Читать книгу The Executive's Vengeful Seduction / Rich Man's Revenge: The Executive's Vengeful Seduction - Maxine Sullivan, Tessa Radley - Страница 10

Four

Gabrielle stared at Damien, unable to believe she was hearing right. “Marriage! To you?”

The line of his mouth tightened. “That’s the idea.”

Her heart constricted. Did he know what he was asking? “But why? I mean, I know you feel my father gave you a helping hand years ago but this is going too far, Damien.”

“No. I’d say it’s going just far enough.” A look of implacable determination crossed his face. “It’s the only way to stop Keiran.”

She winced inwardly, trying to remember this was about Keiran, not about her and Damien. Yet she and Damien would pay the price. Again. Hadn’t they already paid enough?

She tilted her head. “But even if we marry, my shares belong to me and your shares belong to you. It doesn’t give us controlling interest.”

For a long moment he stared at her. Then, “It does if I sign over eleven percent of my shares to you as a wedding present.”

“What!” she exclaimed, giving him a glance of utter disbelief.

He arched a brow. “Can you think of a better way to get Keiran out?”

She swallowed hard. “There must be another way,” she said, trying not to let the desperation show in her voice.

“If there is I’d be glad to hear it.”

She gathered her wits about her. “Let me talk to Keiran again. I’m sure I can make him see reason.”

“Keiran will only see reason if there’s something in it for him. And I don’t think anything you offer will tempt him away from the top seat, do you?”

He was right. It would take much more than anything she had for Keiran to step aside.

“Of course,” Damien drawled, wry amusement entering his eyes. “We could always kill him to get him out of the way.”

She glared at him. “This is too serious to joke about.”

“Who’s joking?” he mocked, but there was a hardness to his tone that bode ill for the other man. “I’m just trying to make you see that marriage between us is the only alternative. It may not be what you want to hear but it’s the best there is.”

No, she couldn’t believe that.

She wouldn’t.

“Surely you don’t want to get married, Damien? More to the point, surely you don’t want to marry me?”

“I’m glad you know what I don’t want,” he snapped. “Actually, it’s time I settled down. I’m getting older and I want a wife and…” a moment crept by “…you’re the wife I want.”

She swallowed hard. For a minute there she’d thought he was going to say he wanted a family with her. She wasn’t sure if she were up to that.

But being Damien’s wife…

“Would this be a temporary arrangement?” she asked, not considering it but asking all the same.

“No.”

Her eyes widened. “You mean…”

“Once we marry, we stay married.” A muscle ticked in his cheek. “It’s forever, Gabrielle. Remember that.”

“I don’t think I could forget it,” she muttered. Then a hopeful idea came to mind. “Of course, you could always just sign over the eleven percent to me anyway. That would be a good way to repay my father.”

“No, the best way to repay your father is for us to marry. A united front will put confidence back in the company for our clients.” He paused. “Oh, and Gabrielle. I will want your parents to think this is a real marriage between us.”

Her heart thudded inside her chest. “You mean you want them to think we’re in love?”

He nodded. “Yes. I’ll tell your father about me giving you the shares, of course, but only after he’s on the mend. I don’t want him getting even a hint that we married to stop Keiran from ruining the company. It could set back his recovery.”

Damien was right about her father not needing to hear bad news. “But surely my mother should be told the truth?” she questioned, even as she told herself the point was moot.

He shook his head. “No, if we’re going to do it, we may as well do it properly. I don’t want any slip-ups in front of your father, and with your mother being under a lot of stress, it wouldn’t be fair to burden her.”

He made it all sound so rational. Yet how could she pretend to be in love with this man? And why the heck was she considering this, anyway?

She lifted her chin. “I’m sorry but I won’t marry you, Damien. My father wouldn’t want me to go that far.”

He arched a brow. “Really? I’m sure Russell would want you to do everything in your power to save all he’s built over the years. And that includes marriage to me.”

She straightened her shoulders. “Look, you can be a martyr about it, but I will not sacrifice myself like this for the sake of the company. Not for my father. And not for my mother, either,” she added, preempting him.

His eyes narrowed. “Then what about for all those people who work for your father?”

Her hands clenched. “It’s no use, Damien. Just give it up.”

“No, you need to give in. There are people depending on your decision. People like James. People who have worked for your father for years, not just here in Darwin but all around Australasia. If Keiran destroys the company then there’s going to be a hell of a lot of people out of work.”

