Victoria Parker - His Ultimate Demand

‘What?’ she demanded when she couldn’t stand his intense scrutiny any longer.

‘I came here for a purpose. You succeeded in swaying me from that purpose. I intend to find out why.’

‘Was that purpose to destroy your father?’ she asked before she thought better of it.

He immediately stiffened. The breeze rushing over the water ruffled his hair. He slowly scythed his fingers through it without taking his eyes off her.

‘Among other things.’

‘But you decided to spare him at the last minute.’

‘A very puzzling notion indeed.’

Her heart hammered as his speculative gaze rested on her lips.

‘I don’t think it’s puzzling at all. I think you knew exactly what you were doing.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘And what would that be, O Wise One?’

‘You were extending the thrill of the chase, delaying the gratification of the kill blow.’

‘How very astute of you.’

‘So what were the other things?’

‘Perdono?’

‘You said among other things.’

His gaze drifted down the neckline of her black tube dress, again a tighter fit than she would’ve preferred. ‘What do you think?’

‘According to online sources you have an IQ of a hundred and forty-eight.’

‘It’s closer to one-fifty but who’s counting?’

Her mouth pursed. ‘It also says you’re a rampantly rabid playboy who thinks about nothing else but the next woman he intends to sleep with. It’s a shame you’ve chosen to use all hundred and fifty to chase skirts.’

He grinned. ‘No, I only use one hundred and forty-eight. I need the other two to walk and talk.’

She rolled her eyes even though the corners of her mouth curved. The boat pulled up to a jetty, beyond which she could see several planes parked on tarmac.

Narciso’s plane was the same silver shade as his eyes, with a black trim that made it stand out among the other jets.

He lived a life of extreme luxury and decadence, while making people like her jump through hoops to claim what was rightfully theirs.

‘What’s wrong? You’re frowning.’

‘You’re asking me to spend time and energy claiming something that should be already mine. I’m trying to see the fairness in that.’

‘Something about going the extra mile? Doing whatever it takes?’ he mocked, but his eyes held a flash of warning. ‘Get on the plane, Ruby.’

‘Or what?’

‘Or you lose everything. Because I won’t renegotiate and I despise being thwarted.’

Her feet remained leaden. Her instinct warned her she wouldn’t emerge unscathed if she went with him.

‘Is this how you do business? You strike a deal, you renegotiate, then you renege?’ he demanded.

‘Of course not. I’m only here because your company reneged on the deal it struck with me!’

‘A fact I’m yet to verify. The quicker you get on the plane, the quicker this can be resolved.’

She had no argument against that. And the reality was she’d come too far to turn back. And there was the small problem of Simon’s loan shark lurking in the background.

Taking a deep breath, she started to mount the steps. Recalling something he’d said, she twisted and nearly collided with his lean, muscular frame. The steadying hand he threw around her waist burned through to her skin. This close, without the hindrance of his mask, she could see how his envy-inducing cheekbones and long eyelashes framed his impossibly handsome face.

‘What did you mean about being thwarted?’

‘Sex, Ruby. I meant sex. We’re going to have it together. It’s going to be spectacular and, yes, I know you’re going to protest. But it will happen. So prepare yourself for it.’

She was still reeling from the raw, brazen words hours later as she tried to doze in her fully reclined seat two rows from where he conducted a teleconference call.

She had no idea how long the flight to Belize would take. She had no idea what the temperature would be this time of year.

In fact, her mind was empty of everything but the words Narciso had uttered to her on the steps of his plane.

Punching her pillow, she silently cursed herself for dwelling on it. It was never going to happen. She’d have to be ten kinds of fool to repeat what she’d nearly gone through with Simon—

‘If you punch that pillow one more time, it’ll give up its secrets, I’m sure of it.’

She twisted around and found him standing beside her seat, one hand held out.

‘Sleep is eluding you. Let’s spend some time together.’

‘No, thanks.’

He dropped his hand and shoved it into his pocket. Ruby tried not to stare at the way his shoulders flexed under the snow-white T-shirt he’d changed into. ‘Please yourself. But if you end up serving me food that I find abhorrent because you haven’t done your homework, you’ll only have yourself to blame.’

The challenge had the desired effect. Pushing aside the cashmere throw the stewardess had provided, she went after him.

He smiled mockingly and waved her into the club chair opposite his.

Ruby smoothed her dishevelled hair down, and activated her tablet. ‘Okay, shoot. What’s your favourite food?’

‘Life offers such vast richness. Having favourites is severely restricting.’

She sighed. ‘This isn’t going to be easy, is it?’

He shrugged. ‘I take entertainment where I can get it.’

‘Okay, next question. Any food allergies?’

‘Peanuts and avocado.’

Her head snapped up. ‘Seriously?’

‘I don’t joke with my health, amante.’

She noted it on her tablet. ‘How do you feel about Sicilian food?’

‘I’m completely indifferent.’

She looked up in surprise. ‘Really? Most Sicilians are passionate about everything to do with their homeland.’

‘Probably because they have a connection to be passionate about—’ He stopped suddenly and his jaw clenched.

She watched him try to rein in his control and her chest tightened. ‘And you don’t?’

Tension gripped his frame. ‘Not for a long time.’

Her tablet dimmed, but she didn’t reactivate it. The flash of anguish in his eyes snagged her attention.

‘Because of your father?’ she pushed.

His eyes narrowed. ‘Why does this interest you so much?’

The question took her aback, made her ask herself the same thing. ‘I...I thought we were making conversation.’

‘This is one subject I prefer to steer clear of. Capisce?’

‘Because you find it upsetting.’

He cursed under his breath and raked back his hair as that stubborn lock fell over his forehead again. ‘Not at all. The subject of my father fires up my blood. I just prefer not to discuss it with near strangers.’

Despite cautioning herself to stick to business, she found herself replying, ‘Haven’t you heard of the saying make love not war?’

‘Why do I need to choose one when I can have both? I’ll make love to you and I make war with Giacomo.’

‘For how long?’

‘How long can I make love to you? Is that another challenge to my manhood?’

‘I meant your father, and you know it.’

‘I intend to keep going until one of us is in the ground.’

She gasped. ‘You don’t really mean that, do you?’

Again that flash of pain, gone before it’d even formed. ‘Sì, I do.’

‘You know, he called you poison.’

This time the anguish stayed for several seconds, shattered his expression. Her heart fractured at the pain she glimpsed before his face settled into neutral indifference. ‘He’s right. I am poison.’

His unflinching admission made her heart contract. ‘What happened between you two?’

‘I was born.’

* * *

Narciso watched her try to make sense of his reply. She frowned, then shook her head. ‘I don’t understand.’