Seduction: The Billionaire's Bride of Vengeance
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‘That was then and this is now,’ Nicole said, thinking that what Kara said was true. She used to have great success in attracting the opposite sex, and great confidence.
But David had destroyed a lot of her self-esteem, his critical words still stinging.
‘The trouble with girls like you,’ he’d thrown at her when she returned his ring, ‘is that you think being drop-dead gorgeous is enough for a man. But it isn’t. What we want is a woman with some passion in her veins, not some vain little puss who expects to just lie back and let the man do all the work.
‘And that’s another thing,’ he’d added. ‘If you think I’m sorry this engagement is over then you can think again. You might be beautiful to look at, sweetheart, but you’re a bloody bore in bed.’
Ever since that day, whenever a man had looked at her with interest Nicole had run a mile.
A light suddenly went on in her brain. Up till now, she’d convinced herself she’d seen nothing in Russell McClain’s eyes the other day but dislike.
But now she realised that was not strictly true. Along with the dislike, she’d glimpsed something else.
Desire.
Unfortunately, this time, Nicole didn’t want to run a mile. Despite her fear of further humiliation, she wanted to sashay up to him at the wedding reception. She wanted him to be toast.
But she just didn’t have the courage, or the confidence.
Kara sighed a long, exasperated-sounding sigh. ‘Whatever am I going to do with you? That creep has a lot to answer for.’
Nicole blinked up at her. ‘What creep?’
‘David, of course. Who did you think I meant? Surely not Mr McClain. He hardly qualifies as a creep. He was nice to you in the end, wasn’t he?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘You worry too much these days. Come on, let’s go. Leyton’s already gone back to his car and he’ll be wondering where we are.’
Nicole reluctantly allowed herself to be led away, all the while thinking she should never have agreed to come to this wedding in the first place. At the same time she could not deny that there was a small sliver of excitement running through her veins at the prospect of meeting Russell McClain again.
At least she was looking her best, having been to the hairdresser’s first thing this morning with Kara, then having spent quite a long time afterwards on her body. Months of not bothering had been reversed as she’d buffed herself to the max. Her make-up had taken her almost an hour, but overall the final result had been most pleasing.
The dress she was wearing—one of only a few dresses she’d not sold yesterday—was a pale green, empire-line, halter-necked number with a low-cut draped bodice and a swishy skirt which finished just above her knee. More of a party dress than the kind of thing one wore to a snooty wedding. But she’d always liked it.
She hadn’t been going to wear jewellery, despite having not sold any yet. But Kara had talked her into donning the emerald and diamond set Alistair had presented her with on her twenty-first, which consisted of a pendant and two drop earrings.
‘This is a society wedding, sweetie,’ Kara had said somewhat impatiently. ‘If you’re not going to wear a more formal dress, then you have to at least wear some serious bling, not to mention decent shoes.’
The handmade Italian shoes Kara had produced for her to wear were extremely glamorous, a slender crisscross of exquisitely beaded straps somehow managing to anchor her feet to their very high heels. Stockings had been out of the question, so Nicole had sprayed her legs with some fake tan to match the natural tan she had acquired on her upper half in Thailand.
‘No sitting in a corner tonight,’ Kara said during the drive to the yacht club. ‘I want to see you up and dancing and having some fun.’
‘In these shoes?’
‘Shoes never stopped you in the past. And if a certain someone asks you to dance then you must promise me you won’t say no.’
‘You can be terribly bossy, do you know that?’
‘I do,’ Leyton interjected—though not unhappily.
‘Promise?’ Kara insisted.
Nicole didn’t have to promise any such thing. Because if Russell McClain asked her to dance, she knew she would not be able to say no. All she could hope was that he wouldn’t ask her.
Because there was something about the man which she didn’t trust—and she’d had enough of untrustworthy men.
‘OK,’ she said. ‘I promise.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
RUSSELL’S frustrated gaze was scanning the guest tables in search of feminine prey when his eyes landed on the very female who’d put him in this appalling state in the first place.
His heart lurched at the sight of her. So did something else.