“I can’t take responsibility for the whole damn world,” she choked. If this was what it was like at the top, then they could have it.

His dark brows jerked together. “Don’t swear, Gabrielle.”

Her eyes widened. “How can you take this so calmly? This is our lives you’re talking about ruining.”

His face closed up more than usual. “I don’t think marriage between us will ruin our lives. We may even enjoy it.”

She gave a strangled laugh. “It may not ruin yours, but it will definitely ruin mine. I don’t know what you’ve got planned for the rest of your life, but being married to you isn’t on my list.”

His green eyes darkened to near black as a hardness rippled through him like a chain reaction. His mouth opened. He went to speak.

And his cell phone rang.

He held her gaze a moment more, watching her. Then he took the phone out of his pocket and answered it. She was just beginning to take a breath when she noticed his gaze shoot to her. She tensed immediately, sensing it must be the hospital.

“We’ll be there soon,” he said into the phone, then hung up and returned it to his pocket.

“It’s my father, isn’t it?” she whispered, expecting a blow.

“He’s fine. But they’ve finished some tests and now he’s awake. Your mother said it’s a good time to come visit for a couple of minutes.”

Intense relief washed over her. “We’d better hurry, then,” she said, wishing she’d thought to give her cell phone number to her mother so that she’d always be available if anything happened. Not that she wanted to think about the worst happening, she decided, spinning on her heels to go back through the patio doors, glad to put an end to this discussion with Damien.

“We’ll finish this later,” he warned.

She had to stand her ground with him. “There’s nothing to discuss.”

Their eyes met and shock ran through her. There was a firm look on his face that said he wasn’t giving up. The thought tore at her insides and made her heart plummet to the depths of her soul. Damien always got what he wanted. It was just a pity he wanted a marriage of convenience with her. Dear God, the last thing she wanted was to be a convenience to this man.

That thought kept her resolute on the way to the hospital. She had to make sure she kept up her guard against Damien. Always, just when she thought she could hold her own with him, he’d change tack and sweep the rug out from under her. He was a ruthless businessman.

A ruthless man.

Just like her father, she reminded herself.

Of course, her father didn’t look too ruthless when she stood beside his hospital bed, his hand engulfing hers and a tear slipping down his cheek. Her eyes misted over and she leaned forward to kiss him, but ended up burying her face against his neck, careful not to cause him pain. For a split second all her hurt melted like candle wax. This was her father. And she was his little girl again.

“Gabrielle,” his shaky voice rumbled in her ears, and she swallowed hard. It had been so long since she’d heard him say her name so lovingly. Too long.

“Oh, Russell, our baby girl’s all grown-up now,” Gabrielle heard her mother say. It startled her to hear her parents actually talking civilly to each other for a change.

“Yes,” he said gruffly, and squeezed her hand again as if he never wanted to let her go.

Gabrielle took a deep breath and straightened, blinking back tears. Then her gaze fell on Damien and all at once her heart flipped over at the touch of tenderness in the back of those green eyes.

For her.

But Damien tender? Common sense told her that if he did feel any softening toward her, it was because he wanted something from her. She flinched inwardly. Oh, he wanted something all right.

Marriage.

“Sorry,” her father mumbled, pulling her thoughts away from her problems with Damien.

“Dad, shh. We’ll talk when you’re better.” Though what she’d say to him, she wasn’t sure. Deep down there was still hurt and anger over all that had happened. She couldn’t dismiss those feelings easily.

“Sleepy,” her father murmured, shutting his eyes.

She kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep then, Dad. I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said softly, sure he was asleep before she’d even finished speaking.

Her mother’s eyes filled with gratitude. “He’ll recover well just knowing you’re here.”

“I’m glad,” Gabrielle said, unable to prevent herself from still sounding wooden, then felt guilty for the tiny wince her mother tried to hide.

“Then we’ll see you tomorrow,” Caroline said, forcing a friendly tone. “The doctors don’t want him overdoing things.”

“Of course.”

After that they said their goodbyes but once in the car, Damien turned toward her, his eyes piercing. “Your father’s still got a long way to go.”

Gabrielle grimaced. “You don’t have to remind me.”

“Yes, I do. You seem to think if you ignore everything, then it will just sort itself out.”

“Maybe it will,” she said coolly.

“And maybe it won’t,” he snapped. “When your father struggles through all this to get better and finally comes home to find out his company has been decimated, will you tell him why there’s nothing left? Or will you be back in Sydney and won’t give a damn?”

