Blackmailed Merger (21 page)

“Well played Sam” he had said gently, his expression hard
.

“But you said you had a counter offer”
.

“My father also made it very clear that if I failed to
comply and
produce his grandson then he would quite happily see me thrown into prison...and my grandmother .........” she had not been able to finish as the thought of what might happen had for the first time since she got there brought emotions to the surface, causing her voice to falter
, Dante watching as she had visibly pulled herself together
.

“So my offer is this”
.

She had sat forward
.

“My
father has no interest in us being together any longer than it takes to produce a
grandchild
within the sanctity of marriage” her voice bitter at this thought
.

“So once I am pregnant you will never touch me again”
.

Dante had frowned. 

“You seriously expect me to become celibate until our child is born” he had managed with disbelief, seeing the cold look in her eyes
.

“I truly do not care what you do Dante, I am sure that you can find some willing mistress to look after your.............needs” she had finished, seeing the flash of anger in his eyes before he had seemed to take control of
himself
, nodding at her
.

“So long as we understand each other” he had bitten out
.

“
Anything
else
?
”

“Once our child is born
then the marriage is over............and most importantly, I bring up the baby myself
and I have full custody
”
.

He had frowned at her thoughtfully
.

“I have no p
roblem with that Sam
........is that it
?
”

Samantha had felt the disgust fill her at his total lack of interest
in their child
, his child
.

“
No
........one more thing”

She had raised her chin
.

“
H
alf of my
father’s
shares in the company will go into our
child’s
name and controlled by me until he is old enough.......I want to make sure that he gets his rightful inheritance”
.

Dante had sat up straight at this demand
.

“You expect me to sign over half of the shares to YOU” he had cried the anger in his voice evident
.

“I don’t think so
Sam;
I don’t want you selling those shares to my competitors just so you can get some revenge on me for all of this”
.

She had sat back in her seat, her expression determined
.

“
Those
are my
demands
Dante............take them or I will marry one of my
father’s
options”
.

He had sat
watching
the woman before him.  She had taken him by surpri
se, his respect for her growing
even higher than it already was
. For a few seconds
he had sat
deep in thought before finally
replying
.

“
OK Sam, but with o
ne proviso..........you get the shares and control them.  But
if you want to sell them then I get first offer
.......and at market value”
.

Sam had looked back
, before
nodding slowly
.

“
D
eal” she had said, suddenly feeling the fear fill her at what she had just agreed to
,
the whole situation seeming so surreal to her
, suddenly so aware of how her hands
were
shaking
jumping as he had
leant
forward his hand covering hers his fingers weaving into hers.  As she had tried to pull her hand free he had held on, pulling it to his lips kissing each gently
,
sending shivers throughout her entire body, fire rising instantly within her
.

“Do not be afraid Sam” he had said softly
.

“I promise that I will be a good husband to you “
.

With determination born from anger,
Samantha had pulled her hand back giving a small sound of contempt
.

“Please Dante, do not even go there.  You don’t give a damn about me or this child we will be bringing into the world.  Your only interest is in your company.....and my
father’s
company.  I
can’t even feel sorry for you.......because
when you end up old and alone.......like my father, it will be your own fault.  Just as it is his”
.

His face had hardened, his mouth opening but the words stopped as the
waiter
had once more appeared with their food.

The rest of the meal had
been
spent in silence, Samantha not able to eat
the delicious food
, pushing it around the plate her fingers still shaking, drinking the bubbly champagne he had ordered quickly feeling as it had started to relax her.

As the meal was cleared away
she had finally looked back at him
.

“So how is this to
work?
”

He had sipped his wine placing his glass down
.

“In
two days we will fly out to New York and
you
will move into my
home.
  W
e will be married in two weeks”
.

Samantha had nodded softly
, not surprised at the speed of his plans, her father basically laying out the same agenda.  Feeling the need to have some control she had looked up at him her face serious
.

“There will be no sex
until
we are married” she had stated
prudishly
as Dante had burst out laughing,
Sam frowning.
  Her voice irritated
.

“I am serious”
.

Seeing as he had given her a small salute
.

“Yes Ma’am” his look mocking,
Sam feeling her mouth curl,
just holding back
the return laugh, the atmosphere between the two relaxing
slightly
.

Placing his hand over his heart he had grinned
.

“I promise not to touch you princess until
we
are legally wed”
.

By now Sam was struggling not to laugh out loud so aware of how absurd her last statement had been as she had taken another drink her look softening
,
her smile lighting up her whole features, Dante once more reminded of the young woman he had met so long ago in Greece.  Aware as so many more memories had flooded through him, reminded of how she used to look at him,
those eyes full of such adoration
, a disquieting feeling filling him at how he had used her, how he was using her now.

He had looked quickly at his watch giving a small frown
.

“If you have finished then we should get going” he had said softly
,
Sam frowning
.

“Where are we
going?
”

Her voice showing surprise

“Well
it makes sense for us to be seen together prior to
the
announcement of our engagement
”
he had grinned
.

“And I remember how much you loved to dance......so I thought we would go to a night club I know”
.

Sam now pleasantly warm from the wine had felt less inhibited her eyes flicking over Dante
, giving a small unhumorous laugh
.

“Yes.  I used to love
a lot
of things” she had said softly before rising
, not seeing the look of discomfort from him
.

“
Good job
I wore this dress
”
her eyes warmer as she had looked over her shoulder at him, her hair brushing around her
neck
, Dante feeling a
nother
small groan rising in him
.
 
Looking
at her
, he had given a half smile, his body once more feeling the
shock of awareness seeing as she had moved so sensually
in front of him
, her hips swaying so gracefully
.

“Yes.....
to not take that dress dancing would have been
such a shame
......
”
.

His eyes openly sliding over her
, hearing the small sensual laugh from her