The Art of Retaliation Read online

  The billionaire held his gaze steady as she turned her head and felt a surprised jolt of electricity surge through his veins when her eyes met his. His mouth turned upwards in a smile that deflated quickly when her eyes narrowed and a scowl lit her lips.

  Mara tossed her head regally into the air and stalked off down the steps into the grounds. Embarrassed his head dipped away from the window only to raise to find Leon looking out of the window watching Mara disappear into the grounds. He’d seen the whole thing. He shook his head at Stephane.

  “She isn’t worth it.”

  Stephane ignored him and turned his attention back to the meeting taking control of the flow of conversation.

  Mara continued her walk through the grounds. There were a few clouds gathering and every sign that there would be a storm at some point. It wasn’t a cause for worry; she would have walked to the boundary of the grounds and back before it started, according to the tourist map she had picked up from the hall for visitors that were allowed during some months. She had to know what was beyond the house and whether she could reach help. It took a whole forty minutes to reach the perimeter wall walking in a straight line, through the ornamental gardens, the small water garden, and an orange grove and along a canal.

  The stone wall stood tall and forbidding in front of her, a testament to the billionaire’s strength and power. She looked for signs of crumbling or where it had been replaced by a fence but it was as though recent extensive repairs had been made. Mara gripped the vine that was straddling the wall and began to use it to slowly climb up the wall. The action was more of a struggle than she thought it would be. The vine felt like melting plastic in her sweating palms and was slipping through them, threatening to snap. She eventually gained a foot hole in the wall where there was some small erosion and thankfully found others that led to the top.

  Worn out she sat astride the wall wiping moisture from her brow. All she could see were fields of sunflowers swaying in the breeze and fingers of corn stretching far out into the distance, and a solitary farmhouse that stood at the foot of the fields. There did not appear to be any signs of life but the market garden at the side of the house appeared to be well kept. Her heart sank, but what if no one lived there and only came back now an again? It was a chance she would have to take. Further doubts rose to be displaced by new ones once she had retracted them. If the farmhouse wasn’t occupied there was nowhere else to go and the afternoon was late. She would end up in the dark on her own, besides she couldn’t leave Maxine.

  But it didn’t stop the burning temptation to climb down the other side of the wall and run to the farmhouse screaming bloody murder. She would tell Maxine and they would go together. Satisfied her decision was correct, she climbed down and began the lengthy walk back to the house.

  After passing the canal she caught the sound of water from a fountain hidden in the nearby trees. It was one she hadn’t already inspected and she chose to investigate further. She walked along the path that led into the trees, glancing at her map, towards a leafy everglade opened in the middle by a fountain. A large bronze fish sat upright in the middle of a pond releasing a jet of water from his mouth upwards to the sky. The smell of stale water and algae that emanated from the fountain told her that it was not turned on very often and must have been for visitors Stephane would have been entertaining.

  The water spurted high into the air nearly reaching the top of the trees from a jet inside the fish’s mouth twisted skyward. Four statutes of men and women in all states of Greek undress flanked the round pond in circular fashion, positioned at the ends of four stone seats. She sat down on one of the seats feeling her dizziness return, glad of its hard but refreshingly cool surface next to her bare skin. Alarmed at the malady’s determination she lay down curling up patiently waiting for it to pass. She closed her drowsy eyes listening to the soft noise playing a soothing tune on her senses, the water’s spray covering her body with what felt like fine strands of silk to cool her with the aid of the breeze that was picking up through the leaves on the surrounding trees that stretched over her body shielding her skin from the harsh sun.. A few minutes later nature lulled her into the comfort and safety of sleep.

  Several hours later she woke from her slumber into a blanket of darkness, only the small lights around the fountain that was now still, providing a beacon. At first she was unable to work out where she was and what happened, when the truth dawned she was concerned. She must be a mile from the house. There would be no way she could follow the map and find her way out of the small forest and back onto the path. A sudden blue flash lit up her surroundings making her jump. She folded her arms around her body and bent her head cringing at the customary clap of thunder. Ever since a child she had been scared of thunder and the thoughts of being out in a storm alone were terrifying. She stood rubbing her arms finding that they were numb with cold from the wind that had swept over her in sleep.

  Mara fumbled on what she thought was the right path leading out of the forest keeping her panic under strict control. The first heavy spots of rain started to fall and the lightening flashes and bursts of thunder became fast and frequent. Wind howled casting an eerie sound around her ears, almost knocking her to the ground. The spots of rain turned into a downpour pelting her skin with the ferocity of hard pebbles and seeped to soak and freeze her insides. A sharp cracking noise cut the air as branch snapped and pulled away from a tree. She managed to dodge its path, only to twist her foot and fall awkwardly to the ground. She bent down and looked at her ankle that lay bent at an angle causing shooting pains that made her wince. She sat up clutching the ankle trying to position it for easy standing and tried to stand only to crumple in a heap shocked with the pain. Water streamed down her face and she was unsure if it was the rain or her own frustrated tears. She took a deep breath and pulled her self up, this time she was successful and began hobbling along the path on one foot praying that they were looking for her.