She drew herself up straighter in the passenger seat. “Have you finished?”

“No I bloody well haven’t.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “God, you’re so like my father it isn’t funny. The two of you could be twins.”

A pulse began to beat in his cheekbone. “What are you talking about?”

Her heart squeezed tight. “You like things your own way, Damien. I won’t marry you. I would end up a doormat who occasionally got taken out on special occasions. Just like my mother.”

“No,” he growled.

“You desire me, but once you get bored with me you’ll move on to some other woman, and a marriage license won’t stop you.” She lifted her head high. “I want something better for myself than what my mother had with my father, and if I can’t have a warm, loving marriage, then I don’t want a poor imitation of one.”

He went very still. “You don’t know what I feel for you,” he rasped.

“Exactly.” She’d always known when he wanted her, but that hadn’t been about his feelings. He’d kept his real feelings from showing.

“We’ll talk later.” He turned away and started the engine. “Let’s get something to eat. It’s way past lunchtime,” he said, confirming what she’d just said about ignoring any feelings. “Then I need to go to my office for an hour or two.”

She hadn’t eaten a thing all day and she wasn’t sure she could. Her appetite seemed to have disappeared. “I’d prefer to go talk to Keiran again.”

His mouth tightened. “Best leave Keiran to think over things for the rest of the day. Otherwise we’re going to antagonize him more, and right now that’s probably not a good thing. I’ll give James a call after we eat. He can keep an eye on things until tomorrow.”

“Fine.” She knew what he said made sense. But tomorrow, whether Keiran liked it or not…whether Damien liked it or not…she was going to take charge and damn the consequences.

Back at the apartment, while she made ham sandwiches for a late lunch, Damien got on the phone and arranged for a rental car for her use. Then they sat on the balcony and ate lunch.

“By the way,” Damien said after a few minutes silence. “I have a dinner to attend tonight. I want you to come with me.”

She placed her half-eaten sandwich back on her plate, a little hurt by his insensitivity. “Thanks but I’ll pass. I don’t feel like seeing people when my father’s sick in hospital.”

“It’ll do you good to get out.”

Her lips twisted in a grimace. “The last thing I feel like doing is attending some business dinner with a bunch of strangers.”

“This isn’t a business dinner. It’s with friends.”

She gave a choked laugh. “I didn’t know you had any friends. Except women friends, of course.”

He arched a brow. “You sound jealous.”

“Only of their ability to put up with your delightful company,” she said sweetly, ignoring the fact that he looked so handsome sitting there with the sun’s shadow on his lean face.

He tilted his dark head, a slight smile on his lips. “Our marriage is going to be very interesting.”

She stabbed him with a glare. “I am not marrying you, Damien.”

The smile left his mouth. His gaze became shuttered. “Tonight’s a good time to introduce you to them.”

She felt as if she was going round and round in circles. “Damien, I—”

“Be ready by seven,” he said, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet.

She looked up at him, suddenly tired of fighting him, knowing he wasn’t about to give up. He’d probably even try to dress her himself if she wasn’t ready. “Okay, fine. I’ll go. But they’re all probably a bunch of boring suits, anyway.”

His eyes narrowed. “You might be surprised.”

“About you? Never. I know the sort of man you are and the sort of friends you’ll have.”

A muscle began jumping in his cheek. “I’m glad you think you know me,” he snapped, then strode back inside the apartment.

A few moments later she heard the front door close in a quiet, controlled manner. In a way she wished he’d slammed it instead.

A couple of hours later they drove up to a luxurious mansion along the waterfront at Cullen Bay. Gabrielle, dressed in a silky blue dress that had received an approving look from Damien, was proven right about his friends.

Yet wrong.

The house obviously belonged to moneyed people, but when she stepped inside the front door it was to find one other couple besides their hosts and a warm greeting that softened the hardness around her heart and made her feel very welcome. They were all very different from what she’d expected. And that added an insight into the man beside her that she would never have seen otherwise.

Danielle and Flynn Donovan owned the house, and Kia and Brant Matthews were obviously close friends and frequent visitors. The women were gorgeous and friendly, the two men handsome and suave, but with a slight reserve that told Gabrielle they were the same breed as Damien. They didn’t let down their guard easily.

Dinner was quite a lighthearted affair in a magnificent dining room that really showed off the house to perfection.

“This is such a lovely room,” Gabrielle said to Danielle once they’d finished the first course and there was a lull in the conversation.

