by Day Leclaire
“Anytime.”
The instant the door closed behind Juice, Draco leaned against the table and studied his wife. She continued to stand with her back to him. If she stood any stiffer he suspected her spine would crack. “Who goes first?” he asked mildly.
Shayla turned, holding her cup and saucer in front of her like a shield. “I’m so sorry, Draco,” she said with painful formality. “My grandmother has caused a great deal of damage.”
“You’re not the one who owes me an apology. In fact, of all the people here, you owe me one least of all,” he informed her roughly. His mouth curved into a smile holding only a trace of old bitterness, a bitterness that faded with each passing second. “And somehow I suspect I won’t be getting one from Leticia.”
Shayla hesitated. “So, what now?”
“First and foremost, you get the apology you deserve.” He looked her straight in the eye. “I’m sorry for everything I said yesterday at the suite. I was wrong to suspect you of any involvement in this mess. Dead wrong. It was a knee-jerk reaction based on past experience and a bad one. I should have known better. I should have known you better.”
He couldn’t tell from her expression whether she accepted his apology or not. “How long did it take you to come to that realization?” she asked. She continued to hold her tea in front of her as though desperate to maintain a buffer between them.
Gently, he removed the cup and saucer from her hands and set it aside. “My heart knew the second you slammed the door in my face. It might have taken my head a little longer,” he confessed. “But I got there. Eventually.”
“You can be unbelievably stubborn.” A hint of her grandmother’s tartness slid through the observation. “And now that you know I wasn’t trying to swindle you?”
He took a step back and fought to keep his voice even and unemotional. “Now you have a choice,” he said carefully. “I’ve been in touch with your old boss, Derek Algier. He’s a tough man to track down because he’s such a recluse, but Juice helped out.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Derek? Why would you contact him?”
“To see if he needed a translator. I explained your situation. Told him that once Stefano was a little older I would hire a nanny to accompany you abroad while you worked.”
“You want me to leave?” An odd quality entered her voice, hitched in her throat. “You want a divorce?”
“No!” The word was ripped from him before he could prevent it. He fought to steady it. His hands folded into fists as he struggled for control, struggled to present his case dispassionately. “We made a marriage pact, remember? I’m offering you your freedom, Shayla, just like I promised. Or . . .”
“Or?”
“There’s option number two.” No matter how hard he tried to remain detached, a whisper of hope colored his statement.
She must have caught it because she stared, considered, then slowly smiled. “What’s option number two?”
“Answer a question first. The mural in Stefano’s room.” He gazed at her with burning eyes, eyes he suspected reflected the hope in his voice. “Did you mean it?”
She didn’t hesitate. “With all my heart.”
“Then stay.” He went to her, gathered her up and held on so tight he couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. “I love you, Shayla. From the moment you first walked into the Eternity reception no other woman existed but you. I’ve wanted you since the moment we touched and The Inferno bound us together. I fell in love with you the first time we kissed. I don’t think I could stand it if you walked away again.”
“Oh, Draco.”
She flung her arms around his neck and inhaled him as though his scent was as necessary as the very air she breathed. Then she kissed him, a hard, deep, thorough kiss. He crushed her to him, devouring her, putting every ounce of love and passion, hope and promise, into that one kiss. He ran a hand down her spine so her curves mated with his angles, a lock to his key. They belonged together, and no matter what it took or how difficult, he’d give her the freedom she craved and the love she deserved.
“Tell me what you need and it’s yours,” he told her. “I don’t want our marriage to trap you. Not ever.”
“Our marriage isn’t a trap and never could be.” She pulled back and cupped his face, tracing his mouth with her thumbs. “I love you, Draco Dante. I’ve loved you from Inferno to motherhood. And I’ll love you from motherhood until you’re Primo and I’m Nonna to our great-grandchildren. I don’t want to leave. How could I when being bound to you is what set me free?”
He touched her wedding ring. “Eternally Bound?”
Her fingers rested on his so they traced the fire diamonds together. She smiled softly. “I knew it even then, when you told me the meaning of my wedding ring. I was just too afraid to believe. To trust.”
“What about our marriage pact?” he asked.
“I suggest we forget all about it.”
He shook his head. “Or maybe we just choose to honor a different pact. One we made when I put this ring on your finger.”
She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. “I’d like that very much.” She hesitated, then rushed to confess, “Maybe this would be a good time to warn you my grandmother is moving to San Francisco.”
“God help us all,” he muttered. But he accepted the inevitable. As much as he might wish it otherwise, Leticia was the last Charleston relative Shayla possessed. He tilted his head to one side. “You know, Dantes is often in need of a translator. Sometimes it requires trips abroad.”
She laughed. “Are you asking me to be your wife or trying to get rid of me in the hopes I’ll take my grandmother with me?”
“Tempting. Very tempting.” Then he replied, with bone-deep honesty, “I’m trying to make your dreams come true.”
She slipped back into his arms and wrapped herself around him. “Stop trying,” she whispered against his mouth. “You already have. Now let me take a turn at making yours come true.”
