She prepared for bed and as she lay looking into the darkness, she was sure she would never sleep again. However, she must have dosed because a sound woke her. Startled, she turned on the bedside lamp and checked the time on the clock. It was two thirty in the morning and Jack was standing at the end of her bed.
“I thought you might be pleased to see me,” he said, moving closer. “I mean, I’m making a habit of coming to your bedroom, aren’t I?”
“What are you doing here? Are you drunk?” she hissed, pulling the covers up to her chin.
“No. But I wouldn’t mind getting drunk.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve let me down, Lara.”
Reaching for her robe, she hastily pulled it on and sat on the edge of the bed to face him. He looked disheveled with his dress tie loose around his neck and his shirt halfway undone. Disheveled and angry.
“I don’t understand, Jack.”
“Because, my beautiful princess, you turned down
my
marriage proposal. I obviously wasn’t good enough to kiss the feet of Your High and Mightiness, so you hung out for a real prince.”
He sat on the bed beside her and leaned forward, his eyes dark and bitter as with a mocking smile, he continued, “You knew you had Michael neatly tied up in a big satin bow, didn’t you? You will now be comfortable in your own little royal circle with all your brother’s debts paid and perhaps occasionally you might think of Jack Whatsisname, that rough Australian fisherman, with whom you had a bit of a fling.”
“That’s not true. Why are you behaving like this?”
She flinched as his hand cupped her cheek, his eyes on her mouth. “Princess, I told you I always get what I want and the fact you don’t want me doesn’t matter. I have come from a meeting with your parents and Carl and this time the negotiations are final, all signed and sealed.”
Lara’s stomach churned at the contemptuous look on his face. She waited for him to continue.
“They agreed to accept one billion dollars for you Lara, and all things considered, I think we both got ourselves a bargain.”
Nine
Lara placed a hand to her throat, her eyes wide as she tried to take in what he’d said.
He was willing to pay one billion dollars to marry her? She opened her mouth to rebuke him and then decided against it.
“You can always refuse to marry me seeing it goes against your esteemed values and the fact that I don’t have royal blood in my veins.” Jack’s tone was challenging.
“I’m not refusing,” she replied quietly.
“No. Of course, you’re not. How could you refuse and let your beloved brother down? So, you and your parents have skillfully manipulated Michael and me. Like two fools, we fell under your spell. Only you had counted on marrying Michael and keeping your royal bloodline untainted. You hadn’t anticipated I would make an offer too good for your parents to refuse.”
“Why
did
you offer if you hate me so much?”
He hesitated and Lara’s heart gave a huge leap. Surely it must be that he cared for her, perhaps loved her? She held her breath waiting for his reply.
“Of course, I don’t hate you, Lara, but I resent anyone trying to trick me. You knew your brother was in trouble, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
“Yet you refused my proposal and accepted Michael’s. As far as I’m concerned, that says it all. Don’t get me wrong. I understand this isn’t your fault and thanks to your brother, your parents have placed you in an unenviable position. I pity you because I know you don’t have a choice in deciding your own future.” He paused and then continued. “So, I’ve decided it for you. I told you a while ago, Lara, that I always win, no matter what. So, this time I have won myself a bride.”
Her head shot up as a wave of anger threatened to engulf her. How dare this man judge her? He wasn’t even aware it was only tonight she had been told about Carl’s gambling debts and yet he hadn’t giving her a chance to explain.
“You are obnoxious,” she hissed. “I certainly misread you when I climbed aboard your boat in Port Margaret. You’re nothing but a ruthless predator who believes his filthy money can buy anything.”
“I’ve proved it can.” His smile was arrogant as he ran a sensual finger down the line of her throat stopping where the robe covered and protected her breasts.
Pushing his hand away, she stood and moved to the center of the room. She tried to control her breathing as she faced him, faced the mockery written clearly within his blue eyes. “You might have bought a princess and a title and a place in my family but I warn you, Jack, you’ll regret what you have done.”
“Why? Overall, I consider I’ve made a good investment. We’ll quietly clear Carl’s debts out of the way and the rest of my money will correct Challoner’s economy. In time I expect to receive a good return.”
She clenched her fists. “I can’t believe we are standing here in the middle of the night discussing a return on your damned investment,” she burst out.
Stepping closer, he grinned and for one moment, she saw her other Jack, the relaxed fisherman without a care in the world, not this ruthless business tycoon who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Then the moment was gone but to her horror, her skin burned as if it was on fire at the look of desire in his eyes. She trembled, wanting his arms around her.
“Don’t forget the most important return, Lara. I will have you as my loving wife and together we will make beautiful babies.”
“I may be obliged to marry you but I don’t need to accept you willingly as my lover. I despise you for treating me like some sort of slave girl who can be bought and used for your sexual gratification.”
