Trish Morey - The Italian Boss's Mistress of Revenge

‘It’s decision time,’ Dante said, edging closer, touching the pads of his fingers to her cheek, his touch electric. ‘So what’s it to be? Close down the hotel or warm my bed and give your colleagues a fighting chance? It’s up to you.’

Mackenzi shied away from his hand—more to hide the tremors that resonated through her than from any revulsion to his touch. ‘With no guarantees, of course.’

‘Life doesn’t come with guarantees. The fate of Ashton House is up to you. Decide.’

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could so easily block out the scent of him and the acute awareness of his presence that fired her skin to simmering heat. It was an outrageous demand, no kind of deal at all, and she should turn him down flat. But in standing up for herself she’d be letting the hotel down. And in agreeing to share his bed the hotel might be spared after all. Did she really have a choice?

‘Yes,’ she whispered through lips suddenly ashen- dry.

‘I didn’t hear you,’ he said, extracting every last shred of humiliation from her.

‘Yes,’ she repeated, louder this time. ‘I’ll sleep with you.’

He smiled then, a smile that simultaneously turned her thoughts to panic and her nipples to bullets. ‘I knew you’d see reason.’

Trish Moreyis an Australian who’s also spent time living and working in New Zealand and England. Now she’s settled with her husband and four young daughters in a special part of South Australia, surrounded by orchards and bushland, and visited by the occasional koala and kangaroo. With a lifelong love of reading, she penned her first book at age eleven, after which life, career and a growing family kept her busy, until once again she could indulge her desire to create characters and stories—this time in romance. Having her work published is a dream come true. Visit Trish at her website, www.trishmorey.com

Recent titles by the same author:

THE SHEIKH’S CONVENIENT VIRGIN

THE BOSS’S CHRISTMAS BABY

THE SPANIARD’S BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE GREEK’S VIRGIN

A VIRGIN FOR THE TAKING

The Italian Boss’s Mistress Of Revenge

Trish Morey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my big sister, Toni.

Congratulations on achieving your half-century!

Happy birthday, Sis. Here’s to the next 50 years With much love, Trish xxx

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS a filthy night. Which suited Dante Carrazzo’s filthy mood right down to the ground.

The BMW’s windscreen wipers struggled to keep pace with the blinding rain, while its headlights picked out little more in the night fog than the ghostly shadows of gum trees looming claw-like over the unfamiliar Adelaide Hills road. If there was a boutique-hotel anywhere in the area, it sure didn’t want to be found.

Which was probably no surprise, given his plans for it .

He steered the car tight around another bend, his frustration mounting as his headlights met nothing other than their own reflection over a slick ribbon of road disappearing into the gloom.

Tiredness tugged at his senses and stung his eyes, eight hours behind the wheel after a full day’s battling to bring the Quinn deal to fruition starting to take its toll. Dante clamped down on the weakness the same way he did any other, forcing himself to alertness. It had been a long time, but he knew this was the right road. It had to be here, hidden under this blanket of fog, somewhere…

He was past the poorly lit turn-off before he realized it. With a muttered curse, he wheeled the car around at the first opportunity and headed back, pulling the car into the long driveway and towards the distant, eerie glow of lights that heralded his destination.

Ashton House.

At last .

Shrouded in swirling mist, the old mansion turned boutique-hotel looked almost sinister, its windows dark and unwelcoming, the old sandstone walls glowing unnaturally in the muted lantern light. He parked the car, mentally adding to his description the words, “brooding” and “resentful”.

Almost as if it hated him just as much as he hated every last thing it represented.

So be it .

The fog wrapped around him as he stepped from the car, icy droplets stinging his skin. He pulled his bag from the car and strode the few feet to the arched entrance-lobby, leaning against the night bell as he swiped the dampness from his coat. He waited precisely ten seconds before pressing it again.

‘I have a reservation,’ he said, brushing past the open- mouthed night clerk into the warm interior the second the door finally opened.

Behind him he heard the massive timber-panelled door being shut, closing out the swirling mist and cold. ‘I’ll certainly check for you, sir,’ said the clerk, making his way to the polished timber reception-counter. ‘Although I’m afraid we seem to have a full house tonight.’

Dante fixed the clerk with a stare that would splinter rocks. ‘I hope that doesn’t mean you’ve given my room away.’

The clerk frowned, his eyes flicking nervously away to his screen. ‘It will only take a moment to check, sir. What name did you say?’

‘I didn’t. And it’s Carrazzo. Dante Carrazzo.’

‘Ah!’ The clerk straightened as if someone had shoved an iron rod up his spine. Dante caught the smell of fear that came with it. It came as no surprise. All of the staff would be wondering—now that he owned Ashton House lock, stock and barrel—exactly what it was he had in mind for it. All of them would be on tenterhooks.

He allowed himself a wry smile. Given his reputation, they had a right to be.

‘We…we weren’t expecting you tonight, not with all the Melbourne airports closed.’

‘Do you have a room for me or not?’ His eyes were stinging again, indigestion burning his stomach. After the day and night he’d had, what he needed right now was a few hours of precious sleep, not a discussion about his travel arrangements. And if they’d given away his room…

‘I’m sorry. Of course, sir,’ the night clerk blustered, passing a pen for Dante to sign the register, while at the same time reaching for the room key. ‘Your suite was held. It’s just that we didn’t expect you until morning.’

‘Last time I looked,’ he replied smoothly, his voice modulated to low while every word was aimed like a barb, ‘it was morning. Now, what time will the manager be here?’

‘Mac—Mackenzi will be on from seven.’

‘Good,’ he said, scribbling his signature on the registration form. ‘Have this Mackenzi meet me in the restaurant at nine. Now, remind me where I can find this suite…’ The clerk gave him directions as soon as Dante had convinced him he was capable of carrying his own luggage. But he’d barely started down the passageway before he heard his name.

He turned on a sigh, impatient and unimpressed. ‘What is it?’

The clerk shrank noticeably in response, as if already wishing he could take back his interruption. ‘I meant to tell you, Mr Carrazzo, the staff organized a welcome package for you. You’ll find it waiting in your suite. But please, don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else you need.’

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ he growled, ‘I will.’ He turned and made his way down the old stone-walled billiards room, and through the passageway that led to the wing where the presidential suite took up half the space. If the staff really believed something as insignificant as a welcome package was going to change his mind about this place, then they were in for a major disappointment.