A Night, A Consequence, A Vow

by Angela Bissell

  Bound by their shock baby

  Emily Royce is at her wit’s end. To save her family’s prestigious gentleman’s club, she needs to sell her father’s shares to ruthless Ramon de la Vega. But Ramon’s gaze pierces right through her, revealing her deepest desires! Unable to hide from their potent chemistry, Emily surrenders to one glorious night in Paris...

  When he discovers that their passion resulted in an unexpected pregnancy, Ramon won’t leave Emily’s side. Beneath her cool exterior is a vulnerable woman he feels compelled to protect. He’ll make her his any way he can—even if that means tying her to him with his ring!

  ‘You are pregnant, Emily.’ Ramon’s voice turned a shade cooler. ‘With my child.’ He paced away, turned back. ‘Would you relegate me to the role of a part-time father? Someone who breezes in and out of our child’s life whenever the custody arrangement tells me I can?’

  Emily felt her face blanch. That was exactly the kind of arrangement she’d assumed they would eventually agree upon. But Ramon’s description made her blood run cold. Made her think of all the times she’d curled up on her bed as a little girl and cried, believing her daddy didn’t care enough to visit her.

  A fluttery, panicky feeling worked its way up her throat. ‘But what about us?’

  He clasped her shoulders. ‘We’re good together, querida. Are you denying that?’

  ‘Lust is hardly a foundation for marriage.’

  The hard line of his mouth softened. ‘But it’s a good starting point, sí?’

  Ruthless Billionaire Brothers

  These brothers have conquered everything—except love!

  The de la Vega brothers may not be bonded by blood, but these billionaires are united by their legendary business success! Neither has failed in the acquisition of wealth and power. But they’re both about to realise there might be one thing just beyond their reach...

  Two irresistible women are about to interfere in their well-laid plans—and the sparks that fly will result in burning seduction!

  Read Ramon and Emily’s story in

  A Night, A Consequence, A Vow

  Available now!

  And look out for Xavier and Jordan’s story

  Coming soon!

  A Night, A Consequence, A Vow

  Angela Bissell

  www.millsandboon.co.uk

  ANGELA BISSELL lives with her husband and one crazy Ragdoll cat in the vibrant harbourside city of Wellington, New Zealand. In her twenties, with a wad of savings and a few meagre possessions, she took off for Europe, backpacking through Egypt, Israel, Turkey and the Greek Islands before finding her way to London, where she settled and worked in a glamorous hotel for several years. Clearly the perfect grounding for her love of Mills & Boon Modern Romance! Visit her at angelabissell.com.

  Books by Angela Bissell

  Mills & Boon Modern Romance

  Irresistible Mediterranean Tycoons

  Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian

  Defying Her Billionaire Protector

  Visit the Author Profile page

  at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

  For Bron—author, mentor and friend.

  Your support and encouragement have meant the world.

  Contents

  Cover

  Back Cover Text

  Introduction

  Ruthless Billionaire Brothers

  Title Page

  About the Author

  Dedication

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  EPILOGUE

  Extract

  Copyright

  CHAPTER ONE

  ‘YOU OWE ME for this, Xav.’

  Ramon de la Vega dropped into a chair in front of his brother’s desk and stretched out his legs.

  Eight hours on a transatlantic commercial flight, another hour in the back of a company limo inching through endless queues of bumper-to-bumper traffic, and he felt as if he’d been straitjacketed for a week.

  His mood carefully harnessed, he lounged back and perched his feet on the corner of his brother’s desk. ‘I had planned to spend the weekend in Vegas,’ he added.

  His brother, Xavier, sat in a high-backed chair on the other side of the massive oak desk—an antique heirloom their father had handed down along with the company reins to his eldest son. Behind him a thick pane of wall-to-wall glass framed a sweeping view of Barcelona that drew no more than a brief, disinterested glance from Ramon. Instead, he focused on his brother, who looked impossibly cool and immaculate in a dark tailored suit in spite of the mid-August heat. As always, Xav’s features were stern, his posture stiff. Only his right hand moved, his fingertips drumming an incessant beat on the desktop’s fine leather inlay.

