Quincy Mercer II hereby agrees that all his wealthy possessions, fortune, investments, and all goodwill are hence forth owned jointly by Ms. Tess Snow soon to become Tess Mercer. Upon his death, Tess will be the sole recipient of Mr. Mercer’s fortune and any living heirs they might have.

The moment I knew she’d read it, I stole it again and slammed it on the table.

Tess said something incomprehensible, trying to steal it back, but it was too late. Uncapping the pen, I scrawled my autograph onto the parchment and held it out to her. My heart swelled with knowledge she would be forever protected, looked after, and kept healthy by all things money could afford.

Even if I wasn’t around.

“Sign it, esclave.”

She shook her head, eyeing the paper as if it had herpes. “I can’t…let me think for a moment.”

Too bad. I wasn’t a patient man.

Capturing her wrist, I shoved the pen into her right hand, and jerked her forward to place the nib against the paper. “I’m not letting go until you sign.”

“Mercer,” Frederick muttered.

I threw him a look; he wisely shut the f**k up.

Tess bit her lip but hesitantly obeyed. Her penmanship was compromised by my grip, but I didn’t care.

The moment she finished the little flourish at the end of her name, a weight lifted off my shoulders. One more way she was joined to me for life. One more way she’d proven she was mine. One more way I could make sure she was always cared for regardless of my future.

I loved my wealth for one thing only: to save women. And now it had saved the most important woman of my f**king life.

Her.

Always her.

Eternally her.

I tossed the paper at Frederick. “File it with the lawyers. We’re leaving.” Reaching down to hoist Tess to her feet, she whispered, “Q…how much…how much did you just sign over to me?”

Ah, the moment she’d find out the truth and know she could no longer hate my fortune because it was hers.

A shot of jittery happiness erupted down my spine. Get ready, Tess. I’m going to love watching this sink in. No more running from it. No more pretending her life hadn’t changed forever.

Not removing my eyes from hers, I demanded, “How much, Roux. The joint owner in Moineau Holdings wishes to know.”

Tess shuddered as Frederick came close, patting her on the shoulder. His eyes were gentle, understanding—from one person who’d had no wealth to another. “You’ve just inherited nine billion, seven hundred thousand euros, as of this morning. But that figure is growing daily.”

Tess promptly fainted.

Chapter Nine

body of body, shared thoughts and lustful need, we bow to this swirling new greed

I must be dreaming. This can’t be happening.

I pinched myself for the billionth time.

Hah, billion.

I’m a billionaire.

I put my head between my legs. I’d never felt so…surreal. There were no words to describe the euphoric weakness or the heart-numbing flabbergast.

Q’s hand landed between my shoulder blades, rubbing gently in circles. His loving touch belied his true feelings. I’d never seen Q like this. I personally thought he’d gone insane; he’d finally cracked, and I’d never find the sometimes sullen, always temperamental man I fell in love with.

The plane’s engines suddenly increased in decibel, shooting us down the runway like a rocket. Looking up, I steeled myself against Q’s handsome face. The same face that hadn’t stopped smirking since I woke up from my stupid fainting episode.

“It’s not the end of the world, esclave.” His pale eyes danced, not showing me any mercy.

I glowered and looked out the window—pointedly ignoring him. It was the end of the world—my world. He’d had a lifetime to get used to the luxury and complications of money. It wasn’t fair to force me to sign a piece of paper—under duress no less—and accept his entire fortune when I had no right to it at all.

Turning to him, I snapped, “I want to go back. I want Frederick to tear it up.”

Q reclined; his long legs stretched in front of him, crossing at the ankles. His hair shone from the sun streaming in the circular window as the plane swooped into the sky. In his black trousers and white shirt, he was a splash of sophistication in the otherwise hushed cream world of the private jet.

“Now why would I do that?” He couldn’t wipe the damn smile off his face. “Struggling to come to terms with something, Tess?” Chuckling, he leaned over and cupped my cheek. “Perhaps you’re having second thoughts about falling in love with a man who just changed your perception on how you see the world.”

My belly fluttered. He’d already done that. He’d made me a lover of pain. He’d made me an accomplice in a charity I hadn’t known about until an hour ago. He’d turned my life completely inside out, back to front, bleached it, then cut it up and sewed it back together.

All while keeping something from me. The comment from Frederick, the tension echoing in Q’s limbs. No wonder he’d been cagey whenever I tried to watch TV or go online. He’d hidden all the news from me. He also downplayed just how dangerous it was to have people know the truth.

Foreboding sat like a heavy smudge on my heart.

This is too much! All of it. I needed to know the truth. How much jeopardy was he truly in? He needs to stop being so damn blasé.

“Can you be serious for one second?” I hadn’t been cross with him before but his smug grin really flipping annoyed me.

He laughed, throwing his head back, elongating his perfect neck. My mouth went drier than a desert.

Holy hell, how was I supposed to concentrate when everything about him exuded raw sex?

His gaze locked on mine. “What seems to be the problem?” Reeling off on his fingers, he said, “It can’t be the fact you’ll never go hungry, or cold, or homeless. It can’t be the fact you’ll always be safe and be able to afford the best protection and healthcare. And it certainly can’t be the fact that you can use that money to help others.” Rolling his eyes, he smirked again. “God, you’re acting like I made you sign a death sentence and not a life improving sentence.”

Swivelling in my chair, holding onto the cushioned arm rest as the plane banked suddenly, I said, “You don’t get it. You’re giving away half of the money that’s rightfully yours, and you’re treating it like it’s nothing.”