Valdez's Bartered Bride Read online

‘Yes, but there are of course more important matters than shopping right now—like which hotel do you suggest I stay at?’ She hadn’t been away from home for some time and was looking forward to the luxury of time out, satisfied that her recently appointed London manager would handle almost any problem that should arise. Not that she intended to stay for an extended length of time. Once she’d handed over the information Raul Valdez had requested, she’d leave, free of debt and free of obligation—to anyone. Even if it took two weeks she’d still be back in London before Christmas.

  ‘You will be staying with me.’ His words dropped into the ocean of her thoughts, shattering them as the waves of implications spread outwards.

  ‘With you?’ She looked across the car at him, suddenly feeling trapped. There was no way she could stay with him, not when he unleashed the kind of reaction that made her doubt her ability to ignore his presence or the sizzle of attraction that rampaged through her just from one look of those sexy dark eyes. She didn’t need or want the complications of a man in her life. Daniel had killed those silly dreams even if her parents’ hostile marriage hadn’t.

  She looked away from those brooding eyes and the sensation that he could read every thought that ran through her mind. Instead she focused on the passing city streets. What was the matter with her? Since when did she go all gooey over a man? She’d never been like this before.

  ‘I have a perfectly adequate guest suite in my apartment.’ A smile teased around his lips as she looked back at him, instantly wishing she hadn’t as a zip of something she really didn’t want to acknowledge charged through her.

  ‘I thought you wanted to keep your search quiet and away from the press. What if they see you and I together and come up with the wrong answer?’ She scrabbled for a reason not to stay with him.

  ‘If that does happen, our romance will be much more of interest than the research you will be doing.’ The heavy line of his brows lifted and this time he did smile. One of satisfaction and she swallowed down against the flutter that rose swiftly from her stomach, making her head light. She wasn’t a teenager being chatted up by the hottest guy she’d ever met. She was a grown woman who knew her own mind, one who would make him regret ever looking at her with such disdain.

  ‘Our romance?’ A nervous laugh escaped with those words, intensifying her anger at the situation she was in.

  ‘The perfect cover for your investigation, no?’ The car stopped and he looked at her, the flirtatious mood of seconds ago disappearing. ‘Do not forget who has the debt to settle, Lydia. You are not in a position to make demands or question my decisions and we will act as if we are in a relationship, as if we both accept the terms of the contract your father signed with mine.’

  Before she could hurl any retort at him, he got out of the car and seconds later her door was opened by his driver, making exactly what she wanted to say difficult, if not impossible. She had made the original bargain, striking a deal that would help her, and he had turned it around to suit his needs.

  He spoke in a flourish of Spanish to the driver; the sexy undertones of his voice in a language she loved knocked her thoughts off balance. But that little nugget of information was one she’d keep to herself—for now. As the satisfaction of that thought settled over her, he turned to her and spoke softly in English, putting his hand gently in the small of her back. ‘This way, querida.’

  The sensation of his hand, barely touching her, stifled any kind of reaction and like a meek lamb she did his bidding, glancing up quickly at the old but ornate building they were entering. The sound of the almost constant flow of traffic was snuffed out as the doors closed behind them.

  ‘I’m still not sure it is right that I stay with you. I could easily find a hotel near here and still be able to do the research.’ She tried one last time to avert the course of action he seemed set on.

  ‘You could, but you won’t.’ His hand moved away from her as he pressed the call button for the elevator, the firmness in his voice echoing around the large marble lobby. The elevator doors opened and he stepped inside, his handsome face set in stern lines as he looked at her. ‘We do have a deal, Miss Carter-Wilson, do we not?’

  Damn him, he knew she was going to say yes—had to say yes. The amusement lurking behind the darkness of his eyes showed her that. She had no other way out of the mess her father had made.

  ‘Very well.’ She joined him in the elevator, alarmed at how small it became as the doors closed and they ascended. ‘But it is a deal for business, nothing else.’