  The sound, amplified by the dearth of any other in the vast corner office, penetrated Ramon’s eardrums like a blunt needle and reminded him that flying and alcohol made for an unwise mix.

  ‘Doing what?’ Xav’s voice carried the hint of a sneer. ‘Gambling or womanising?’

  Ramon ignored the disdain in his brother’s voice and unleashed his grin—the one he knew could fell a woman at fifty paces. Or tease the tension out of an uptight client in a matter of seconds. Against his only sibling, however, the impact was negligible. ‘It is called recreation, brother.’ He kept his tone light. ‘You should try it some time.’

  The deep plunge of Xav’s eyebrows suggested he’d sooner lose an arm than indulge in such hedonistic pursuits. His fingers stopped drumming—mercifully—and curled into a loose fist. ‘Get your feet off my desk.’ His gaze raked over Ramon’s jeans and shirt before snapping back to his feet. ‘And where the hell are your shoes?’

  Ramon dropped his feet to the floor. His loafers were... He squinted, trying to remember where he’d left them. Ah, yes. In the outer office. Under the desk of the pretty brunette whose name had already escaped him. He considered the rest of his appearance: stonewashed designer jeans; a loose open-necked white shirt, creased from travel; and a jaw darkened by eighteen-plus hours’ worth of stubble. A far cry from his brother’s impeccable attire and his own usual standard, but a man had to travel in comfort. Especially when his brother had had the nerve to issue an urgent summons and then deny him use of the company jet.

  Ramon made a mental note.

  Buy my own plane.

  At least the curvy redheaded flight attendant in First Class who’d served him meals and refreshments during the flight from New York hadn’t minded his attire. But, yes, for the Vega Corporation’s head office in the heart of Barcelona’s thriving business district, he was most definitely under-dressed.

  Still, Xav needed to chill. Cut him some slack. He had ditched everything, including a weekend in Las Vegas with his old Harvard pals, and flown nearly four thousand miles across the North Atlantic—all because his brother had called out of the blue and told him he needed him.

  Needed him, no less.

  Words Ramon had once imagined would never tumble from his proud brother’s mouth.

  Yet, incredibly, they had.

  Beyond that surprising entreaty, Xav had offered no more by way of explanation and Ramon had not demanded one. As CEO, Xav technically outranked him but it wasn’t his seniority that commanded Ramon’s loyalty. Xav was family. And when it came to family there was one truth Ramon could never escape.

  He owed them.

  Still, he allowed his grin to linger. Not because his mood leaned towar
ds humour—nothing about being back in Spain tickled his funny bone—but rather because he knew it would irritate his brother. ‘Flying makes my feet swell,’ he said, ‘and your secretary offered to massage them while you were wrapping up your meeting.’

  A look of revulsion slid over Xav’s face. ‘Please tell me you are joking.’

  ‘Sí, brother.’ Ramon broadened his grin. ‘I am.’

  Though he had got the impression as he’d kicked off his shoes and settled in for a friendly chat with... Lola?... Lorda?...that she’d happily massage a lot more than his feet if he gave her half a chance. And maybe he would if she was willing. Because God knew he’d need a distraction while he was here. Some way to escape the toxic memories that sooner or later would defy his conscious mind and claw their way to the surface.

  Xav pinched the bridge of his nose, a Lord give me patience gesture that reminded Ramon of their father, Vittorio. Not that any likeness could be attributed to genetics: Xav had been adopted at birth by their parents after two failed pregnancies. Four years later Ramon had come along—the miracle child the doctors had told his mother she’d never conceive let alone carry to term.

  Miracle Child.

  The moniker made Ramon’s gut burn. He hated it. He was no heaven-sent miracle. Just ask the Castano family, or the Mendosas. No doubt they would all vehemently agree and then, for good measure, throw in a few fitting alternatives.

