Bought for Revenge, Bedded for Pleasure. Emma Darcy

me rent for the Yarramalong property. You’ll find you have no legal right to it,” he advised her mockingly. “In fact, you’ll be receiving an eviction notice when you return to it today.”

      “How dare you!” she fumed.

      “Eviction for eviction, Lady Ellen.” The words rolled sweetly off his tongue.

      She puffed herself up with futile righteousness. “You won’t get me out!”

      Victor rose from his chair, picked up the manila folder and walked with great dignity to the end of the table. “I understand how deeply shocked you are, Lady Ellen,” he said, presenting her with the folder. “However, I feel duty-bound to warn you that legally, the situation I have outlined to you is a fait accompli, and there are no grounds for contesting any part of it.”

      “We’ll see about that,” she snarled, snatching the folder from him and hurling a command at her daughters. “Girls, we’re going!”

      The two sisters instantly leapt to their feet, ready to obey.

      “Sally!”

      Her name whipped off Jack’s tongue, cracking its own command for her attention.

      Her head jerked towards him as he stood to make his formidable presence felt. Her eyes held a kind of hopeless appeal, as though she wanted to give him the time he wanted but loyalty to her own family forbade it.

      “I’d like to have a private word with you,” he pressed.

      “About what?” she asked quickly, almost breathlessly.

      “You are not to speak to that man!” her mother sliced in, moving forward and grabbing Sally’s arm to pull her away from any connection with him.

      “The horses,” Jack threw out.

      It was enough to stop her from following her mother’s lead. She resisted the tug of the maternal arm, glancing back at him in anxious inquiry.

      “I wanted to discuss the future of the horses with you,” Jack pushed, his eyes challenging her to make her own stand. “I know how committed you are to a career in showjumping.”

      He wasn’t sure of that but it seemed likely bait for her to stay.

      “Ignore him!” her mother insisted. “You can’t trust a word he says. Come on.”

      “No.” Boldly decisive. “I want to hear. I want to know.”

      “You’re doing what he wants, you stupid girl.”

      “I’m not going to lose my horses if I don’t have to.”

      Music to Jack’s ears.

      “You and Jane go on,” Sally urged. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

      “I wash my hands of you,” her mother said furiously, releasing her arm and grabbing her sister’s. “Come, Jane!”

      They made a swift exit from the meeting room.

      And Jack had what he’d aimed for…time alone with Sally Maguire…time to probe the inner workings of her mind and twist them to his advantage.

      Just how far would she go in order to keep her horses and the lifestyle she had always enjoyed?