by Marie Kelly
Unable to speak, her knees suddenly trembling, she nodded, her mouth closed as she stared back with hurt and fear filling her beautiful blue eyes. With that Darius once more turned, pulling the door open and slamming it shut behind him.
As the echoing ‘bang’ of the door closing receded she dropped into the chair, her whole body shaking as the tears slid down her soft cheeks.
There was no real love between herself and Angela; however her sister’s son David was the apple of her eye. He had already lost one parent and to lose another would be devastating. She knew that she would do whatever he wanted to keep her sister from prison and also to avoid their family’s situation becoming so public, knowing that her link to the inevitable scandal would be devastating. With a sad curl of her lip she again wondered why her sister had been so stupid. Why had she countersigned the loans her husband made in the company’s name? With Nick gone the only other person to be blamed would be Angela, Sara giving a soft groan. For David’s sake and her own, she knew that she would do whatever was needed.
Her fingers moved to where she could still feel the touch of his hand, frowning at the way her body reacted to the way he pulled her towards him. His words haunted her - “He was open to the same kind of persuasion” - did he really believe that she planned to use her body to try and persuade the CEO of the Garelli Corporation not to take action against her sister?
With a frown, she wondered what she had really expected. She hoped that explaining the situation would have been enough, now wondering how naive that thought had been. Kicking off her shoes she pulled her feet under her, suddenly feeling so tired she waited for his inevitable return.
For over an hour she waited, her eyes growing heavier with the only sound that of the ticking of the large grandfather clock her eyes were purposefully fixed upon. The room was warm, the large chair comfortable as despite her best efforts sleep tugged at her, her sleepless night the previous day taking its toll as Sara finally succumbed to the blissful peace.
Darius Garelli moved quietly back into his suite, his expression serious. His meeting with the ambassador had gone on longer than he intended, his mouth set as he told himself that she deserved to be left waiting. Seeing her at the ball was unexpected, even more so seeing how much she had changed in the past six years.
As a young girl she had been awkward, but there had always been something about Sara Balfour that fascinated him. He believed her to be different from her controlling bullying father and simpering sister, however, when she had been the one to fire him on the trumped up charge of theft he realised that she was indeed her father’s daughter.
After making his fortune from the initial stake his father gave him, on the condition he change his name to his - not something that was a concern to Darius whose mother was never likely to win any parent of the year awards - he grew that small stake to a billion dollar corporation. He always planned on avenging himself on the Balfours, and finding out how badly their company was performing seemed like a sign from above as he moved against them in a hostile takeover.
After taking over the company, he was shocked at what he discovered, the irony not lost on him as he revelled in his upcoming revenge. His plan had been simple: to have the family publicly kicked out of their home, have Angela Balfour imprisoned, and their good name dragged through the mud. His only regret that there was no direct way to really get to Sara Balfour, the one he hated most. The woman who stood so calmly and coldly telling him that he was fired, telling him that if he did not leave that she would have him thrown in jail.
Her appearance that night had given him a glimmer of hope. Perhaps there really was a way to get to her, to make her pay in the most humiliating way imaginable. Entering the study he frowned, hearing nothing. He knew she had not left, his guard on the door ensuring that she did not get cold feet and flee. Moving forward, his eyes finally fell on the sleeping woman in the armchair.
Stepping even closer he made to shake her awake, his hand stalling as his eyes trailed over her. She really had changed from the girl he knew. Then she had been pretty, but always prone to wear shapeless clothes that seemed at least a size too big for her, her hair allowed to fall over her face to hide her features. The large thick-framed glasses she wore back then were too big for her petite features, and she presented an almost comical figure. Now however, dressed in the figure-hugging cocktail dress, her hair pulled away from her face she was beautiful. Long lashes brushed against her creamy smooth cheek, her lips large and red - so kissable.
Pausing, he squatted down beside her, his eyes drinking in everything about this woman, this woman who had angered him more than any other, a small smile spreading over his features. Yes, humiliating Sara Balfour would be pleasurable in so many ways. He allowed his finger to run along her lips, Sara moving slightly in her deep sleep, her lips parting as her small tongue darted out, this small action like a punch to his stomach as desire thudded into every part of him. Leaning forward Darius covered her mouth with his, his tongue sliding slowly along the silky softness of her bottom lip a small content sigh leaving her as he deepened the kiss, her mouth shaping with his as she kissed him back, stirring softly before her eyes opened.
Sara woke with a start. Her eyes flew open in confusion and panic, tasting Darius’ tongue against hers as with a cry she pushed him away leaping from the chair her voice still heavy with sleep and anger. “Wh…What the hell are you doing?” Darius rose too as he grinned, the smile predatory, holding no warmth. “If you have to ask then perhaps I should show you again”, his mocking voice made her back even further away as her eyes darted from him to the door.
“Wh…Why did you do that?” her eyes accusing as they stared at him, her breasts rising and falling as she tried to calm her breathing as panic filled her. “Seemed the best way to wake you”, had been his only response, as with determination he moved around the desk to seat himself in the large chair.
