♥ HOW MUCH FOR AN HEIR'S HEART? - ZARRY ♥

Eight

"Are you out of your mind?"

Zayn's smile came out. "Not exactly the answer I was looking for."

"You're seriously going to go through with Simon's suggestion? Get married for the sake of Tomlinsons'?"

"No. I've given this a good deal of thought."

"You clearly haven't!"

"Yes, I have," Zayn countered, eyeing Harry as he stopped pacing to glare at Zayn. "A life partner has been on my list for over a year."

Harry felt his jaw go slack. Of course, it has. "Why me? Aren't there a dozen other potential women you could pick from, supermodels, socialites..."

"I picked you."

Harry's skin prickled with excitement at Zayn's declaration, almost possessive. "Why?"

"Harry, let me lay this out for you. What I'm proposing is a business deal, pure and simple."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"Hear me out. Romance, love, is unpredictable at best. I believe in attraction, lust, sex." Zayn's eyes darkened as they settled on Harry's lips. "I don't think there's anything more than that. It's just too-"

"Optimistic?"

"Unrealistic," Zayn corrected.

Harry blinked, pondering over Zayn's words carefully. Harry suddenly felt the need to know. "You've never been in love?"

"Once. It didn't amount to much."

"With Perrie?"

Zayn's lips curled, "No, Ryan's foster sister, Geneva."

Geneva? Harry blinked at the unfamiliar name. "So you'd settle for a bought spouse."

"I'm not settling. You're everything I need in a life partner. I'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity."

Harry clenched his jaw. "How clever of you. And what do you have that I could possibly need?"

"Money." Zayn's eyes turned deadly serious. "I can clear all your debts, buy back your family home and pay for your father's health care."

"You..." Harry breathed, as reality washed over him in an icy wave. It was the kind of man Zayn was, the kind of man who kissed like an angel, had the face of a living God. And who made deals like the devil.

"Your family needs you, Harry. Which means you need me. I'm offering you a business deal, and you should give it the attention it deserves."

Harry's heart contracted painfully in his chest. "Marriage is not a business deal. For your information, I have other ways of finding that money. I don't need to marry you to get it."

"Really?" Zayn narrowed his eyes. "How?"

"That's none of your business."

"Does it involved Xander Ritz?"

Harry flushed furiously. "No!"

"Tomlinsons'?"

"Why would it involve-" Harry blinked in sudden clarity. "You think I'm the press leak?"

Harry's disgust, so instantaneous shamed Zayn and proved his innocence. But despite that, one thought still hindered. "No. But something is going on between you and Xander."

Harry swallowed, and his eyes fell on Zayn's shoulder. "He was my boss. End of story."

Liar. "So why not take my offer?"