“You just did, my love.” He held her close and linked his hand with hers, feeling The Inferno well up, solidifying the bond between them. “You just did.” Then he lost himself in her kiss. In her embrace.
The dragon had finally found his mate. And as soon as possible he intended to carry her back to his lair and keep her there for a long, long time to come.
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Other Titles by Day Leclaire
The Dante Inferno: The Dante Dynasty Series
Some blazes, once ignited, can’t be extinguished.
Just one burning touch connects a Dante with his soul mate.
The Inferno … curse or blessing?
Sev’s Blackmailed Bride, Book #1
One scorching touch connects Sev Dante with lovely jewelry designer, Francesca Sommers. One passionate night together changes their lives forever. One painful secret will tear them apart and destroy both their lives.
As the powerful, take-charge CEO of Dantes jewelry empire, Sev never believed in The Inferno until it sweeps through him like wildfire. According to family legend, to ignore The Inferno guarantees disaster. To succumb, a life of bliss. But what happens when the woman The Inferno chooses works for his competitor and creates a stunning jewelry collection that threatens to destroy his plans to rebuild his family’s empire? The only option available: blackmail her to work for him and become his bride.
Francesca Sommers has her dream job, working for her father, even if he’s unaware of her existence. Her life is almost perfect … until Sev changes her with a single touch. She can’t res
ist him or his relentless seduction. Has no choice but to surrender to his raw passion. To give him everything and anything he demands. Even to be forced into marriage.
But surrendering to Sev means losing both her budding relationship with her father and her career. And when Sev discovers what she did to even the scales and protect her father’s business from his hostile takeover, she will lose him, too.
Will The Inferno be enough to save them? Or will its relentless fire consume them both?
Click to Purchase Sev’s Blackmailed Bride!
Marco’s Stolen Wife, Book #2
A fierce contest between twins…
One scorching touch between sexy international businessman Marco Dante and gorgeous Dantes CFO, Caitlyn Vaughn and The Inferno explodes. Until Marco’s twin brother, Lazz, parts them, planning to make Caitlyn his own. But he hasn’t counted on The Inferno or Marco’s determination to win his Inferno mate, no matter what.
Posing as his brother, Marco switches identities and sweeps Caitlyn off for a romantic weekend, seducing her first into becoming his wife and then into his bed for a night of passion unlike any other. The weekend is perfect … until a fatal mistake on Marco’s part reveals the truth.
She married the wrong man.
Or did she? Marco claims it’s some bizarre family myth called The Inferno, where soul mates connect with a single touch. But she couldn’t possibly love a man she only met one time, for all of five minutes. How can the lust she feels for a relative stranger far outstrip the chaste relationship she had with his brother? And yet, that’s exactly what’s happened.
Now Caitlyn finds herself married to Marco for better or worse. The better, she finds in his arms and bed. The worse occurs when their marital mix-up is leaked to the press.
Can she find a way to prove both the existence of The Inferno … and that Marco is the only man for her? Or is their relationship doomed if The Inferno is demonstrated to be nothing more than a myth?
Click to Purchase Marco’s Stolen Wife!
Nicolò’s Wedding Deception, Book #3
A liar and a thief … or his Inferno mate?
When Kiley O’Dell claims to own half the mines that contain Dantes legendary fire diamonds, the family sends the most ruthless and cynical of the brothers, Nicolò Dante, the family troubleshooter, to negotiate with her. Neither expect the legendary Inferno to strike, sending both up in flames.
Nicolò suspects Kiley’s claim is a con. And he’ll do whatever necessary to get to the truth, even chase a panicked and fleeing Kiley. To his horror, she darts into traffic and is hit by a cab before he can save her. After she wakes, she insists she has amnesia. Now he’s certain she’s conning him, and he has a way to prove it.
Turning the tables on Kiley, Nicolò claims she’s his wife. What he doesn’t expect is for The Inferno to tumble them into a fierce love affair. Which is the real Kiley? The sweet, passionate woman in his bed, someone he’d do anything to keep, or the crafty con artist he first met? And what will happen when she discovers they’re not married at all, that far from being her loving husband, Nicolò is out for vengeance?
Lover or liar? Devious or delectable? Only The Inferno can determine which.
Click to Purchase Nicolò’s Wedding Deception!
Lazz’s Contract Marriage, Book #4
A marriage of convenience … or inconvenience?
They met at the altar. In order to satisfy a contract created by his late father and claim a priceless heirloom fire diamond, Lazz Dante must marry a complete stranger: Ariana Romano. He and his beautiful Italian bride intend to make it a temporary marriage, just long enough to satisfy the terms of the contract before parting ways. It’s a dispassionate and logical solution to an ill-conceived situation.
What they don’t count on is The Inferno striking when they share their first kiss as husband and wife. Nor do they count on being sent off on a secluded, romantic honeymoon where desire rules the day and passion the night. Most of all they don’t count on the fact that the heirloom fire diamond is missing or that it’s Ariana’s father who’s responsible.
Will their marriage end in disaster and disillusionment? Or will The Inferno provide them with the ultimate prize: a forever love?
