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CHAPTER ONE

EBONY-BLACK hair against a crisp linen pillow, brown skin against a blindingly white sheet, and tiger's eyes burning with blatant cruelty and triuery that had sprung into her mind, Jessica shuddered violently, dirip of severe shock

Abruptly, she was dredged from her turmoil by the insistent shrill of the telephone in the hall Reluctantly she answered the sue door behind her so that her father was not disturbed

‘Jessica?'

She froze, her stunningly beautiful face white as snoeen the silken wings of her silver-blonde hair Her breath caught in her throat in a strangled gasp The receiver dropped fro towards the floor

That voice, that truly unforgettable voice deep, dark and rich as golden honey He said her name as no one else had ever said it She hadn't heard hinition was instantaneous and terrifying Her throat closing over, she bent down to retrieve the phone

'I a between his even white teeth

Her own teeth clenched She wanted to reach down the telephone line and slap hi that alien surge of raw violent hatred which he alone invoked scared her rigid Her mouth went dry 'What do you want?'

'I'enerous mood,' he imparted with a

husky edge to his slow slightly accented drawl 'I'm pre

pared to offer you a'

Her fingers clenched like talons round the receiver 'Awhy?'

'Can it be that you haven't seen your father yet?' he murmured

She hite 'I've seen hi to add that Gerald Amory was still in the room next door

'Embezzlement is a very serious offence'

‘He had ga debts,' Jessica protested in a fe

verish undertone 'He panicked, he didn'tit ‘

'Euphee of mockery

'A to him,' Jessica reminded him with helpless bitterness

'But it doesn't now,' Carlo traded softly 'Now it belongs to me,’

Jessica's teeth gritted Six years ago, burdened by the deprofits, Gerald Amory had allowed Carlo to buy the family firm Duly reinstalled as chief executive, her father had seemed content and, with new equiph the parent conglo had thrived

Guilt stabbed like a knife into Jessica If it had not been for her, Carlo Saracini would never have come into their lives If it had not been for her the fired to her father If it had not been for her, Gerald Aes for embezzlement Nausea stirred in her sto so powerful, she could taste it

'Dad intended to repay the money if it hadn't have been for the audit, you wouldn't even have found out!' she said in desperation