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Dangerous Bet:
Troy's Revenge
Tycoon Club Series: Book 1
By
Marie Rochelle
Dedication:
To all of my fans. Thanks so much for always supporting my work. All of you are the best.
Marie
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Troy’s Revenge by Marie Rochelle
Red Rose Publishing
Copyright© 2007 Marie Rochelle
ISBN: 978-1-60435-153-8
ISBN: 1-60435-153-5
Cover Artist: Nikita Gordyn
Editor: Savannah Grey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away.
Red Rose Publishing
www.redrosepublishing.com
Forestport, NY 13338
Dangerous Bet:
Troy's Revenge
Tycoon Club Series: Book 1
By
Marie Rochelle
Chapter One
“I’m not going to let you get away with this. I knew that you hated my family, but I never thought it ran this deep. Tell me what I’ve got to do to get it back.”
Troy Christian leaned forward in his seat and drummed his fingers on the glossy surface of his desk. It didn’t even take twenty-four hours before she came to him. He knew that she would once she found out what he had done to her family.
“Headley, I don’t why you’re here. You know that your father signed those papers in good faith and I can’t do anything about it. Now, I think you should leave before you say something that can’t be taken back.”
Storming across the room, Headley Rose slammed her purse down on the desk and glared at him so hard that he almost flinched in his chair, but stopped in the nick of time.
“I could care less if I said something to hurt your feelings. You’re so damn cold that you probably have a hole where your heart should be. My father worked himself into that hospital bed for that ranch and now you’re taking it away without a second thought.”
Troy brushed off Headley’s comment without blinking an eye. He understood that the young woman was mad at him, but she had no right to be.
Instead of running off and trying to be a fashion designer in New York, she should have stayed and helped her father with their business.
“Douglas came to me for help and I helped him. Why should I be blamed because he couldn’t make the payments? I’m a businessman and I have a right to take what’s mine.” Troy commented watching as Headley’s gorgeous eyes darkened in anger.
“You’re a bastard. I hope you know that. You’ve so much money that you could give millions away and not even feel it. My dad kept that place going after mom died so he wouldn’t lose his mind. You even came to the funeral and offered your support. Now, I see it was all part of your plan.”
“What plan?” Troy asked, not liking the turn that this conservation was taking.
“For years the men in your family have been pissed that my father got the land you wanted. In fact, they tried trying various ways to get it from him. So, you befriended my dad and made him think you were on his side until the right time came along to stab him in the back. But I promise you, this isn’t going to work.”
“God, for all I know my father didn’t have a heart attack while he was repairing that fence. You could have done something to him,” Headley accused shocking the hell out of him.
Jumping up from his seat, Troy raced around his desk to grab Headley by the arm jerking her to his body.
“Listen here, little girl,” he growled. “I don’t try to kill people to get what I want. I was the one who found Douglas out there and got him to the hospital. If it wasn’t for me, your father would be dead.”
“That’s what you say. How do I know it isn’t a lie? I remember quite clearly before I left that you told my father you wouldn’t let him sell that property to anyone but you, Mr. Christian.”
“You shouldn’t accuse me of doing something that you’ve no proof of. I’m tired of telling you that you’re wrong. Furthermore, you might not like what happens if you keep it up.”
Titling her head back, Headley looked him in directly in the eye without flinching. “What can you do to me? I’m not scared of you.”
I could kiss the hell out of you like I’ve wanted to do since you walked into this office, Troy thought before let go of Headley’s arm and stepped back.
“Nothing, just go to the hospital and check on Douglas. I’ll talk to you later about a way to work something out about the payments.”
Headley picked her purse up off the desktop and stared at him. “I’m not going to set up any payment arrangements with you. I’ll find a way to have my father’s debt paid off before he gets out of the hospital at the end of the month,” she promised then headed towards the door.
He didn’t like the sound of that. Headley had always been headstrong and he was worried about what she would do to get the money. “You’re father owes me close to fifty thousand dollars. There’s no way you can get that paid off in time.”
“I bet I can,” Headley promised before she stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.
Headley made herself not think about Troy again until she came back from the hospital and was in her old room back at the ranch.
How in the hell could he still be so damn gorgeous after so many years? His jet black hair was still thick and full despite the fact that he was nearly thirty-two years old. In addition, the gray hairs that were streaked throughout only made him sexier and more desirable.
What was wrong with her, still lusting after the man who wanted to ruin what was the life of her family business? Rose Ranch had been the best in its time until Troy’s family moved into town when she was young.
She would never forget how the older girls in town constantly found ways to draw Troy’s piercing blue eyes in their direction. If she remembered correctly, he was about twenty-two when they moved to the land across from hers.
