Resisting The Tycoon's Seduction (The Berutelli Escape) (11 page)

When she was gripping his shoulders, willingly kissing him back with all the latent passion he knew was within her, he lifted his head, still holding her close.  “Just say ‘I do’,” he coaxed
softly with that husky voice that never failed to send exciting shivers throughout her body.

With a shuddering breath, she said, “I do.”

Zeke bent down and kissed her one more time, gently, but the caress still made her shudder with anticipation.  He felt it and almost groaned with the need to possess her, protect her.  But he had to get her married to him first.  This woman would be his and he needed his stamp on her.  It was such an odd sensation for him and he was having trouble dealing with his first bout of protectiveness.  And a raging surge of jealousy and protectiveness each time he thought about her father’s plans.  He silently prayed she didn’t know anything about her father’s attempts to marry her off to his brutish lieutenant or the alternative plans that had been discussed.  When Zeke had heard the news, he’d been livid at the idea. 

But here she was, and he couldn’t help the possessiveness that shone through his eyes after her declaration.  She was his and he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. 

“It’s about time,” he teased before tucking her hand in his and turning back to his friend.  “We’re good to go.” 

Matt rolled his eyes, but he accepted her answer.  “Zeke Raphael Vaugh
n, do you take Marissa Desiree Berutelli, to have and to hold…”

Marissa heard the words but her mind couldn’t comprehend their meaning.  Was this really happening?  She turned and peeked behind her.  Sure enough,
bodyguards were still watching the doorway.  One of them even whispered something into a hidden microphone just like the secret service people do on television. 

The deep voice of Zeke talking caught her attention and she turned back to the judge.  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” he was saying.  Marissa’s stomach just about dropped out of her body and
she placed a hand on her abdomen, trying not to hyperventilate at all that was going on around her.

Zeke put a warm
, reassuring hand around her tiny waist as he shook everyone’s hand, obvious relief rushing through him that they were finally wed.  Knowing that Marissa was still in shock, he carefully placed a pen in her hand and told her to sign something and she suspected that she’d done so, but had no idea what he’d had her sign.  She trusted him, but it really would be nice to have some sort of memory of what she’d just agreed to, she thought with rising hysteria. 

The entire event took probably less than fifteen minutes.  She was being hustled out of the judge’s office and back down the dim hallway
so she couldn’t really let herself enjoy a full blown panic attack.  It too much effort just to put one foot in front of the other with Zeke’s arm around her waist.  When they were safely back in the limousine and the driver had pulled away, Zeke didn’t hesitated to pull her onto his lap and kiss her.  His large, strong hands held her head while his mouth smothered her protests, his lips ridding her of resistance as he coaxed a response out of her numb mind and body. 

Just as before, it didn’t take long before she was a full partner in the kiss, her hands reaching up so her fingers could tangle in his short hair but it was the way her body curled towards him that gave him hope th
at this was going to be okay…that he hadn’t completely terrified this young beauty beyond anything she’d experienced before. 

“You’re mine now,” he said with grim satisfaction. 

“I am?” she asked, still looking dazed and not quite sure what was going on. 

“Absolutely.”

“What are you going to do with me now?” she asked, slumping against his chest, weary and still confused. 

“I’m taking you out to lunch, we’re going to have a calm conversation and you’re going to tell me what’s going on.”

Her eyebrows went up with that.  Shouldn’t it be the other way around?  “And if I don’t?”

He laughed softly, shaking his head as his hand reached inside his jacket.  He pulled out his phone and pressed a button. 

Marissa took that moment to look down at her hand.  The cold metal around her ring finger startled her.  Zeke was wearing a wedding band as well?  When had she placed that on his finger?  When had he put the ring on her finger? 

She looked down and was surprised at how much she liked the ring.  It wasn’t just a plain, gold band but had scroll work and small, gold flowers etched into the sides.  It was lovely and romantic.  His was just a simple, gold band though.  She’d always thought she’d want matching wedding bands with her husband, but seeing this elaborate, detailed wedding band, she knew that Zeke had chosen this band himself.  And she thought it was very sweet that he’d selected something so romantic looking. 

She was so confused and she couldn’t seem to make sense of anything.  This whole day, from the moment she’d woken up in Zeke’s bed to the present moment seemed like she was an actress playing some fanciful part.  A part she wasn’t really sure how to follow, create or improvise. 

A moment later, he said, “Dave,
any updates on what’s going on with Marissa Berutelli?”  He listened for a moment, then nodded his head.  “I have no idea, but you’ll probably need to use your back door resources.  Let me know what you hear as soon as possible.”  With that, he ended the call and slid the phone back into his jacket pocket. 

Turning to face her once again, he said,
“I doubt you’ll trust me enough to actually tell me the whole story, but I’ll get it one way or another.  So why don’t you explain the broad strokes of this drama your father has created and we can fill in the details as we get to know each other?”

She glared at him, her stomach twisting into knots as she tried to figure out how much he might find out.  It was humiliating to be in this kind of a position.  How many fathers
actually ordered their daughters to marry a stranger just so he can find himself an heir? 

Okay, so maybe a hundred years ago that might have happened all the time.  But not now!  She tried to appear relaxed, but she wasn’t sure she was able to pull it off completely.  “Lunch would be nice,” she replied, but she suspected she wouldn’t be able to eat anything.  Come to think of it, she hadn’t eaten any dinner the previous night, nor breakfast this morning. 
The last meal she’d had was lunch with him yesterday out on his sun-filled terrace.  They’d skipped dinner last night, too intent on discovering each other’s bodies.  And then this morning, she hadn’t even thought about the idea of eating something because she’d been too worried that her father might find out about her absence last night. 

