An Unbreakable Bond (10 page)

The appointment with Tristan and Cara was at ten, but she was meeting Daniel at eight thirty to go through the details of their wedding and several others that were booked.

Throwing on her royal blue skirt suit with matching stilettos, she tied her half dried hair in a loose chignon. Not able to face breakfast, she left with a protesting stomach.

Daniel greeted her with a hug at the steps of Blickling Hall. “Hi sweets, I wasn’t aware you were auditioning for the part of Shrek’s wife, but you’ve certainly nailed the colour!” he joked.

Hugging him back, she retorted, “Nice to see you too Daniel, now be nice and ply my hangover with loads of coffee!”

Tapping her lips with his forefinger, he smiled wickedly. “Coffee is yours after we walk the ballroom.”

“You savage beast,” she groaned.

For the next thirty minutes they walked through the splendid ballroom and then spent further time in the courtyard café drinking coffee and eating tasty pastries whilst sorting through papers that were scattered over the table.

Relaxing, Annabelle took off her jacket and sighed, “You know, at this rate we’ll have to knock through the wall under the stairs and put in a lift.”

“Or we could have loads of rippling muscular men carry all the stuff up the stairs whilst we watch.” He winked at her.

Shoving him playfully, she laughed. “My God Daniel, you are incorrigible! Anyway, you’re the only one I need to look at for fabulous window shopping!”

Putting a hand on Annabelle’s cheek, he gently rubbed off a pastry crumb with his thumb. “And you my sweets are gorgeous, wild and sexy, don’t ever forget that.”

The sound of a cough broke the moment and they both turned to find Tristan looking at them with murder in his eyes.

Tottering in, not far behind him, was Cara. “This place is just huge!” she gushed. Sensing the electric in the air she looked at Tristan innocently. “Have I missed something important?”

Narrowing his eyes at Annabelle, Tristan gritted his teeth. “I do believe we’re going to be introduced to Annabelle’s boyfriend.”

Daniel was about to protest when Annabelle pinched his thigh under the table. He looked at her questioningly before they stood up.

Glancing at Cara and Tristan, she steadied her insides, which were having a hard time obeying and she replied serenely, “This is Daniel Carter, the manager of Blickling Hall who will be organising the ballroom venue for your wedding.”

Smiling warmly, Daniel held out a hand and Cara got there first.

Tristan was furious. He’d had every intention of apologising for his actions in the shop yesterday, but here she was in an intimate interlude with another man!

The fury emanating from him was so palatable that she could feel his eyes boring into her skin. Blushing profusely, she deliberately looked away.

Leading them away from the courtyard café and into the side garden, Daniel began to charm Cara about the history of Blickling Hall and she hung onto his every word. They’d hit it off famously.

Whilst they walked, Tristan took every opportunity possible to put his hand on the small of Annabelle’s back. Heat scorched her skin through her cream blouse and her nerves began to frazzle.

What did he think he was playing at? Turmoil ate at her insides. He purposely refused to leave her side and he insisted on touching her at every opportunity, guiding her elbow, catching her when she nearly tripped up the stairs and putting his hand over hers on the doorframe. By the time they reached the ballroom she couldn’t take it anymore, her insides were like mashed potato.

The proportions of the ballroom and the artwork on the ceiling astounded Cara, and Daniel led her around explaining the history behind every museum piece and portrait.

Tristan nodded in all the right places, but he did not take his eyes off Annabelle.

Exasperated, she threw Daniel a pleading look, and totally misinterpreting her plea, he winked slyly and led Cara to a far door. “Let me show you Anne Boleyn’s bed chambers.”

Cara squealed with delight.

Annabelle rolled her eyes. Was he deliberately being dense? She was about to follow them, but Tristan shot out his hand and grabbed her arm, preventing her from moving forward. Ten seconds later she watched helplessly as Daniel and Cara left through the door. They were alone.

His gaze roamed hungrily over her, moving up from her shapely legs to her full breasts and ending at her questioning stare. “You never told me you were seeing someone,” he accused angrily.

“You never asked,” she replied sarcastically.

Purposely, he took a step forward and she, a step back.

This time she wasn’t going to end up trapped against a wall, so she put out her hands to stop him from advancing, but they hit the hard muscle of his chest. Gasping at the intense heat through his white shirt, she stammered, “Stop…stop right there.”

Catching her upper arms he pulled her in against his body, locking both of her hands against his chest.

Flushing at the contact, she looked heatedly at him. “Let me go! You have no right to –”

“I have every right,” he cut in fiercely.

Her heart was pounding and the intensity of his nearness was sending sparks through her body.

“How many men Annabelle?”
His eyes pierced into hers.

“What are you talking about?” she shrieked.

“How many other men have you thrown yourself at and seduced besides me?”

“I haven’t…How dare you! My private life is none of your business!” She tried to struggle, but it caused him to shift his thighs and catch her legs between his. The shock of standing hip to hip froze her on the spot. Waves of sheer anticipation flooded her body.

“What number are we talking Annabelle, is it five or even ten?”

Looking into his seething eyes, she replied prettily, “Oh, you’ll need to add at least another zero before you even get close to the amount.”

“Wrong answer!” he growled out, before crushing his mouth against hers. The kiss was not passionate, it was punishing, as he ground his mouth against hers in an attempt to drive out any memories of other men from her mind.

She felt him bite her bottom lip hard and she opened her mouth to protest, but he drove inside and demanded with his tongue that she respond. Thrill after thrill laced up her spine and she moaned against his lips.

Tristan pushed deeper and harder.

