Bargain with the devil Read Free Page B

today.“
    Stacy sighed, shaking her head in a small, negative gesture that loosened a few more tendrils of the topknot. „There’s nothing I can say that will make you change your mind?“
    „Nothing,“ he assured her with a certain relish. „But I’m enjoying hearing you try!“
    „I’ll bet you are,“ she breathed tightly.
    „A form of happiness, Miss Rylan,“ he persisted coolly. „You should be glad you’re its source!“
    She flushed. „What a nasty man you are. Nasty and arrogant and ruthless! If your father was anything like you, I can’t say I feel any sympathy for – “ She broke off, startled as Hunter moved with the lightning swiftness of a large, sleekly muscled cat, catching her wrist and causing her to drop the apple she’d been holding. She glared at him, unprepared for the small act of violence and annoyed with herself for not having kept more distance between them.
    „Don’t say it, Stacy Rylan,“ he ordered in a rasping tone that was sharp enough to cut glass and certainly sharp enough to make Stacy regret her impulsive words. „You can attack me all you like, but don’t you dare say anything about my father. You know nothing of the situation or the kind of man he was!“ The hard fingers wrapped around her wrist tightened threateningly until Stacy, guided by feminine instinct, nodded her head in submission, saying nothing. He held her for a second longer, and she stood very still, tensely waiting for him to release his hold on her. Then he let go of her as swiftly and unexpectedly as he had grabbed her.
    „That’s better,“ he approved, watching with a total lack of repentance as she rubbed her reddened wrist automatically. „It may take some time, but one by one I shall make certain all the Rylans have cause to remember me!“
    „My father and brother will find a way to deal with you,“ Stacy vowed through gritted teeth.
    „I doubt it, and even if, in the end, they manage to get rid of me, I’ll have had my revenge.“
    Desperately Stacy sought for another approach. „If you’re so bent on revenge against the Rylans, it’s hardly fair to use Leana! She’s only a very recently married and very vulnerable young woman.
    Surely you can find a way to get what you want without using her!“
    „She’s a Rylan now,“ he tossed back uncaringly. „I see nothing wrong in using her – “
    „Nothing wrong!“ Stacy yelped, incensed. „What’s the matter with you? Are you totally without any morality? Leana has only been married to my brother for a few short months! You can’t possibly justify using her and then discarding her like an old doll!“ She’d struck some sort of nerve with that last statement, Stacy was sure of it. The only evidence was the slight narrowing of the gray gaze, and the tightened mouth, but she sensed a weakening in his resolve. All she had to do was find a way to capitalize on that small weakening.
    „There’s no point in trying to make me change my mind. It’s been made up for a long time!“ Hunter told her roughly.
    „I’m only trying to make you see that you shouldn’t involve my sister-in-law,“ Stacy said quickly. „You could ruin her life. Think of some other way to attack the Ry-lans! An honorable way!“
    „Honorable! What does a Rylan know about honor?“ he scoffed in a low fury. „Business is the only thing that ever counted with your father, and I have no doubt but that the credo runs in the family.
    Don’t lecture me about honor, Miss Rylan!“
    „But that’s just exactly what I’m doing,“ she slung back immediately. „I’ve told you before, your quarrel is with my father, and you have no right to be attacking my brother and his wife!“
    „If the only way I can get at your father is through his son, that’s what I’m going to do.“ There was a rawness in Hunter’s words that told its own story. He was an angry man who had come too far to turn away from his goal, even if he realized he was in the wrong.
    There