  ‘Do you think I might seduce you?’ The amusement in his eyes increased and that sexy devil-may-care hint of a smile lingered at the edges of his mouth.

  ‘Isn’t that what you are renowned for, Mr Valdez?’ The flirty edge to her voice was unintended and inwardly she cringed. What was it about this man that made her say and do things she never normally would? ‘The waitress yesterday is testimony to that.’

  He looked at her, a slight frown furrowing his brow, and she lifted her chin and glared at him. The elevator doors opened but he didn’t move and she couldn’t, pinned to the spot by his piercing, dark eyes.

  ‘Is that a hint of jealousy?’

  She gasped in outrage. How dared he think she was jealous, that she craved his attention? ‘Absolutely not.’

  Without a backward glance she flounced out of the elevator as his deep, sexy laughter chased after her. Moments later she was in a vast apartment. His apartment. His life.

  * * *

  Raul watched Lydia waltz into his apartment, enjoying the sway of her hips, outlined perfectly in a black skirt that hugged her body more than he suspected she’d want it to. The long black boots only emphasised her sexiness and the openness of his apartment seemed suddenly to close in on him. He’d watched many women wander around his apartment but never had he experienced the pull at emotions he kept locked away. He never let a woman close, never let her see just who he really was.

  Yet somehow, Lydia had unlocked that door. He’d already told her far more about himself than he had anyone else. Was it because she was the first woman to be here for a reason other than merely sleeping in his bed? The idea of her in his bed sparked a shot of lust through him, making him want to forget the real reason she was here.

  ‘I trust it meets with your approval,’ he teased her and was rewarded with that glare of fiery passion as she turned to look at him. Would she be as inviting if his lips claimed hers in a kiss? Would she respond and match the fire of desire beginning to burn within him? He was being drawn to her by an attraction so strong even he doubted he had the power to resist its allure. But he had to—for now at least.

  ‘Tell me, Mr Valdez, why exactly do you require my father’s debt settled in such an extraordinary way when it is obvious that you have more wealth here alone than in a couple of holiday villas my father used as security?’

  Was she trying to annoy him?

  He moved quickly across the marble floor, his shoes tapping out an insistent rhythm as the implications of her words hit home, turning the unwanted desire into much-needed anger. ‘A couple of holiday villas? Is that what you think this is about? Do you really think I am mercenary enough to call in a debt for that?’

  Raul began to seriously doubt she had really grasped just how much debt her father had got himself into. It might have been to purchase holiday villas, but it was far more than a couple. He would take her straight to his office to see for herself just what her father had done and sign the contract agreed between them. The sooner he’d tied her into a contract, the better.

  ‘That is exactly what I think. You’ve turned everything around and now are practically blackmailing me. I either find your brother or marry you.’

  ‘And which would you prefer to do, querida?’

  ‘Don’t call me that.’ The spark of fury was palpable as she stood her ground and he recalled her atrocious attempt at Spanish the night they’d first met. Then, just as now, her green eyes blazed like priceless emeralds, calling t
o the lustful desire within him, and he was just as adamant as ever that he would ignore it.

  ‘We will go to my office right now and you can see for yourself exactly what your father owes, Miss Carter-Wilson.’ Irritation surged through him. How dared she accuse him of underhanded dealings? He would hang on to that irritation. Use it to wipe out the idea of things he really didn’t need to feel right now. Hell, why did he have to find this woman so sexy?

  ‘That sounds the most sensible option,’ she tossed haughtily at him, her eyes sparking defiance and her lips pressed together in a firm angry line, just begging to be kissed into submission. ‘And on the way back I will check into a hotel.’

  He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. ‘You don’t give up, do you?’

  ‘No, so I suggest you show me exactly what my father owes your company and I’m sure it will prove that a few days of tracing your brother will more than cover it—and release us both from the bizarre marriage deal your father must have tricked mine into agreeing to.’

