Mistress By Blackmail: International Billionaires I: The Italians Read Online Free

of her capabilities fired her blood in an entirely different way than lusting after him had. A swift surge of relief swept through her as her fighting spirit reappeared. Slamming her fists on her hips, she pierced him with another worthy glare. “I’ll do anything for Matt.”
    “The best thing you could do for Matteo is leave him alone.”
    “Never!”
    “Then it will be I who makes you do it.”
    This wasn’t going exactly how she’d expected. When she’d marched into this office, her hackles were already crackling at the scorn she’d received from this man’s PA. She’d lost any ability to play it sweet because she was so consumed with indignation.
    Wheedling would have been better or pleading. Especially with this man.
    The abrupt fury continued to grow, though, fed by her shock at the physical reaction he caused in her and the arrogant words he kept uttering.
    The heat of battle flushed her skin. “Try. You’ll regret it.”
    He leaned over his desk and she involuntarily stepped back. The mocking twist of his mouth should have stoked her anger. Instead, it made her heart flutter. When he planted his hands on the desk, his wide shoulders bunched beneath the silk and her heart went from fluttering to pounding. “Do not issue challenges, Ms. Moran. Not to me.”
    The glare he gave her was fierce. Rather frightening, if she were a frightening type of girl. Which she was not. “It wasn’t a challenge. It was a warning.”
    The air grew still, yet hummed with energy. She held her breath, waiting for the next clash of swords, the next swift strike she’d be ready to parry.
    Abruptly, he turned away to stare out the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the desk. She felt as if an invisible string between them had broken. Her breath chopped through her in a mini-gasp.
    “ Santo cielo ,” he growled, as his hand ran through his hair.
    Her gaze slipped along the long line of his back and down his powerful legs. Her mind flipped away from the righteous fight she waged for her friend and landed again in the swamp of sexual heat pulsing deep within her. The heat inside burned and blistered her determination to win. She sucked in cool air, praying it would bring back her pride.
    “This is counterproductive.” His words were low, husky. “It does us no good to fight.”
    “I agree.” An olive branch. She grabbed the peace offering eagerly. She didn’t want to fight with this man at all. She wanted to do something entirely opposite. The realization shot a lance of fearful anticipation down her spine.
    Turning back to her, he gave her a wry grin. And two dimples popped on the sides of his mouth. Two disarming, distracting dimples. The sex swamp threatened to swallow her whole. The impact this man had on her. It was enough to make an un-frightened girl terribly frightened.
    “We will begin again,” he stated.
    “Um.” Her mouth went dry. “Sure.”
    Slipping his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels. “We will agree not to speak of my brother anymore.”
    Uh-oh . So much for olive branches. “I can’t agree to that.”
    “You must.” Storm clouds immediately threatened in his eyes. “Matteo is now irrelevant.”
    “Matt is the reason I’m here. He certainly isn’t irrelevant.”
    “You will have nothing more to do with him.” His tone turned deadly with—jealousy? Nah, not that. Maybe the Great Man didn’t think she was worthy of being with his brother? That seemed more likely.
    Her hackles vibrated once more. But her brain had finally kicked into gear.
    Okay, time to change course. She’d picked up on the fact he thought her and Matt were an item. She figured this would be a card to play. Except now the tactic was backfiring on her. It was earning her hostility from this man rather than cooperation.
    Sugar rather than vinegar, lovey . Her mother’s words echoed in her memories. Men always respond better to sugar .
    First, she’d set him straight on the nature of her relationship with his