Free Wicked Pleasures by Rhonda Lee Carver Page A

have, Roark.” She
folded her arms over her chest and kept her chin held high.
    “This is going nowhere fast. Make the call or not.
Your choice.” He relaxed back in the executive chair and closed his
eyes.
    Bronte waited and watched. There was no physical
sign that he cared whether she made the call or not, which made her
suspicious. “What if I choose not to make the call?” she asked.
    He lifted one lid. “Then I’ll tell Shelby to handle
the issue.”
    “You wouldn’t dare! He’s even more of an ogre than
you!” Bile rose into her throat and she thought she’d be sick. “If
what you threatened is true, that I am to have your baby and stay
here for nine months, my friends and co-workers would suspect that
I’m not okay. Did you fail to look this far ahead in your
scheme?”
    He then sat up and swiveled the chair so that he
faced her. “If something should happen and my plan miscarries, I
want you to have your life to go back to. If she calls the police
and they start an investigation, this could go seriously wrong.
It’s nothing we can’t handle if needed, but why involve so many
people when it’s unnecessary? Faking your death would be very
messy.”
    Her head began to throb. He had thought his
arrangement through. She couldn’t allow anyone to be dragged into
this mess, and she certainly didn’t want people to believe she was
dead. “I’ll make the call. What shall I say?”
    “You’ll tell her that you’re enjoying your vacation
and you hadn’t called before now because you’ve met someone who’s
kept you occupied.” He got up and came around his desk. The phone
was in his hand. “I really don’t care what you say, as long as she
understands that she needs to stop worrying. I’m sure you can
handle the situation.” He held out the phone to her.
    Mind buzzing and adrenaline rushing, she couldn’t
think logically as she took the phone. Even if she could alert
Fallon to her situation, that may put the other woman in danger. A
part of her didn’t believe that Roark would harm Fallon, but if he
sent his thugs, Bronte couldn’t trust that they’d be as
understanding. She had seen the look in Shelby’s eyes when he
showed up at her office and he’d looked at her like he despised
her. No, he couldn’t be trusted, even if Roark believed in him.
    Dialing the familiar number, Fallon answered on the
second ring. “Hello, Fallon. It’s Bronte.”
    “I’ve been trying to reach you.” Fallon’s sharp tone
rattled the phone line. “Why haven’t you answered your phone? Is
everything all right? I found your briefcase and I’ve been
worried.”
    Bronte looked over her shoulder and spotted Roark
leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest, looking like
a wolf ready to pounce. She knew he listened closely and probably
waited for her to say one wrong word. She could risk everything and
alert Fallon, but Bronte wasn’t worried about her own safety. As
foolish as she knew it sounded, she didn’t believe Roark would hurt
her, but she had no doubt that he’d send Shelby to get Fallon…and
then her assistant would be in the same situation. She gripped the
plastic in her palm, teetering between desire and practicality.
“I’m fine, Fallon. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to return your
call. But I’m on vacation, after all.”
    “That’s never stopped you from doing business
before,” Fallon said.
    “Other times were different. I’ve met someone—”
    “You have? In that short amount of time?”
    Bronte hated lying, but it wasn’t a complete
untruth. “It was spontaneous and it’s like he took me hostage.”
Roark’s clearing of throat made her jump. “A hostage of passion,”
she added.
    “What’s his name? Is he a native of the island? Was
it love at first sight?”
    “He’s on vacation here also. And love at first
sight? No, I wouldn’t say that. In fact, I didn’t like him at
first. I thought he was a brainless, chauvinistic pig, but you know
how that