Mistresses: Blackmailed For His Pleasure. Annie West

She couldn’t let that happen to Rachel. She couldn’t let him hurt her, either.

      He pressed Gemma against the wall and stood over her, his hard, lean body centimeters from hers. It was a pose she’d seen countless times between couples on the street when they wanted a private moment to share a few words.

      Or to share a kiss.

      A delicious shiver ran through her and she damned her body’s eager response to his. Here and gone, leaving an intense ache of want. Leaving her trembling.

      “You were to wait on the ship for me,” he said in a furious whisper that raised bumps on her skin.

      She’d not allow him to heap guilt on her. “I was worried about your papa, and you.”

      The pulse in his temple beat madly, belying the cocky smile he affected. “He is unconscious, bella. The doctors don’t know when he’ll awaken or what condition he’ll be in when and if he does.”

      Just what she’d feared. “I’m so sorry, Stefano. If there is anything I can do—”

      “You can obey a direct order from now on, okay?”

      “Of course,” she said and hoped he couldn’t hear the lie in her voice.

      He shifted closer, his mouth quirking just so while desire softened the hard glint in his eyes. “What is going through your mind right now?”

      Unbidden came the memory of them locked together in passion, writhing as one. She quivered at each deep rasp of his breath, of his spicy scent that teased her senses and clung to her skin yesterday morning. That seemed a lifetime away now.

      He’d been dominant yet gentle, not this domineering man who had the ability to shift from intractable to sensual in the blink of an eye. Right now it was all she could do to keep her spine pressed to the wall when she wanted to bow into his body.

      “I’m concerned about Cesare,” she said. “And we have unsettled business between us.”

      “You are worried about our personal contract?”

      She nodded, for though she wanted to trust him at his word, she knew she’d be a fool to do so. Especially since she was sure to displease him when she suddenly disappeared later today.

      He lightly grazed her cheek with a bent knuckle. Tendrils of energy flowed from his touch to set her insides spiraling out of control.

      “It will be drafted by tomorrow and ready for your signature, ” he breathed near her ear.

      She gave in to a shiver. “Good. I can sign it when I return from visiting my nonna.”

      “When did you decide to do this?” he asked, trailing that finger down her throat.

      “After that episode with my brother,” she breathed, fighting the urge to tip her head back and sigh her pleasure.

      “I’ll go with you.”

      “No. I need to do this alone and you need to stay here with Cesare,” she said, and when his eyes narrowed she added, “Please. She wouldn’t understand me bringing my boss home.”

      “Very well. We will sign the papers upon your return, then celebrate tomorrow night, hmm?”

      “Yes,” she said, her breath quickening at the thought of lying in his arms again.

      His fingers stroked her throat before spreading around her neck, not with threatening pressure but firm nonetheless. “Who is Rachel?”

      She went deadly still, unable to move. He’d heard her talking to herself after all.

      Gemma couldn’t swallow. Couldn’t do anything but stare up into his eyes that had gone hard and black again.

      “The child of a dear friend,” she said, speaking the truth and knowing he’d doubt her.

      “Don’t lie to me,” he said.

      “I’m not,” she said.

      She sensed the subtle shift of emotion in Stefano, a tightening of his muscles. A snap of annoyance in his eyes.

      He pressed his face close to hers and she helplessly lifted her head for the kiss that wasn’t about to come. And why would she even want to kiss a man who was being irrationally obdurate?

      But he surprised her with a quick, hard kiss that left her wanting so much more. He withdrew his mobile and punched in a number. “I’ll have my driver take you to the train station. He’ll be waiting for you at the door.”

      “That isn’t necessary.”

      “I insist.”

      He was laying down an order that she had no intention of obeying.

      She had something important to do before she boarded the train to Milan. Something that would only raise more questions if he knew. Questions that she still couldn’t answer.

      “Thank you,” she said with a smile, and hoped to hell he couldn’t read the lie in her eyes.