Danielle flushed, looking pleased. “Thank you. That’s really nice of you to say so.”

Something occurred to Gabrielle and her eyes widened. “I’ve just realized. You were the one who did Damien’s apartment, weren’t you?”

Danielle nodded with pleasure, though Gabrielle mentally acknowledged the mention of her knowing Damien’s apartment had been noted by all of them.

“My wife is quite the decorator,” Flynn said, sending his wife a loving look. It was a look that Gabrielle herself had hoped to receive one day from the man she loved.

At the thought, her gaze slid to Damien opposite her, and saw him watching her through half-closed lids. She wondered if Damien would ever be as relaxed as the men around their wives. He’d always seemed so alone.

Appearing nonchalant, she reached for her wineglass and took a sip, but her thoughts were far from casual. Damien had never sent her a loving look like the one Flynn had given his wife. Lustful yes, but not a warm look filled with respect.

Not that it mattered. She didn’t plan on falling in love again. Nor did she plan on marrying for a long time to come, despite what Damien said. For the moment she was just going to be one of those women whose dreams of being swept off her feet were just that—dreams.

“Gabrielle Kane?” the other woman, Kia, said with a slight frown on her beautiful forehead. “Your name seems familiar. Are you from Darwin?”

Gabrielle darted a look at Damien, but Kia’s husband, Brant, pulled her gaze to him instead. “You’re Russell Kane’s daughter, aren’t you?” he said, a curious gleam in his eyes that made her wonder what he knew about her. “You’ve been living interstate for the last couple of years.”

She moistened her suddenly dry lips. “Yes, I have.”

“Oh, that’s right. Your father recently had a stroke,” Kia said sympathetically. “I remember reading it in the newspapers now. I’m so sorry, Gabrielle. How is he?”

Gabrielle inclined her head in gratitude. “Thank you.” Her voice broke a little, so she cleared her throat. “He’s heavily sedated at the moment.”

“But we’re hoping he’ll soon be on the mend,” Damien added, his voice losing that steely edge, surprising Gabrielle, making her feel less alone in her fears.

“I’m so glad,” Kia said with sincerity. She paused, her eyes a little surprised. “You know, Gabrielle. You’re not like we expected.”

Gabrielle grew a little wary, but wasn’t sure why. “I’m not?”

Kia’s lips curved into a smile. “You’re much nicer.” The other woman sent Damien an approving look. “I’m really glad Damien brought you here tonight.”

Gabrielle let out a silent sigh of relief even as she refused to look at Damien. “So am I.” And she meant it. She just wished it hadn’t been because of Damien that she was here.

Then she realized the others were looking at her as if they knew there was more to her and Damien’s relationship, but thankfully talk turned to general things while they worked their way through the rest of the meal.

Just as they were finishing dessert, the housekeeper, Louise, came into the room to tell both women that their babies were growing restless. Kia and Danielle instantly jumped up and so did their husbands, jokingly saying that they wanted to see their daughters, too.

Danielle went to leave the room, then stopped and frowned. She opened her mouth to speak but Damien cut her off, “Don’t worry about us, Danielle. We’ll be fine until you come back.”

“Are you sure?”

Damien gave a slow smile. “What man in his right mind would complain about being left alone with such a beautiful woman?”

Danielle laughed. “Oh, you’re such a smooth talker.” She winked at Gabrielle. “Watch out for him, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle tried to smile but it felt forced. Her heart was thumping, and not just because she would be alone with Damien. She was so thankful the housekeeper hadn’t brought either of those babies into the dining room. She wasn’t sure she could bear it.

She waited until the others left the room, then put her napkin on the table and stood. “I need some fresh air,” she choked, hurrying toward the patio doors. They were closed to keep the room air-conditioned and she prayed they weren’t locked. They weren’t.

But as she stepped outside onto the well-lit terrace, the humidity that swamped her was as heavy as her heart. She stood there for a moment, letting it overwhelm her, welcoming the pain…the ache of loss.

“You don’t like children?” Damien said from behind her, making her jump.

She schooled her features into a blank mask before slowly turning around. “What makes you say that?”

“Gut instinct. Most women usually fuss over babies and all that motherly stuff.” His eyes pierced the distance between them. “You didn’t.”

She held his gaze. “Perhaps I have other things on my mind.”

“Like what?”

“My father.”

He inclined his head, conceding the point as he came toward her. “For your information, Kia’s baby, Emma, is only a few weeks old. Danielle’s little girl, Alexandra, is about nine months.”

