Скачать книгу

the thought came a surge of anger, and contempt for her own weakness.

      He muttered against her lips, ‘Open your mouth,’ and in a flash she saw her salvation. Pliantly she obeyed. She felt his sigh of satisfaction, was aware of his clasp slackening slightly so that he could turn her in his arms, to hold her more easily against his body, and as he relaxed she bit him hard, sinking her teeth into his lower lip.

      Cal jerked his head away, swearing, lifting a hand almost unbelievingly to his bleeding mouth.

      ‘You little shrew!’

      ‘Try explaining that to your latest woman!’ Joanna flung at him. ‘And, from now on, keep your distance from me.’

      He took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood. To her fury he was grinning again.

      ‘Not now I’ve had a taste of delights to come, sweetheart.’

      ‘You’ll get nothing more from me as long as you live! You might have been able to take advantage of the situation today, but I’ll make sure it never happens again.’

      ‘Ah, but it will,’ he said softly. ‘I may have lost the first skirmish, Joanna, but the war’s only just beginning. And, I warn you, nothing but your complete surrender will do.’

      She drew a swift, blazing breath, glaring at him. ‘You’re nothing but an animal, Cal Blackstone!’

      He held out the bloodstained handkerchief, staring grimly back at her. ‘Then I’ve certainly picked the right mate.’

      ‘You’ve picked nothing and no one. From now on, keep out of my way!’ She turned to wrestle with the door-handle, and to her chagrin it worked instantly.

      ‘Our paths were made to cross.’ His voice followed her as she stumbled out of the car. ‘If you didn’t know it before, you know it now. So drive carefully, my hot-tempered vixen. When I finally get to unwrap my gift, I want it to be perfect.’

      She got to her car somehow, and sat, shaking, in the driving seat, waiting until the Jaguar slid past, and was swallowed up in the mist and rain.

      She put up a cautious finger and touched the swollen contours of her mouth. Her lips felt bruised, but the greatest wound she’d suffered was humiliation.

      She stared at the grey-soaked landscape, and thought, I’m afraid of him.

      Now, in the drawing-room of Chalfont House, Joanna found the same words rising to her lips. I’m afraid of him.

      She shook herself irritably. That was what came of letting herself remember—relive things best banished from her mind for good. But oh, God, it had been so real. She could swear she’d almost felt the pressure of Cal’s mouth ravaging hers once more, tasted his blood …

      Two years ago she had escaped him, but at what a price. She couldn’t run away again. This time she had to stand her ground and fight him. She squared her shoulders, glancing up again at her grandfather’s portrait.

      ‘The war’s on again, Grandpa,’ she said. ‘And this time I mean to win—for all our sakes.’

      She had to. Because surrender on Cal Blackstone’s terms was unthinkable.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QQKaHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bWxuczpkYz0iaHR0cDovL3B1cmwub3Jn L2RjL2VsZW1lbnRzLzEuMS8iIHhtcE1NOk9yaWdpbmFsRG9jdW1lbnRJRD0idXVpZDo5YmQyNTY1 Ni04MmUxLTM1NDItOGJiMS0zMTI0OGFjODY5OGMiIHhtcE1NOkRvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6 QTAzREI2RDMwM0VCMTFFNjlDRjE4MjkwNDZGOUVENjkiIHhtcE1NOkluc3RhbmNlSUQ9InhtcC5p aWQ6QTAzREI2RDIwM0VCMTFFNjlDRjE4MjkwNDZGOUVENjkiIHhtcDpDcmVhdG9yVG9vbD0iQWRv YmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNS4xIE1hY2ludG9zaCI+IDx4bXBNTTpEZXJpdmVkRnJvbSBzdFJlZjpp bnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4bXAuaWlkOkQ5MTIzQ0YwMUYyMDY4MTE5MTA5ODkwQTQ4MEVDOTdCIiBzdFJl Zjpkb2N1bWVudElEPSJ4bXAuZGlkOkI1RDUyQUU0MUYyMDY

Скачать книгу