He laughed, throwing his head back and she watched as the soft light from the bedside lamp caught the sheen of his dark hair. “How dramatic you are, princess. You, of all people, should know royal marriages are still arranged and I would think most of them are reasonably happy.”
“Yes, royal marriages. Not marriage to a commoner who barters and trades with human lives. If you think I would ever let you make love to me now, you’re sadly mistaken.” She stopped at the sudden change of expression on Jack’s face. She had pushed him too far.
He reached for her and with a flick of his hand, discarded her robe leaving her exposed and vulnerable in her silk nightdress. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her open hand as he pulled her against his chest.
“Having sex for us won’t be a problem, Lara,” he said, his voice harsh. “But, like every good royal bride, you should walk down the aisle in virginal white so, as much as I would like to take you now, I still intend to wait until we’re married.”
Breaking away, she picked up the robe and pulling it on, held it tightly around her, fighting the tears welling in her eyes. “You have not only bought me, you have made me feel like a whore. I will never forgive you.”
“A whore? Well, that should be an education for us both then, sweetheart. But, don’t fret, you won’t have to wait too long before we indulge our sexual fantasies.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your parents have decided on a tight schedule with the wedding in two months time. But don’t worry, you don’t have to act the doting fiancée because I fly back to Australia later today and I won’t return until a week before the wedding.”
She was stunned, first by the news of the wedding date but more so, that he was leaving her. A surge of pride made her utter her next words. “Good. I’m glad you’re going. I don’t want you near me.”
“Temper. I’m sorry I’m leaving you to arrange all the wedding plans but I’m sure you will have an absolute army of people to help you.”
Sitting on the bed again, Lara stared at her trembling hands. She was shocked at the bitterness of the words between them.
“If we’re to get this investment sorted, I have a lot of work to do in Australia,” he continued, his voice calm. “I have excellent managers of my companies but I need to spend time with them so I’ll be free to enjoy our honeymoon.”
“Is that the only reason you’re going back?” She hadn’t meant to sound so suspicious.
“No. It’s not. If you prefer me to be blunt, I need to keep away from you.” The bed dipped slightly as he sat next to her and took one of her hands in his. “I know we don’t like each other, Lara, but nothing has changed in regard to our physical lust for each other. When I’m near, I can’t keep my hands off you.”
She looked up at him, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears. Did he really mean that?
He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing each finger in turn. “I admit I was jealous of Michael. Just as I think you might be jealous of any woman friend I have, particularly one that would like to marry me.”
“What woman friend? Are you going back because of her?” She tried but failed miserably to keep the jealous tone from her voice.
He gave her a wicked smile. “I’ve told you why I’m going back but you know what we men are like. We like to have, shall we say…a final fling before tying ourselves down to having a wife and kids.”
She tore her hand from his grasp. “You are vulgar and crass,” she said, not quite believing what he was saying but then, she knew little about him and his love affairs in Australia.
“I’m behaving as you would expect a common man like me to behave.”
“I was willing to give myself to you when we were on the island and here, yesterday. Why are you saying these things, Jack? Why are you deliberately trying to hurt me?”
He sighed and rubbed a hand across his face in a tired gesture. “I’m sorry, Lara. I don’t mean to hurt you. This has been an extraordinarily difficult couple of days for both of us, especially you. But things will get better when we are married, I promise.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly against hers before she could reply.
“Now, try and get your beauty sleep. I gather your mother is arranging for some official engagement photographs to be taken in the morning before I leave.”
~ * ~
“I am so sorry, Lara. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
She poured her brother another cup of coffee as they sat opposite each other in the sitting room of her suite the next morning. It had still been early when Carl knocked at her door and asked to speak to her. He looked haggard and disheveled as if he hadn’t been to bed, and her vulnerable heart softened at the anguish etched in his face.
“Please don’t worry. It’s done, Carl. I’m going to marry Jack.”
Carl took a gulp of his coffee. “But, if I hadn’t been such a stupid fool you wouldn’t be placed in this terrible position. I can’t believe I let this gambling addiction control me leaving us in such a mess. I’m so ashamed.” His face crumbled as he tried to hold back his tears.
She rose and held him close, comforting and soothing, her heart breaking for her brother and his weakness. “It’s okay, Carl. We can come through this. You are going to get some help, aren’t you?”
He hugged his sister tightly before looking into her concerned face. “Yes. Absolutely. I know I have a major problem but it was also part of the deal between father and Jack that I sort myself out and get counseling for my addiction.”
Sitting again at the table, she held her brother’s hand trying to ease his agony.
“Can you ever forgive me, Lara? I mean, all I can think about is Michael and Jack fighting over you. It was as if you were wearing a sign saying princess for sale to the highest bidder.”
She was silent, not quite sure whether she should laugh or cry at Carl’s remark.