Blast! What on earth was Nicole Power doing at James’s wedding?
His gaze shifted to the rest of the people at her table, but he didn’t recognise any of them. There again, he didn’t recognise most of the guests. Despite his wealth, he wasn’t a social animal. Not like James, or Hugh; they enjoyed entertaining and being entertained. Russell had had had other priorities up till now.
His need for revenge had consumed him.
Now something else was consuming him.
The more he stared at her, sitting there looking absolutely delicious in the sexiest green dress, the more he wanted her.
Had she seen him yet? he wondered.
She must have. He was in the main wedding party. Strange that he hadn’t spotted her before this. Perhaps she was deliberately avoiding him? He could well understand why: he’d been pretty obnoxious the other day.
Hugh suddenly leant over from the chair next to him.
‘I see you’re eyeing that hot-looking blonde over there,’ he said. ‘Presumably, you haven’t recognised her. That’s Nicole Power, your enemy’s daughter.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘You know?’
‘Indeed I do.’
Hugh frowned. ‘Russ, you’re not going to take this revenge of yours too far, are you? I mean, she’s not to blame for what her father did.’
Up till this moment, Russell hadn’t thought of his attraction for Nicole Power as anything more than extremely annoying. The thought of using his unexpected and, up till now, unwanted passion as a weapon against his enemy had never occurred to him.
But, suddenly, the vengeful words he’d thrown at Alistair Power all those years ago took on an added meaning: he’d vowed to take everything his enemy held dear …
Clearly, Power held his daughter dear …
It was a wickedly tempting idea …
‘What do you know about her?’ Russell asked Hugh abruptly.
‘If you think I’m going to help you seduce that poor girl, then you have another think coming.’
‘She’s far from being poor, Hugh. I’ll warrant those are real diamonds and emeralds she’s wearing. And that dress has designer label written all over it. She might not be personally responsible for what her father did, but she’s never minded living off the proceeds.’
‘You don’t know that.’
‘Yeah, Hugh, I do. Now, tell me what you know about her.’
Hugh sighed. ‘She was briefly engaged to David Porter earlier this year.’
‘The stockbroker?’
‘Yep.’
‘What happened? Wasn’t he rich enough?’
Hugh shrugged, clearly not happy with giving him any information at all. ‘I have no idea. Porter’s not in my immediate social circle. But I’ve heard he’s a ladies’ man. Maybe she found out she wasn’t going to be his one and only.’
‘I doubt that.’ Russell could not conceive of any man being unfaithful to Nicole Power. If she were his, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight … he’d keep her chained to his bed.
‘When does the dancing begin?’ came his abrupt question.
‘Not for a while. First come the speeches, then the cutting of the cake, followed by the bridal waltz. After which, other people can join in.’
Russell’s smile was wry. ‘Sounds like you’ve been to a lot of weddings.’
‘My family and friends don’t seem to learn from experience. This is the second one for James as you will recall. Dear old Dad has had four more wives since my mother.’
‘Presumably I won’t ever have to go to yours, then.’
‘Not unless some alien takes possession of my body and forces me into it.’
‘What about this woman who won’t go to bed with you? You might be reduced to marrying her, just to get her in the sack.’
Hugh looked appalled. ‘Marry just for sex? You have to be joking. No man’s that desperate these days.’
Russell’s eyes went back to the object of his own desire.
He was a man and he wanted Nicole Power, quite desperately.
But Hugh was right. You didn’t marry a girl just for sex. But what about revenge? Did you marry a girl for that?
His conscience rebelled at the idea. But his dark side didn’t. It revelled in the thought of having his cake and eating it, too.
His eyes narrowed as they raked over the sheer perfection of her face, which was even more beautiful today. Of course, she was wearing make-up and her upswept hairdo had obviously been done by a professional. All in all, she was the epitome of feminine beauty: a fair-haired siren with a breathtaking allure which would tempt any man.
Russell was more than tempted.
His head whirled with wildly tantalising thoughts. How would it feel to possess her, body and soul? To have her look at him, not with irritation as she had the other day, but with passion? Maybe even love?