She was still in high school and secretly lusted for him herself, but never let on to any of her friends. Why would she? Troy was already six years older than her with had a line of willingly girls waiting for him.
In ways, even back then, her father and his family weren’t getting along at all. Troy’s dad didn’t like having competition for his ranch and tried several times to buy theirs, but her father always told them no. It wasn’t for sale.
Things only got worse when her mother died during childbirth along with her baby brother. He father went into a deep depression and never fully came out of it.
She had sat beside him at the funeral, in shock, trying to stay strong while he cried. A light touch on her leg had made her look up and to find Troy squatting down in front of her with a sad look on his face. She was so taken back all she could do was stare at him. He had never shown her any attention until that day.
“Are you okay?” He asked with genuine concern in his deep voice. “Can I help you with anything?”
“No,” she finally replied when she gained her voice. “I’m fine, but I’m worried about Dad. He’s taking all of this very hard.”
“Give him some time. The pain will pass. I was the same way when my mother died. I never thought it
would get easier, but it did.” Leaning forward, he planted a kiss on her cheek that almost made her faint on the spot. “Please call or come over if you need to talk. I’ll be glad to listen,” he whispered in her ear. Giving her leg one last squeeze, Troy had gotten up and left the service.
“Why did I ever think back then that he was a nice guy? Men who look like him are always for themselves and nothing else,” Headley complained to herself as she changed her clothes and climbed into bed. “Well, I’m not going to let him win this battle. He’s not going to take this place away from my father.”
Turning off the light, she turned on her side and tried to get some sleep without thoughts of the dangerously sexy Troy Christian in her head.
Chapter Two
“Mr. Christian, is everything okay this morning? You seem a little preoccupied. Is there anything I can do for you?”
Troy dropped his fingers from his temple to found his secretary standing in front of his office desk with several folders in her hand. He didn’t even know how long she had been standing there. He couldn’t get his mind off the fact that Headley had bet him she could have the entire amount of money her father owed back to him in a matter of weeks. What in the hell was she going to do to get her father’s debt paid in full?
“Mr. Christian,” his secretary’s voice chimed in again.
“Heather, I’m fine. Please just lay the files on my desk and go to lunch. There’s no need to worry about me.” He answered making eye contact with her.
Troy hoped that Heather would leave without asking him any more questions. He should have stayed home and worked from the ranch like he wanted to this morning. But he hadn’t been into the office for about a week and he felt the urge to check in.
“Yes, sir,” Heather replied, placing the information down like he requested. Then she left closing the door behind her.
Picking up the file on the top, he flipped it open and read over the contract in his hand. He hadn’t tricked Douglas into signing this agreement. Headley’s father had come to him looking for help and he had given it to him, but with a deadline attached. Douglas promised him that he would have the money back within a two-year period, but he failed to live up to his end of the bargain.
How could Headley even think that he would do something to harm her father? Douglas Rose was a good, honest, hardworking man. For as long as he had known the man, Douglas had never asked for a hand-out. Then the ranch started losing money when bad weather and droughts hit not to mention the bad investments and his heavy drinking.
But he wasn’t about to lose money. Not for anyone, not even Headley. He still couldn’t believe how stunning she was. A day didn’t go by that he didn’t think about those huge dark brown eyes of hers or the hourglass shaped body that he had wanted and desired since he and his family moved to this town.
Headley was a constant temptation to him from the moment he saw her running down the trail at her house. He had been out riding and was coming back in when he saw her everything around him stopped.
His cock had grown so hard, making it impossible to sit comfortably on his horse. She was a vision of perfection with the way her young, perky breasts bounced underneath her white t-shirt. The matching shorts had shown off her perfect Hershey’s kiss chocolate skin making ideas he shouldn’t be thinking about popped into his twenty-two year old head.
Instead of following her, like his body and mind pushed him to do, he turned and headed back for his house. He had made sure no one was home before he locked himself in his room to give his body the relief it craved.
Headley had been so young that she never realized how badly he wanted her back then. Hell, the need hadn’t left him even after all of these years. His body still wanted hers with a driving need that made his gut clench. It didn’t even stop when she stormed into his den looking madder than hell and ready to slap the taste out of his mouth.
It was quite a change from the quiet and shy girl that left here looking for fame in the high paced fashion industry. He’d never forget the day he had followed Headley’s family to the bus station and watched her leave his life. It was the worst pain he had ever felt, but he never let anyone know. His feelings for Headley were private and no one else needed to know about them.
“I see you’re sitting there plotting how to bring down another family,” a feminine voice uttered from the doorway.
