One Night With The Enemy. ABBY GREEN
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‘How dare you treat me like some recalcitrant child!’
‘I’ve asked you once already—what are you doing here, Vasquez? You’re not welcome.’
Maddie felt anger surge up at his sheer arrogance and remembered why she was there and what was at stake: her entire livelihood. She stepped forward, dropping her hand. ‘For your information I am just as welcome here as you, and I’ve come to tell you that my father didn’t give in to your pressure to sell and neither will I.’
Nicolás de Rojas sneered. ‘The only thing you own now is a piece of useless land full of gnarly vines. It’s an eyesore. Your estate hasn’t produced any wine of note for years.’
Maddie disguised the pain of knowing that her father had let it all go so spectacularly and spat back. ‘You and your father systematically pushed and squeezed him out of the market until he couldn’t possibly compete any more.’
His jaw clenched at that, and he bit out savagely, ‘It’s nothing more than was done to us time and time again. I’d love to tell you we spent all our time concocting ways to sabotage your business, but the Vasquez wines stopped selling because they were inferior—pure and simple. You did it to yourselves with no help from us.’
His words hit home with a dismaying ring of truth and Maddie took a hasty step back at his ferocity. She saw his eyes flash indignantly. Her reaction had more to do with his proximity and its effect on her body, and more disturbingly on her memories, than with his anger. She couldn’t halt a vivid flashback to when she’d pressed herself so close against him she could feel every taut sinew and muscle. And the evidence of his arousal for her. It had been intoxicating, thrilling. She’d wanted him so badly she’d been begging him to—
‘Here you are!’
Nic growled at the woman who had just appeared by their sides, ‘Not now, Estella.’
Maddie sent up silent thanks for the interruption and cast a quick glance to see the gorgeous blonde who had been with Nicolás outside the hotel. She backed away but Nicolás grabbed her arm again.
‘Estella, wait for me at the table,’ he bit out.
The young woman looked from him to Maddie with wide eyes, and then whistled softly before walking away, shaking her head. Maddie dimly thought that she seemed very easy-going for a lover, but then Nicolás was clamping his hands on her arms. Angrily she pulled herself free again, feeling very raw after that too-vivid memory. She was vaguely aware of her dress slipping down over one shoulder as she pulled away, and saw Nicolás’s eyes go there for a split second before something hot flashed in the blue depths.
Maddie spoke in a rush to stop herself responding to that look—which she must have imagined. This man felt nothing for her except hatred, pure and simple. ‘I came to tell you that I’m back and I won’t be selling the Vasquez estate. Even if I was do you really think I’d sell to a de Rojas after all we’ve been through? I’d burn it to the ground first. I intend to restore the Vasquez estate to its full glory.’
Nicolás stood tall, and then he barked out an incredulous laugh, head thrown back, revealing the strong column of his throat. When he looked down again Maddie felt a weakness invading her lower body—and a disturbing heat.
He shook his head. ‘You must have done quite the number on your father before he died to get him to leave it to you. After you and your mother left and people heard of the affair, no one expected to see either of you back again. I think people would have expected him to leave it to a dog on the street rather than either one of you.’
Maddie’s hands clenched. Pain bloomed inside her to think of that awful time and how angry her father had been—justifiably so. She gritted out, ‘You have no idea what you’re talking about.’
It was as if he didn’t even hear her, though. He continued easily. ‘It was common knowledge your father didn’t have a peso to his name by the time he died. Is your mother’s Swiss financier husband financing this whim?’ His jaw tightened. ‘Or perhaps you’ve bagged yourself a rich husband? Did you find one in London? You were frequenting the right clubs the last time I saw you.’
Maddie’s insides burned with indignation. Her hands clenched even harder. ‘No, my mother is not financing anything. And I don’t have a rich husband, or boyfriend or lover. Not that it’s any concern of yours.’
Mock shock and disbelief crossed Nicolás’s face. ‘You mean to tell me that the spoiled Vasquez princess thinks she can waltz back home and turn a bankrupt wine estate around with no help or expertise? Is this your new hobby because the Cannes yacht parties were becoming boring?’
Maddie felt the red tide of rage rise within her. He had no idea how badly she’d fought to prove herself to her father —to prove that she could be as good as any man … as good as her poor dead brother. She’d never have that chance now, because he was dead too. And she would not let the legacy she’d been bequeathed die with her. She had to prove that she could do this. She would not let another man stand in her way as her father had.
Passion resonated in her voice. ‘That’s exactly what I’m saying, de Rojas. Stay out of my way and don’t expect a “For Sale” sign to go up—ever.’
Just as Maddie was backing away, wishing she wouldn’t have to present him with her naked back, he said chillingly, ‘I’ll give you two weeks until you run screaming out the door. You have no idea what it takes to run a successful wine business. You never worked a day in the vineyard while you were growing up. It’s been years since Vasquez produced a wine worth mentioning, and your father got carried away with his overpriced wines. You’re in over your head, Vasquez, and when you realise that it won’t matter what price tag you put on that sign because I’ll match it. Purely because I would relish knowing that your family is gone from here for good.’
Maddie hid the dart of hurt; he knew that she’d never worked a day in the vineyard because she’d told him once. It had been intimate information which would now be used against her.
He took a step closer and said chillingly, ‘So you see, eventually that estate will become part of the de Rojas brand … and by denying it you’re merely prolonging your own misery. Just think—within a week you could be back in London, sitting in the front row of a fashion show, with enough money to keep you satisfied for a long time. I’ll personally see to it that you have no cause to return here ever again.’
Maddie shook her head and tried to swallow the terrifying feeling of stepping off a ledge into the great unknown. She was hurt at the extent of this man’s hostility. It hurt more than it should, and that scared her to death.
She couldn’t help the emotional huskiness of her voice. ‘This is my home—just as much as it’s yours—and you will have to carry my dead body out before you get me to leave.’
Maddie was bitterly aware, despite her little assertion, that everything he said was right. Apart from his perception of what her life was like. Of that he had no idea, and she wasn’t about to enlighten him.
She backed away further and said, ‘Don’t come near my property, de Rojas … you or any of your people. You’re not welcome.’
He smiled mockingly. ‘I admire the act, Vasquez, and I look forward to seeing how long you can play the part.’
Maddie finally wrenched her gaze away from his and stalked off—but not before she almost stumbled in the too-big shoes. Gritting her teeth, she prayed silently all the way to the door that she would at least retain the dignity of not losing a shoe in front of the insufferably arrogant de Rojas and the gobsmacked crowd.
Maddie held her head high, and it was only when she finally reached her father’s battered Jeep in the car park and locked herself inside that shock hit her and she shook uncontrollably for long minutes.
The awful reality was that he was right—she was on a hiding to nothing, trying to make their estate work again. But she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to try. Her father had made long-overdue amends with