Would that satisfy his vengeful soul, having Nicole Power fall in love with him?
Russell suspected that it might.
Such thinking, however, was a fantasy at this moment. If he wanted to know how it felt, he’d have to make his fantasy come true.
Somehow.
His lips pursed as his mind began to plan.
She was obviously unattached at the moment, having been seated with women on either side of her at the table.
But being unattached was not enough.
He wasn’t as handsome as James, or Hugh. He was a country boy, a bit of a rough diamond, so neither did he possess his friends’ natural charm.
What he did have, however, was money. Lots of it.
As much as he believed Alistair Power was still supporting his daughter, he knew that girls like Nicole Power could never be too rich. It was also a point in Russell’s favour that he wanted her to the extent that he did.
Women, he’d found from experience, liked being wanted, even more than they liked being loved. They were often seduced by the flattery of being pursued, of being the object of uncontrollable desire.
I wanted you from the first moment I saw you, were very seductive words. He’d used them to great effect before.
This time, they wouldn’t be a pick-up line, either. They’d be true. With a bit of luck, he might be able to sweep Nicole Power off her feet and into his bed with those passionately delivered words, after which he hoped to obtain her total sexual surrender via his skills in the bedroom.
Russell didn’t pretend to rival Hugh’s Casanova-like reputation but he knew how to make love. He genuinely liked female bodies, liked touching them, kissing them. He liked their softness and sweetness, their curves and their cavities.
Once he’d got a girl into his bed, she rarely wanted to leave. The trick with Nicole Power would be getting her into his bed in the first place.
Russell was staring at her and planning his course of action when her head suddenly lifted and their eyes clashed.
She didn’t look away immediately. She held his gaze for several startled seconds before turning her head and engaging the curvy brunette next to her in conversation.
‘I suggest you give her a miss, mate,’ Hugh said. ‘Why not try Kristy? She’s as keen as mustard.’
Russell grimaced at the mention of the bridesmaid who’d been his partner for the marriage ceremony. ‘A little too keen for me,’ he replied drily.
‘In that case you won’t mind if I—er—’
‘Feel free.’
‘Great. Oh, oh. Toast and speech time. Mine, unfortunately. By the way, I did what you suggested and concentrated on Megan’s love for James. Hope she doesn’t notice that anything’s missing.’
‘She won’t. She’s obviously besotted.’
Russell glanced along the curved table at the bride, and then at James, who’d been doing his best imitation of an equally besotted bridegroom all day. At their small and very select stag party last night—just drinks for the three of them at the Belleview Hill house—Hugh had refrained from asking James too many questions about his trip overseas, perhaps not wanting to know the truth.
What was to be gained by discovering that James had spent some time with his ex; that he might even have slept with her?
Russell already suspected that something had happened between James and Jackie. He’d seen the bleakness in his friend’s eyes last night when James had thought neither Russell nor Hugh were looking.
Hopefully James would find some happiness married to Megan, he might even fall in love with her in the end.
No, that was the sort of romantic crap Hugh came out with. James wasn’t going to fall in love with Megan any more than he’d fall in love with Nicole Power.
Russell didn’t delude himself about the ruthless individual he’d become over the years. His plan to cold-bloodedly seduce his enemy’s daughter tonight was wicked enough. To even consider marrying her was truly wicked.
But that was getting ahead of himself.
She might tell him to get lost later tonight. In a way, he hoped she would. Because if she didn’t, she would put him on a path from which there might be no turning back.
Frankly, to have anything to do with her was risky, even downright dangerous. He could pretend she was his prey, but for how long? He was the besotted one here. She was the one with all the potential power.
Once she knew he was attracted to her—a man with millions—then the tables could well be turned. She might set her cap at him.
Russell had to laugh.
‘What’s so funny?’ Hugh asked.
‘Just the perversity of life, mate.’
‘Don’t tell me about it. I already know. But it’s not life that’s the main problem. It’s women.’
‘You could be right there.’
‘I am right, Russ. Take my word for it.’
