a young man able to wait for something I believed was already in my grasp,” Nadir purred, leaning forward on his elbows. “I find myself in need of an heir, but for that, I would need a wife. I had such a woman picked out, perfect for my needs, only to have her snatched away.”
    Good God, what the hell was the difference between the underworld of criminals and medieval times? This man was completely serious about this perfect wife crap. Though she understood why he couldn’t exactly go shopping for a wife in polite society or wherever rich people met and married, expecting to have a woman raised to be his bride was way beyond old world.
    “I provided significant financial support in your daughter’s upbringing. There was a contract.” How reasonable he sounded. What an utter load of bullshit.
    “Mr. von Blucher is more than willing to reimburse any expense,” Claus smoothly interjected, giving her shoulder a little squeeze for courage. “With interest.”
    “And the fifteen years I waited for my property, only to have it stolen by a friend?” Nadir shot back without any real heat.
    It hit her then—this man didn’t care in the least that he’d lost Deja. Not really. This show of faux concern was about the principle of the matter; someone had takn what he believed to be his. The unwritten laws of the world he lived in demanded retribution. On the way here, Alicia had feared she’d be unable to contain her anger at this man for daring to attempt to buy her child. All that ire washed away in the face of the reality of the situation. It was imperative they find a way for him to save face.
    Nadir de Choiseul was an island, a man so completely alone, devoid of real feelings. This buying of a wife seemed to her to have been a desperate ploy to buy true companionship. For whatever reason, he didn’t trust himself to go out and find such a thing for himself. It made her feel sorry for him more than mad.
    “If my daughter or I were aware of any contract, there would’ve never been a breach of trust.” It was suddenly so simple—all she had to do was give him an out. A way to uphold his reputation. If he took the escape route she was about to offer she’d know she was right about him. He didn’t care that Deja was gone; he was annoyed he had to find someone for himself.
    “Is that so?” He smiled now, relaxing back in his chair. For the first time, there was a semblance of true emotion playing across his face. He was amused, and more than a