Free The Mediterranean Billionaire's Blackmail Bargain by Abby Green Page A

come from nothing… and he was not about to let that satisfaction be thwarted. Especially when so many depended on him.
    He lay an arm along the back of the couch, making his shirt strain across his impossibly broad and hard chest, making Alicia’s eyes drop betrayingly and her throat dry up. She looked up and felt a rising tide of red. And saw the mocking look in his eye. At that moment she wanted to throw the contents of her coffee cup in his face.
    â€˜ And…? I presume there’s more?’ she bit out.
    Dante regarded her, taking in every expression crossing her face, flashing through her big eyes. His groin tightened. You bet there is…
    He schooled his expression, veiled the lust he felt. ‘Buchanen has been a reluctant investor. And yet he’s the only one we want. He controls just one of the biggest companies in the US, but he’s got the most links and connections with Europe, which will inevitably give us an even stronger hold here too. But he’s cautious. He’s planning to run for the American senate and that’s pretty much the reason he finally gave in; he wants to free up his time to devote himself to politics—the downside of that is his concern for his untarnished reputation.’
    Alicia was beginning to feel more than a little confused. And more and more hot and bothered. ‘Yes, but what does all this have to do with me?’
    Dante said nothing and reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a folded newspaper. Alicia immediately recognized the red top of the tabloid. Her stomach fell. This could only mean one thing. Dante leaned across and put the paper down in front of her. It took a minute for the picture and headline to sink in.
    Who is the mysterious woman lighting Dante’s inferno?
    Even though this was exactly what she’d set out to orchestrate, albeit not with her involvement to such a degree, the reality was shocking, invasive, awful. It also made a dark memory surface uncomfortably.
    â€˜Oh, my god,’ she finally breathed.
    â€˜My thoughts entirely. The photographer must have had a smaller digital camera because my security guard confiscated his other one.’
    Alicia lifted stricken eyes to Dante. How could she say sorry again? She couldn’t. She stood up, agitated. She’d rushed off, chasing this man for a crime he hadn’t committed and she was no better off for all her efforts. If anything, things were worse.
    â€˜I…don’t know what to say.’ She stood behind her chair, the offending picture still in her eyeline, and all she could remember was the feel of his mouth on hers, his strong, lean, taut body as he’d lifted her off her feet. Her insides liquefied.
    He looked up at her steadily and she had a prickling sensation across the back of her neck. She had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what was coming.
    â€˜You could do the right thing and say yes when I ask you to come back to Lake Como with me today and be my hostess for the duration of the meetings.’
    Alicia’s hands gripped the back of the seat. ‘I’m…excuse me?’
    â€˜I said—’
    â€˜I heard you,’ she said shakily and came back around the chair to sit down. ‘Why on earth would you want me to do that?’
    He glanced at the newspaper. ‘Because, thanks to your little mercy dash and dramatics, we’re now apparently an item.’ His mouth twisted with obvious distaste. ‘While I’ve never cared about how I might appear in the media, unfortunately at this moment it is a necessary evil. Buchanen comes from a conservative background; he’s a family man and has often made reference to the fact that out of all the particpants, I’m the only one who isn’t. In an effort to allay his fears we’ve encouraged all those involved in the negotiations to bring their families along for the last two weeks if they should so choose.’
    A mocking glint lit