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sincerity.

      ‘But—’ he deliberately paused for effect ‘—your brother did oblige me by leaving a calling card.’ He took something out of the breast pocket of his shirt and held it up for her to see.

      Maddison swallowed.

      ‘Recognise this?’ he asked.

      For endless seconds she stared at the sterling silver surf chain she’d given Kyle for his eighteenth birthday.

      ‘No,’ she lied.

      ‘You’re predictable if nothing else.’ He pocketed the chain once more.

      ‘That chain could belong to anybody,’ she pointed out.

      ‘Anybody, that is, with the initials KBJ,’ he put in neatly. ‘What does the B stand for, by the way?’

      ‘None of your business.’

      ‘While we’re on the subject of names, what is yours?’

      ‘That’s also none of your business.’

      ‘I’m making it my business.’

      She didn’t care for the implacable threat in his tone but she knew there was little she could do to stop him finding out everything he needed to know and more. He quite clearly knew too much as it was and it made her increasingly uneasy.

      She lowered her gaze after a lengthy silence and muttered, ‘My name is Maddison.’

      ‘Maddison.’ His tongue caressed her name and she gave a little involuntary shiver of reaction. ‘It suits you.’

      He stepped away from her and she let out her breath in relief. She watched him as he wandered about her small sitting room, stopping to pick up a book from the coffee table as if he owned the place. She had to admit he had an incredible air of authority about him. She imagined it came from his considerable wealth; no doubt he was used to calling all the shots. His height, too, only added to that authority, as did his immaculate mode of dress. Designer suits, she decided, could have no better hanger than the leanly muscled frame which spoke of a man who obviously enjoyed and played a lot of sport. A broad chest, lean waist tapering to even leaner hips and long hard thighs beneath. His thick, closely cropped curly hair was as black as the ace of spades and his eyes were intelligent and astute, his mouth firm but full enough to hint at a brooding sensuality. His jaw was shadowed as if shaving once a day was not quite enough, which only added to the aura of unmistakable masculinity that oozed from each and every pore of his body. He caught her eyes on him as he turned to look at her.

      ‘Maddison Jones, I have a bargain to drive with you.’

      ‘What sort of bargain?’ Her tone was suspicious.

      He put the book he was holding down before answering.

      ‘As you can imagine the loss of my yacht has incurred considerable expense.’

      ‘What sort of expense?’ she asked cautiously.

      His dark eyes held hers.

      ‘One point five million dollars, to be exact.’

      She couldn’t disguise her indrawn breath in time. ‘Oh, my God!’

      ‘Yes, I said as much at the time,’ he admitted wryly, ‘Or at least words to that effect.’

      She could just imagine the sort of words he might have used.

      ‘I don’t see what this has to do with me.’

      ‘It has everything to do with you, especially since you’re so determined to protect your brother.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      He gave her a leisurely look.

      ‘Since you’re so obviously lying to cover Kyle’s tracks, I guess that leaves me with no choice but to deal directly with you.’

      ‘I can’t pay back that amount of money.’

      ‘Not many people can,’ he agreed. ‘But that’s not to say you couldn’t in your own inimitable way redress the balance.’

      ‘I can’t imagine what you’re getting at.’

      ‘I’m offering you a position, Miss Jones.’ He smiled seductively and then added smokily, ‘Maddison.’

      She gritted her teeth against the sound of her name on his lips.

      ‘What sort of position?’

      ‘The sort of position most women would clutch at with both hands.’

      ‘I’m afraid I’m not quite up to date on what most women would do for the simple reason I am not most women.’

      ‘You surprise me, Maddison. I had you picked as an opportunist, not unlike your father and brother.’

      ‘My father did nothing wrong.’

      He inclined his head.

      ‘I respect your very obvious loyalty but your father proved his guilt by bowing under the pressure of accusation.’

      ‘An accusation that was uncalled for and totally false!’ she retorted hotly.

      ‘It’s understandable you would cling to that view but I have reason to believe otherwise.’

      ‘You wouldn’t recognise the truth if it jumped out of your over-stuffed wallet.’

      ‘I beg to differ, Miss Jones. I have a great understanding of the truth. What remains to be seen is whether you do as well.’

      ‘You can’t make a criminal out of my brother.’

      ‘I can and I will if I have to,’ he assured her. ‘But for the time being I’m prepared to suspend my judgement on your brother as long as you do what I suggest.’

      ‘I can’t imagine what scheme you have in mind,’ she said scathingly.

      ‘Can’t you?’

      She gave him an icy look. ‘No doubt it has your unscrupulous desires at its centre.’

      ‘Desire is a very good choice of word.’ He smiled. ‘I like the sound of that.’

      Maddison didn’t like the tone of his voice; it seemed to suggest a growing intimacy between them she didn’t want to acknowledge in any shape or form.

      ‘What do you want from me?’ she asked. ‘I have no money worth speaking of and I think I’ve made it more than clear I have no intention of revealing the whereabouts of my brother. What else is there?’

      He took his time answering. She was intently conscious of his lazy surveillance, the fine hairs on the back of her neck rising in reaction to his studied gaze.

      ‘I think you might prove to be very useful to me,’ he said. ‘Very useful indeed.’

      ‘I can’t imagine what you mean.’ She sent him another nervous glance.

      ‘I have a proposition to make.’

      ‘What sort of proposition?’

      ‘The sort of proposition that will clear your brother of all charges, wipe his slate clean, if you like.’

      A flicker of hope burned and died in her breast within seconds. She didn’t trust him; he had all the aces in his hand and he would throw them on the table at any moment, she was sure.

      ‘Just how far are you prepared to go to protect your brother?’ he asked after another tight little pause.

      ‘As far as it takes.’ She lifted her chin a fraction.

      His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘As far as having a relationship with me?’

      She held his direct look without speaking, her heart skipping a beat in her chest.

      ‘I need the smokescreen of a new alliance.

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