Breaching the Billionaire: Alethea's Redemption (Book 6) (Legacy Collection) by Ruth Cardello Read Free Book Online Page A

wait. To win, he’d have to choose his strategy and timing carefully. Luckily, he’d had almost a year to study his target.
    And he had. He’d kept her on his radar, even when some would have said it wasn’t necessary. Although she’d attended fewer and fewer of the social events he’d worked, when she had, he hadn’t been able to look away from her. At first he’d tried to tell himself it was part of his job, but there was no denying the pleasure he found in watching her. Alethea entered a room with purpose. When she wanted to be the center of attention, her wild red mane flew loose—like the cape of a matador flaming the passions of men even as it lured them to their doom.
    Doom might be a bit strong. Most of them left their encounter with her looking bemused. Her racy choice of outfits, lingering sidelong glances, and even her light flirtatious laugh was a means of distracting her target while she gained access to whatever information she sought.
    She was a woman who was always in control.
    A woman men fawned over, instead of challenged.
    Someone who liked to win.
    A devilish smile spread across his face. He knew exactly how to throw her and keep her off balance.
    It rang once. Twice.
    “Hello?” Alethea asked slowly, most likely because he’d blocked his ID.
    Payback time.

Chapter Five
     
    Lying in bed, Alethea rolled onto her back when she heard her cell phone ring and groaned. She’d trained most of her international contacts to call her at a reasonable hour, but there were still a few who forgot now and then. She reached for her phone, placing it instantly on speaker and flopping backward against her firm pillows. Like the rest of her apartment, the bed was functional without being overly comfortable. Too much comfort made a person soft, vulnerable.
    Something Alethea refused to ever be again.
    “Hello, Alethea.” A deep male voice echoed through her dark bedroom as if its owner were there with her.
    Alethea sat up, instantly alert. There was only one man whose voice alone could have her body humming with anticipation. “Marc,” she said, striving for calm, glad he couldn’t see the way her cheeks warmed and her nipples strained against her cotton T-shirt, a side effect of the numerous nights she’d used his image as inspiration while she’d pleasured herself. Her voice was huskier than she aimed for when she asked sarcastically, “What did I do to merit a phone call?”
    “I’ve been thinking about you all week .”
    The same way I’ve been thinking about you? she wondered, but wisely kept the thought to herself.
    She relaxed back into her pillows and closed her eyes. She and Captain America had nothing in common. Even if her body was sure that wouldn’t matter. “And you finally decided to thank me for my help at the hospital?” Okay, it was a jab, but she couldn’t resist.
    He answered smoothly, “Let’s not talk about work. In fact, there is only one word I want to hear you say and that’s—yes.”
    Don’t ask. He’s playing on your curiosity. “To what?”
    His sexy chuckle resonated through her, sending warm tingles into her stomach and lower. “To everything.”
    “That’s not going to happen.”
    “Scared?” he asked huskily.
    Only of hurting myself in my haste to disrobe. See, that’s why I can’t say yes, because when something feels as good as being with you does, it never ends well. “No, just smart enough to know you wouldn’t call unless you wanted something from me. What you’re suggesting could get messy and complicated. You don’t do either. What do you really want?”
    “Oh, Alethea. So much smarter than the rest of us. If you can see right through me and my motives, then there is no risk in meeting me.” He chuckled again. “Unless, you don’t think you could control yourself.”
    “ That’s not a risk.”
    “Prove me wrong. Meet me for a drink.”
    Her rational side began listing all the reasons why that would be a bad idea. He worked for