  Ramon could think of one or two himself.

  Like Angel of Death.

  Or maybe Devil Incarnate.

  He snapped his thoughts out of the dark mire of his past. This was why he gave Spain a wide berth whenever possible. Too many ghosts lurked here. Too many reminders. ‘Tell me why I’m here,’ he demanded, his patience dwindling.

  ‘There’s a board meeting tomorrow.’

  He frowned. ‘I thought the next quarterly meeting was six weeks from now.’ He made a point of knowing when the board meetings were scheduled for so he could arrange to be elsewhere. In his experience, day-long gatherings with a bunch of pedantic, censorious old men were a special brand of torture to be studiously avoided. ‘Since when does our board meet on a Saturday?’

  ‘Since I decided to call an emergency meeting less than twenty-four hours ago.’

  Ramon felt his mood start to unravel. ‘Why the hell didn’t you say over the phone it was a board meeting you were dragging me over here for?’

  ‘Because you would have found an excuse not to come,’ Xav snapped. ‘You would rather waste your time at a poker table—or buried between the legs of some entirely unsuitable woman!’

  Ramon’s brows jerked down. ‘That’s out of order,’ he growled.

  Abruptly Xav stood up, stalked to the window behind him and stared out. Ramon glowered at his back. Xav was out of order. Yes, Ramon avoided the boardroom. Pandering to the board, keeping the old cronies happy, was his brother’s responsibility. Not his. But no one could deny that he gave his pound of flesh to the Vega Corporation. He’d done so every year for the last five years, in fact. Ever since he’d accepted the vice-presidential role his father had offered him on his twenty-fifth birthday. He’d side-lined his architectural career. Gone from designing luxury hotels and upscale entertainment complexes to buying them and overseeing their management.

  He’d excelled—and he’d realised in that first year of working hard to prove himself that this was how he could repay his family. How he could compensate in a tangible way for the pain he’d inflicted, the destruction his eighteen-year-old self had wrought and the shame he’d brought on his family. He could stamp his mark on the business. Contribute to its success.

  It had been a tall order. The de la Vega empire was well-established. Successful. It spanned continents and industries, from construction and real estate to hospitality and entertainment. Any contribution Ramon made had to be significant.

  He had risen to the challenge.

  First with his acquisition of the Chastain Group—a collection of luxury resorts and boutique hotels which had doubled Vega Corporation’s market share on the European continent, and then with the expansion of their portfolio of private members’ clubs into a lucrative network of sophisticated high-end establishments.

  Yes, he had made his mark.

  And yet to his brother—and most of the board—the spectacular results he’d achieved year upon year seemed to matter far less than how he chose to conduct his personal life.

  It rankled.

  He didn’t deliberately court the press but neither did he waste his time trying to dodge the attention. Evade one paparazzo and ten more would materialise from the shadows. It was easier to give them what they wanted. Flash his trademark grin at the cameras, drape his arm around the waist of a beautiful woman and the tabloids and their gossip-hungry readers would be satisfied.

  But dare to deny them and they’d stalk you like prey. Look for scandal where none existed. Or, worse, where it did exist. And the last thing he needed was someone digging into his past and shining a spotlight on his teenage transgressions. Nurturing his playboy reputation served a purpose. The tabloids saw what he wanted them to see. A successful, wealthy, aristocratic bachelor who pursued pleasure as doggedly as he pursued his next acquisition.

  He reined in his anger. ‘Why an emergency meeting?’

  Xav turned, his expression grim. ‘Hector is making a play for the chairman’s role.’

  Ramon narrowed his eyes. ‘I thought you and Papá had earmarked Sanchez for the role,’ he said, referring to their newest and most dynamic board member—an accomplished former leader of industry who Xav had persuaded the board to accept in an attempt to inject some fresh blood into the company’s governance. Aside from Xav and their father, who was about to retire as Chairman, Sanchez was the only board member for whom Ramon had any genuine respect.

