Page 7 of Sev’s Blackmailed Bride (The Dante Dynasty #1)

Francesca bolted upright in bed in a flat-out panic. Her job! Oh, damn. Damn, damn, damn! What had she done? How could she have been so foolish? The Fontaines were going to kill her when she arrived at the office. She scrubbed the heels of her hands across herface.

This was not good. What in the world would she say to them?

How could she possibly explain what she’d chosen to do instead of representing Timeless Heirlooms at last night’s showing?

She needed to get home immediately and call them.

But first, she needed to return the jewelry she’d worn last night before Tina went into total meltdown. Assuming she hadn’t already.

Francesca thrust a tangle of curls from her face and looked desperately around for a clock, hyperventilating when she read the glowing digits that warned she had precisely half an hour to get to Timeless Heirlooms and explain herself to the Fontaines.

“Where are you going?” Sev asked in a sleep-roughened voice. He snagged her around the waist and tipped her back into his embrace. “I have the perfect way to start our morning.” A slow smile built across his face. “Funny thing. It involves staying right here.”

She wriggled against him. “No. Please let go. You don’t understand.”

“Mmm.” He reacted to her movements in a way she’d have delighted in only hours before. “That feels good.”

“I have to get to work.”

His hold tightened, locking them together from abdomen to thigh.

Heat exploded, and even knowing she may have destroyed her career thanks to one night of stupidity, desire awoke with a renewed ferocity that left her stunned.

How was this possible? She squeezed her eyes shut.

Why, oh why, did this temptation have to hit last night of all nights?

And why hadn’t their time together satisfied the unrelenting hunger that accompaniedit?

Well, she knew one thing for certain. If she hesitated even one more second, she wouldn’t get out of this bed anytime soon.

Taking a deep breath, she planted both hands against his chest—Lord help her, what a chest—and shoved.

To her surprise, she succeeded in freeing herself.

One minute she lay cocooned in warmth and the next she stood beside the bed, naked, cold, and vaguely self-conscious.

Sev lifted onto an elbow and studied her through narrowed, watchful eyes.

Tension rippled through him, and a hint of something dangerous and predatory lurked in his expression.

“I have to get to work,” she explained. “Assuming, after last night, Istill have a job. Imade a huge mistake leaving with you.”

His tension increased ever so slightly, and he continued to remind her of a watchful panther debating whether or not to take down his prey.

“Which was your mistake? Leaving with me?” He tilted his head to one side.

“Or leaving with a couple mil worth of the Fontaines’ jewelry?

Isuspect both the Fontaines, as well as your agency, won’t be too pleased.

If you’d like, Ican place a couple of calls and get you off the hook. ”

Francesca frowned in confusion. “What agency?” she asked, before waving that aside. “Oh, never mind. More to the point, where’s the jewelry?”

Sev gestured toward the diamond-and-amethyst pieces glittering on the bedside table. “Relax. Everything’s safe and sound, and more importantly, undamaged.”

“Thank God.”

She scooped up the set with exquisite care.

Since she didn’t have the jewelry cases on her, she could only think of one safe place to put them, and swiftly fastened the pieces to her neck, wrist, and ears.

It wasn’t until she finished that she sensed Sev’s gaze on her.

His hungry look deepened and made her acutely aware that she stood before him wearing nothing but the designs she’d created.

Tension filled the room, heating the air betweenthem.

Her job! How could she have forgotten again? The thought propelled her to action. She caught a glimpse of lilac panties peeking from beneath the pleated edge of the dust ruffle and snatched them up before exiting the bedroom. To her dismay Sev followed right behind, wearing even less thanshe.

The instant they hit the living room, Sev’s cell phone emitted a faint buzz from the direction of the coffee table. This time he picked it up and answered it. “What?” His gaze flickered in her direction. “Say that name again? You’re certain?”

She spared him a swift glance, concerned by the sudden grimness lining his face. “What? What’s wrong?”

He closed his phone with a snap and came after her. “Who are you?” he demanded.

She stepped into her panties and looked around for her dress. “I already told you. Francesca Sommers.” She spotted her dress heaped in a silken pool a few feet shy of the couch. Avague memory of Sev’s tossing it toward the cushioned back came to her. Clearly, he’d missed.

