Читать книгу A Man's Black Heart - Nuria Farai - Страница 6

A Man’s Black Heart

Chapter 1

Caleb shuffled his feet uncomfortably. „Erm … there’s a lady outside, who wants to speak with you. With only you.“ Ryker sighed, but he was curious nonetheless. No lady ever asked to speak with him. The women who worked for him did not ask for audiences in his downtown office. Since a few months, he had an office in the business district of London, where his finer clientele could show up without fearing for their reputation. A lady could only mean a wife of one of his former salesmen was thinking imploring him to reinstate their husband as a partner, would soften his heart. As if his reputation allowed any room for interpretation. He would as soon show mercy in business as he would allow his heart to be captured by love to a woman. He was quite immune to romance, and … as he looked up, his heart skipped several beats. The young woman who entered was the most beautiful and fascinating creature he had ever beheld. She was tall, almost as tall as his sister, and slender, but she had rather large breasts and gently rounded, feminine hips. Her longs legs showed under her dress, as she elegantly walked up to him. He could not see her hair under her bonnet, but her flashing eyes were a splendid green, and her heart-shaped face displayed perfect skin, and a healthy glow. This woman had not known a day of hunger, he was sure. He longed to caress those rosy cheeks, and to touch her blooming rack. How would her lips part, when she was pleasured? He pulled himself together. „How can I help?“, he snapped, rougher than he had intended. His deep voice sounded like a drum in the almost empty room. She shuddered a little, and her slightly slanted eyes widened. She was now walking cautiously towards the desk. No doubt she knew about his reputation. „I am Miss Arnheim“, she almost whispered. „And I’m obviously Mr. Black“. „Wie passend“, she mumbled. He listened up. „Yes. I’m black.“ She shrank again. „I’m sorry. You understand German.“ „Enough to do business with your country men. What do you desire, Miss Arnheim?“ She straightened up, drawing back her shoulders, and he admired her small waist, and the attractive curve from her waist to her hips. They were exactly the width he preferred. „I’m a friend of Billy Knight’s son, Colin. I would like to ask you to reconsider the annulment of his father’s delivery contract. He needs this work, you know. You were his best client.“ „And so he sent you?“ He stared at her for a moment incredulously, then he smiled at her guts. „And how will you convince me, Miss?“ She colored. „Not in an indecent way, I assure you. My speciality is sound reasoning.“ „I did not mean to imply anything. Pray forgive me“, he said hastily. He might be many things, but he never took advantage of a woman. She smiled, and the sweet image sent a very unfamiliar wave of warmth into his belly. „Please reconsider. Mr. Knight is a good man. A reliable man.“ „How do you know Colin?“ „He is one of my children.“ He gaped. „You are his mother?“ She smiled again. It seemed second nature to her. „No. I have a small establishment, where children from the streets are taken care of. And Colin used to live on the streets, after his mother threw him out. His father took him up, when he learned about it.“ „I beg your pardon? What sort of care?“ „We trade them to workhouses and heartless masters, who whip them daily“, she said ironically. „I see. And do you earn well on that, Miss Arnheim?“, he gently asked. She smiled. „Not nearly as much as I would like to have to spend on new clothes and fancy jewelry.“ He liked her immediately. „In fact, Mr. Black, I was going to ask you if you were interested in contributing as a sponsor for our young charges.“ „I make you another offer. You can sell your young girls to my club“, he said, grinning. She shook, despite herself. „I…“ He stood up, and walked slowly towards her. She wanted to take a step back, but her backbone prevented her. He was very tall, and broad, and he dwarfed her. She was even more perfect from close. Her scent was wonderful, it was clean, flowery woman. „I am only jesting. I’ll visit your establishment“, he said. „But I am a busy man. I can’t promise you it’ll be soon.“ Was that a gleam of disappointment in her eyes?