Russell’s eyes turned to again seek out the woman currently giving him problems.
But her chair was empty.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SICOLE stood at the railing of the deck which overlooked the marina. The night sky was overcast, the air still sultry with not much breeze coming off the water. In the distance, several flashes of sheet lightning heralded the storm which had been forecast for later that evening.
Nicole knew she should return to the reception, but she simply could not. To sit there and be the subject of that man’s never-ending stare was beyond her.
She didn’t have to look back at him after that first time to know that his eyes were constantly upon her. She could feel them raking over her, burning into her, making her aware of her body in ways which were as disturbing as they were embarrassing.
Her fiercely erect nipples were bad enough, especially since she wasn’t wearing a bra. Even worse was the dampness between her thighs.
Nicole had stayed in the powder room for several minutes, after which she’d escaped outside, hoping that some fresh air would bring her wayward flesh under control.
But the air outside was hotter than the air inside.
She felt his presence before he spoke, her skin breaking into instant goose-pimples.
‘We meet again, Nicole,’ he said quietly as he materialised next to her.
Nicole’s fingers tightened around her evening bag before lifting it from the top of the railing. Slowly she turned to face him, grateful that he could not hear her heart thudding behind her ribs.
‘Did you get your keys?’ she asked him with creditable cool.
His smile was light and might have been charming on any other man. But not on him and not when accompanied by the predatory gleam which glittered in his cold blue eyes.
‘Indeed I did,’ he said. ‘I hope you got everything you wanted from the house.’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘I was surprised to see you here. I presume you’re a friend of Megan’s.’
‘We went to the same school.’ No way was she going to explain her presence here any more than that. It would make her sound like some charity case.
‘What are you doing out here?’ he went on. ‘You missed all the toasts and speeches.’
Trust him to notice. But then he would, wouldn’t he? He’d been watching her all evening. And now he’d followed her out here.
Nicole could not pretend that she didn’t know the reason why. She’d been the object of male pursuits ever since she’d left boarding school. Up till her experience with David, she’d enjoyed the mating game.
But that had been before she was told she was a bore in bed.
‘I had a headache,’ she invented.
‘Have you taken something for it?’
‘Yes,’ she lied again.
‘And?’
‘I’m feeling better.’
‘In that case, would you like to dance?’ he said, his blue eyes fastening hard onto hers again.
Lord, but they were powerful, those eyes. And oh, so sexy.
‘I … I think I’d rather stay out here,’ she replied, somewhat shakily.
‘That’s all right. The music’s loud enough. We can dance right where we are.’
Before she could find some other excuse, he took her bag, placed it on top of the railing, then drew her into his arms.
‘I’m sorry if I was rude to you the other day,’ he said softly as he began to move her back and forth in a slow, sensual rhythm.
Nicole swallowed, but didn’t say anything in return. Her brain was far too busy trying to get a handle on the wild heat rushing through her. His holding her even more tightly did little to free her mind, or soothe her instant panic.
‘I have a confession to make,’ he whispered into her ear, which was now perilously close to his mouth. ‘From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you.’
Nicole jerked back out of his arms, her eyes widening as they flashed up to his.
‘I dare say you’ve had many men say that to you over the years,’ he went on. ‘Please believe me when I say I don’t make a habit of such rash declarations. That’s why I was rude to you at first, because the intensity of my feelings took me by surprise. And because I was sure that a girl as exquisitely beautiful as you are would already be taken. But your being here tonight, alone, indicates that maybe I was mistaken …’ His eyebrows lifted questioningly. ‘Is there a lover or boyfriend in your life at the moment? Someone overseas perhaps?’
Nicole still couldn’t find her tongue, but she did manage to shake her head in the negative.
The satisfaction in his eyes was both flattering and frightening. ‘Then I’m free to tell you that seeing you again tonight has done nothing to lessen my interest. In fact I want you more than I’ve wanted any woman before in my life.’
The passion in his voice, and in his eyes, both dazzled and dazed her.
‘You take my breath away,’ he ground out, cupping her chin firmly with his right hand and lifting her mouth up towards his rapidly descending lips.
