London Dynasty (The Dynasties #1) - Geneva Lee Page 0,10

done it before,” I confessed.

“Trust me, you could do worse than giving your virginity to someone like Spencer Byrd.” She sighed. “Much, much worse.”

“But how could I go through with it?” I asked.

“It will be easy, darling.” She looked at his photo on her mobile again. “Just close your eyes and think of England.”

Chapter Six

“Are you sure?” Eliza asked me for what must have been the hundredth time.

I shrugged my small duffel higher onto my shoulder and nodded. “Weren’t you the one who wanted me to do this?”

“I don’t want you to feel forced,” Eliza said as we waited outside our building for the cab that had been arranged to drive me into London. Mr. Belmond had seen to all the arrangements as soon as I called him with my answer. “You’d be crazy to turn down ten million quid, but…”

“I’m crazy for thinking I can pull it off,” I said, voicing the concern I knew was on both our minds. She had a point. I couldn’t exactly say no to the offer, but that didn’t mean I was prepared to fake being an heiress for an entire year. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

“I can’t believe you just said that!” Eliza shook her head, looking terrified at the question. “Let’s see. You could say the wrong thing. You could offend someone. They could find out. You—”

“I get it,” I interrupted her before she talked me out of getting in the car. “I didn’t expect you to actually come up with a list.” She’d clearly been putting some thought into this. Still, I had considered all of those things myself, and I’d come up with a solution. I would keep my head down and keep my mouth shut. How much trouble could I get into if I stayed quiet most of the time?

“So, have you thought more about… you know?” Eliza arched an eyebrow suggestively and made a gesture with her hands.

“What?” Trying to decipher her meaning.

“You know…”

“I don’t,” I said with confusion.

“About sleeping with Spencer.” She dropped her voice to a low whisper, so no one passing us on the street would overhear.

“Oh. That,” I said flatly. “Nope.” That was a lie. I hadn’t thought of anything else. The truth was that I was less afraid of messing this up, or saying the wrong thing—or even being found out—than I was at the prospect of going to bed with a man I’d never met. “Am I a terrible person for doing this?”

“People sleep with people for money all the time,” she said, waving off my concern.

“Yeah,” I said with a hollow laugh that seemed to echo in my chest. “They’re called prostitutes.”

“And trophy wives and gold diggers,” she giggled.

“You’re not helping.” But I couldn’t help laughing with her. It was so utterly absurd to be in this situation. Only a few days ago I was worried about making my half of the rent, and now I was off to London to live in the lap of luxury for a year. I kept waiting to wake up from this insane dream I was having and discover I’d fallen and hit my head.

“I need to get to the pub,” Eliza said, checking her watch. “Unless you want me to wait with you.”

I did want her to wait, but I understood that Ron was expecting her. Given that he had found himself down a waitress, I couldn’t keep her here without making his life harder. Eliza was pulling double duty until they could straighten things out at the pub. “No, you go. I feel terrible you have to cover for me.”

“You’d cover for me if I had a chance at ten million pounds,” she said, and I didn’t disagree. Friends did not stand in the way of success. They helped you clear a path to it. Eliza had done just that. “Just buy me a tiara or something when you get your money.”

“Done,” I promised her. “And he said there will be a stipend, so I’ll send rent.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said automatically, shooting me a tight smile. We both knew she meant it, even if it wasn’t true. She did need me to help out, and I would. I couldn’t just leave her behind without a second thought. Eliza lurched forward and gave me an awkward hug, whispering in my ear, “Call me and let me know you’re okay.”

“As soon as I get there.”

“You’re doing the right thing,” she said, pulling away, her eyes shining like she might