  Chapter Four

  It seemed an eternity before she heard her name being called. After acknowledging as loudly as she could above the noise of the storm Stephane was approaching her within minutes.

  “Are you all right? Are you hurt?” he shouted above the din.

  Mara shook her head unable to speak for fear of letting him know that she was trying not to cry. She was holding herself rigid and he clearly wasn’t convinced she was all right. Stephane frowned and sought the source. His sudden movement made Mara cry out and realize how much she had been resting on his arms for support. His eyes followed her bent head to look at the limp ankle she was holding above the ground.

  “You are hurt,” he said annoyed she’d lied to him. “Why do you have to act so dam tough all the time? I was right you do need taking in hand and looking after. Let me help you.”

  Mara was about to protest but an arrow of lightening brightened the area and hit one of the trees. She let out a cry and propelled herself into Stephane’s arms burying her head in the protective enclosure of his chest. She felt him pull her tighter against him as he aimed the torch he had been carrying upwards to get a better look at the burning orange fireball that had engulfed the tree and was a little too close for comfort.

  There was a creak and a groan and the sound of leaves brushing the air with fire. Mara watched the billionaire react instantly. Lifting her up by her waist he positioned her against another tree and covered her with his body to shelter her from any debris scattered by the falling tree.

  She felt the ground underneath her feet vibrate with the weight and clung to Stephane. He quickly placed his hand firmly on her neck, forcing his captive to bend her head against his chest. She could hear his heart wildly beating in unison with her own whilst his lips urged whispered reassurances against her hair that he would keep her safe. The tree landed with a crash narrowly missing them, the fire put out by the weight of its fall.

  “Are you all right?” he asked allowing her up for air, his hands holding her face, brushing her hair away as though chec
king for any further injuries.

  “Yes thanks,” she answered still trembling.

  A smile broke Stephane’s handsome worried features taking off the edge from their close encounter.

  “Good. But you are freezing,” he told her suddenly.

  He rubbed his hands along her arms attempting to generate warmth in them and took off his suit jacket. He had jumped up in the middle of another meeting when the housekeeper and Maxine reported her missing and there was a storm brewing. In Mara’s absence the detective he had sent to find Ryan and his sister had made contact informing them that he now knew of their whereabouts. Maxine’s tongue had been biting when he had rushed to organize a search for Mara worried sick that she might have passed out and been injured. She’d accused him of only caring about making a deal with Ryan but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

  All he could think of was Mara being frightened, alone, unable to find her way back in the dark. The woman was incapable of looking after herself when it came to her health and safety. Anything could have happened to her. What if she had collapsed with another dizzy spell and was lying out cold somewhere? They had been his only thoughts.

  Stephane commanded Mara to put on his suit jacket when she refused.

  “If you do not put it on, I swear, Mara I will spank you,” he threatened meaning every word even though the rain poured down on top of them.

  Startled and thankfully willing to obey after his stern words she put on the jacket giving him a delicious pout and stubbornly started to try and walk stumbling on her damaged ankle. The billionaire gave a heavy sigh of impatience. Before she could argue he took hold of her arm and dipped his body to swing her over his shoulder with ease.

  Mara closed her eyes horrified but remained silent, secretly relieved. He carried her with speed, his burden an easy effort and rejoined the others who were running in the direction of the fallen tree. Once back at the house he unloaded her body onto the bed and ushered a frantic Maxine from the room before kneeling down in front of her. Gently he slipped the shoe from her foot and carefully pressed her ankle that was already swollen.

  “Ow that hurt,” she snapped.

  He ignored her comment and continued his examination.

  “You will have quite a bruise in the morning but I don’t think it is broken.”

  The billionaire run a hand through his soaked hair that had flattened against his scalp and noticed Mara’s pupils widen with attraction as he did so. He suppressed a smile.

  “Come on lets get you out of those wet clothes into a warm bath,” he told her softly.

  For once the woman sat obediently in front of him, clutching his suit jacket around her tightly seeking its warmth, her small hands protruding from the sleeves that were miles too long for her. His heart leapt and unexpectedly a strong protective feeling warmed his body. He reached up and began to slowly open the jacket and ease it over her shoulders that were shivering with her damp skin. His voice lowered to a gentle whisper as he noticed her cheeks flushed by the wind and rain were beginning to pale.

  “I’ll soon have you out of those clothes and then I can slip you into a warm bath,” he informed her gently while he moved his fingers to the button of her shorts.

  His hand was stopped. Her hand brushed against his cool and smooth as alabaster.

  “I can undress myself thank you. I can manage from here,” Mara’s voice was firm, a note of command in the tone.

