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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.’
CHAPTER THREE
FOR a moment Lara lost the power of speech, and she felt the blood drain from her cheeks.
‘If this is a joke,’ she began shakily, ‘it’s in very bad taste.’
Wolfe observed her in silence, noting the way her eyes dilated and became dark, her slightly parted mouth as she unconsciously held her breath.
‘You can’t be serious?’ she managed at last. The concept was ludicrous. Beyond belief. Impossible.
‘Very serious,’ Wolfe assured her solemnly.
‘Why?’ It was a strangled, heart-wrenching cry from the depths of her soul.
‘Children.’
It took a few seconds for her to get it, and even then Wolfe chose to spell it out.
‘Our equal shares in the Alexander Conglomerate are consigned in trust to the issue of children from your marriage, and from my own. Something which will create complex difficulties, and ultimately cause the conglomerate to disintegrate in the next generation.’ He waited a beat as his gaze speared her own. ‘It won’t happen if you and I wed each other and the children stipulated in Darius’ will issue from our marriage.’
‘You’re offering me a business deal that will tie up a few loose ends and keep everything in the family?’ Lara deduced with deceptive quietness.
‘Does that bother you?’
The thought of being a ‘loose end’ didn’t sit well.
‘Yes, damn it!’ She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Aiming for cool, calm and collected was proving difficult when there was an internal battle going on. ‘You’re proposing a convenient marriage?’ She was on a roll. ‘Which will entail…?’
‘Sharing a home, a partnership in bed and out of it. A generous allowance.’ He lifted a shoulder in a negligible shrug. ‘An enviable lifestyle. Children, eventually, God willing.’ He paused fractionally. ‘Is that sufficiently specific?’
He was still. Too still, like a predator indolently waiting to pounce.
‘And, if I refuse, you’ll withdraw your offer to transfer funds.’ Her voice shook with the effort it cost her to speak.
‘Yes.’
She picked up her water goblet, and barely restrained the urge to throw the contents in his face.
For a few timeless seconds her eyes blazed with anger as they collided with his, and it took all her control to restore the goblet onto the table.
‘A wife, bought and paid for.’
His expression hardened a little at her succinct summation, and his grey eyes assumed the colour of dark slate.
A silent war rose to the fore, and she battled against the unbearable need to hit him.
It didn’t help that he knew.
‘Don’t discount the offer, Lara,’ Wolfe warned with dangerous silkiness. ‘You have no other option.’
Wasn’t that the truth! Yet the fact rankled unbearably.
‘You expect me to meekly comply?’
Meek and Lara didn’t feature on the same page, he mused idly. The smitten teenager of ten years ago had grown in spirit and attitude to become the fiercely independent young woman seated opposite him today. Who, despite being down and almost out, could still attempt to do battle with him.
Wolfe leaned back in his chair. ‘The choice is yours.’
Some choice.
A deal with the Devil…or the Devil to pay.
It was no contest.
‘If…if I agree,’ she continued in a voice stiff with latent anger, ‘When do you envisage the marriage to take place?’
‘As soon as it can be arranged, by special licence.’
