Blackmailed Merger (17 page)

Dante had moved forward taking
Sam’s
hand and pulling it to his lips
.

“Hello Sam” he had
murmured
softly, his warm
eyes
growing colder as she had pulled her fingers
quickly
from him her features full of such ice
.

“Do you know each other
?
”
his date
had asked in surprise, as dropping her head
Sam
had nodded slightly
.

“Yes, Dante and I met in Greece” she had finally managed
, not
seeing as he had frowned down on her
.

Both Kate and the other woman
could feel the tension between the two,
as Kate had began chattering in a bright voice to the other woman as
Sam had
stood s
o s
ilently avoiding
Dante’s
gaze, only raising her eyes to look at the other woman
, sneaking a quick
peek
at her.

She was of course beautiful, perfectly presented and sexy as hell she had thought, feeling the anger rising strongly
once more
.  With a quick flick back at him she had seen as his look had not wavered from her, his gaze assessing as the other two women had made polite small talk, both trying hard to ignore the obvious tension between Dante and Sam.

Unable to be near him
any longer,
she had finally made an excuse to her
friend
, noticeably snubbing
him
, as she had given a small
quick
smile to his date before moving off to join
Bella.  She was stood
open mouthed having spotted Dante, her eyes full of questions, as Sam had shaken her head in a silent plea for her not to ask.
He had watched her leave, his mouth thinning at how rude she had been, not the Sam he had remembered
, aware as
Kate
had made nervous excuses for her behaviour
.

For the rest of the
wedding
Samantha had ensured that she was never anywhere near Dante, not hard given his dates
possessive and demanding need to be wrapped around him for most of the night and day.  She had felt the jealousy filling her, hating herself for caring, but hating him
even
more.  He had not
changed;
he was still as stunning
ly sexy
as
he
had been
all those years ago
, his whole being exuding a raw
sexuality that
had most of the women’s heads turned in the room.  It was probably just as well that his
girl friend
was so clingy she had thought, her feelings towards him hard
ening even more
.

The wedding had been a huge success, Sam hugging her
friend
and Kei
as they had finally slipped out of the hotel,
Kate’s
eyes shining as she had whispered to her
friends
the location of their honeymoon, Sam’s eyes opening wide
.

“Oh my God...you are so lucky” she had whispered, laughing happily
as
Kate
had nodded, the happiness shining from her lovely face
.

“I really am” she had grinned back, giving
Bella and Sam
a big wave, as her new husband had grabbed her hand and the two had disappeared into the waiting
limousine
.

Samantha had stood waving from the
entrance
until the car had disappeared from sight, a content smile on her lips, before moving back into the luxurious foyer. 
Looking at Bella she had chuckled
.

“Well who will be next
?
” seeing the merriment dancing in
Bella’s
eyes
.

“More like Kate was first
??
” the two
women
laughing happily together.

“I think that I will call it a night” Sam had smiled, Bella giving her a lopsided grin, knowing only two well why she did not want to return to the party, having watched S
am avoid Dante all day
.
  Moving forward she had hugged her friend
.

“I understand Sam.....but maybe you should talk to him.  It might help”
.

Sam had looked intently at her, shaking her head with determination.  She had never told either of her friends what had caused the breakup between the two of them, the pain of it too great to share even with Kate and Bella.  The two had tried to get the information from her, but had given up seeing how much it hurt Sam.  Giving a small smile of thanks she had shaken her head sadly.

“No Bella, it really would not”
.

With a final
understanding look
, Bella had given her a
tight
hug before turning and moving back into the party, Sam watching her as she had disappeared.

About to move to her room, she had g
iving a small groan
as
she had felt Frank the best man sidle up to her, smelling the stench of
alcohol
from him as he had
grabbed her in a bear hug.

“Sam” he
had slurred
drunkenly
.

Samantha trying to push him away, but unable to as he had tried to kiss her

“I have a room upstairs......time for us to have some fun of our own” he had whispered loudly in her ear, his hands moving to touch her bottom.

Gritting her teeth she had again tried unsuccessfully to push him off
.

“Get off me Frank” she had bitten out in as calm and matronly a voice as she could muster, hearing as he had laughed.

“The lady said off” the cool aut
h
orative voice behind her had spoken.  Samantha recognising
it
instantly, feeling the coldness deep in her stomach

Frank had given her a lecherous look
.

“Bugger off and find your own woman” he had cried before looking up at the stranger, his eyes widening in surprise seeing the tall man before him.  Sam had felt herself released, as Frank had started to stutter

“Hey
...
Dante, just playing”

Looking drunkenly back at Sam

“Sure we were” he had winked, before quickly moving off back into the main hall, his body swaying
.

Not even turning around, her heart beating so fast in her chest Samantha had began moving forward, ignoring the man behind her.  She had heard his sharp intake of breath, as his hand had reached out and grabbed her arm swinging her around
.

“This is ridiculous Sam.....do you plan on ignoring me all night
?
”

She had kept her head low, not willing to look up at him, her head nodding slightly
.

“Yes”
.

She had managed, again hearing the angry intake of breath from him
.

“Maybe I
should have just left Frank to ‘play’
with you” he had said, the anger so evident in his voice
.

Sam had
finally
looked up into his dark eyes
, hers hard
.

“I didn’t need you to interfere Dante, I could deal with him myself”
, h
er eyes
moving
to his hand still holding her arm
.

“Now take your hands off me”
.

As he had released her, she had glared at
him once more,
before spinnin
g around and moving to the lift. W
illing herself not to look back
as she had stepped into the small area, praying
that she could keep it together until she was finally alone.  As the lift had closed her composure had crumpled
,
the tears
rising
to her eyes
as her
whole body
had shaken
uncontrollably, her arms moving around her body to hug herself tightly, the old feelings washing over her so painfully.

In the foyer, Dante had frowned as she had moved away from him. Frustration filling him at the way she had snubbed him, angry with the coldness with which she had treated him.  She had behaved as though he was nothing,
Dante not liking being treated in such a way, especially not from Samantha
.

Dante had sat in the opulent office, his eyes watching the man before him, seeing as he had done the same.  Both men assessing the other warily

“Thank you for coming”
.

The older man had said, his voice trying to sound sincere, but his dislike of the younger man before him so apparent
.

“I am really not in the mood for small talk
Daniel
, so what is it you had me come all the way out here to talk about
?
” he had
asked
coldly, seeing as
Daniel
Trey had given a small humourless smile
.