To Blackmail A Di Sione. Rachael Thomas

Dario?’

      * * *

      Liev didn’t outwardly flinch when she mentioned Dario Di Sione, owner of ICE and his first target for revenge, as he worked his way to the top. To do so would be to show his hand, and like any good gambler, he played his cards close to his chest.

      ‘My company manufactures hardware and software that would complement ICE. We would not be in direct competition.’ She looked directly at him and for a moment he thought he sensed her hesitation.

      ‘Mr Dragunov,’ she began, her voice firm, her chin held high, ‘I represent ICE. The leader in the market. I cannot see any reason why I should jeopardise such a contract to represent your company—direct competitors or not.’

      He clenched his jaw at her slight of his company, her rejection of him as a businessman. He may not be the market leader—yet—but the businessman he now was certainly wasn’t accustomed to being spoken down to. He wouldn’t even have tolerated it when he began rebuilding his father’s business from the scraps that ICE’s cruel takeover had left behind and he certainly wouldn’t stand for it now.

      ‘Would it help if I met you at your office with samples of the products? The following Wednesday, perhaps?’

      ‘No. I’m sorry, Mr Dragunov. It wouldn’t make any difference, and besides, I have an auction to attend the following Wednesday.’ She stood up, picked up her purse, bringing their business dinner to a close before it had even begun.

      Liev recalled the brochure he’d seen on her desk when he’d first visited her office and the mark against the bracelet. The ice queen had a passion for jewellery, confirming his first impression of her—a spoilt little rich girl, cut from the same cloth as the woman he’d once thought he wanted to marry.

      ‘Very well, Ms Di Sione. You have made your feelings clear.’ His terse tone had little effect on this cold woman. He looked at Bianca, pushing aside the flicker of interest he had in her as a woman, remembering his reason for seeking her out. His plan to find out all he needed to know of ICE may have been thwarted by her refusal to represent his company, but he was far from finished with her.

      She was the key to the door of revenge on a company who had destroyed his parents and robbed him of his childhood, taking everything from him, including his freedom. There was more than one way to get what he wanted and she had just offered him an alternative. He would take something she treasured and desired, and now he knew exactly what that was.

CHAPTER TWO

      THE AUCTION HAMMER BANGED, jangling Bianca’s usually steady nerves. Just two more items and then the bracelet her grandfather had revealed to be one of the Lost Mistresses, and had asked her to find, was up.

      She looked at the brochure image of emeralds and diamonds encrusted on delicate silver strands woven into the most beautiful bracelet. Never had his story conjured up the idea of such a priceless piece, one that would undoubtedly push her to her limits.

      Annoyance that the present owners had turned down her more-than-generous offer to buy before it went to auction bubbled up again. They’d told her they had been reliably informed they stood to gain substantially more at auction. She’d raised her offer, but to no avail.

      She refocused her attention as the auctioneer’s voice penetrated her thoughts. Whatever happened now she had to hold her nerve; this was one bid she was going to win. She’d promised Grandfather she would do whatever she could to find the bracelet, and now that she had, there was no way she was going to let him down.

      She took a deep breath as the hammer came down again and the gentle hum of speculative voices filled the room as the bidding on a gold brooch was completed. Movement at the side of the room caught her attention and, as she looked, every nerve in her body tingled with something akin to fear.

      Liev Dragunov. What was he doing here? She’d already politely and professionally refused to represent his company. Not just because it would create a conflict of interest with Dario’s new launch, but because he set off alarm bells in her head. He had such an unmistakeable aura of power about him and had continually proved that he didn’t take no for an answer.

      Why he was here at the auction of some of the finest jewels wasn’t worth thinking about right now. She wasn’t going to let him distract her, not when she was so close to getting the bracelet. Her grandfather’s happiness rested on winning the next bid, and as public bidding and jewellery shopping were not one of her most favoured pastimes, she needed to concentrate. There would be time enough later to deal with Mr Dragunov’s persistence—once and for all.

      She smarted with indignation as he had the audacity to look over at her and smile, as if they were old friends. But she wasn’t fooled. Even from this distance she could see that the smile hadn’t reached those icy grey eyes and her feelings of mistrust deepened. Just what was he up to?

      The hammer banged down again and she drew in a sharp breath of shock. Damn him. He’d almost distracted her, almost made her miss the bid. She focused her attention on the auctioneer, determination rising up from within. She would get this bracelet, no matter what.

      ‘The next item, a stunning piece of craftsmanship, is a silver bracelet set with diamonds and emeralds.’ The crisp voice of the immaculately suited auctioneer almost sliced through her nerves. She kept her focus on the wooden stand on which the auctioneer leant, looking out at the serious bidders in the audience.

      The bidding started and subtly she nodded her bid, alarmed to see the price rising rapidly. Not that it mattered. Her company was one of the most successful in her field; she didn’t need to panic just yet, although she had to have this piece. Thankfully the bidding slowed and she breathed a sigh of relief as her bid remained the highest.

      Just as the hammer was about to fall, the crowd gasped as a new and outrageously high bid was entered, pushing the price far too close to her top limit. She wanted to look around the room. See who it was who was denying her grandfather of one of his final requests, but in true Bianca style, she remained devoid of emotion and totally focused on the task.

      As her heart thumped anxiously in her chest, she increased her bid, satisfied it was enough to dissuade even the most avid collector.

      The crowd gasped again as the figures displayed on the screen rose steeply. Who was doing this to her? She bid again and glanced around the room, unable to locate the bidder. Then she saw Liev Dragunov nod at the auctioneer, outbidding her once again by a ridiculous amount. What was he doing?

      Anger fizzed around her and all rational thought left her mind. She had to have this bracelet. Nothing else mattered. She bid again—her final bid—and already beyond her planned limit. She glared a warning at Liev. His face remained as if sculpted from ice, barely acknowledging her. To her outrage he bid again, not with the customary nod of his head but with bold and heavily accented words. He’d doubled her bid. Doubled it!

      She reeled in shock and for a second nothing else existed, until the bang of the auctioneer’s hammer completed the sale—and her loss. Her failure. How could she have let that happen?

      The applause which followed Liev’s insultingly high bid finally quietened, but the thumping of her heart didn’t. She couldn’t even move. She’d failed her grandfather. Allegra had told her all she needed to do was bid and she hadn’t even been able to do that. Not getting the bracelet had never entered her head. Much less that Liev Dragunov would outbid her.

      When sense finally returned and she left her seat, the humiliation of the moment burning on her cheeks, Liev was nowhere to be seen. Settling his debts, no doubt.

      Suspicion slipped uncomfortably into her mind. Had he bid for the bracelet to force her hand into representing his company? It was so far-fetched it was ridiculous, but there was only one way to find out.

      Confront him.

      * * *

      Liev waited. His patience had served him well, as had the overheard snatch of conversation with her sister about the