Free Veretti’s Dark Vengeance by Lucy Gordon Page B

problem?’
‘Yes, you simply can’t believe anything that doesn’t suit you. It weakens your position because it means that your enemy is always one step ahead, knowing something that you don’t.’
‘The enemy being you?’
‘If you like.’
She laughed up into his face as she said it, and for a moment he was invaded by a delight so intense that it almost drove everything else from his mind. He fought it. This was no time for emotion.
‘Very well,’ he said slowly. ‘Enemies it is. But how foolish of you to cross me. It’s something I don’t allow. You’ll discover that.’
‘Oh, don’t be so serious. I’ve won this round, you’ll probably win the next one, then I’ll win the one after-’
‘And I’ll win the last one.’
‘Maybe. Shake?’
Reluctantly he took the hand she held out and held it for a moment.
‘So you’re still determined to drive me out of Venice?’ she said lightly.
The sudden tension in his grip told her all she wanted to know. He didn’t want to drive her out.
‘Perhaps,’ he said slowly. ‘Or maybe I’ll let you stay-if it suits me.’
‘It always has to be on your terms, doesn’t it?’
He raised her hand, touching it with gentle, seductive lips that sent scurries of pleasure through her.
‘Always,’ he confirmed. ‘But here-’he glanced around his office ‘-isn’t our real battlefield. It’s the other one that counts, and there-who knows who the victor will be?’
Helena laughed. ‘Shame on you. You think you’re going to win that one too?’
‘Perhaps that depends on what you call victory,’ he parried. ‘We may both enjoy finding out.’
‘That’s true. I’ll leave you now. You’ll need some time to consider your next attack. But remember what I told you. Beware the enemy-no, not enemy, opponent-’
‘That’s better,’ he agreed.
He was still holding her hand, smiling in a way that disturbed her. The warmth was stealing through her again, making her smile back-Like an idiot, she reproved herself.
‘You’re getting out of character,’ she said.
‘What?’
‘You’re supposed to be angry with me, don’t you remember?’
‘I am-very angry.’
‘You’re absolutely furious that I put one over on you.’
‘In a terrible rage.’
‘I can see. And you’re planning your revenge.’
‘Not planning it,’ he said quietly. ‘Taking it.’
On the words he drew her close and kissed her, wrapping both his arms right round her, imprisoning her own arms so that she had no choice but to stand still, defenceless against anything he wanted to do.
And what he wanted was to caress her lightly, teasingly, each whispered touch a reminder of their ‘other battlefield’ and the thrilling skirmishes still to come. She relished it as long as she could endure immobility, then broke free and took over the kiss.
‘Call that revenge?’ she demanded. ‘This is revenge.’
She returned his attack in full measure, pressing close to him while her lips made silent promises that challenged his self-control, just as he’d challenged hers. It was a battle of the Titans.
‘I must go,’ she whispered. ‘I have a lot of things to do.’
She moved towards the door, then stopped and looked back.
‘Remember my warning. Beware the opponent who knows something you don’t.’
She was gone.
That evening Salvatore called on Valerio Donati. He was always a welcome guest in the bank manager’s house, and was impatient to plan his next move. But things didn’t go as he’d expected.
‘That’s the last time I listen to you,’ Donati grumbled as they sat down to dinner. ‘Call the loan in, you said. She can’t cope, you said. In fact it was easy for her to cope, given who she is.’
‘Who is she,’ Salvatore demanded, ‘apart from Antonio’s widow?’
‘Are you saying you didn’t realise you were dealing with “Helen of Troy”?’ Donati demanded.
‘Of course he didn’t,’ his wife said. ‘Salvatore doesn’t read the fashion pages, or he’d have known that her