by Kelly, Marie
After the ceremony Samantha had been pulled from one picturesque location to another. Finding herself having to fight off the unwanted attentions of the best man, Kei’s cousin, who consistently pestered her with his innuendos regarding weddings and what happened at them. She had smiled stonily at him shaking her head, her hand grabbing his as he had tried to rest it on her bottom, before hissing at him.
“One more time and I promise you that you will NEVER need to worry about that kind of thing again”.
Seeing as he had grinned back at her, moving closer.
“mmmmm........you can fight it, but I know that by the end of the night......”.
Sam making an exasperated noise as she had moved away from him.
Seeing Kate stood alone, Sam had moved over to join her, the two women smiling lovingly at each other.
“Well the deed is done”.
Her friend had smiled, looking over at her new husband chatting animatedly.
“And I have to say Sam..........this time I think I actually did something right”.
Sam had smiled back nodding, a soft smile on her face.
“Yep.........I really think you did” she had agreed, the two laughing happily at each other.
“So when will it be your turn?” she had said, Sam raising her arms to stop her.
“Oh no Kate....do not start ... you do NOT want to sound like my father .... not today”.
Causing her to laugh loudly, shaking her head, before something behind Sam had caught her attention, giving a soft groan as her eyes had grown wary.
“Sam, there is something I need to tell you, something I should have told you before, but honestly I really, really thought he wouldn’t come, so I didn’t want to upset you”.
Her eyes were looking beseechingly at the woman before her, Sam giving a confused frown back,
“Told me what Kate?”
Giving a mock shocked look.
“You're pregnant!!” she had quipped playfully, as Kate had looked back with a shudder.
“No...but you might wish that that was all it was”, her face breaking out into a more forced smile, Sam feeling the discomfort emanating from her as she had become aware of somebody moving up behind her. Turning with a friendly smile on her lovely face, she had felt her whole being go cold, her legs almost buckling at the sight of the man before her, feeling as her body had shaken.
“Sam you remember Dante Durant. Who is also a good friend of Kei’s”.
Her voice faltering seeing the look on Samantha’s face, the way she had gone deathly pale, her expression one of complete shock.
Dante had moved forward taking Sam’s hand and pulling it to his lips.
“Hello Sam” he had murmured softly, his warm eyes growing colder as she had pulled her fingers quickly from him her features full of such ice.
“Do you know each other?” his date had asked in surprise, as dropping her head Sam had nodded slightly.
“Yes, Dante and I met in Greece” she had finally managed, not seeing as he had frowned down on her.
Both Kate and the other woman could feel the tension between the two, as Kate had began chattering in a bright voice to the other woman as Sam had stood so silently avoiding Dante’s gaze, only raising her eyes to look at the other woman, sneaking a quick peek at her.
She was of course beautiful, perfectly presented and sexy as hell she had thought, feeling the anger rising strongly once more. With a quick flick back at him she had seen as his look had not wavered from her, his gaze assessing as the other two women had made polite small talk, both trying hard to ignore the obvious tension between Dante and Sam.
Unable to be near him any longer, she had finally made an excuse to her friend, noticeably snubbing him, as she had given a small quick smile to his date before moving off to join Bella. She was stood open mouthed having spotted Dante, her eyes full of questions, as Sam had shaken her head in a silent plea for her not to ask. He had watched her leave, his mouth thinning at how rude she had been, not the Sam he had remembered, aware as Kate had made nervous excuses for her behaviour.
For the rest of the wedding Samantha had ensured that she was never anywhere near Dante, not hard given his dates possessive and demanding need to be wrapped around him for most of the night and day. She had felt the jealousy filling her, hating herself for caring, but hating him even more. He had not changed; he was still as stunningly sexy as he had been all those years ago, his whole being exuding a raw sexuality that had most of the women’s heads turned in the room. It was probably just as well that his girl friend was so clingy she had thought, her feelings towards him hardening even more.
The wedding had been a huge success, Sam hugging her friend and Kei as they had finally slipped out of the hotel, Kate’s eyes shining as she had whispered to her friends the location of their honeymoon, Sam’s eyes opening wide.
“Oh my God...you are so lucky” she had whispered, laughing happily as Kate had nodded, the happiness shining from her lovely face.
“I really am” she had grinned back, giving Bella and Sam a big wave, as her new husband had grabbed her hand and the two had disappeared into the waiting limousine.
Samantha had stood waving from the entrance until the car had disappeared from sight, a content smile on her lips, before moving back into the luxurious foyer. Looking at Bella she had chuckled.