  ‘In that case, querida...’ he took pleasure in using the endearment again, relishing the fury that shone in her eyes as much as the opportunity to remain in control of this ridiculous situation ‘...we shall leave immediately and sort this out.’

  Her boot heels tapped on the marble floor as she walked towards him, that superior you don’t worry me look on her face again. ‘That is the most sensible thing you have said since we met in London.’

  ‘It is a short walk to my office.’ He glanced down at the sexy high-heeled boots, trying to ignore the idea of her shapely ankles encased in them and keep his thoughts firmly on the task at hand.

  ‘A short walk will be perfect,’ she said as a hint of challenge rose in those expressive green eyes.

  Determined not to be affected by her, he led the way back to the elevator and out onto the busy street. Despite her heels she kept pace with him and he slowed his slightly as he entered one of the city’s plazas, lined with cafés where couples enjoyed the cool winter sun of the afternoon. What would it be like to sit and relax with her, to forget the stress of their situation and get to know one another properly?

  It shocked him to realise that was exactly what he wanted to do, not in the way he’d always done with other women, but in a deep and meaningful way. That would never be an option, not now. It was better if she continued to think of him as a womaniser, especially when he sensed she was not the kind of woman to indulge in one-night stands, making her exactly the kind of woman he always avoided. Was that the reason for this inconvenient attraction? Forbidden fruit? He was stronger than that, wasn’t he?

  He paused outside the doors of the old town building that was home to the head office of Banco de Torrez. She looked at him and the uncertainty he saw briefly in her eyes pulled at his conscience. He silenced that conscience. There was no other way of dealing with the mess created by both their fathers.

  Without a word, he pushed open the large and heavy door and entered the calm interior, which, like his apartment, was modern and spacious, belying the exterior that belonged in the city’s past. As he looked down at her, he saw her delicate brows rise in question and recalled her earlier remarks, suggesting that he could just write off the debt she had to pay. He could, if he was prepared to risk a company he’d built being sold off to the highest bidder. He couldn’t allow that to happen to all the people who depended on Banco de Torrez for employment. The only other option was for Lydia to find Maximiliano without luring the press closer. It was time to put her hobby of family history to the test.

  ‘I will show you to the office you can work from whilst here,’ he said as he stepped into the elevator, trying to ignore the close proximity they were forced into once again.

  * * *

  Lydia followed Raul past offices where staff members worked, some greeting him and others regarding her with mild curiosity. Did they think she was his latest mistress? That thought almost made her feet stop moving, but she forced herself to continue, trying not to care what others thought.

  Finally, the glass-partitioned offices finished and they reached a more private area. Raul walked in and the luxury of what was obviously his space forced her to stifle a small gasp.

  ‘This is where you will work.’ He gestured to an office area off his. She walked in, trying to ignore the way he made her feel as he stood so close, looking out of the window, which took up almost all of one wall. Rooftops of grand old buildings nestled beneath the winter sun and she wished briefly she could explore the city, get to know it better. But she was here to work, to pay off her father’s debts and finally free herself of, not only Raul Valdez, but her ill-fated honour to her father. She was here ultimately for her grandmother. There wasn’t time for such frivolities and most definitely not for exploring the simmering passion between them.

  ‘Nice, but I only intend to be here for a matter of days.’ She had no idea how much her father owed, but even to her ears the fact that it would only take a few days sounded extortionate. He must be desperate to trace his brother, not for any emotional reasons, she was sure, but for the money his inclusion in the business would unlock. Raul had been brutally honest about that. It must be far greater than her father owed. Much more of a lure for a cold businessman like Raul Valdez.

  He shrugged casually, a move so unexpected it aroused her suspicions. What hadn’t he told her?

  ‘I think we should discuss the extent of your father’s debt before you make plans to leave Madrid, because make no mistake, querida, you will not be leaving until I consider the debt repaid, either with the information I require or your signature on a marriage document.’