  Hector, on the other hand, was a nightmare. Their father’s second cousin, he craved power and status and resented anyone who possessed more than he did. The man was self-centred. Narrow-minded. Not figurehead material.

  Ramon shook his head in disbelief. ‘He’ll never get the support he needs.’

  ‘He already has it.’ Xav dropped into his chair, nostrils flaring. ‘He’s been working behind my back, garnering support for a coup. Persuading the others that voting in Sanchez is a bad move.’

  ‘Surely Papá can pull him into line?’

  His brother threw him a look.

  ‘Papá has already taken a step back. He’s too unwell for such drama—something you would know if you made an effort to visit more often,’ Xav said, the glint in his eyes hard. Accusatory.

  A sharp jolt went through Ramon. He knew their father had high blood pressure, and had suffered from mild attacks of angina over the past two years, but he hadn’t been aware of Vittorio’s more recent decline. He tightened his jaw against the surge of guilt. He kept his distance from family gatherings for a reason. There was too much awkwardness there. Too many things left unsaid. No. Ramon would not let his brother guilt trip him. He did everyone a favour, himself included, by staying away.

  ‘The board members respect you,’ he pointed out, marshalling his thoughts back to the business at hand. ‘Win them back.’

  Xav’s jaw clenched. He shook his head. ‘Whatever diamond-studded carrot Hector is dangling to coerce their support, it’s working. Lopez, Ruben, Anders and Ramirez have all avoided my calls this week.’

  Ramon dragged a thumb over his bristled chin. ‘So what’s the purpose of the meeting?’

  ‘To confront Hector out in the open. Force him to reveal his hand and compel the others to choose a side—show where their loyalties lie so we know what we’re up against.’

  ‘“We”?’

  ‘I need your support. As does Sanchez, if we’ve any chance of seeing him voted in as Chairman. We need to provide a united front. A strong front. One that’ll challenge Hector and test his alliances.’

  A single bark of laughter escaped Ramon. ‘I cannot see how my presence will h
elp your cause,’ he said, and yet even as he spoke he could feel the sharp, addictive surge of adrenalin he always experienced in the face of a challenge.

  Something else rose in him, too. A sense of familial duty he couldn’t deny. A compulsion to help his brother.

  He studied Xav’s face for a moment. It wasn’t only anger carving deep grooves around his brother’s mouth.

  ‘You’re worried,’ he observed. ‘Why?’

  ‘The Klein deal went belly up.’

  Without thinking, Ramon pursed his lips and let out a low whistle. Xav’s expression darkened.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Ramon said, his sympathy genuine. He too had suffered the occasional business failure. Had experienced the disappointment and utter frustration that came after investing countless hours of manpower and resources into a potential deal only to see it fall over at the eleventh hour. ‘You’re concerned that your credibility with the board is damaged,’ he surmised.

  ‘Hector’s already laid the failure squarely on my doorstep. Called my judgement into question.’ Xav’s voice grated with disgust. ‘He’ll use it to undermine the board’s confidence in me. We need a win to regain the board’s trust. Something that will make them forget about the Klein debacle and give us some leverage.’ He sat forward, his grey eyes intense. ‘Have you managed to secure a meeting with Royce yet?’

  Ramon felt his spine tighten.

  Speaking of failures.

  ‘Not yet,’ he said carefully.

  Xav leaned back, the intensity in his eyes dimming. He breathed out heavily. ‘It was always going to be a long shot.’

  His tone was dismissive enough to needle under Ramon’s skin. Setting his sights on The Royce—one of London’s oldest, most prestigious and highly exclusive private clubs—was ambitious, but his brother shouldn’t be so quick to underestimate him.

  ‘Have a little faith, brother,’ he said. ‘I’ve hit a minor roadblock, that’s all. Nothing I can’t handle.’

  ‘A roadblock?’

  ‘Royce has a gatekeeper.’ He downplayed the matter with a one-shoulder shrug. ‘Getting access to him is proving...a challenge.’

 
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