“Well who will be next?” seeing the merriment dancing in Bella’s eyes.
“More like Kate was first??” the two women laughing happily together.
“I think that I will call it a night” Sam had smiled, Bella giving her a lopsided grin, knowing only two well why she did not want to return to the party, having watched Sam avoid Dante all day. Moving forward she had hugged her friend.
“I understand Sam.....but maybe you should talk to him. It might help”.
Sam had looked intently at her, shaking her head with determination. She had never told either of her friends what had caused the breakup between the two of them, the pain of it too great to share even with Kate and Bella. The two had tried to get the information from her, but had given up seeing how much it hurt Sam. Giving a small smile of thanks she had shaken her head sadly.
“No Bella, it really would not”.
With a final understanding look, Bella had given her a tight hug before turning and moving back into the party, Sam watching her as she had disappeared.
About to move to her room, she had giving a small groan as she had felt Frank the best man sidle up to her, smelling the stench of alcohol from him as he had grabbed her in a bear hug.
“Sam” he had slurred drunkenly.
Samantha trying to push him away, but unable to as he had tried to kiss her
“I have a room upstairs......time for us to have some fun of our own” he had whispered loudly in her ear, his hands moving to touch her bottom.
Gritting her teeth she had again tried unsuccessfully to push him off.
“Get off me Frank” she had bitten out in as calm and matronly a voice as she could muster, hearing as he had laughed.
“The lady said off” the cool authorative voice behind her had spoken. Samantha recognising it instantly, feeling the coldness deep in her stomach
Frank had given her a lecherous look.
“Bugger off and find your own woman” he had cried before looking up at the stranger, his eyes widening in surprise seeing the tall man before him. Sam had felt herself released, as Frank had started to stutter
“Hey...Dante, just playing”
Looking drunkenly back at Sam
“Sure we were” he had winked, before quickly moving off back into the main hall, his body swaying.
Not even turning around, her heart beating so fast in her chest Samantha had began moving forward, ignoring the man behind her. She had heard his sharp intake of breath, as his hand had reached out and grabbed her arm swinging her around.
“This is ridiculous Sam.....do you plan on ignoring me all night?”
She
had kept her head low, not willing to look up at him, her head nodding slightly.
“Yes”.
She had managed, again hearing the angry intake of breath from him.
“Maybe I should have just left Frank to ‘play’ with you” he had said, the anger so evident in his voice.
Sam had finally looked up into his dark eyes, hers hard.
“I didn’t need you to interfere Dante, I could deal with him myself”, her eyes moving to his hand still holding her arm.
“Now take your hands off me”.
As he had released her, she had glared at him once more, before spinning around and moving to the lift. Willing herself not to look back as she had stepped into the small area, praying that she could keep it together until she was finally alone. As the lift had closed her composure had crumpled , the tears rising to her eyes as her whole body had shaken uncontrollably, her arms moving around her body to hug herself tightly, the old feelings washing over her so painfully.
In the foyer, Dante had frowned as she had moved away from him. Frustration filling him at the way she had snubbed him, angry with the coldness with which she had treated him. She had behaved as though he was nothing, Dante not liking being treated in such a way, especially not from Samantha.
Dante had sat in the opulent office, his eyes watching the man before him, seeing as he had done the same. Both men assessing the other warily
“Thank you for coming”.
The older man had said, his voice trying to sound sincere, but his dislike of the younger man before him so apparent.
“I am really not in the mood for small talk Daniel, so what is it you had me come all the way out here to talk about?” he had asked coldly, seeing as Daniel Trey had given a small humourless smile.
“I like that about you Dante” he had said, grudging sincerity in his words, opening a brown folder before him on the desk.
“I want to talk to you about my business and about my daughter” he had said, seeing the surprised frown on the other man’s face.
“Sam?...what about her” he had asked softly seeing as Daniel Trey had pulled out some pictures from the folder tossing them over to him.
Lifting them he had seen Samantha at Kate’s wedding two months previously, his eyes looking back questioningly.
“I don’t understand...” he had begun as Daniel had raised a hand.
“I am getting to that age Dante when I want to retire, to really enjoy all the good things that I have built up in my life”.
Sitting back in his chair, his eyes held the other mans.
“I want to make sure that my business has an heir... a male heir”.
His hand had pointed to the picture on the desk.
“Unfortunately I only have a daughter”.
Dante had seen the contempt in his eyes.
“And she seems unwilling to settle down and produce for me the heirs that I need”.
