It’s only after I’ve asked that I realize how it sounds. This morning’s phone call, laced with every innuendo on earth, must still be inhabiting my senses.

“More than you can imagine. I can’t wait to put it to good use.”

We both smile in decidedly sharklike fashion. I’m surprised at how enjoyable this is. I’ve never been the flirtatious sort. Life is too short, and there are too many ambitions to fulfill to play games.

I used to think online dating was a godsend for women like me; cut through all the bullshit right off the bat so we could at least start off somewhere above the ground floor. Then, by the time we meet, we have confirmed we’re match and don’t have to bother playing cat and mouse. As it turns out, men actually enjoy the hunt even over efficiency.

I can’t say I don’t enjoy it myself.

“A drink?”

“I could go for some wine. Something new this time.”

“I suppose I do owe you a bottle. I’ll choose.”

As soon as he has perused the wine menu and set it down the sommelier appears. Magnus orders, and I wait for the man to leave before I speak.

“So, last night’s dinner was...interesting.”

“Is that your way of asking something?”

“A prima donna, a complete boor, a gambler, and, conveniently enough, a journalist to document it all. He seemed particularly interested in something Sebastian mentioned about moving to Brussels?”

The wine makes an appearance before we can continue, but the amused look in Magnus’s eye tells me I’ve hit the bullseye—just not on the target I was aiming for. I thought he’d be more guarded about what I’ve figured out so far.

Only when we are alone again does he address my query. “What would you assume is the connection?”

“I don’t think there is one unless it’s to keep people guessing. I’ve been assured you’ve been seeking out a football club to buy. Are you planning on going for Barcelona once Sebastian leaves and the price goes down? Or perhaps a team in Brussels which will now be worth substantially more. Maybe you have no plans to buy either. I mean, why buy another sports franchise? Your hockey team, the Brooklyn Blades, seems to be doing well.”

“I like winning all year long, not just in winter.”

I laugh and sip my wine. “One of my best paralegals is dating one of your players, did you know? Maya Jackson.”

“I hope he deserves her.”

“She seems happy enough, at least she does these days. There was a bit of scandal there for a while. It can be difficult dating someone so famous.”

“Or infamous,” Magnus says, his eyes glued to mine as he takes a sip.

“Even more treacherous,” I say, keeping my eyes just as glued to his. “It’s a good thing all my current relationships are strictly business—at least from now on.”

He laughs softly, then sets his glass down. “So, you think I’m buying a football team?”

“It would explain hoarding so much money. I looked it up today, and they can run into the billions in terms of value.”

“Well, now you have something to run back and tell Jan, I suppose.”

“Unless it’s a smokescreen.”

The tilt of the head he gives me is too ambiguous to decipher.

“I recall the financial world thinking you were going to purchase some green energy company a few months back. That was also based on one of your little dinners. I think you have them simply to throw everyone off the scent.”

“Maybe I just enjoy the company.”

I laugh. “There was one interesting character there.” I think about Lara, now wondering if she was a plant to throw me off the scent of what Magnus is really after. “At least one of the interesting characters whose time wasn’t paid for.”

The hint of a smirk he gives tells me he knows I’m referring to her.

“I suppose we’ll be running into Zach tonight at the casino?”

“You’ll no doubt see him.”

“That leaves Ruben. Even if you were interested in his business, I can’t imagine it was worth sitting next to him at dinner.”

“Let’s just say I needed a reason for him to have a date and too much to drink.”

So Magnus wanted the man to talk. What kind of information he was after, I’m not sure. Lara is a multi-talented woman, after all.

Magnus leans in closer. “One thing you’ll learn about me over the next month is that there’s a method to my madness, Sloane. I don’t do anything without a clear goal in mind. That’s equally true when it comes to you.”

My breath catches for a moment. Is he really being this frank and honest about his intent?

He falls back into his seat. “But for now, let’s enjoy dinner, shall we?”

“You’re the boss,” I say, lifting my glass. If he thinks I’m letting it go at that, he’s sorely mistaken.

He’s not the only one who operates with a clear goal in mind.

Chapter Thirty-Nine Magnus

“Elevator repair. He should be retiring soon, but I think he enjoys it too much. Dad enjoys exploring the city, getting a peek into what each building is like from the inside. It’s decent money.”

We’re in the middle of dinner, and, after a bit of prodding, Sloane is opening up about her life in New York. I’m fascinated to learn about her family. It gives me a much more rounded picture of who she is.

“And your mother?” I ask.

Sloane smiles proudly. “O.R. nurse. Not an easy gig to attain. I think she’s the one who will eventually drag dad kicking and screaming into retirement. She’s already got him hooked on cruises.”

“You seem to have a good relationship with them.”

“They were amazing. Supportive, loving. I had a perfectly drama-free upbringing. Yes, they encouraged me to excel in school, but, like you said, I was much harder on myself than they were.

“With a brother like Theo, it was hard to stand out, even though they never played favorites. Things that just came naturally to him, at least mathematically and analytically, I had to work for. If I’d listened to them

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