  Inwardly, Lydia’s anger surfaced. She was not his querida, but outwardly she remained calm and poised and she resisted the urge to reply in Spanish. She would save that pleasure for another time. ‘In that case, I need to know the exact sum my father owes.’

  She followed him back into his office and stood calmly waiting as he got a file out, opened it slowly and with purpose, then he looked at her as he slid it across the expanse of polished wood. The warning on his handsome face was clear and she braced herself for what was to come.

  ‘The figure exceeds five hundred million euros.’ He spoke without any emotion, any sense of surprise at the figure he mentioned. Her eyes widened in shock. How could he say that so calmly?

  ‘And the properties used as security?’ Her voice wavered and she dreaded the answer.

  ‘Far in excess of that amount.’

  How many properties had her father hidden in her name? This was much bigger than she’d imagined and with each passing hour she was getting in deeper. Too deep. It would finish her grandmother, who was recovering from a bout of ill health, if she knew how much.

  ‘So if we married you would gain substantially more?’ He nodded and she carried on whilst she still had the strength to stand. ‘Why then are you prepared to accept the deal I offered? Before I knew the extent of the sums involved, I might add.’

  ‘I want my brother found. I’d prefer the money to come from the accounts my father set up for the purpose of his devious acts than from you and our marriage. I trust you agree.’

  ‘I agree only on that I have no wish to get married—to you or anyone.’ She injected as much confidence into her voice as she could even though inside she was still reeling from shock at the amount her father owed.

  ‘If you agree, then you must sign this confidentiality contract.’

  Suspicion nudged into her mind. What was he keeping from her? ‘There must be more to it than that. What are you keeping from me, Mr Valdez?’

  She stood in the middle of his office and used the long-ago-perfected art of indifference as she lifted her chin and challenged him. There was a hint of anger, a hint of bristling annoyance as his gaze met hers. Then it was gone. Replaced by icy disdain.

  ‘You are very astute, Lydia. You should be a businesswoman.’ His cutting tone bounced off her toughened barrier, but inside something changed. He’d seen her
as something more than an empty-headed heiress. Briefly maybe, but he’d seen the real Lydia.

  ‘Maybe I am,’ she taunted him as she walked towards him, watching as his eyes narrowed in suspicion, noticing how his dark lashes made his eyes look so very sinfully sexy. ‘Which means, before I sign any contract with you, I want to know the finer details. All of them.’

  ‘Very well.’ He moved towards her and she suddenly wished she hadn’t been so bold, provoking him as she’d done moments ago, because now he was far too close. She could smell the unadulterated scent of a powerful male. It scared and excited her. ‘There is one more detail which needs to be agreed upon.’

  ‘Which is?’ She looked up at him, her heart thudding at his closeness. So close that if he lowered his head he could kiss her. Where had that thought come from?

  ‘That we become engaged—immediately.’

  ‘No,’ she snapped the word back at him, defiance echoing around the room.

  ‘I have no wish for anyone to know that I am looking for my brother—not until I am ready. The board of directors are demanding settlement of this historic, and seriously overdue, debt, and it is imperative that they believe that we are willing to marry to clear it.’

  He moved a bit closer and she bit down on her bottom lip, trying to pretend the butterflies that had begun to flutter inside her weren’t because of him. She had to get a grip on herself. He couldn’t know that she found him attractive. Instinctively, she knew that would be dangerous.

  ‘Why should I care about what your board of directors think?’ He’d tricked her, kept this part of the terms from her until she arrived in Madrid.

  ‘I have until the end of December to sort this matter and in order to save thousands of jobs from being put under scrutiny or worse. There is one final clause and that is if I don’t find my brother or marry you, the company will be sold. It is essential that I am seen to be dealing with the debt. It is not, after all, a small debt. I’m sure even you would agree on that.’

  ‘And if I agree to this fake engagement?’ Again she challenged him.