Pain sliced across his face. “I’ve been forced to make far more difficult decisions, decisions that have had a disastrous impact on people’s lives.” His voice dropped, landed in some dark, desolate place that echoed through his words. “I’ve had no choice. There was no one else to make those decisions. And I don’t doubt there’ll be other occasions when I’m forced to make still more.”
She could see the truth in his eyes, see that he’d made an uncomfortable home for himself between that proverbial rock and a hard place.She could also sympathize with him, up to a point. Because from now on she’d have to make difficult decisions as well, to stand on her own without Sev at her back. Well, she’d been there before, just as Sev had. She’d lived most of her life with no one beside her when times grew tough. She could do it again. She needed to be strong, to refortify the barriers she’d created years ago to hide her vulnerability and weakness. And she would. There wasn’t any other choice.
“If I agree to work with you, Ihave one request.” She didn’t allow herself to consider that her statement as good as conceded defeat.
“Name it.”
“The Fontaines are to receive full price for TH. Iwant it in my contract. Iwon’t lift a finger to help Dantes otherwise.”
He gave it a moment’s reflection. “In that case I want an exclusive two-year contract with you with an additional two-year non-compete clause. If you walk away without meeting the terms of your contract, Iwon’t allow you to work for anyone else in the industry in any capacity, whatsoever, for two full years.”
Suddenly she found herself right there with him, ahard place boring into her back, aboulder slamming her from the front. “That seems a bit harsh.”
“I have an investment to protect. Ihave no intention of buying out TH only to have you walk away from Dantes and help the Fontaines start up a competing business.”
It hadn’t occurred to her to do any such thing. But now that he mentioned it, it would serve him right if she’d planned to do precisely that. “Very well. Iagree.”
He held out his hand. “Welcome to Dantes.”
Francesca realized her mistake the instant she put her hand in his. The Inferno reared its ugly head, darting from his hand to hers and setting her blood on fire. It didn’t seep into her bones, but burned inward, branding her more deeply and completely than she thought possible.
She saw a similar kick of reaction from Sev, the sensation filling his expression with a predatory hunger. “Oh, and there’s one more detail I forgot to mention.”
She didn’t have to ask. She knew precisely what detail he’d omitted. “Forget it.”
“I can’t forget, any more than you can.” Sev’s eyes turned to molten gold. “I still want you in my bed.”
Chapter Seven
Sev deliberatelykept his distance from Francesca over the next few days while she gave notice at TH and settled into her new home at Dantes, not wanting to throw any more fuel on a situation already on the verge of a messy explosion. He’d done enough by insisting she return to his bed, as well as come to work at Dantes.
Though she’d accepted the latter with dignified anger, when it came to his former demand, she’d told him in no uncertain terms which dark corner of his body to put his suggestion and precisely how to achieve such an impossibility. Though he regretted the means he’d used to force her compliance on the work front, at some point she’d face facts.
Timeless Heirlooms teetered on the edge of destruction, and not even Francesca’s brilliant designs would save it. Not in the long run. He’d rather acquire TH while he and his brothers could still turn it around, rather than attempt to pick up pieces shattered beyond repair. Quite simply, the Dantes were in a position to fixproblems. The Fontaines weren’t. Unfortunately, he doubted he’d ever be able to convince Francesca of that simplefact.
He’d respected her preferences and kept his distance, missing her from both his life and his bed. But now Sev couldn’t stand it another minute. Whatever existed between them, whether The Inferno or simple desire, the craving to have her close at hand threatened everything he’d worked the past decade to accomplish.
A nagging compulsion consumed him, as though an emergency signal lit up the connection between them. He couldn’t recall ever being this distracted. After the sixth time he stood with the subconscious urge to track her down, he finally gave in and acted on the impulse.
He found her in the studio he’d arranged for her use, ahuge, bright room with every possible amenity at her disposal, right down to a plush sitting area and tiny kitchenette. Giving her door a brief knock, he entered. And then he allowed his senses to consume him, the thumb of his left hand moving automatically to ply the palm of his right.
She sat at her desk, adrawing pad flipped open and a charcoal pencil in hand. He couldn’t say whether the sketch she applied herself to with such assiduous attention had anything todo with her job. But whatever she worked on, he suspected she’d lost all awareness of time and place.
Sunlight streamed from nearby windows and swirled within her hair, spinning the honey-blond strands to pure gold. It also illuminated the creamy tone of her complexion, making her appear lit from within. Even from this distance, he picked up traces of her unique perfume, the scent light and crisp and uniquelyhers.
The pressure that had been building over the past few days eased with his first glimpse of her, forcing him to concede just how tense he’d become without constant contact with her. Every instinct begged him to go to her and carry her off. To take her as far from Dantes and the Fontaines as possible.
“Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Dante?” she asked without lookingup.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Mr. Dante?” He leaned against the door, forcing itshut.
“Don’t.”
Just that one word, but it contained a full measure of pain and disillusionment. She looked at him then, sparing him nothing. He knew he’d hurt her, but refused to consider how badly. Until now. More than anything he wished he could go to her and find a way to ease her despair. But not only wouldn’t she welcome it,he suspected she’d tear a strip off his hide if he came anywhere nearher.
“Do you have any idea what it’s like being here?” she continued. “The untenable position you’ve put me in?”
He cocked his head to one side. Okay... Maybe more was going on than his forcing her to work for him. Something had exacerbated the situation. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
