Dante's Marriage Pact by Day Leclaire Read Free Book Online Page A

“I most certainly did not.” Her Southern accent deepened, blurring her words. “I never said a blessed thing.”
    â€œYou didn’t have to say anything. Let’s just say you have an expressive face.”
    She started to say something, then broke off and snatched a quick breath. “Okay, fine. I’ll just have to deal with the embarrassment and stay focused on business.”
    Embarrassment? For some reason the word irritated the hell out of him. He struggled to keep his voice pitched low. “Why does it embarrass you that we were together last night?” He gathered her hand in his, feeling the flare of The Inferno when their fingers collided and meshed and their palms bumped together. “For that matter, why does it matter what my family suspects? Unless one of us confirms it, they won’t know for certain.”
    â€œYou’re touching me. Mix that with whispering and you get a bucket load of guilt.”
    â€œOdd. I don’t feel the least guilty. Or embarrassed.”
    He leaned on the final word, hoping for a reaction. And got one. She made the mistake of looking directly at him and he felt that look arrow straight to his groin. It was a wonder the air didn’t combust between them. She must have read his reaction in his expression.
    â€œDarn it, Draco. Cut that out. Go sit somewhere else.”
    â€œCan’t.” It was the God’s honest truth. No way in hell was he going to stand and provide proof of his attraction for her.
    Comprehension had her color deepening. “Why are youat this meeting?” she asked in despair. “Why couldn’t you have had the decency to stay away?”
    â€œMaybe I would have if it hadn’t been for this…”
    He opened his hand, revealing the diamond he’d taken from her. He’d put it in a protective Lucite box and sent the box shooting toward the center of the conference table. It spun dead center, the diamond inside spitting out shards of brilliant color, igniting the fire buried in its depth.
    â€œIt would seem Ms. Charleston has something interesting to show us,” Draco informed his family.
    Sev snatched up the case and studied it. “Son of a— It’s a fire diamond.” His gaze narrowed on Shayla, filled with suspicion. “Where did you get this?”
    â€œIt’s not one of ours,” Draco offered helpfully.
    Dead silence greeted his comment. “What do you mean it is not ours?” Primo finally demanded. “How is this possible?”
    â€œIt is, indeed, a fire diamond,” Draco confirmed. “But it doesn’t come from one of our mines. Which begs the question…” He swiveled his chair so it faced Shayla. “Where the hell did it come from?”
    She’d put the few minutes he’d given her to good use, wrapping herself in an artificial calm. “That diamond, as well as the others in my possession, came from a Charleston mine.”
    Lazz, the family’s CFO, frowned. “I thought your mines were played out years ago.”
    And that’s when it clicked. Draco stiffened. Charleston. Shayla Charleston. As in…Charlestons, the now-defunct jewelry empire. They’d been in direct competition with Dantes decades ago until poor management and the inability to compete against Dantes’ fire diamonds had driven them out of business.
    â€œWe also thought the mines were played out. A recentsurvey has proven that not only aren’t they depleted, but they contain fire diamonds.” She leaned forward to emphasize her point. “Fire diamonds superior to the Dantes’.”
    â€œThat’s not possible,” Sev objected.
    She set the leather bag on the table in front of her. “This is a small sample of what we’ve extracted. Let me repeat that—a small sample. You’re welcome to examine them at your leisure. I realize it’ll take time.”
    Primo waved his hand toward Draco,