Free Surrender by Heather Peters Page B

him. His plan had failed. But he would take every second with her and make it count. Precious moments together were running out.
    "Of course." He nodded and kissed her deeply.
    "Why don't I get us a glass of wine while—"
    Lyon silently cursed the buzzing of his cell phone and reached over to a nearby glass table to retrieve it, annoyed at the interruption.
    "Hello?"
    It was Isabella's father.
    Damn, not now.
    "Yes. She's here."
    His heart bled as he handed her the phone. "It's for you." She took the phone from Lyon and activated the speaker. "Hi Dad, it's so good to hear from you."
    Her father's voice sounded happy and Lyon knew why. "I have good news." Isabella winked at Lyon. "What is it, Dad?"
    "The strangest thing happened, honey. Someone paid Al. Who could have done this? You didn't go into your mother's trust fund or sell her jewelry, did you?" Lyon watched as Isabella pretended ignorance. "Of course I didn't." Of course she didn't. She saved your sorry ass. If it wasn’t for her, you'd be at the bottom of some river, you fool.
    "Well, then who paid the debt?" After a slight pause, he answered his own question. "It was him, wasn't it, Bella? Did Lyon Sauvage pay the debt? What did you have to do? Bella, tell me, are you alright?"
    Yes, she's all right, old man. I'm taking care of her, which is more than I can say for you. Isabella shook away a tear and smiled at Lyon. "I'm perfectly fine, Dad. Yes, Lyon paid the debt. We both owe him our thanks for saving the shop." A long sigh reached her end of the phone. "Isabella, how will we pay him back?"
    "I took care of the debt, Dad. It's paid in full."
    "But how . . . ?"
    Isabella shook her head. "It's done, Dad."
    Lyon rose, walked toward the window, and leaned against the frame. Yes, it was done. Agreement signed, sealed, and delivered.
    "So when are you coming home, Isabella? We need to celebrate and discuss our shipments for the week."
    Tell him no, Belle. Say you've decided to stay with me, tell the old man you love me . . . .
    "I'll be home tomorrow, Dad, see you then."
    She's going home. It's over.
    She handed the phone back to Lyon. "Thank you."
    "How did you know I paid the debt early, Isabella?" She took his hand and squeezed it. "I heard you and Gerard talking about it in the garden. I was lying in the grass, and I dozed off. When I woke up, I heard you, but I didn’t want to interrupt."
    "So you eavesdropped?"
    "No, it wasn’t like that that at all. I just—"
    "Did you or did you not listen in on a private conversation, then not inform me that you knew about the debt?"
    She shook her head and grabbed his arms. "I was going to tell you I knew. Lyon, last night had nothing to do with the debt. I wanted to please you, to give you part of me, which wasn’t easy to do."
    Realization dawned hard and pressed upon his heart. "That's what all the seduction was about last night, wasn’t it? A 'thank you' fuck? Well, you performed well, Isabella. But then again, that's what I paid for, you said so yourself." Isabella's tears flowed freely, but his anger and pride would not allow him to forgive her this time. It was over, done.
    Liar, tell her you love her. Tell her not to go. Tell her . . . . "Be ready to leave early in the morning. I'll take you home, and you'll be away from this place and me, for good."

    Chapter Nine

    She slid her hand over his cool pillow to discover herself alone. He hadn’t come to their bed last night.
    She could see why he thought she'd duped him into their seduction scene. She had to make this right before she left. She couldn’t leave him again while he was angry with her.
    Stubborn man, sometimes he was so . . . so . . . old fashioned. Restless and lonely, she slipped into a silk robe, grabbed a flesh-colored rose in a nearby vase at the foot of the bed, and padded barefoot down the spiral staircase. It wasn't long before she followed the echo of music drifting through the air. Approaching a pair of heavy oak doors, she paused, and then