High Stakes Seduction - Book 1 (12 page)

At the other end of the veranda, two waitresses appeared, chatting away, carrying trays of drinks. They giggled in embarrassment when they saw us, hurrying on their way.

I turned back to Antonio, but it was too late. Whatever I’d just seen pass across his face, whatever he’d been about to say, was gone; once again hidden behind his mask of reticence.

My legs had stopped shaking just enough for me to return to my room and soak my bewildered body in a steaming hot bath. I tried to push Antonio Mancini to the back of my mind, but instead, I'd found my fingers slipping between my thighs to finish what he had started.

Now I was standing in the dining lounge again, this time wearing the navy blue off-the-shoulder dress Priscilla had picked out for an evening dinner. I saw Janet Trinn sitting a few tables over and she waved, inviting me to join her.

"Mmmmm… lovely dress," cooed a voice dripping with sarcasm.

I turned to find Naomi standing right behind me, wearing a gray strapless top and matching pencil skirt. It hugged every curve perfectly, and I could tell by the haughty smile she knew how striking she looked.

"Angela, is it?" she asked. "We weren’t properly introduced, were we?"

I knew this was a rhetorical question, so I didn’t bother with a response. I noticed she hadn’t offered her hand in greeting, so I kept my own hands tucked in front of me as well. "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name," I said, and turned to walk away.

Naomi grabbed my arm and stepped close, all in one smooth motion. "You don’t belong here," she whispered in my ear, all the while looking like an old friend sharing a secret. "And you certainly don’t belong with Tony. So you might as well get rid of whatever silly Cinderella notions you have in that low-class head of yours."

Tony?
I pulled my arm away, turning towards her. "You don’t know me," I said through gritted teeth hidden behind a smile. "And you have no right to presume to judge me."

"Oh, I know you," she said, speaking in a low voice, still wearing her cheerful smile. "You’re just another girl from the sales floor who’s after Tony’s money. You think, because he beds you, takes you to a few parties, that you mean anything to him?"

"I’m his—"

"You’re nothing," she interrupted, her smile as bright as ever as she waved to passing guests. "Especially now that I’m here."

Had an iron been pressed to my cheeks, I don’t think they would have burned as hot as they did in that moment. I turned to walk away and saw Janet watching the both of us. She must have seen the interaction. She waved me over again, but I shook my head apologetically. Naomi was a horrible person to say such things, but as much as I wanted to blame her for the angry tears that threatened, I knew she was right. These games Antonio was playing, this whole lifestyle, I didn’t fit anywhere in it.

I mustered what little dignity I could as I walked back into the hallway, trying my best to ignore Naomi’s tinkling laughter at my back. As luck would have it, when I turned the corner, there was Antonio. The last person I wanted to see at the moment.

I pivoted quickly, before he had a chance to see me and stepped back around the corner. Just as I made it to safety, his words caught me and I paused to listen.

"Let me help, Gisele," he said in his soft voice. "I know you want to do this on your own, but there’s nothing wrong with a little help."

"I owe you so much already, Antonio," said a female voice, thick with emotion. "You’ve been so kind to me and my family. I could never repay you."

"You know that isn't necessary," he said. "Don’t consider this a loan, Gisele. You have an incredible talent, and I want to see you succeed. Accept the offer from the academy. I will arrange payment. You can pay me back by inviting me to your first recital, and every single one thereafter."

The woman made a choking sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a cry. I hurried away, curious, confused, and more than a little upset by the day's events. But for the moment, at least, not wanting to intrude further on such a private conversation.

Back in my room, I lay in the bed, tossing and turning under the luxurious sheets. I felt the anger and frustration boil up, wanting to scream. I wanted to slap Naomi across her perfect face. I wanted to find Antonio and demand to know who this Gisele woman was, to tell him how much I hated him for these games he was playing. I wanted to pack my bags and leave. I wanted to—

I wanted to feel Antonio’s arms around me. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted him to tell me what he was thinking when he'd gazed at me tonight with that strange look in his eyes. The one that made me feel beautiful. Sexy. The look that made me want him even more.

I heard the muffled sound of a door closing on the other side of the wall. I looked over at the clock to see that it was well past midnight. I strained my ears, trying to hear whatever sounds might be coming from the other side of that door.

Was he alone?

Did I really want to know if he wasn’t?

Why was I torturing myself about this man who so obviously held all the cards? I choked back a sob as I realized how tightly I was wound in his web—excited by his nearness, his touch; but terrified at what the consequences might be for me and Maria if he ever did let me get any closer. I drew the covers up over my head, and cried myself sleep.

I stared at my plate, pushing the food around with my fork.

"You don’t like it?" Antonio asked.

"It’s fine," I replied in my best non-committal voice.

Our dinner conversation hadn’t been much more scintillating than this. I wracked my brain, trying to determine the best way to broach the subject of—of what? I was still so confused by everything that had happened yesterday that I had no idea where to begin.

"Did you see anything you liked today?" he asked as my silence stretched out.

I looked up at him, not quite understanding the question.
Oh, the artwork, our supposed reason for being here.

"Some of the sculptures were lovely. But they deserve a gallery."
Do people really have those kinds of things in their homes?
We had several of Maria's earlier paintings on our walls, but I couldn't imagine having a full-sized sculpture in my home. Garden, maybe, but not inside.
"I just wish I'd brought my camera. Maria would have enjoyed seeing some of the paintings."

