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Gavin clenched his jaw and shifted his hot, angry gaze to Maddux “She clearly doesn’t knohat she’s saying”
“I know exactly what I’,” she snapped at Gavin as she caer at his chest “Unlike you, I’ to stand up and put my father’s life and welfare before my own I’ll do whatever it takes to relieve him of this burden”
“Arabella,” her father groaned, the sound filled with guilt But for a second time, Theodore didn’t try and talk Arabella out of the proposition she’d asked of Maddux
Theselfish as hell, Maddux thought
When Gavin said nothing else, Arabella whirled around to face Maddux again, the skirt of her volus “I promise, you’ll have no trouble from me I ork off his debt, in any way you deo Please”
Maddux could have denied her request and forged full stea about Arabella intrigued and tempted him He wanted her, desired herplus there was the bonus of Theodore thinking the worst was happening while his only daughter was under his care The things the man would conjure in his mind would rip any decent father apart inside
Determined to keep the upper hand, Maddux strolled around his desk until he was standing in front of Arabella and she tipped her head back to aze, hers with bold resolve She’d clearly meant what she said when she’d told him she wasn’t afraid, and her tenacitythat fiery attitude in the bedroom
And make no mistake, that’s exactly where he intended to have her, eventually
Not giving a shit that both Theodore and Gavin watched, he reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers across Arabella’s smooth, silken cheek, iaze, proof that persuading her into his bed wasn’t going to be all that difficult She ht hate him for what he held over her father, but she wasn’t immune to the attraction between them
“I’ll accept your offer, Bella,” he er, wanting this beautiful creature to look into his eyes and know exactly what he expected of her Wanting towhat she was about to trade “Your father’s freedom for your total surrender That is the deal”
Her lips parted on a soft gasp at his bold, brazen request, and behind her, Gavin went ballistic at Maddux’s offer The other uys still standing at the door, was quicker and had Gavin’s ar him back while Maddux continued
“This is hoill go, Bella I’h to allow your father to walk out of here tonight just as he arrived at the ball, still in debt and his assets signed over to me until I’ve decided you’ve fulfilled your part of the contract, but I will not ruin hiht … as much as he deserves it” Not yet, anyway
“No, but you will ruin her,” Gavin shouted belligerently
What was this, the eighteenth century? Gavin sounded like an ass and Maddux arched an insolent brow at the other ement”
“Gavin, stop,” Arabella insisted “I a this of my own free will to save my father”