“I’m sure they’re gorgeous,” she said, her heart breaking even as she was surprised he knew the ages of his friends’ children.

“They are.”

She wanted to ask if he liked children. And if he ever planned on having another one day. Only, she couldn’t say that. Not to the man who’d unknowingly fathered one child already. A child who had died.

She swallowed hard and tried not to let him see her anguish. “Your friends are really nice,” she said, pushing aside her heartache.

“Not boring suits at all, eh?”

She winced. “No.” She felt bad now for being so judgmental about them.

“Apology accepted.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t apologize.”

“I know,” he said with a slight smile as he came toward her.

She was suddenly too aware of how close he was. Quickly she turned away to look out over the lush landscape. “Um, this is a beautiful house. And this garden is just lovely.”

Desperately she tried to concentrate on the beauty of the well-lit setting. A light breeze dipped palm fronds in the swimming pool, and flowers from the frangipani trees spread a blanket of white over a patch of lawn. Hibiscus provided splashes of red-orange color.

He put his hand on her arm and turned her back to him. Something deep kindled in his eyes. “Not as beautiful as you,” he murmured, pulling her toward him.

Oh God. Five years ago she’d lacked the know-how to control her crazy feelings for him. Now she could feel the same craving for him gnawing beneath the surface.

“What do you want, Damien?” she said huskily, unable to stop herself from savoring the warm, male scent of him rising up in the pocket of air between them. At a subconscious level, it tantalized her senses and turned her legs to jelly.

His gaze dropped to her mouth. “You.”

His head began to lower, and she unwillingly swayed toward him. Dear Lord. Suddenly five years was too long between kisses.

In the space of a heartbeat, he molded her mouth to the fullness of his own. Unable to ignore the taste of warm memories, she groaned and kissed him back, as a wonderful sensation quivered through her. Heat licked at her veins and she needed no further coaxing to let him venture into the hollows of her mouth while she clutched at his shoulders and let him intoxicate her.

Long moments later he broke off the kiss. She watched a pulse beat wildly in his throat, her mind staggered with incredulous wonder. She hadn’t known it until now, but she’d missed this feeling of sharing and being one.

With him.

And then reality hit at the sound of the others coming back into the living room.

He stepped back and gestured for her to precede him through the patio doors. “After you,” he murmured, the huskiness still lingering in his voice, affecting her, making her legs feel shaky as she hurried inside.

After that, the rest of the evening was nerve-racking for Gabrielle. Damien appeared to enjoy his friends’ company, but whenever he looked at her, the desire in his eyes made her heart thud against her ribs.

Yet knowing she’d tapped a raw nerve back there on the patio gave her strength. She was glad their kiss had affected him as much as it had her. It made her feel not so needy. The downside was that it made her vulnerable. How could a woman not feel stirred knowing she’d touched a chord inside a man like Damien?

She breathed easier when he left the room to take a call on his cell phone, but his return sent a flutter of panic through her. There was an odd look in his eyes.

It was hard.

And determined.

She tried to ignore an uneasy feeling, but her heart jumped in her throat when not long after he suggested they leave. He didn’t mention to the others she was staying with him. Not that it was anyone’s business, and certainly Damien would never find the need to explain such a thing to anyone. Not even to his friends.

He didn’t speak on the way home, either, but the tension increased within the confines of the car. Would he try to get her in bed? It certainly wouldn’t worry him if he did, of that she was certain.

As soon as they stepped inside his apartment, the door to the spare bedroom appeared to be far too close for her liking. She darted a look at him beneath her lashes and saw a muscle ticking in his jaw. Her stomach tied itself in knots.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to seduce you,” he mocked, striding over to the bar.

Her brows rose. “You’re not?”

“Not yet anyway.” He poured himself a small amount of scotch.

She moistened her lips, all at once certain there was something else going on here. “How…generous of you.”

There was a moment’s pause, then, “I’ve decided to wait until our marriage.”

Frustration clawed through her. “Damien, will you please stop—”

“Tomorrow.”

The air whooshed out of her lungs. “Wh-what?” He took a swallow of his drink. “We’re getting married tomorrow, Gabrielle, like it or not.”

She gasped. “Look, I told you—”

“Keiran just lost a three-million-dollar contract.”

Her head reeled back. “Say that again.”

“That phone call I took was from James. Keiran lost a deal your father had been working on for the past year.” He paused as he slammed the glass down on top of the bar. “Now. Don’t you think it’s time we got married?”