Imminent Conquest by Aurora Rose Lynn Read Free Book Online

a fact.” Michael planted his back against his chair. He caressed her tingling skin with erotically featherlight touches. From the corner of her eye, she saw Colin's lazy smile. Bryan merely looked away.
    Flabbergasted at his effrontery in touching her intimately in a public place, she tried to pluck his hand off. She received a sidelong look of amusement. Desperate to find a way to escape, she pinched into the flesh where his index finger and thumb met. I'm in your life till death do us part, sweetheart , played over and over again in her mind.
    Momentary relief flooded through her as he moved his hand, but very gently, he placed pressure on her wrist. Nicole moaned. Bryan glanced at her before eyeing Colin. Michael eased off but kept his hand on her knee. Silently, he was warning her to behave.
    An impeccably dressed waiter stopped beside Bryan and asked him what he would like to drink.
    "Beer. And keep it coming, man."
    Without looking at Bryan, the waiter checked to make sure the other glasses on the table were filled.
    "Get me a double Scotch,” Colin ordered. “When's the grub coming?"
    "Very shortly, sir,” the waiter replied, not meeting Colin's gaze.
    "Isn't that what you lowlifes always say?"
    The waiter strode off, making Nicole fervently wish she had his job. She would rather have been tending tables than sitting here with James Carmichael. No, now he called himself Michael Karlisi. What happened if she had the information leaked that he had been in prison for murder? What would Eastwynd think of him then? Would they still respect him? Or did they already know?
    "Was he drunk today too?” she asked, referring to Bryan, energised by her thought. She imagined the people of Eastwynd wouldn't care for Michael Karlisi much after they found out who he really was.
    Bryan's eyes burrowed into hers, as if asking what the hell she was talking about. She didn't usually judge and felt she had been influenced a little by Brad.
    "Maybe someone needs to shut your plant down permanently. Maybe Eastwynd would like to know who you really are,” she said triumphantly to Michael. “Would you risk letting that information out? What would it do to your business?"
    Her budding smile froze. His eyes had turned to ice again, sending shivers of apprehension down her spine.
    "Maybe, sweetheart, you'd like to disappear before you make those allegations."
    "How dare you threaten me!"
    "What did you just do?” he asked suavely.
    Colin rubbed his hands together, almost as if anticipating whatever threat his brother had made.
    Michael bent his face over hers and whispered, “Remember when you used to beg me to take you away? To make you my sex slave?"
    Oh God, how she didn't want to remember. How many times had she pleaded with him to take her away so they could make love without interruption? Her face flamed. He had tied her to a tree in the forest surrounding his house and they had made love with reckless abandon.
    "Nicole, I can do the same thing again, whether you give me permission or not. Don't bother threatening me.” He drew away, smiling, and nodded at a latecomer before he reached under his jacket to his belt.
    He wasn't thinking of tying her up here, was he? He examined an object at his waist. “Excuse me for a moment. I'm sure Colin will keep you company.” He patted her shoulder as he got to his feet, then vanished into the throng of celebrators. Colin grunted.
    "If I were you, I wouldn't be going anywhere, Nicki. You won't get far. ‘Sides, you don't want to make your husband really, really mad. I hear it's not good for your health."
    She surveyed him, repulsed by his nearness. He was her nightmare come true. “Get this straight in your thick skull. He's not my husband."
    He grinned with smug satisfaction and shook his head from side to side in the same way a parent did when a child had been recalcitrant. “I know what you're thinking. Won't work, so don't bother."
    She feigned innocence. “You think so?"
    With