Clinging to him for dear life, she was helpless as he possessed her and ruthlessly claimed every nerve ending in her body. Only the sound of Daniel and Cara’s approaching voices brought her back to reality and she stiffened in fear at the oncoming intrusion. He released her and she staggered back, reaching for the nearest chair. Breathless, she leaned against it and her chest rose heavily as she gulped in air.

The voices got closer until they finally emerged through the door from the corridor. Pulling herself together, she shot Daniel a fierce ‘get me out of here’ look and Daniel responded by politely winding down the consultation.  Keeping close to Annabelle, he led them through the ballroom, down the main staircase and out onto the driveway where the limo was waiting.

Before getting into the car Tristan shot Annabelle a parting look. “I will call and see you at the shop before I leave tomorrow afternoon.”

She huffed in disgust. “That won’t be necessary. The next time we meet will be the day before your wedding.”

       Pure steel sliced from his eyes into hers as he slammed the door and her heart fluttered in trepidation.

Slinging his arm around Annabelle’s shoulders Daniel offered to pick up her jacket and papers and walk her to her car. “I think you have a juicy story to tell me?”

Smiling primly, Annabelle got into the car and wound down the window. “Well, in truth,” she hesitated and then decided to keep the history of their relationship to herself. “There’s nothing much to tell.”

“What? You’re kidding me right! The way you two were slinging hot body language at each other proves that there is a succulent tale somewhere?”

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed, he’s nothing but an arrogant, conceited man.”

“Yeah and pigs fly. Anyway, come for dinner on Saturday with Philippe and me?”

“OK, but no manipulating me for information.”

“Sorry sweets, but you know it’s the perfect excuse for us to ply you with lots of good wine and try our best to tap into your mind, so that you can enchant us with all the juicy bits.” He winked.

“You’re all heart,” she laughed, as she began to drive away.

****

Sitting opposite Cara in the limo, Tristan watched her as she looked into the compact mirror and re-applied her lipstick. The quick flick of her hand across her lips ground on Tristan’s nerves, how she could manage it in a moving car was beyond him.

Catching his eye, Cara smacked her lips together, “Darling, isn’t the venue adorable and Daniel was so knowledgeable. I don’t know how Annabelle managed to reel in that hunk of a fish, but my guess is that it won’t last.”

The name ‘Daniel’ caused him to shift in his seat. “Oh, and what brings you to that conclusion?”

“Well, she’s not exactly Julia Roberts material is she? More like a plain Jane really. Holding on to a guy like Daniel will give her some sleepless nights.” She snorted at her own comparison.

He didn’t think he’d seen anything quite as ugly as the look on her face when she snorted. “I would say that it’s perhaps the other way around.” Pushing back thoughts of Daniel touching and caressing Annabelle, he gritted his teeth. “You sound as though you feel threatened by her?”

An incredulous look passed over her face as she smacked her chest with the palm of her hand. “As if
I
would feel threatened by
her
? She is a nobody, just a small time wedding planner, whereas
I
am heir to a fortune and my friends are from the world’s elite…and..!”

He just couldn’t do it!

Listening to her drone on about her connections, wealth and how everyone is envious of her, he knew he couldn’t spend the rest of his life with someone so cold and unfeeling. Sighing heavily, he mentally switched off from her on-going tirade. Something had snapped inside of him today when he saw Daniel stroke Annabelle’s cheek. He recognised the gut wrenching feeling as jealousy, a feeling he’d thought himself incapable of. Now he was having trouble shaking this all-consuming rage at the thought of her with another man. It was driving him to the point of insanity. Every fibre of his being was calling out to her and all he had to do was prove to Annabelle that it was him she needed and not Daniel. It was time to sort his life out.

Lowering the privacy screen, he called to the driver, “Pull over.”

The driver nodded in response and the screen slid back up.

“What’s going on?” Cara demanded.

He refused to answer her.

The car came to a halt and taking a deep breath he plunged right in. “Cara, the wedding is off.”

The colour drained from her face and then she laughed, flapping a hand at him as if to swat away his comment. “Darling, stop being so silly, we have a business deal remember?”

“There will be no wedding and no business deal.” Relief flooded his veins as he finally verbalised what had been going around in his head since seeing Annabelle again.

“Is this your idea of a joke Tristan? Because it’s not funny!” she shrieked.

“This is no joke Cara. It’s over. This fake marriage, baby deal and a bleak looking future is no longer something I want to pursue. I will deal with all the repercussions and protect your reputation as much as I can, but this is the end of the road for us.”

Squirming uncomfortably in her seat, she pursed her lips. “This has something to do with that bitch of a wedding planner, doesn’t it?”

“Leave Annabelle out of this.”

“I knew it!” she spat at him. “Ever since you saw her the other day you’ve been acting strange!”

“I said leave her out of this! It has nothing to do with her, but it has everything to do with us and this whole set-up. Doesn’t it worry you that your life has been built around a business deal?”

Her blonde bob swayed from side-to-side as she shook her head. “It’s not just about business Tristan. It’s about connections, power and prestige. This is my whole life.”

“Well, if that’s what makes you tick, I’m sure you won’t be alone for long, but I’m about to change mine.”

Pointing her finger at him, she leaned forward. “Daddy won’t let you get away with this. He and your father have big plans for Boone & Hemsley-Ford Oil.”

Tristan laughed. “Eventually, Hemsley-Ford will take over Boone anyway. It’s really just a matter of time. Your father has been losing business for months now. How do you think Hemsley-Ford Oil managed to expand by fifteen percent in one year?”

Cara leaned forward and scoffed at him. “You’re lying!”

Sighing, he ran his hands through his hair. “Look, we’re just doing this out of duty in order to unite the companies and create a single empire without buying each other out. Neither of us is in illusion about the benefits of owning the majority of the total Western oil market, but I want more than just a business deal for a marriage.”