Wildest Hearts by Jayne Ann Krentz Read Free Book Online Page B

tell my father what I saw this afternoon unless you force me to do so.”

    Hope and fear flared in Sybil's expression. “What do you want from me?”

    “Your agreement on a bargain. Give my father what he's bought and paid for, a loyal wife and a mother for his children, and you'll get the money and the position you wanted out of this marriage. Screw up just once from here on in, Sybil, and I swear I'll make certain Dad knows exactly what kind of slut he married.”

    “I'm not a slut!” Sybil screamed. “You don't understand how it is between me and Greg.”

    “I don't give a damn about how it is between you two. All I care about is this family. We both know Dad would drop you in a minute if he learned you were sleeping around. So have we got a deal?”

    “Edward would never believe you if you try to tell him about this afternoon,” Sybil said with false bravado.

    “Want to put it to the test? I'm his son. I know him better than you ever will. He'll listen to me.” Oliver was not sure of that, but he discovered that day that he had a previously unsuspected talent for bluffing.

    “Edward trusts me.”

    “Well, I won't make the same mistake,” Oliver said. “I'm going to watch you like a hawk for as long as you're a member of this family. Step out of line just one time and you can kiss your share of the Rain money good-bye.”

    “You cold-blooded son of a bitch.” Sybil was shaking. She dashed away the tears with the back of her hand. “What right do you have to interfere in my life? Who do you think you are?”

    “I'm the man who can wreck this cushy setup you've made for yourself any time I feel like it. Remember that, Sybil. Because if I ever find out you haven't kept your end of our bargain, I'll pull the rug out from under you so fast you won't know what hit you.”

    She believed him. Oliver saw it in her eyes. Satisfied, he walked out of the house, got into his car, and left.

    A year later Edward Rain disappeared, taking the fabled Rain fortune and a lot of money belonging to other people with him.

    When Oliver closed the door on his own hopes and dreams for the future and turned to the task of picking up the pieces his father had left behind, he'd expected Sybil to head for greener pastures.

    But she hadn't. She had realized within the first six months when all of Edward Rain's old friends and business acquaintances had politely turned their backs on the Rain family that Oliver was her best bet.

    Sybil was a shrewd woman. She needed security not only for herself but for her two small sons. Oliver soon showed signs of being able to eventually give her back everything she had lost.

    For his part, Oliver needed someone to look after his sisters and brothers while he sweated blood day and night to rebuild the family fortune. He and Sybil had struck another bargain. The arrangement had worked. Sybil had stuck it out and been well rewarded.

    Oliver always made good on his promises.

    And he never forgot his enemies.

    Which brought him to the matter of Valerie's new boyfriend. If Sybil was telling the truth, and there was no reason to doubt it in this instance, Oliver knew he would have to take action. He had no intention of allowing his youngest sister to get seriously involved with Paul Shore's son.

    Oliver made a mental note to speak to Valerie. He would make it clear that Carson Shore was off-limits. He had never liked the Romeo and Juliet story.

4

    Annie, I've got to tell you that I'm having a lot of second thoughts about this plan of yours. I wasn't overly enthusiastic about your marriage of convenience idea to start with. But now that you're actually going to move in with him, I'm getting downright scared.”

    “Calm down, Joanna. Everything's going to work out beautifully. You'll see. Oliver and I understand each other perfectly. We settled all the details on Monday. He's very good at details.” Annie slashed open one side of the lid of a shipping carton with her knife. She