Emma Darcy: Australia: In Bed with a Bachelor: The Costarella Conquest / The Hot-Blooded Groom / Inherited: One Nanny

EMMA DARCY’Slife journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in her stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty million book sales. Born in Australia and currently living in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, she travels extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.

Initially a French/English teacher, she changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. A voracious reader, the step to writing her own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive.

Over the past twenty-five years she has written ninety-five books for Mills & Boon, appearing regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the USA and in the Nielsen BookScan Top 100 chart in the UK.

Emma Darcy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cover

About the Author EMMA DARCY’S life journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in her stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty million book sales. Born in Australia and currently living in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, she travels extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people. Initially a French/English teacher, she changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. A voracious reader, the step to writing her own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. Over the past twenty-five years she has written ninety-five books for Mills & Boon, appearing regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the USA and in the Nielsen BookScan Top 100 chart in the UK.

Title Page Australia: In Bed with a Bachelor The Costarella Conquest The Hot-Blooded Groom Inherited: One Nanny Emma Darcy www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Costarella Conquest The Costarella Conquest Emma Darcy

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Hot-Blooded Groom

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Inherited: One Nanny

DEDICATION

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Endpages

Copyright

Emma Darcy

FRIDAY afternoon in the office of the man Jake Freedman had every reason to hate, and he could barely contain his impatience to leave. Soon, very soon, he would have all the evidence to indict Alex Costarella for the vulture he was, picking over the carcasses of bankrupted companies to feed his own bankroll. Then he could leave for good. In the meantime, the facade of aspiring to be Costarella’s right-hand man in the liquidation business could not afford any cracks.

‘It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday,’ the big man remarked, eyeing Jake with speculative interest. ‘You don’t have any family, do you?’

Not since you helped to kill my stepfather.

Jake managed a rueful smile. ‘Lost both my parents in my teens.’

‘Yes, I remember you saying so. Difficult for you. Makes it all the more admirable that you pushed on with a career path and have made such a fine job of it.’

Every step of the way had been burning with the ambition to take this man down. And he would. It had taken ten years to get to this point—accountancy, law, building up experience in Costarella’s business, gaining his confidence. Only a few more months now…

‘I’d like you to meet my daughter.’

Shock startled Jake out of his secret brooding and rattled his ruthless determination. He’d never thought about the vulture’s family, or what effect his own actions might have on them. He raised his eyebrows enquiringly. Was the daughter about to come into her father’s business or…was this some weird attempt at matchmaking?

‘Laura is a stunner in any man’s language. Smart girl and a great cook,’ Costarella declared with an inviting smile. ‘Come to lunch at my home on Sunday and find out for yourself.’

A sales pitch! And a set-up for a connection to be made!

Jake inwardly recoiled from an up-close-and-personal involvement with anyone related to this man. His hand moved instinctively in a negative gesture. ‘I’d be intruding on your family day.’

‘I want you to come, Jake.’

The expression on his face brooked no refusal. It was a strong, handsome face, framed by thick, steel-grey hair and dominated by steel-grey eyes—a face imbued with the confidence of a man who could and did take control of anything and bend it to his will.

Jake knew instantly that if he persisted in declining the invitation, the approval rating that gave him access to the evidence he needed could be lost. ‘That’s very kind of you,’ he rolled out with an appreciative smile. ‘If you’re sure I’d be welcome…’

Any doubt on that score was clearly irrelevant. What Costarella wanted, he got. ‘Make it eleven-thirty,’ he said without hesitation. ‘You know where I live?’

‘Yes. Thank you. I’ll look forward to it.’

‘Good! I’ll see you then.’ The grey eyes glittered with satisfaction. ‘You won’t be disappointed.’

Jake nodded, taking his dismissal as gracefully as he could, knowing he had to turn up on Sunday, knowing he had to show an interest in the daughter, and hating the idea with every fibre of his being.

Why Costarella wanted this, he didn’t know. It seemed ridiculously patriarchal in this day and age to be lining up a suitor, as though people were pawns to be moved as he wished. Nevertheless, it was typical of the callous mentality of the man. He moved to his own beat, not giving a damn about anyone else’s interests.

Jake had to go along with him, play for time, protect his own agenda. If he had to start dating Laura Costarella he would, but no way would he allow himself to become emotionally attached to her, regardless of how beautiful and smart she was.

She was the daughter of the enemy.

He wasn’t about to forget that.

Ever.

Mother’s Day…

Laura Costarella wished it could be what it was supposed to be—a beautiful, memorable day for her mother with her children showing their love and appreciation for all she’d done for them, and their father being happy with the family they’d created together.