Modern Romance April 2016 Books 1-4. Cathy Williams

cent from you.’ Nicole crossed her arms defensively. ‘All I want is for the press to back off and give me back my privacy.’

      Rigo let out a harsh bark of laughter. ‘Oh, that’s your play, is it? We both know you threw away any right you have to privacy the moment you dragged my name through the mud.’

      ‘I had nothing to do with this.’ She met his eyes without hesitation.

      ‘This is not a game, Nicole.’ His voice took on a dangerous tone. ‘I made it clear the last time we met that I am not a man to mess with.’

      ‘I would have been quite happy never to lay eyes on you again. Your ego is so large it’s amazing you can even get out of bed in the morning.’ She narrowed her eyes, the anger she felt finally rising to the surface.

      Rigo took a step forward, a half-smile breaking across his harsh features. ‘Now, this is interesting. So far I’ve witnessed Nicole, the innocent temptress, followed by Nicole, the damsel in distress.’ He raised one brow. ‘But I think this passionately angry version is my personal favourite.’

      Nicole was speechless. The way he looked at her, his eyes filled with such disdain... It made the hair on the back of her neck prickle. How had she ever thought that this man had felt anything close to what she’d felt that night? He was a complete stranger right now. The idea that they had ever been anything so romantic as lovers was poetic nonsense. The harsh reality was that they were simply two people who had had sex.

      Once upon a time she might have thought they shared a connection. That for one night in his bed she had somehow been special.

      She had been so naive.

      ‘Rigo, you are threatening to sue me because of gossip that I have no control over.’

      ‘Then, why have you not tried to deny it?’ he countered.

      ‘My silence is the most you’re going to get. I don’t deal with the press anymore.’

      ‘You will make a public statement that the child is not mine, Nicole.’

      His mere presence was so commanding that she would be a fool not to feel intimidated by the demand. She fought the emotion welling up in her chest. It was ridiculous to feel hurt at his words after so long. After all, he had made his position on fatherhood quite clear. But still, a part of her had always hoped he would come in those weeks afterwards.

      Even as she’d lain in hospital, terrified to hold her tiny premature daughter, she’d held hope that his world had shifted as profoundly as hers had. That he would instinctively know he had become a father.

      Indignation won out over the sadness, and she stood up a little taller, meeting his gaze head-on. ‘I told you that I was pregnant with your child. You chose not to be a part of it, and that is fine. But I will not publicly tell lies and go against my principles as a mother just to protect your damn family name.’

      He shook his head with disbelief. ‘Do you honestly think I would have let you run off like you did unless I was completely sure that I was not the father of your child?’

      Nicole walked to the kitchen counter and began digging down to the bottom of her handbag. Her fingers finally closed on the object she sought, and she turned back to meet his cold gaze once more.

      ‘I’m telling you that you were wrong, Rigo.’ She held out the photograph. ‘Anna is your daughter and here is the proof.’

      Copyright © 2016 by Amanda Cinelli

       Seduced into Her Boss’s Service

      Cathy Williams

       ‘I’m not sure whether it would be entirely ethical for me to work with a client.’

      ‘In which case I’ll take my considerably high-paying work away from your law firm. How does that sound?’ Stefano charged.

      ‘You wouldn’t.’ Sunny was aghast at that threat, because if he did that then the worst-case scenario would be a great deal worse than the ones she had conjured up in her head.

      ‘Yes. I would. You would be surprised at the lengths I would go to in order to get what I want.’

      He thought of that small but perceptible change in his daughter on the drive back to his house.

      For that reason alone it was worth the hassle of being here. He could hardly believe that she was kicking up a fuss at being paid handsomely to do a babysitting job of limited duration.

      ‘The job. Yes or no? You’ll start first thing on Monday. I’ll have my driver collect you from work and return you to your flat. Meals will be provided and you’re free to do as you wish with Flora, although she’s accustomed to going to bed by eight. I’ll open an account for you if you want to take her anywhere. Feel free to use it.’

      It was a fantastic opportunity. She knew that. So why was she hesitating?

      ‘Okay,’ she agreed, a touch of trepidation in her voice. ‘I’ll do it. I’ll take the job.’