Ruthless Revenge: Sweet Surrender: Seducing His Enemy's Daughter / Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian / Soldier Under Siege. Annie West

than ample.’

      Ella hated the way he dismissed Fuzz as if she were nothing. Her sister might be flawed but she wasn’t as bad as all that. She just needed purpose, and freedom from their father’s influence.

      ‘Really?’ Her voice dripped disapproval.

      ‘It seemed a sensible precaution since your father suggested I marry her.’

       And now Fuzz was out of the picture that left Ella.

      Ella glanced around the bedroom with its Monet print on the wall and her pride and joy, the nineteen-twenties tub chair she’d rescued from a garage sale and reconditioned with the help of a night class. The wooden legs glowed with polish and the sage-green upholstery was restful as well as pretty.

      The idea of strangers nosing into her world, ordinary as it was, picking through the details of her life, set her teeth on edge.

      ‘I don’t make it into the social pages. How much have you found out about me?’

      ‘Not nearly enough.’ The skin at Ella’s nape drew tight at the sultry note in that deep voice.

      ‘Your investigators only work business hours? You disappoint me, Donato. I’d have thought they’d scurry to do the bidding of a man with your reputation even late last night.’

      ‘You’ve been doing some digging of your own.’ He didn’t sound fazed.

      ‘Don’t tell me you’re offended?’

      ‘On the contrary, I’m pleased. It proves that, despite your rather emphatic goodbye, you anticipated meeting me again.’

      Ella scowled. He was right. Why bother finding out about him if she’d cut him from her life? She’d had an insidious certainty it wasn’t so easy to get rid of Donato Salazar.

      No, it was more than that. She’d wanted to know everything she could about him. No man had ever made such an impact on her.

      ‘And as for hiring investigators to work through the night...’

      ‘Yes?’ She shifted uneasily. Was someone even now interviewing her neighbours or accessing her records?

      ‘You made it clear you believed that an unforgivable breach of privacy.’

      ‘So?’

      ‘So I’m not going to do it to you.’

      ‘Sorry?’

      ‘You heard me, Ella. I’m not in the habit of saying things I don’t mean.’

      For a moment words eluded her. ‘Just like that? Because I said so?’

      ‘Just like that.’

      Ella’s pulse faltered then tripped to an unfamiliar beat. He was serious. Yet she couldn’t quite believe he’d renege on using the power his money could buy just because it offended her.

       Why would he do that?

      She shoved her hair back from her face. To her amazement her fingers were ever so slightly unsteady.

       What did he want from her?

      Surely he’d been lying last night, saying he wanted to know her. As for that nonsense about them marrying—

      ‘I want to know everything about you.’ His deep voice burred in her ear. ‘But I want to find out from you.’

      She’d known Donato Salazar was dangerous, but still she wasn’t prepared for the way he devastated her defences. It took precious seconds to find her voice. ‘I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.’

      ‘Nothing about you is disappointing, believe me, Ella.’ There it was again, that caress when he said her name. As if those two simple syllables were an endearment.

      ‘I meant—’ she set her jaw ‘—you’ll be disappointed because we’re not going to meet again.’

      He was silent and stupidly something like anxiety feathered through her. At the idea this was the last time she’d speak with him? Impossible!

      ‘Are you scared of me, Ella?’

      ‘Scared? No.’ Strangely enough, it was true. She was scared of what he made her feel, of the urgent, restless woman she’d become in the short time since they’d met. But not scared of him.

      ‘Not even after what you discovered in your research on me?’ The banter was gone from his voice. He sounded deadly serious.

      Deadly. Now there was a word. Last night she’d thought he looked dangerous. Then, at home, sitting with her computer, she’d discovered how right she’d been. How many people had she known personally who’d been to prison for assault?

      None.

      Was it naïve of her to believe that, despite his teenage criminal record, Donato Salazar wouldn’t hurt her?

      She’d been stunned to read about his crime and his prison term. At the same time it went some way to explaining the sense she’d had last night that he was a man apart from everyone else.

      As a nurse she’d worked with a huge range of people, from the frail aged to the bloodied survivors of brawls to the drug-addicted and downright dangerous. She was cautious, methodical, never taking unnecessary risks, especially doing home visits. But the only alarm she felt now was at her own avid response to Donato.

      ‘I’m not afraid of you because you’ve got a criminal record, Donato.’ In the intervening years he’d built a reputation for ruthlessness in business but there’d never been a hint he was anything but a model citizen. He’d been lauded for his work supporting inner-city youth centres and legislation to assist victims of abuse.

      ‘Then you’re unique.’ Was that bitterness she heard? She hitched herself higher against the pillows.

      ‘Are you saying I should be? That you’re violent?’

      ‘No.’ His voice was flat. ‘I’m not that person any more. I’ve learned to restrain my impulses. Instead I channel them into something more productive.’

      He said nothing for a moment and she wondered what was going through his mind. ‘So, you’re not frightened. But you are curious.’

      ‘You’re not the average Australian business tycoon.’

      His laugh was sharp but appealing and despite herself Ella’s lips twitched. How could she feel at ease with this man? His past and his dealings with her father should warn her off, yet she felt incredibly drawn to him. It wasn’t just desire; she was fascinated by the way his mind worked. She enjoyed their verbal sparring.

      ‘You’ve met lots of tycoons, have you?’

      ‘A few.’

      ‘And you weren’t impressed.’

      By the men with whom her father did business? ‘Not usually.’

      ‘But still you want to know me better. Here’s the chance to satisfy your curiosity, Ella. Over lunch. We have a table reserved at the Opera House restaurant. I’m assured the food is excellent.’

      But it wasn’t food on his mind, or even conversation. The low pitch of his voice was pure seduction. Ella pressed her thighs together, pretending she didn’t feel that tiny pulse of awareness awakening between them.

      ‘No, thank you.’

      There was a pause. ‘Has anyone ever told you you’re stubborn?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘You know you want to. You’re denying yourself as well as me.’

      ‘Don’t presume to know my mind, Donato.’

      He sighed. ‘Don’t make me force you, Ella.’

      She tucked the sheet more securely under