His kiss was not gentle. But she loved it, wallowing in the bruising force of his lips and the savage invasion of his tongue.
If he’d stopped within a decent span of time, she might have had some common sense left. But he went on and on, draining her of the rest of her will, pushing her beyond any thought of where this would end, beyond everything but the need to keep on being kissed by him.
His wrenching his lips from hers brought a soft cry of dismay.
Russell stared down at her parted lips and dilated eyes and wondered if this was all for real—for him, Russell McClain, the man.
Her surrender seemed amazingly quick, as though she was possessed by the same mad passion which had governed both his lust-filled words earlier and his kisses just now. But it didn’t seem logical that the coolly composed creature he’d met the other day would suddenly turn into a wanton.
Of course, party girls like her did live a pretty fast life. For all he knew, she could be on something tonight, some recreational drug which had lessened her inhibitions and heightened her appetite. Or maybe she’d imbibed too much of the top champagne James had had flown in from France for his wedding; a few glasses of that could make a girl very amenable to a man’s advances.
On the other hand, maybe she’d had some time to think about her changed circumstances since arriving back in Sydney. Maybe she’d decided that Daddy’s lessened wealth might not last forever and she would need a new gravy train if she wanted to continue the good life.
Which meant this show might not be for him, Russell McClain, the man … but for Russell McClain, the potential billionaire.
Perversely, Russell no longer cared what her motivation was for looking up at him as if she couldn’t wait to go to bed with him. All he cared about right at that moment was where she would be before this night was out. He’d never felt anything like the arousal he was feeling right now. His flesh had moved beyond pleasure and into the realms of sheer and utter pain.
‘So there you are!’
Russell suppressed a groan at the arrival of the plump brunette Nicole had been sitting next to inside.
‘I was wondering where you’d got to,’ the girl added, her eyes avid as they flitted from one to the other. ‘Have I interrupted something, sweetie?’ she directed at Nicole. ‘If so, please just say so and I’ll go. I’m nothing if not discreet.’
Nicole blushed furiously, surprising Russell. It was hard to fake a blush. There again, it could be a blush of guilt.
‘Nicole and I are just leaving,’ he stated firmly.
The brunette seemed startled but not displeased.
‘Would you mind, Kara?’ Nicole said, still looking faintly embarrassed.
‘Of course not. Off you go and have some fun. I’ll leave a key to the back door in the usual spot. But I won’t fret if you don’t use it. If your bed’s still empty in the morning, I’ll tell Mother you’ve gone out on a breakfast date with a handsome hunk you met at the wedding. Nice to finally meet you, Mr McClain.’
She flashed him a saucy little smile, making him wonder what Nicole had said about him to her.
Obviously something.
‘Au revoir, sweetie,’ she finished up and, with a flamboyant wave, whirled around her plump but not unattractive frame to head back to the reception.
By this time, Russell and Nicole weren’t alone on the deck, several more people having made their way outside.
‘Come on,’ Russell said, sliding a captive arm around her waist and guiding her along the deck towards a set of steps which would take them down to the car park.
‘Where … where are we going?’ she asked breathlessly as he hurried her towards his car.
‘Not to a club, that’s for sure.’ Or to his apartment, despite it being the closer of his two current residences. He’d moved a few things into the Belleview Hill mansion yesterday and slept in Alistair Power’s king-sized bed for the first time last night. Once again, however, the experience had lacked the feeling of satisfaction he’d been anticipating.
Russell could see, however, that sleeping there tonight with his enemy’s daughter by his side would be a whole different ball game. Now, that would feel like real revenge, of the highly personal kind that he’d always coveted.
He zapped the car unlocked, reefed open the passenger door and had her inside in record time.
‘This is crazy,’ she said after he’d climbed in behind the wheel. ‘We hardly know each other.’ And she shot him an oddly fearful look which didn’t compute with her being drunk, or drugged, or directed by materialistic ambition.
She seemed genuinely alarmed at her own behaviour, which was as puzzling as it was a possible problem. Russell didn’t want her having second thoughts at this stage.