Before she could snatch it up, Sev caught her arm and spun her to face him. “You’re not a model. You’re Timeless Heirlooms’ new designer.”

His statement sounded more like an accusation.

She carefully disengaged her arm from his grasp and bent to pick up her dress.

It was ridiculous to feel self-conscious after the night they’d spent together.

But something about the way Sev stared at her caused her to hold the gown tight against her breasts.

“I never claimed to be a model. You must have jumped to that conclusion.” She frowned. “What difference does it make, anyway?”

“Did the Fontaines put you up to this? Is that why you followed me onto the balcony last night?” The questions came at her, fast and sharp.

She stared at him in utter bewilderment, combined with a bubble of irritation. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. All I know is that if I don’t report in to work within the next twenty minutes, Iwon’t have a job. Now, do you mind? I’d like to—”

He cut her off with a sweep of his hand. “I’m talking about a TH employee falling into bed with one of the owners of Dantes five minutes after meeting. I’m talking about you using the oldest trick in the book to gain inside information for the Fontaines.”

She jerked backward as though slapped. “Dantes? You work for Dantes?”

“Sweetheart, I own Dantes.”

The connection hit and hit hard. Her dress slipped from between fingers that had gone abruptly boneless. “You’re a Dante?”

“Severo Dante. CEO and chairman of the board of Dantes.”

“Oh, God.” She was so fired. “I thought you were a buyer.” She managed to add two and two, despite working with only half a brain. “You were at the showing last night to scope out the competition, weren’t you?”

He looked around. Finding his trousers between the living room and the bedroom, he snatched them up and yanked them on.

The man who stood before her now bore little resemblance to the one who’d made such passionate love to her only hours before.

With the exception of the unbuttoned trousers riding low on his hips, he wore nothing but an endless expanse of bare flesh.

Desire still hummed between them, calling to her with even more strength and power than the night before.

And she might have answered that call, too, if he hadn’t used that one word, that single, appalling word— Dantes —that had her itching to run in the opposite direction as fast as her wobbly legs would takeher.

She wriggled back into the dress she’d chosen with such care for her first showing.

She didn’t bother trying to hand-press the wrinkles.

Nothing would salvage this mess other than a trip to the dry cleaner’s.

But at least now she could face him on an even footing, or at least on a somewhat even footing.

She planted her hands on her hips. “Okay, let’s have this out.

You think I came on to you last night so I could find out your plans in regard to TH?

” she demanded. At his nod, she glared at him.

“How about the possibility of your coming on to me so you could get the inside scoop on TH’s plans?

After all, you’re trying to buy out the Fontaines, aren’t you? ”

He studied her for a long silent moment. “It would seem we have a problem.”

“Oh, no, we don’t.” She found her shoes kicked under the wet bar and shoved her feet into the spiked heels.

At the same time, she thrust her fingers through her hair in an attempt to restore order to utter disaster.

“It’s very simple from here on out. We avoid each other at all costs and we don’t mention last night to anyone.

Anyone,” she stressed. “If I’d known who you were last night, I’d never have taken off with you. ”

“Liar. ”

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to admit the painful truth.

“Fine. That’s a lie. But I wouldn’t have gone with you because you’re Severo Dante.

It would have been despite that fact.” She opened her eyes and fought to keep her gaze level and not betray the profound effect he had on her.

“I owe the Fontaines more than I can possibly repay. Betraying them with their chief competitor isn’t the sort of repayment I had in mind.

So, from now on, we’re through. Got it?”

He came for her again, closing the distance so that no more than a whisper of space separated them.

It would have been so easy to push aside that cushion of air and take another delicious tumble into insanity.

Just the mere thought had her body reacting, softening and loosening in anticipation.

He was a Dante, she struggled to remind herself.

She hadn’t realized that fact before, and therefore couldn’t blame herself for what happened the previous night.

But now that she did know, she had a duty to keep her distance.

He brushed aside a lock of her hair. Just that slight a touch and she came totally unraveled. “It would seem we have a problem,” he repeated.

No question about that. “I’ve been consorting with the enemy.” Still consorted. Still wanted to consort. And then consort somemore .

He shook his head. “It’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that. Whatever this thing is between us? It isn’t over.” He traced his hand along the curve of her cheek, leaving behind a streak of fire. “It’s only just begun.”