Читать книгу Australian Bachelors: Masterful Magnates - Miranda Lee - Страница 7

‘CAN we talk?’ Stark, minimum words that cost her dearly, and incurred a probing look.

‘There’s something you want to discuss?’

His voice was a faintly inflected drawl, and she suppressed an involuntary shiver.

Lara spared him a quick glance and gleaned little from his expression. Assertiveness was the key. ‘Yes.’

‘In that case, let’s do so over lunch.’

Share a meal with him? She really didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary … Time was something she didn’t have!

He sensed her hesitation, and his eyes narrowed slightly. She looked too slender, her features too pale, and she resembled a cat on hot bricks.

Grief, without doubt, had to be taken into account … but why did he have the feeling it was more than that? A broken romance? There had been no boyfriend evident to lend support during the funeral service, nor to attend the gathering afterwards.

He told himself he didn’t care … and knew it to be untrue. For, despite the intervening years, he still retained a vivid recall of her teenage crush, and the method with which he’d dealt with it. The surprising sweetness of her young mouth; her reaction to his touch; the way she’d felt in his arms, and her uninhibited response.

It had affected him more than he’d imagined possible, and left him with a lingering sense of frustration in the knowledge he could have taken her. What had held him back? Remorse? Guilt? At the time he’d refused to contemplate it might be anything else … and he’d grasped opportunity with both hands soon after by relocating to New York, where he’d focused on forging his own fortune.

During the following years he’d met up with Darius in various parts of the world, and during infrequent appearances in Sydney, where he preferred hotel accommodation to staying as a guest in his father’s home. Dinner invitations that had included Lara … who’d stoically refused to ignore him, yet had treated him with such incredible politeness it had made him want to shake her.

Not unlike the feeling he entertained now.

‘We both need to eat,’ Wolfe ventured silkily.

Did she have a choice?

‘A sandwich and coffee,’ she conceded, aware it was all she could afford.

‘When was the last time you ate a decent meal?’

The question came out of left field, and she stiffened at the underlying censure. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, I spend my time in a kitchen cooking professionally for a living.’

‘For clientele.’

‘The nature of the business,’ she responded, and incurred his dark gaze.

‘An hour or two enjoying a leisurely meal in my company is abhorrent to you?’

Difficult. Unnerving. But not abhorrent. She closed her eyes, then opened them again. ‘Of course not.’

They were walking along a busy city-street, and she hesitated as Wolfe indicated a restaurant she knew to be ruinously expensive.

‘Relax.’

Sure. Like she could do that!

The maître d’ took one look at Wolfe, determined an aura of wealth, and ushered them to a well-positioned table.

Within minutes the drinks waiter elicited their order, and Lara opted to stay with chilled water, as did Wolfe.

The menu offered a superb variety, and she perused the selection with care.

‘Do you have a preference?’

Oh God, she didn’t want to do this!

‘I’m not very hungry.’

Wolfe cast her a brief glance over the top of the menu, then went ahead and ordered bruschetta, two entrées, two mains and intimated dessert could wait until later.

She opened her mouth to protest, only to close it again as she incurred his dark, unyielding look.

‘You really want to argue?’

Give it up, a silent voice warned.

The temptation to launch into her request was uppermost, if only to get it out there and be done with it—for the thought of playing polite and conducting a meaningless conversation almost brought her undone.

He looked every inch the man he’d become. Hardened, ruthless, powerful. Someone it would be wise not to toy with … unless you were prepared to face the consequences.

Successful beyond measure, Darius had been known to reveal with pride, with an apartment overlooking New York’s Central Park, residences in London and the south of France, to name a few.

While she was almost destitute and in debt up to her eyeballs.

Some comparison!

Did—could—Wolfe know of her financial circumstances?

Probably not. Unless he’d made it his business to find out. Despite privacy laws, information wasn’t too difficult to elicit if one knew how to circumvent conventional channels.

The mere thought sickened her, and she felt a slight degree of relief as a waiter appeared and placed a platter onto the table.

The bruschetta was tempting, although, given the state of her nerves, forking morsels of food into her mouth would require concentrated effort.

‘Eat, Lara.’

To refuse would be churlish, given a banana followed by coffee had comprised breakfast, and anything she managed to consume this evening would be eaten on the run. If nothing else, she needed food for sustenance and energy to maintain long working hours.

‘How long do you intend to stay in Sydney?’

He met her gaze and held it. ‘As long as it takes.’

An ambiguous answer that didn’t commit him to anything.

Would he comply with the conditions of Darius’ will?

It really was no concern of hers whether he did or not.

Lara moved the food around on her plate, and was so caught up with nerves she didn’t trust herself to lift her fork.

‘You wanted to run something by me?’ Wolfe prompted, and caught her sudden look of anguish.

This was hard, but she couldn’t prevaricate, wouldn’t pretend. Only explain … and ask.

Which she did, as briefly as possible, whilst outlining only the pertinent facts and her desperate urgency for funds.

The spectre of the loan shark hovered over her like the sword of Damocles, ever threatening, and poised to fall any time soon. Fear consumed her, stretching her nerves to breaking point.

