Blackmailed Merger (20 page)

“You bastard” she had whispered
, seeing as he had smiled unpleasantly back at her
.

“As I recall your exact words to me four years ago
were
that she was the on
ly person who had ever cared about you...it must be so wonderful to be able to afford to provide the care she needs
”
.

Dante watched the fight leave her, seeing the vulnerability within her, her mask falling revealing once more the y
oung woman he had met in Greece, her expression completely
stricken
tears rising to her eyelids as she had looked away from him.

He had
stepped
towards her removing a business card from his pocket as he moved, before placing it on the table beside her.  She had seen words written on it, unable to make them out through the blur of her tears.

“Think about it Samantha, then be here tomorrow night.  We have
a lot
to talk about”
.

Samantha had remained silent her eyes still dropped from him the numbness invading every part of her.  She had felt him pause, felt his eyes on her
, feeling some of her old bravado returning as she had clenched her fists together raising he
r head to look into his eyes, t
hose beautiful black eyes that once upon a time
had
look
ed
at her so differently.  Quelling the tears as her face had grown once more so serious she had whispered to him
.

“I will find a way to beat you Dante.  I will not let you use me again”
.

She had seen as his mouth had curled into an almost amused smile
.

“There is one thing
that I would really like to know” he had said softly and before she had time to react his hands had reached out, pulling her to her feet and into his arms
.

“Does that
new
icy
exterior
of yours
go all the way to the centre” he had finished, as his mouth had dropped to take her
s
, his arms
encircling her,
holding her to him as she had fo
ught an
d struggled to get away
.
  Panic had filled her
as she had pushed her hands against him desperately trying to release herself his mouth unrelenting as he had continued to hold her tightly to him.  As she had
felt his tongue slide against hers she had groaned, the fight leaving her as she had shuddered, her tongue caressing his back as
her body had fallen against him
, her hands flattening out against his chest.

She had felt as his kiss had become softer
, his hands moving around her waist to pull her in harder, feeling
the hardness of his arousal against her, his mouth moving to kiss down her cheek her head falling to the side allowing his tongue to slide down her throat
.  As her fingers had moved to trail under his suit jacket following his waist she had felt him shiver some sense bubbling up into her head as with a cry she had pushed herself from him, the suddenness of her actions catching him by surprise as he had released her, Samantha moving
around
to the other side of her desk.
Both had watched the other for seconds, fire blazing in his eyes be
fore they had once more become
cold
.

“Well I guess not right to the core then Sam”
he had murmured breaking the silence between them
.

“G
...
get out” she had cried, her lips red from his kiss, her eyes wide with anger and shock
.

Dante had smiled knowingly
.

She had been unable to move
, feeling contempt at herself with her reaction to him.  Straightening up his expression had become more severe as he had moved towards the door before turning once more to look at her
.

“
Don’t
be late”
, ope
ning the door and finally leaving her office.

Samantha had sank into her chair, closing her eyes with pain her senses bombarded by the smell of his aftershave which still clung to the chair he had been sitting on
.  The tears had then filled her eyes, the memories of the past overwhelming her as sobs had racked her whole body.

For over an hour she had let herself be lost in what had happened, before she had sat upright
,
her body stiffening determination
settling on
her distraught features.  Leaning forward she had grabbed the telephone,
dialling
the one number she had thought she would never
use
again.

Dante had sat
in the restaurant, his eyes once more flicking to the clock, she still had five minutes, completely sure that she would be there.  With a frown he had once more played back the events of the previous day.  He had meant to s
hake her up, to make sure that she k
new who was in control, but things had
gotten out of hand
, her reaction taking him by surprise as she had fallen against him, kissing him back.  For four years he had not allowed himself to think about her, not allowed himself to remember how good she had felt.  How much he had missed her in bed.  Well not only did he get to take over her
father’s
company but
he also got her back into his bed, all in all one of his better take-overs
, Dante feeling a smug
sensation
fill
ing
him
.

Samantha
had moved into the exclusive building, her mouth curling in disgust seeing him sat so calmly
at
the best table in the room.  He was always so sure of himself, she had thought, it would never even cross his mind that she would not come.  Lifting her chin defiantly
she
had moved
forward towards where he
sat
grim
determination on her beautiful face
.  W
ell things were not going to be quite
as smooth as he
had expected
, she had
made sure of that.

As she had arrived at his table, Dante had stood, his eyes flicking over her with admiration.  Wearing a
short
silver green cocktail dress, her hair swept up
loosely
, small curls teasing down her cheeks she had looked stunning, and he had held back the small groan with the way his body reacted seeing her.

“You look wonderful” he had spoke softly seeing with surprise as she had sat so calmly and serenely, frowning slightly
.

“Thank you” had been her only
response
as she had given her drink order to the attentive
waiter
who had appeared instantly at their table.
 
Once more alone she had turned her attention to him,
surprising him with the look of assuredness on her features
.

“Have you had time to think of my
offer?
”

Dante had raised his glass going straight into business, not sure why there seemed something so
wrong about
her reactions today.  He had expected anger or resentment, but she was calm almo
st expectant, knowing that o
f all people
he
had never be
en able to read Sam.  Four years ago he was sure she would have wanted to get past his revenge plan with her father and this knowledge had suddenly made him feel uneasy
.

“I did...........and I have a counter offer” she had finally
responded
, Dante raising his eyebrows in surprise
.

“I hardly think that you are in any position to be expecting to negotiate Sam
” he
had smiled as she had held his look steadily
.

“Do not be so sure of that Dante”
.

The waiter returning with her drink had once more stopped the conversation as they both placed the order for their
meal
.

“Well if there is something you want to add.............then please enlighten me”
he
had finally
replied softly seeing the light in her eyes, as she had ran her finger around the stem of her glass, a small smile on her face, a disquiet filling him
.

“After you left yesterday, I phoned my father”
.

He had not reacted, hiding the surprise he felt
.

“Turns out that you were not really my
father’s
preferred choice, he wants a grandson that is true, but he would rather retire but still maintain most of the control.  From what he told me you were not
really
keen on that”
.

He had remained silent, sipping his drink
watching
her
carefully
.

“He informed me that if I wanted to choose another husband he had a line of them ready”
.

Feeling the anger filling him he had held her eyes. 

“Hard to do from jail Sam” he had said softly, seeing as she had laughed
.

“Yes and believe me my father has graciously decided” she had spat out the word with contempt “that if
I
choose one of his optional
studs
that he will make sure that your set-up is blown out of the water
, and my grandmother well looked after
”
.

Looking over at him she had added
.

“In fact I got the impression that it was by far his preferred option”
.

Dante had given her an approving smile
.