  But she’d made a mistake. Stephane Garreau wasn’t in the habit of obeying commands from anyone especially a woman he was trying to protect and take care of.

  He gave a laugh admiring the way she had dared to challenge him.

  “I don’t think so,” he said confidently. “You look as if you are about to faint again and you can’t walk very well. How are you going to make it to the bath? No arguments I will help you before you get pneumonia.”

  With determination he took hold of the waistband of her shorts firmly tugging her body closer to the edge of the bed to show her he meant business and began to loosen the buckle of her belt. She gave a shocked gasp at the directness of his movement and once more her hand shot out to cover his.

  Stephane’s brow furrowed and he took a tighter grip of the material using it to push her backwards on the bed. She gave a startled gasp as he came to lean over her body. He moved his face inches from her feeling the urge to kiss her reveling in the way his body brushed against her wet clothes.

  “Like it or not, I am in charge here and if you don’t do what I order you to do I will do it for you and by force if necessary. Do I make myself clear?” he made sure he said it calmly in a dark voice sweeping his eyes over her body unable to help himself wondering what it would look like naked beneath him in his bed.

  “Yes,” she answered in a small breathless voice.

  “Good. I will never hurt you, Mara. You are going to trust me as far as you can. My intention is only to remove your wet clothes and nothing else. I don’t want you getting any more ill than you already are.”

  Mara appeared to have no energy left to fight him. She was very pale and the cold seemed to be engulfing her body leaving her weak and shaky. Convinced he would not receive any more trouble from his captive the billionaire began loosening the belt on her shorts and pulling down the zip.

  His eyes flicked over the satin panties that his fingers had invaded earlier making him harden as he remembered just how wet she had been for him. He left them on but tossed her shorts on top of a chair before working on her sleeveless cotton shirt. He opened it as though he were opening a present and then lifted her with his arm to remove it. She sat clutching his shoulder for support nervously waiting for him to finish the job dressed in only her panties and bra.

  “You’re soaked through to the skin,” he whispered sweeping a palm over her back before finding the clasp of her bra. “Don’t tense Mara, the sooner you allow me to do this the quicker it will be over,’ he said huskily into her ear.

  Stephane’s fingers cruelly played with the ridge of her bra and either side of the clasp enjoying watching her pant with anticipation of being naked in his hold. The feel of her breasts pushing against his shirt was enough building his need for her. What kind of a game was he playing with her? He wanted her and she him she had proved that by coming for him so hotly in the car. But it was wrong so damn wrong. Was she really involved with that bastard Ryan? He doubted it but it was easier to tell himself she was. It had helped him keep his distance and his anger flowing but he knew better. She was innocent and a pawn in his game with Ryan.

  Reluctant to wait any longer to see her naked he undid the clasp and felt her breasts bounce against his wet shirt once more but this time free from their constraints.

  Mara suddenly closed her eyes as he started to remove the bra and bare her breasts. Her head and body swayed and with dizziness and she fell against his shoulder.

  “Shh, it’s all right,” he whispered stroking the back of her head and depositing a small kiss on her neck concerned for her health and his own contribution to her illness. “Let’s get you in to a warm bath and the doctor called again. He told me you might have more trouble,” he informed her holding her body, quickly sliding the straps of he bra down her wet arms grateful even for the small glance at the delightful large bouncing milky globes before acting the gentleman and holding her against him so he couldn’t view her body making sure her modesty was protected.

  He reached for her silky robe lying on the bed next to her and put it around her shoulders covering her body. He laid her back down on the bed again, gently, carefully and before she could object he slid his hands along her thighs taking hold of the sides of her panties and pulled them down off her body with speed. She moaned with objection but thankfully did not curse him and he was rewarded with a glimpse of the neatly trimmed dark curls of her sex he’d run his fingers through in the car. He ached to touch her again but now was not the time to be intimate with her and coax her in to lovemaking.

  Stephane wrappe
d her silk robe around her and was tying it at the front when the housekeeper entered the room informing him that the doctor was on his way as he had instructed when carrying Mara up the stairs. Alarmed Mara tried to wriggle off the bed.

  “I don’t need to see a doctor again,” she told him. “I don’t want to take any pills and I don’t want to be sedated like he threatened yesterday when he came.”

  The billionaire wound his hands around Mara’s slim waist and lifted her back onto the bed.

  “Hush. I want him to check that your ankle isn’t broken and to check out these dizzy spells again. They are getting more frequent.”

  “But we know what they are.”

  “My sister thought it was stress and now she has a brain tumor,” he said firmly thinking of Louise and her fainting spells. “Call me pedantic but I want it looked at again and a check kept on you. Now stay put while I run the bath.”

  Stephane made sure he was quick and was back in an instant to lift her up in to his arms and carry her to the bath. He loved carrying her and playing the protective caring man. Despite her feisty nature she was a beautiful fragile little thing and all he wanted to do was to take care of her.