Dante had frowned again.
“What has that got to do with me Daniel?” he had questioned, seeing as the other man had fished out another picture, sliding it across the table. The picture showing Sam glaring up at Dante, as he had held her by the arm, his mouth tightening feeling the anger once more at their encounter
“As you can see the last time I saw her, let’s just say she was indifferent”.
The older man had smiled, an unpleasant smile, throwing yet another picture at him.
“Really?...not according to my sources”.
He had replied, his voice full of such innuendo.
“I have been throwing some of the most eligible men I can find at my daughter for years now, and all have been fobbed off. In the past four years since you and she dated, she has shown zero interest in any men, until she bumps into you again”.
Dante had given a small mirthless laugh.
“Check your sources Daniel, your daughter gave me the cold shoulder all night...believe me she was completely indifferent”.
His hands reaching to lift the last picture, his eyes widening with surprise as he had given an involuntary gasp. In the picture obviously taken after she had left him, it showed Samantha moving from the lift, tears streaming down her lovely face, her hand raised as she had been in the process of wiping a tear with the back of her hand. She had looked completely stricken, her lovely lips trembling, her face bleak and vulnerable.
“Yes she looks completely indifferent”, the slow soft words of the man opposite from him breaking into his thoughts, as he had thrown the picture back down onto the desk.
“What is it you want Daniel?” he had bitten out, feeling anger at the way the man was so casually showing the images of the woman he had known so intimately so many years ago, his own daughter.
“I want you to marry her”.
Dante had looked at Daniel Trey in complete shock.
“You want me to what?” he had cried in surprise, before collecting himself, making to stand from the chair opposite.
“NOW you want me to marry her...You are crazy, and this meeting is over”.
Daniel Trey had quickly continued.
“Wait. You should hear the deal first”, seeing as Dante had hesitated, his eyes scrutinizing the other man before slowly sinking back down, his eyes watching Daniel warily.
“Go on”.
His only words, as he had continued.
“Like I said, I want to retire and I want a male heir, now while you are the last man I would choose, it seems that my daughter still has feelings for you, and I don’t have time for her to eventually find. somebody else. It seems to me that she is more interested in that business of hers than in settling down”.
Dante had frowned, speaking softly.
“My sources tell me that her business is doing well, perhaps you should reconsider having her be your CEO”.
Daniel Trey had given a contemptuous sound.
“No woman is going to take over my business. I would rather sell it.
Dante had raised an eyebrow in interest.
“Well if you want to sell...”.
He had begun, seeing as the other man had looked at him.
“I would never sell to you” he had bitten out angrily, both men glaring at each other, before Daniel had given a tired sigh.
“I will put in a manager if I have to, however...”.
His eyes had become serious, shifting forward in his seat as he had got to the point.
“If you marry Sam then I will make you the CEO of my company... Think of it as a merger of our two enterprises... isn’t that what you had planned four years ago anyway.
Sitting back and looking intently at the younger man before him.
“In many ways it makes sense. The only thing is that you have to produce a male heir, one that will take over from us both”.
He had sat back to watch the surprised man before him.
“You want ME to take over your business”.
Had been Dante’s only response, seeing as Daniel Trey had nodded
“On the proviso that you marry my daughter and within five years produce a son”.
Dante had grown quiet, his eyes moving to look at a picture on the wall, not really seeing the image as he had concentrated, his brow furrowed. After several minutes, he had looked back at the older man.
“What if she won’t marry me?” he had asked softly, seeing the cruel sneer on the older man’s face.
“I am sure that you will find a way to make sure she does” he had said, his voice low and unpleasant.
Frowning softly Dante’s features had grown more sure before he had nodded, standing to look down on the other man.
“Within three months Sam and I will be married, and in two months and three weeks you will announce the merger, agreed?”
Daniel Trey had smiled, nodding his head.
“Agreed” he had said softly, both men looking back at the other with understanding, the deal struck.
Samantha had pulled the door of her office open, her mind full of the many things that had t
o be done that day. She had looked at the letters on the door, giving a small satisfied smile. Over the past four years she had turned her talents as an interior designer into a successful business. Now employing twenty people with one of the best reputations in the city, her clients list boasted some of the wealthiest and best known names in the country. One of her biggest skills was her ability to manage her time and adjust her schedule instantly, her mind already full of all that had to be done that day. Stepping into the office which she had designed herself she had stopped in her tracks, her bag slipping from her fingers to the floor at the shock of seeing the man now sitting in her chair.