Click to Purchase Lazz’s Contract Marriage!
Luc’s Unwilling Wife, Book #5
Her Inferno Bodyguard… Dantes’ security chief, Luc Dante is coerced into six weeks of protection duty for heiress Téa de Luca—just until she reaches her twenty-fifth birthday and can claim her inheritance. The job should be a snap for the powerful, former Special Forces tough guy, despite a wound that never properly healed. After all, who would want to harm such a brilliant, family-oriented woman? Only two things stand in his way…
First, Téa is the most adorable, gorgeous, sexy—annoyingly oblivious—person he’s ever met, ready and blithely willing to tumble headlong into any and all disasters that appear in front of her. Not that she sees them.
And second, there’s the small matter of The Inferno, which strikes the second they touch. Of course, that one touch leads to another. And then another and another until they find themselves tumbling into a disaster to end all disasters … the nearest bed. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad if they hadn’t been caught in the act. Bound by an unbreakable Dante code of honor, their next disastrous step is to the altar.
What neither realizes is there’s a very good reason Téa needs a bodyguard. And if they don’t see what’s happening right in front of them, even The Inferno won’t be enough to save them.
Click to Purchase Luc’s Unwilling Wife!
Rafe’s Temporary Fiancée, Book #6
His fake fiancée… It’s time for lone wolf Rafe Dante to feel the fiery power of The Inferno. After a disastrous first marriage to his non-Inferno wife, he’s done with happily-ever-after. To satisfy his matrimonial-minded family, he hires a woman to fake an engagement, claiming they’ve experienced the burning itch of The Inferno. His plan is to pay his fiancée to leave him at the altar, and since Dante legend alleges The Inferno only ever strikes once, he’ll finally be free to return to his lone wolf ways, problem solved. Only one slight glitch…
The minute he and his temporary fiancée touch, The Inferno strikes—for real.
Sweet, innocent Larkin Thatcher longs for a family of her own. Unfortunately, it isn’t likely to happen, not considering the secrets she hides. When Rafe hires her to be his pretend fiancée and offers a place to stay, it’s a godsend for both Larkin and her “dog,” a lovely Husky who looks suspiciously like a wolf. But falling in love with his family while lying to them isn’t part of the plan. Nor is the overwhelming desire that sparks between the two, one that threatens their plan to go their separate ways.
If she must leave, she will, even if it means she’ll be homeless again, but not without an antique bracelet in Rafe’s possession that will identify her father. It’s all she wants from her soon-to-be-ex fiancé. All Rafe wants from her is, well … her. At least, for now. But The Inferno has a funny way of turning “now” into forever.
What will happen when Rafe learns her true identity? Will “now” turn to never? Or will The Inferno find a way to mate these two lone wolves?
Click to Purchase Rafe’s Temporary Fiancée!
Draco’s Marriage Pact, Book #7
A one night stand…
A secret baby…
When Draco Dante experiences The Inferno with Dante family rival, Shayla Charleston, he isn’t the least opposed. In fact, he sweeps her off her feet and straight into his bed. What he doesn’t expect is for her to disappear after their one night of passion. Unwilling to let her go and with The Inferno burning in his veins, he spends months searching for her … only to discover Shayla is expecting his baby. Like, now!
On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Shayla Charleston has three goals. 1. Make sure her grandmother is taken care of. 2. Take off for Europe with her new boss. 3. Experience a one-night stand. Instead, she ends up in bed with the one man sh
e should avoid at all costs … a Dante, her grandmother’s nemesis.
Now nine months pregnant, Shayla is torn between families—her husband’s and hers. Even though Draco is reluctant to trap Shayla in an unwanted marriage, he’s determined his son will bear the Dante name. So they come to an agreement. She’ll marry him and, unwillingly, he’ll let her go.
Can The Inferno resolve old rivalries? And more important, can it prove that love and family trumps everything, even a marriage pact?
Click to Purchase Draco’s Marriage Pact!
Gianna’s Honor-Bound Husband, Book #8
The Inferno hides a dark secret … and Gianna knows it.
Gianna Dante wasn’t sure she could actually feel The Inferno. But the instant she touches her true love she discovers that not only can she … she does!
Constantine Romano has a will unlike any other and refuses to take Gianna as his until he rebuilds his decimated finances. After all, he might have no choice but to submit to The Inferno’s passion, but he still has his honor. Now, nineteen months, five days, eight hours and a handful of minutes later, he has returned to claim his mate, only to discover she’s moved on. While The Inferno overwhelms him with flames of desire, Gianna has apparently found a cure for its burn.
And she has. It’s a secret she learned as a child and even though it threatens to break her heart, she can’t force Constantine to love her against his will. While family pressure forces them to the altar, Gianna has a heartbreaking decision to make. Tell her family the truth—that The Inferno isn’t real, just a sweet family fairy tale that can easily be broken. Or keep her silence and marry the only man she’ll ever love, even if he doesn’t want to marry her.
Has The Inferno finally burned out? Or will its flame catch fire for Gianna and her honor-bound husband before it’s too late?
