THE BILLIONAIRE'S FOREVER CONTRACT

NINE

"Would you mind being my date to some sort of ball tomorrow?" Lucien asked.

They had both decided to discuss their schedules at Mara's house seeing that they had signed the contract at his place. She had told him to make himself available in the evening as she had some many things to do.

Lucien was not about to admit that he had anticipated what her house looked like and that he was going to be seeing it for the first time made him very anxious.

"A ball?" Mara echoed, she was sitting across from Lucien with her robe inched on her waist. She had been trying to do her evening skincare routine after a hetic day at the office; there had been an issue with Alexander's supply of materials to her and so they both had to meet again to properly identify the error.

"It is some kind of ball for painters and admirers of arts, I have sent some of my works to the gallery but it would be lovely if I was present to properly gauge the reactions of the people to them and there will be dinner afterwards so I was wondering if you would like to accompany me. We should start from there, see how compatible we are." Lucien said again.

It wasn't compulsory to come with a plus one but he was trying to impress the founder of the art gallery and a little bird had told him of how much the man valued family and relationship, he also had plans to propose to Mara at the ball; what other way to draw attention to their sham of a contract by making it so public and serious. She had no idea of this of course and he would have it no other way, he was sure that if she knew of his plans to propose to her, she would totally disapprove of it.

"I do not mind; what is the theme for this ball if I may ask and what would you be wearing?"

"I am not sure of the theme, I will have to get back to you on that."

"Please do, I have things to sort out at the office but I shall leave early so I can prepare for your ball. It will be a great first step in the actualization of our plans." She said.

He was sure her brow was furrowed under that green mask on her face but he couldn't be sure. She was talking stiff so he had to believe that the mask was solidified on her face and the only movement of life was her eyes darting about. Even with the mask, he considered her beautiful... she was independent, far different from all the women in his life and those he had ever met.

His phone rang jolting him from his thoughts about her.

"Hello" he said softly into the receiver while Mara stared at him.

"Lucieeeen, my love... you have been ignoring me." A shrill voice rang out from the receiver.

Mara quirked her eyebrow up underneath the mask on her face and stared him down while he smiled in embarrassment, it was no doubt one of his many women on the phone and if this was going to work, they had to have a serious discussion about them. She had no problem with him keeping a fair share of women for himself but he had to do it with discretion... who was she kidding? She was enraged about the call that he had now moved away from her to answer and she could see he was trying so hard to keep his voice down and placate the distraught female.

Did their contract not mean anything to him? She was here already racking her brain as to how to dress and behave tomorrow, she was trying to organize her business appointment with Alex and her date in the evening with him and he was trying to satisfy the whimpering of a girl who just wanted him because of the surname attached to his name

He is not yours, stop being bothered, she said fleetingly to herself.

It wasn't her business what he wanted to do with himself but she wasn't about to let it affect the contract they had signed, he was going to have to put a hold to his whoring for the next one year.

"I am so sorry about that, I promised I was going to..."

"It is absolutely none of my business what you have promised one of the many women you have but I will have you be aware of the severity of this contract between us. You suggested it and I hope you take it serious, at least for the year until we both get what we want and part." Mara interrupted.

"I am taking it serious" he answered, his forehead knotting in irritation.

It was his sister, Diana that he had been talking to but it was obviously Mara had misunderstood the situation and did not even want to hear what he had to say.

"Good, we shall see tomorrow and please do not forget to tell me the theme for your ball, I would hate to go there looking out of place." She drawled, her eyes watching him with mild disgust

"Of course" Lucien muttered.

The infuriating chit, he thought as the door closed behind him.

One minute she was all sweet and the next scratchy like a cat, it was hard for him to keep up with the many faces of Mara Sinclair and admittedly that was what he found attractive about her and she was right, he had to take the contract serious if he wanted both of them to succeed and not get caught.

He had downplayed the importance of the ball tomorrow to her, partly because he could not wait to see the shock on her face when she realizes she was in one of the biggest party ever organized and he was going to propose.

Lucien laughed as he drove, he had never been this excited in a while.