There was nothing to be gleaned from his expression, making it impossible to discern whether he’d view her request favourably or not.

‘What amount do you have in mind?’

She mentioned a sum, and he didn’t even blink.

‘You perceive it as a gift?’

‘No.’ Genuine shock widened her eyes, and her hands shook slightly as she replaced her water goblet down onto the table. ‘A loan.’ She closed her eyes, then opened them again. ‘Using the shares bequeathed me under the terms of Darius’ will as collateral.’

She’d done the maths, had agonized and lost sleep over the figures, minimizing them to bare essentials in order to clear accumulated debts and purchase a vehicle. ‘I’ll pay you back every cent, with interest.’

‘Over what time frame?’

Lara relayed an estimation. ‘Less,’ she assured him quickly. ‘I can utilize the annuity from Suzanne’s estate and transfer it directly to you.’

Wolfe surveyed her carefully, then offered a silky negative. ‘No.’

Her features paled, and her eyes became large stricken pools. She had nowhere to go … no one else she could ask.

Loan sharks lent money on a strictly short-term basis, and non-payment wrought dire consequences.

She could feel the germ of anger begin to seed and take hold, sparking into flames that owed much to the past.

Uppermost was the desire to pick up the salt-shaker and hurl it at him. She consciously placed her hands onto her lap in an effort at control.

Any hope Wolfe might honour Darius’ verbal assurance of financial help died a natural death, and she rose to her feet, unable to bear so much as another minute in his company. ‘Go back to New York and have a nice life.’

‘Sit down.’ Dark slate-grey eyes seared hers. ‘I’m not done.’ ‘I am!’

Lara turned away from the table, and in the next instant a hand closed over her wrist, manacling her as securely as steel restraints.

‘Let me go.’ The words husked from her throat in a low growl, and her eyes flared with brilliant sapphire chips.

This close, she was supremely conscious of his height and breadth of shoulder, the clean, laundered smell of his clothes and the faint, teasing aroma of his cologne.

‘Sit down … please.’

The ‘please’ did little to appease her anger as she glared at him. ‘Give me one reason why I should.’

His gaze didn’t waver, and a muscle bunched at the edge of his jaw. ‘I have a suggestion.’ One he had no hesitation in making … having reached the decision with split-second decisiveness.

Lara stilled, and her glare became tinged with wariness. ‘I’m not sure I want to hear it.’

She was hardly aware of being manoeuvered down into her seat until Wolfe released her wrist and resumed his position opposite.

‘I’ll settle your debts.’

The wariness increased. ‘You just gave me a categorical no.’

‘To providing you with a loan,’ Wolfe corrected, adding, ‘Or accepting a transfer of Suzanne’s annuity.’

Why did she suddenly have this icy chill feathering the length of her spine?

‘As it stands, the future of the Alexander Conglomerate is at risk. Your bequeathed half-share is projected into the next generation via issue of your children. While mine, should I not relocate to Sydney and assume directorship, will disappear entirely.’ His gaze seared her own. ‘Not something, I think you’ll agree, Darius intended for his billion-dollar conglomerate?’

She knew Darius had accumulated immense wealth … but that much?

Only a fool would allow an investment of that size to slip through their fingers. And Wolfe was no fool.

‘So you’ll base yourself in Sydney.’ It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

‘I’ll honour my father’s wishes,’ he informed her silkily, pausing as the waiter removed their plates and intimated their main course would soon be served. ‘A stable consolidation is essential for the future of the conglomerate, don’t you agree?’

There could be only one answer. ‘Yes.’

He was playing a delicate game, one that required verbal skill and the power of persuasion. Something he was particularly noted for in the business arena, together with his ruthless ability to win against incredible odds.

Darius’ will had set out a deliberate plan in an attempt to achieve in death what he hadn’t been able to bring to fruition during his lifetime.

Wolfe observed Lara’s expressive features, divining the wariness evident, the faint curiosity … and closed in for the kill.

‘I’ll ensure the funds you require are transferred into your bank account within twenty-four hours.’

Her relief was palpable as the horrendous weight of her liability to the loan shark was seen to disappear, and her voice shook a little.

‘Thank you.’

‘Together with an equal amount to ensure any outstanding bills are paid, any temporary reduction in your staff’s wages are reimbursed.’

The waiter delivered their main course, and she didn’t speak until he was out of earshot.

‘You’re being unbelievably generous.’ An instinctive wariness began to unfold, together with suspicion.

‘I’ll clear the restaurant mortgage-debt, and cover all necessary refurbishment.’

There had to be a catch. A price she’d have to pay.

How many possibilities were there? Too few, she acknowledged silently, and in reality, only one.

Yet she had to ask. ‘In return for what?’

One dark eyebrow slanted, and his voice held an edge of mockery. ‘Occupying my home, my bed.’

Her eyes blazed blue fire. ‘As your mistress?’

‘No.’

He sounded mildly amused, and at that moment she truly hated him.

‘Then … what?’ Lara demanded.

‘My wife.’