Free The Hostage Bride by Kate Walker Page A

tell us that. After all, you’re the one who’s snared Valeron.’
    â€˜Snared…’
    Felicity actually took the phone away from her ear and stared at it in total disbelief. Her father couldn’t have said what she thought she’d heard. It was impossible! But he had sounded so ridiculously good-humoured. A new, worrying suspicion slid into her mind.
    â€˜Dad—are you drunk? Look—can I speak to Edward?’
    But it was as if the sound of the other man’s name was like a goad to Rico, pushing him into sudden action.
    â€˜That’s enough,’ he snapped, taking two swift strides forward, his hand coming out to take the phone from her.
    Pausing only long enough to speak the four crisp words, ‘I’ll be in touch,’ into the mouthpiece, he switched it off, clicking the cover shut and pushing it deep into the inner pocket of his jacket.
    â€˜I was using that!’ Felicity protested, her hand going out to retrieve the phone, only to find herself blocked as Rico’s hard bronzed fingers clamped firmly around her wrist holding her still. ‘I still had things to say.’
    â€˜You had said quite enough,’ Rico returned imperturbably, deep eyes flat and emotionless. ‘If you behave yourself, I’ll let you ring again later.’
    â€˜If I behave.’
    Bitterly she echoed his use of the word, wishing she dared rebel but knowing that she would be risking retribution if she tried any such foolishness.
    â€˜And I suppose that by “behaving”, you mean doing exactly as you say?’
    Those impressive shoulders under the fine tailoring lifted in a shrug of supreme indifference.
    â€˜You can try doing otherwise,’ he declared flatly. ‘And see where it gets you. But, frankly, I would advise against it.’
    It was his calmness that got to her. The cold, obsidian darkness of his eyes, the totally emotionless tone in which he had spoken, the complete lack of expression in the words he had used, all added up to an appearance of total carelessness. But a creeping sensation running down her spine warned her that she would be a fool to believe it in any way.
    Ricardo Valeron was in complete charge of this situation, and what he said went. His hands were on the reins, controlling every movement, every development, and she could kick and scream as hard as she liked; it would be to no avail. She had about as much power over her own future as a marionette that moves only according to the whim of the puppeteer who pulls the strings.
    But that didn’t mean she was about to lie down and let him walk all over her.
    â€˜I don’t know what you think you’re going to gain by all this! From where I stand you’re hardly making a very good job of this kidnapping business.’
    â€˜And, as we’ve already established, you are the expert in such things.’
    The way that beautiful mouth twitched faintly at one corner as Rico fought against the impulse to give into his amusement was almost her undoing. She couldn’t bear the thought that he was laughing at her; that he wasn’t even taking her seriously.
    â€˜There are laws against such things in this country!’ she declared furiously. ‘You can be prosecuted—imprisoned! I believe there’s even a possible life sentence if you’re found guilty.’
    That hint of a smile grew, putting a devilishly taunting gleam into the depths of those black coffee eyes.
    â€˜Ah, but you see, Felicity, querida , no court in the world would possibly convict me on this.’
    â€˜Of course they will! They’ll have to!’
    Her temper ran away with her, blinding her to the possible dangers of her impulsive words.
    â€˜I’ll give evidence against you—I—I’ll even bring a private prosecution, if I have to. I’ll make sure you pay for this!’
    â€˜You can try, gatita , but I doubt if you’d succeed. After all, why should any