“Sit down Sara” he ordered as she scowled, not sure what was happening, her senses only starting to return from the deep sleep she had been in. Moving back to the chair, her movements unsure, she sat on the very edge, her body stiff, whilst he leant back in his chair; the epitome of coolness and relaxation.
“I have been giving your situation a little thought” His statement saw her head rise, her eyes darting to his. “Imagine my surprise Sara to discover that your sister and her husband have defrauded the company which I just acquired by nearly five million dollars” Sara felt the pit of her stomach drop at the full extent of the money stolen. His accountants had been fast, their own still trying to get to the bottom of the deception and fraud perpetrated by Angela’s husband Nick. Closing her eyes slowly she felt her whole body droop.
“That much?” was all she could manage weakly as he watched the way she seemed to come apart before him. “My accountants tell me that most of the money was channeled through an account called Paxton Holdings, but they are finding more and more each day” Sara looked up at him, her eyes beseeching. “My sister had nothing to do with it Darius. The only crime she is guilty of is stupidity. She trusted Nick…my mother trusted him”
He watched her carefully. “I know that. Your sister was not smart enough to be involved in anything like this…but as you know she did countersign the loans”, the only response from Sara a small groan as she nodded as he frowned softly. “What about you? Did you trust him?” Sara gave a shake of her head. “No. I never trusted him, but I was away at university…then married. I was never allowed to be involved with the business…so I had no idea what he was up to. We have a private detective looking for him and he has some leads…we just need time to bring him to justice”
A few seconds of silence stretched out between them before he leant forward. “Seeing as you bring it up I’m interested in your marriage…six months does not seem like you made much of a commitment. I understand that you only finalised your divorce last month” He saw the surprise on her face that he knew the facts of her marriage, before her eyes hardened
as she dropped her look from his. “My marriage has nothing to do with this” her tone soft but firm.
Sitting back once more he leant his elbows on the arms of the chair, his fingertips touching as he regarded her thoughtfully before starting to speak, his voice emotionless, matter of fact. “Your sister will be held accountable for your brother-in-law’s actions. Stupidity will not be an excuse in the eyes of the law Sara”, she stared back at him, pain filling her lovely cornflower blue eyes.
“Please Darius. I am begging you, don’t do this” His look hardened as he held hers. “Are you asking me to show you the same consideration you showed me so many years ago Sara?” his tone softly accusing. Sara nodded back. “You may not believe it Darius, but what happened was much more favourable than what my father wanted, and yes, I am asking you to show the same leniency that I showed you” She jumped as his hand smacked against the wooden table top.
“Leniency! You branded me a thief with no ability to redeem myself. Everybody I knew was under the belief that I had stolen that money. Your father phoned everyone he knew and told them that I was a thief and a liar. Nobody was prepared to hire me and I had no choice but to return to Italy. So do not insult me by pretending that you were lenient”, the disdain and hatred dripped from his words as he snarled at her, hopelessness seeping into every part of her as she looked around herself.
“Look at what you have accomplished Darius. Do you really think you would have any of this if you had been thrown in jail? So yes, I do think that you were shown leniency and I am asking you to show the same” He grew quiet as he regarded her again, even knowing that had he been in prison then he would never have built his empire, his lust for revenge still burned brightly within him.
“Maybe Sara…but I was innocent. I grew up in an area that you became either a priest or a thief. I managed to avoid becoming either and it was hard, harder than a spoilt little brat like you could ever begin to imagine. So to be branded one by you and your damn family…” He had not finished his statement as his mouth tightened, Sara moving nervously in her chair. “What do you want from me Darius? You know that Angela is innocent…are you really going to destroy my entire family for the past?” Sitting back once more he again fixed her with his look, this time his voice musing.
“Would you do anything to save them Sara?” his question catching her by surprise, her lovely features showing her confusion as his eyes held hers. “You see…somebody always has to pay for the past, and I would rather that person was you…but are you prepared to sacrifice yourself for them?” Frowning softly, she bit the softness of her lip, savaging it with her teeth, her eyes full of uncertainty before her head rose proudly. “Yes”, her voice holding a small quiver, swallowing hard at the smile that spread over his features – an almost serene smile.
“In that case I have a proposition for you. You see being branded a thief was the worst thing imaginable for me…and I understand your family well enough to know that the thing they fear most is public humiliation. So I want you to become my mistress…to move in with me for as long as I can be bothered parading you around for public disgrace” Sara felt her mouth and eyes open in stunned shock. “Y…you want ME … To pretend to be your mistress just so that you can humiliate my family?” her voice growing higher as he gave her a smile his head shaking softly.
“I never said anything about pretending…I said BECOME my mistress” Sara leapt to her feet, her hands wringing by her side as she paced before him, her shocked features evidence of her feelings. “You cannot be serious”, she finally threw back, her eyes pleaded for him to tell her he was joking. However, he remained motionless, his expression unchanged.
“That is obscene. Immoral”, Sara cried with shock, finally stopping, her back to him as she looked heavenwards, one hand rubbing her temples as the other rested on her hip. She had not heard him move around the desk, giving a loud gasp as his hands moved to hold her hips, his mouth against her ear.
