The Mediterranean Billionaire's Blackmail Bargain by Abby Green Page B

with it.’
    She shook her head. ‘But—’
    He interrupted her. ‘But when we go to South Africa we will share a room, whether you like it or not.’
    Alicia’s head swirled ominously. ‘Hang on a second.’ She put out a hand. as if that might stop him from advancing. ‘South Africa? Since when were we going to South Africa?’ She felt all the conflicting emotions arise again—the reason she’d run there in the first place, the heartache, the unimaginable pain she’d witnessed, the physical pain, hardship and scars she still bore.
    Dante saw the colour drain from her face and frowned. ‘I said that the first week would be here. South Africa is the venue for the last two weeks and the main part of the negotiations. That’s where we’re proposing to finalize the deal and embark on our first project which will be the construction of a huge sports stadium just outside Cape Town. That has been at the centre of this merger. Thousands of companies competed for the job and we got it on the basis of the merger being successful. So even that at this stage hangs in the balance.’
    Alicia felt weak. She wanted to sit down. ‘You never mentioned that.’
    â€˜What’s wrong?’ he asked sharply, coming closer.
    Alicia stepped back jerkily. She felt far too vulnerable to be under close scrutiny.
    â€˜Nothing.’ She tried to smile, ‘I just hadn’t expected to be going back there so soon, that’s all…’ She’d be fine. She wasn’t going back to the same place. She’d be at the other end of the continent. She turned and put one foot in front of the other. ‘I’ll see you at five.’
    And once in her own room, she closed the door and leant back against it breathing shallow breaths. She’d had no idea the thought of returning to Africa would affect her this badly.
    Minutes later she paced up and down the floor. It wasn’t as if she’d experienced any more or any less than any of the other aid workers. But still…the remembered fear gripped her and the pain seemed to flare in her lower back…it could have been so much worse. And she’d stuck it out after that, determined not to be weak, to give in…but then when he’d arrived, that had been the final straw and she’d returned home. And that still made her feel guilty. That she’d let a man influence her actions— again. He’d driven her there, and then away too…
    She sat down on the bed and felt cold. She didn’t want to think about him, but right now there were too many uncanny similarities.
    Raul Carro. Dr Raul Carro. The man who had taken her heart and watched it beating in his hands before calmly crushing it to pieces.
    Or at least that was what it had felt like at the time. Almost two years ago now. The dark and dashing Spanish doctor working briefly in England had captivated her, and her heart.
    And here she was, in close proximity to another of his ilk. Too good looking and powerful for his own good. A Latin magician. She knew this situation was nothing like the one with Raul, who had seduced her with ruthless guile. And she was quite certain that the physical contact Dante had initiated so far was nothing but cold calculation, designed to unnerve her. So why did she feel then as though she were on a precipice, about to fall off again?
    It was only when in her shower a short time later that shock stilled Alicia’s body as she remembered Dante’s assertion that they would be sharing a room in South Africa. She rested her forehead against the tiled wall under the spray. Dark and treacherous desire rose up to taunt her. And then she stood straight. She would not allow herself to be used like that again. She would protect herself this time. And she got on with scrubbing her body. It wasn’t as if Dante D’Aquanni was really attracted to her anyway. A man like him would play around with