Troy slowly replaced the paper back into the folder and closed it. “I’m glad to see you got my message that I left on your answering machine last night. I was a little concerned you might not show up.” He replied watching as Headley came into his office oblivious to the fact that he wanted to kiss her senseless.
“Your message wasn’t a request, but a demand. How could I not come? You know that I want to save my father’s business as soon as I can and head back to New York. So, what do you want?”
Headley was going to leave?
Troy didn’t like the sound of that. He’d have to find a way to make her stay here with him and if he had to use her father to do that, then so be it. “You made a bet with me last night that you’d find a way to pay off Douglas’s off in full. I think it’s only fair that you know the entire amount. I don’t want you making a bet that you won’t have the ability to keep. Besides, making a bet with a man like me is a dangerous thing because I always play to win,” he grinned.
“You’re so damn cocky. It makes me sick. Now, tell me what I need to know. I’ve places to go and people to see.”
“What’s the hurry Headley? We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other since you owe me money. When it comes to money, I don’t play.” Troy stood up and made his way around the edge of his desk. Sitting on the side, he waved his hand towards the empty seat in front of him. “Have a seat. We have to discuss a few things.”
Headley’s black spiral curls bounced off her shoulder as she came across the room and fell down into the seat. “Don’t waste my time.”
“What happened to make you so demanding? You used to be so patient and laid-back when you were growing up. Did the tough life of New York make you hard?” Troy inquired.
“I was still the same person until I got Dad’s letter and he told me how you’re trying to steal the ranch from him.”
“We’ve had this conversation before. I’m not a thief or a crook. Douglas got into this trouble because he made bad investments after you left and not even the bank would loan him money. You should be thanking me for helping your father instead of trying to shove the blame on me.”
“My dad knew how to run that ranch with one hand tied behind his back. You’re lying about him. He would never waste the ranch’s money like that.” Headley tossed back.
“Alcoholics seldom know right from wrong when a bottle is involved. Douglas changed a lot after you abandoned him to ran off chasing after a foolish dream. Everyone thought you would stay here and work side by side with him. But no, Headley Rose was too caught up in leaving and making her own mark in the world to care about her father.”
“You’re a damn liar. My father never had an addiction a day in his life. You just want me to believe these lies about him,” Headley shouted, standing up. ‘But I’m not going to listen to this. Dad is a good man and nothing you say will make me think otherwise.”
“Sit down,” Troy uttered pushing Headley back down in the chair. He wasn’t going to let her keep living in the past. Douglas Rose wasn’t the father had she left over ten years ago. He had changed, and it wasn’t for the better.
Reaching behind him, he picked up the folder and shoved it under Headley’s face. “Look at this and tell me your father’s debt isn’t more than you can repay.” He couldn’t let her shoulder the weight of this. He wanted the money back, but not at the expense of her making a deal, she had no way in hell of keeping.
“How do I know these aren’t something you had fixed up to trick me?” She asked, snatching the folder out of his hand.
“God, woman,” he growled. “I’m trying to help you out here. Do
you know how many people wished I would give them this kind of deal?”
“I’ve read about you in business magazines over the years. What’s the nickname they gave you?” She asked, standing back up so they were eye level, “Yeah, the devil in an Armani suit. Some men and women would sell their soul for a moment of your time, but I’m not one of them.”
“Headley, don’t make me prove how true that nickname came be. I want to help you, but if you keep punching my buttons, you’ll lose. I’ve a lot more experience that you when it comes to this world. I consider you a friend. However, one more insult and I might forget that you are.”
“Mr. Christian, don’t worry about it. I’ve given you alot of names over the years, but friend isn’t one of them. I’m going to take this back home and read it, but it won’t make any difference. I bet you that I’ll get my father’s balance to you paid off and I will.”
She tried to slip by his body, but Troy was tired of Headley and her smart tongue. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her back against his body until not an inch separated them. “That smart mouth of yours is going to get you in a world of trouble one day. You should learn how to control it.”
“I’ll worry about that when the time comes. Right now, I’m only worried about getting you out of my father’s life,” she retorted
“How do you know now isn’t the time? I might be the one who’ll teach you to use that tongue of yours for more pleasurable things.” Troy’s voice whispered as he trailed his finger over Headley’s bottom lip. He heard her breath catch and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “I see that you aren’t as immune to me as you pretend to be. Don’t you want me to kiss you?”
Twisting her head away, Headley moved his finger from her mouth. “You’re not going to do this to me. I won’t let you. You might have used my father to get what you wanted, but I’m not going to fall for it.”
Dangerous Bet: Troy's Revenge: Tycoon Club Series Page 1