“You asked for leniency Sara…and I am offering it. You can take it or leave it…the choice is completely yours” She stared ahead, her whole being aware of his closeness, of his hands on her as her breathing became ragged. His mouth dropped and his tongue gently flicked against the small franticly beating vein on her neck, Sara biting back the sigh of pleasure that rose within her. “I will give you till lunchtime tomorrow to return here and give me an answer. If you fail to turn up…then I will have your sister arrested and assume that was your decision”
Sara was struggling to understand the soft spoken words, as his mouth continued with its sweet exploration of her throat and neck, her whole body tightening in such an unfamiliar manner. Pulling back slightly, his hands moved to her shoulders, slowly turning her around to face him, his look flicking down her face, taking in the smouldering fire within her lovely eyes. “Perhaps you might even enjoy it”
His arms moved around her small waist pulling her in harder to him as his mouth dropped to take her lips. Sara knew she should fight, should push him away but as his tongue slid against hers she allowed him, encouraged him even, her own sensually returning each and every caress. When he finally moved away, her eyes seemed to take a lifetime to open, struggling to focus as she swayed, frowning softly, not sure why he stopped. Darius stood watching her, his eyes full of fire too as he gave a half-laugh, Sara noticing though how husky his voice sounded. “Well aren’t you a hot little thing? I can see the rumours are true”
His words slammed painfully into Sara as she felt reality crash back, her cheeks flaring knowing exactly what he was talking about. With a whimper she stooped to the ground to pick up her shoes discarded earlier, before spinning around, moving to the door needing to be out of there, away from this odious man, away from what she had just been so prepared to do. As she pulled the door open to flee his words followed her.
“Remember - till lunchtime tomorrow” Sara felt the sob rising within her as she ran from the suite, only stopping to put her shoes back on when she reached the relative safety of the elevator.
Chapter Two
Sara took a cab straight to her mother’s house, where both she and Angela were waiting to hear of the events of the night, both women hoping that she would be returning with good news. If either noticed how upset she seemed, neither bothered to ask, both solely interested in finding out if she had talked to the CEO of the Garelli Corporation. Her despondent nod saw both look at each other, their faces filled with dread.
“He refused to give us time?” Her mother whispered forlornly as she sank down into one of her pristine chairs, her home a model of elegance and class, clean to the point of sterility. “Oh my God, I am ruined, we will be outcasts” Angela threw herself dramatically into another chair.
“You’re ruined!!!…I am going to end up in prison”, her spiteful look falling to Sara as she snarled at her sister. “You didn’t try hard enough. You should have promised him anything…whatever it took…whatever!”, her meaning clear as Sara’s eyes opened wide in shock, a coldness filling her lovely face.
“The CEO of Garelli Corporation is Darius Garelli…or you might remember him better as Darius Larosa” Her words had the effect of silencing both women, their heads moved around to stare at her, two shocked pairs of eyes fixed on her. “Darius Larosa…the thief!” Her mother spat out in disdain. “That…that person is going to be responsible for our downfall?” Sara’s eyes narrowed seeing the way that Angela looked back at her uncomfortably, before she cleared her throat.
“Actually…he didn’t steal the money”, she managed, as her eyes flicked nervously between Sara and her mother. Sara felt the cold anger deep within her. “How can you be so sure?”, she asked softly, Angela already pulling a hurt expression onto her lovely face “Nick took the money” Both women stared at her in disbelief “You knew that and you let him, an innocent man, be fired and nearly thrown into prison!”, Sara’s incredulous accusation made her sister scowl.
“Of course not. I only found out a few years after we were married. We
were having a few problems and I told him that I didn’t think he loved me”, her eyes looking at each women in turn, “He told me that he loved me so much that he had been the one to frame Darius because he thought he was going to lose me to him”, a sad look coming to her eyes. “I really thought that he had done it because he loved me”, she sniffled pathetically as Sara groaned with frustration.
“You think that was romantic? Dear God Angela. Well guess what. It is payback time and Darius is wanting his pound of flesh” The two frowned, not understanding what she was talking about, both waiting for her to elaborate, as she paced across the tiled floor. “He says that he will give us the time we need, if and only if I become his mistress” The effect on each was different, her mother sitting forward, a glint coming to her eyes.
“So he is going to give us more time?”, had been her response, Sara feeling sick to her stomach that her own mother seemed not to care that she was being pimped out as payback. Angela however, was watching her with barely concealed vehemence. “You mean that he wants YOU to be his mistress!” the envy in her voice filling Sara with anger.
“Has he changed much?” Her mouth sneered, “probably got fat and bald” Sara shook her head with annoyance. “No…He hasn’t changed”, seeing instantly the look of lust and jealousy which crept into her sister’s eyes, reminded once more of the way she had pursued him six years previously.
“If he needs a mistress as sacrifice why did he choose you?”, she demanded spitefully, Sara gritting her teeth having to remind herself that she was doing this for David’s sake, the small child already having lost one parent, no matter how bad that parent was. With ice in her voice, she shook her head, “Believe me Angela, I would gladly step aside for you”, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Angela glared back, “I didn’t mean I wanted to…just why you?”