He smiled. "Feel free to do that next time. You don't have to feel like you are always on duty at these events."

I looked down at my plate, my cheeks warm and flushing. I was sure he meant well, but it was still a subtle reminder that I was there as his employee.

"I apologize for Naomi," he said suddenly.

I looked up from the designs I was making with my rice pilaf to find him staring at me. I wish I could say I’d gotten used to the many ways his dark eyes studied me, but whether he was looking at me with the piercing stare or the cool appraisal, it still set me on fire.

And something told me that he was already quite aware of his effect on me.

I dropped my eyes back to my plate. "Please stop toying with me like this, Antonio. Our… arrangement leaves me indebted to you, but I’m not your play thing, regardless of what your...
Naomi
… may think about this."

I heard a low chuckle and looked up from my fuming to see that implacable smile on the corner of those sensuous lips. Damn, why did he have to be so gorgeous?

My jaw clenched and my anger came rushing back, just thinking about her. I slammed my fork down on the table. "And you’re not doing anything to make her think otherwise," I snapped. A few of the other diners glanced over at us. I ignored them, but silently cursed myself for being so easily baited into losing my temper.

He sat back, folding his arms. "She is a very possessive woman. I suppose I should have warned you about her."

"You
suppose
?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

"She can be very… difficult."

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to dial back my anger. "I can deal with a woman like her, Antonio," I said slowly. "It’s you who’s making this difficult. And you know it."

"There's a lot you don’t understand," he said, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table. "And it isn’t your place to know the details."

"Not my place," I repeated, leaning in as well, trying to keep my voice low and our conversation as private as I could manage around my anger. "That’s just it. I don’t
know
my place! I’m supposed to be your associate, but you keep—"

"This isn’t the time or place to discuss these matters," he said, his tone so low it was a growl, signaling the end of the conversation.

I ignored that tone. "When
is
the time and place? When do you plan to explain why you keep playing hot and cold with me? If you don’t want me, then let me go."

His brow furled and his lips curved downward into a frown. "You have a debt to repay."

I narrowed my eyes, refusing to back down from his warning glare. "One that you could easily forgive." I paused and took a deep breath. "Like you did for Gisele."

His eyes flashed with surprise that quickly turned into anger. "I told you this wasn’t the place to talk about these things, Angela. I meant it."

"You’re the boss," I said. With as much dignity as I could muster, I set down my fork, stood up and walked rapidly out of the dining room.

I stared out the window as the scenery rushed by, sitting as far away from Antonio as I could in the limo. I tried not to think about all the times I’d seen him with Naomi over the rest of the weekend, witnessed her claws firmly wrapped around his arm.

During the Monte Carlo games before the final auction, I had wandered through the crowd, watching people gambling with monopoly money as though they were high rollers. Sure, it cost real money to buy in, but I couldn't get excited about any of it. I guess I just don't have the gambling gene, thank goodness. It didn't appeal to me at all, even though everyone else seemed to be having a great time. Especially Naomi and Antonio.

I’d purposely avoided them as much as Antonio seemed to avoid me. Until we were forced together again for the long, tension-filled drive home.

The sun had almost fallen below the horizon by the time Thompson pulled the limo onto my street.

"Angela."

At the sound of his voice I turned, wondering what he would say after the weekend we'd had together.

"I want you to know that I've been thinking about what you said at dinner the other night. Our conversation about indebtedness. I am a man of my word. A man of honor. Gisele is the daughter of one of my mother's friends. Things have not gone well for her family. Not that it's your business to know or understand."

I watched his face as he continued. "I would be willing to consider forgiving your father’s debt… if you would..." He paused, letting the words trail off. Then he looked away for a moment. I heard him inhale slowly before he began again.

"Loyalty and trust are very important to me," he said. "You are an attractive woman, and you have proven yourself as a competent associate. Moreover, your personality and style suit my needs."

My heart had begun pounding the moment he mentioned the debt. I turned away, unable to look at him in that moment. I didn’t trust myself to respond, uncertain which of my emotions would control my words.

I held my breath in silence, waiting for him to continue. What he said next shocked me to my core and literally left me speechless.

"I would be willing to free you from your mortgage debt permanently if you could agree to be... if we could make arrangements for… a solution where you become… more than just my associate."

I put a hand to my mouth, my eyes wide as the car pulled up in front of my house. Was he asking what I thought he was asking of me?
Just exactly what did "more than his associate" mean?
Was this one of those "girls for hire" things? My heart pounded in my ears, the sound echoing through my body. I was shocked, realizing this seemed to be some kind of paid escort arrangement. Just how far would it go? And what would he expect in exchange for releasing me from the debt?

I shuddered. Had I been wrong about my feelings for this man? Certainly he could have any woman he wanted. And now he was asking me to become his plaything? To work off this debt by being at his beck and call?
Professionally
and
personally?

I couldn't move, my body rooted in the seat. The entire concept went against everything I believed in. I turned away, gazing out the window at my little house. Knowing that Maria was inside waiting for me. Waiting for me to tell her stories about what a wonderful weekend I’d had with the man of my dreams. What was I going to tell her now? That as far as Antonio was concerned, I was just another acquisition?

I shook my head.
No
. No, I couldn’t do this anymore. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. And I couldn’t lie to Maria. Not about that. Not about any of this. Not any longer.