Another thought occurred to her.  She
needed to see her sister, just to make sure she was really okay.  She pulled out her phone and looked through her e-mail and text messages.  Nothing!  Looking out the window, she bit her lower lip, trying to decide what to do.  She knew Sierra was at the hospital with her stranger, but what if Sierra had been wrong about the man’s character?  What if he was one of the bad guys?  She could get caught in the middle of a tricky and dangerous situation. 

“Now what’s going on in that pretty little
head of yours?” Zeke demanded as he helped her sit down at the table in the lovely, private rooms in one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants. 

Marissa’s eyes snapped to his
, her anger evident in the way she held herself back from his hands.  “First of all, my head is not little.  I’m a very intelligent woman with skills you know nothing about.”  She wasn’t sure why she was being so mean to him when he was actually being very sweet.  There was just something about this man that disturbed her.  Well…not to mention that he’d just become her husband.  That was probably it, she told herself as she fiddled with the linen napkin on her lap. 

Zeke smiled slightly, enjoying the fire that had come back into her eyes.  “I know that you run a successful business.  Why you aren’t expanding further
, especially with your very good reputation, is a mystery I’d like to understand.  Care to tell me why you won’t grow your website business further?”

Marissa’s panic increased.  “How do you know about that?” she demanded, her eyes unknowingly giving him information by the fear that suddenly appeared. 

He leaned forward while the waiter poured the champagne he’d ordered.  “I know a great deal about you,” he said once they were relatively alone again.  “For instance, I know that you want me almost as much as I want you.”

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her fingers wrapping around the glass of ice water as if that might cool down her overly heated body. 
“And you think that’s justification for a marriage?”  Why was she being so snappish?  The man was only trying to help her, although he might be doing it in an overly domineering manner. 

He smiled slightly, his face not changing in any way.  Zeke understood that she was confused, nervous and not getting answers quickly enough.  If he were in her position, he’d be pretty furious as well. 
“You know exactly why we’re now married.  And you should have talked to me last night instead of trying to seduce me.”  He chuckled as he took a sip of the sparkling wine.  “I guess it worked, didn’t it?  Since we’re now married and we’re definitely going to be doing more of last night’s activities.”

She lifted a slim shoulder and took a sip of her
champagne, abstractly appreciating the crisp taste.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  Last night shouldn’t happen again.”

“Your father, then.  Tell me what is going on with him,
” he demanded and knew he’d scored again when she let her eyes drop.  “Why did he want you to marry me so badly?”

Marissa carefully set her wine
glass down and hid her shaking hands under the linen covered table.  “Don’t go there,” she whispered, looking down at her plate. 

Zeke watched her, his mind sifting through all the information he’d discovered about her family. 
He wouldn’t relent, but he would back away strategically.  Obviously, questions about her father’s motives were too painful at the moment.  “Where’s your sister?” he asked gently.  Soon, she’d learn to trust him. 

Marissa shivered.  “I don’t know.  I haven’t seen her since the party.
  I spoke to her on the phone this morning and she told me that she was at the hospital, helping out someone who was hurt.  But I haven’t seen her, I don’t know who this stranger is and I don’t know why she’s so adamant that she must be the one to help him.  I just know that I needed to protect her.”

Zeke quickly pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.  “
Dave, I need you to find someone.  Sierra Berutelli has been missing for the past three days, probably at one of the major hospitals but we’re not sure which one.  Get everyone on it, but don’t get the police involved.  Not yet at least.  Report back to me by the end of the day with what you’ve learned unless you find her sooner.”

That command made Marissa’s eyes snap right back up to his.  She relaxed slightly with the news that she was getting some help from someone.  “Thank you,” she said softly.  “Sierra is
eighteen and very responsible.  She’s never been gone for this long before.  She’s always careful to let me know what’s happening and I do the same for her.  She phoned, but I don’t have enough details to know that she’s safe.”

“So you’re sister has been missing and you’ve been ordered by your father to become my wife.  I suppose he wants me in the family for…nefarious reasons.  Am I correct?”

Marissa shrunk down in her chair slightly, feeling defeated.  She hated this aspect of her family’s reputation and tried very hard to pretend to outsiders that they might be normal and that her father just worked a great many hours.  But when faced with all these issues at once, there really was no way to avoid the facts.  “Yes.”

Zeke watched her carefully, wishing some of the color would come back into her beautiful cheeks.  He wanted the sparkle in her eyes again too. 
“And if you hadn’t married me, what would have happened?”

Marissa was relieved when their food arrived.  She leaned back so the waiter could place her salad in front of her.  She wasn’t hungry, actually feeling slightly sick to her stomach.  But she’d do what she always did when faced with these kinds of issues.  She’d pretend that everything was perfectly fine. 

“Nothing will happen,” she stated firmly, feigning a casualness that she didn’t feel.  “My father will continue with whatever it is that he does and I’ll continue with what I do.  Our lives rarely intersect unless he needs me and my sister at some social function.”

Zeke didn’t say anything for a long moment
, considering how to help her without demolishing her sense of self-worth and confidence.  “Marissa, I know more than you think.  Why do you suppose I rushed you through that ceremony in Matt’s office?  He’s a good man and even he understood the issue.  So why not be honest with me and let me help you?”

Marissa looked at his strong, broad shoulders, wishing desperately that she could rely on him to help her out of this mess her father had created with her as the prime player.  But she just couldn’t do it. 

Although, now that they were married, what did that mean about his future?  How could she protect him?  The panic increased and she desperately wished she could escape, or maybe throw her arms around his neck and spill out the whole, disgusting story.