Millionaire's Society Mistress (2 page)

Stuart had initially joked about her dream man

“That is why you rejected me….you are married or something” but stopped as he had seen her head shaking

“No…I don’t think so. Every time I dream this…I feel so sad…so hurt. Not the way you feel about somebody you love”

He had held her hand reassuringly “Your memories will come back Alanna wait and see. One day this will all make perfect sense to you.

In turn Alanna had been there for him, encouraging him to take tests to further his career, tests he had not felt confident to try before he had met her.

That morning she had waited nervously for Stuart, knowing that his exam had been that day. The results were instant, so she had paced the diner waiting for news, the suspense making her sigh as the older waitress had laughed.

“Relax Alanna…you are going to wear a hole in that floor if you don’t sit down. That boy is going to do just fine…you wait” Alanna throwing her a thankful smile.

By early afternoon the diner had grown busy with the lunchtime rush and soon she was run off her feet, always keeping one eye on the door.

As things had begun to slow down once more, Alanna busy with clearing tables Stuart had finally appeared. Dashing forward full of questions, his expression had been sad and downturned as he had moved over to the counter ordering a coffee from the other waitress, both women exchanging knowing looks as Alanna had placed a comforting arm on his shoulder.

“Never mind Stuart…next time, just you wait…you’ll get it next time”

With a deep sigh he had looked forlornly back at her

“No…I don’t think so Alanna I won’t be doing that again”

Looking back at him with features full of such concern and apology he had burst out laughing, moving to pull her high into his arms and swing her around “I aced it…I’m being promoted” Alanna giving a small squeal of both joy and annoyance.

“You…you …you had me so worried” she had cried, swiping playfully at him before throwing her arms around his neck laughing happily.

“Oh my God Stuart congratulations” The two hugging each other tightly as he had whispered softly in her ear “I would never have done it without you” Alanna feeling her eyes misting as she had pulled away from him smiling warmly.

“Well I better get back to work Mr big shot policeman” her eyes twinkling mischievously as grabbing a menu she had turned to serve the new customer whose entrance had been heralded by the small tinkling bell on the door.

Flipping around she had come face to face with the newcomer, the laughing smile on her beautiful face disappearing as he had held her look. Tall and devastatingly handsome, a small scowl had sat on his features as he had in a voice suddenly so familiar to her murmured

“Hello Fiona”

The menu sliding from her fingers as the room had shifted focus, swayed, fear and pain slamming into her as the memories from the past had flooded in.

“Craig”

A half sob half moan leaving her lips even as darkness had swished in to claim her, as she had pitched forward into blessed unconsciousness caught by a strong pair of arms, arms which had pulled her to him cradling her deep within them, her mind returning to six months previously.

Craig Thompson had sat in the opulent plush seat behind the grand elaborate wooden desk. He knew money when he saw it and this was the best kind – old money – establishment money.

His lip curling he had smiled, the smile full of satisfaction at his latest acquisition. For months he had crossed swords with the Campbells’ who had steadfastly refused to sell out to him.

He had offered them a good price, but they were “honourable” refusing to sell to him, to be taken over by an American with the ruthless reputation of stripping down companies before moulding them into the more modern companies he liked.

The Campbells’ however, had stood up to him, stood in his way and nobody but nobody did that. It had taken him over three months to purchase enough stock to attack with a hostile takeover and another three months before had had successfully merged the old household name into his large global empire.

Sitting back he had looked at the pictures on the walls, most worth a considerable amount of money he was sure, already knowing that he would leave the room as it was. A reminder of how a dinosaur had been felled by a leaner more streamlined adversary.

The noise and confusion from the outside had made him scowl; leaning forward as the door to the office had burst open and the young woman had strode purposefully forward her arm outstretched in accusation.

“You…you conniving cowardly thief” she had hurled angrily at him. Craig Thompson’s eyes opening wider at the woman before him

“How dare you just walk into my family home…how dare you”

Wearing riding jodhpurs with a shirt tucked neatly inside, black knee high boots completing the ensemble she stood rigidly before him. Her figure was stunning, showed off to its best in the tight fitting jodhpurs, her curves defying anybody to argue them as anything but perfect as her ample breasts had risen with the anger filling her.

All this he had taken-in in a fraction of a second, but it was her face that had really held him. That beautiful face he had admired for so long, her perfect porcelain complexion slightly reddened with the fury that held her, her large green eyes flashing with hatred within them. Like a wild panther this woman was both breathe-taking and deadly as she had held his look with contempt and real hatred.

“Well well Miss Campbell”

He had crooned softly, his knowing smile filing her with a murderous anger as she had snarled at him

“Get out of my brother’s chair….NOW!!”

Rising slowly he had moved around the desk to stand before her, a smile growing on his arrogant face.

“I think that you will find that it is not his anymore Miss Campbell” his soft voice full of satisfaction, as he had smugly grinned back at her.

“And I think that you will also find that this is no longer your family home”

He had not expected the whiplash smack as her hand had struck him on the cheek, the sound ricocheting off the walls, his eyes briefly showing surprise before cold anger had filled them, his voice harder as his eyes had bored into hers.

“Finally, our little ice-cube shows her real nature…and what a little hell cat she is”

Fiona Campbell had blinked in stunned shock. She had never before struck another person, and had seen as his cheek had glowed red where her hand had made contact, feeling shame not satisfaction at inflicting such a mark on another person, even if that person was the arrogant American.

She had understood what he meant as he had smirked down on her.

“For weeks I have been trying to get you to come out with me for a meal, a nice simple let’s get to know each other meal. But you have treated me as though I was something beneath you. That icy exterior of yours goes deep…but finally it turns out that you are not such an ice maiden after all”

Glaring back at him the green of her eyes full of loathing she had bitten out through tightly clenched teeth

“You are scum. I would never be in the company of a bottom feeder like you”.

His humorless laugh had caused her hands to clench tighter into balls as he had moved even closer

“And yet here you are” his tone full of sarcasm “Not such a bottom feeder when you want something am I?”

“The only thing I want from you…is you out of my brother’s office and out of my home”

With a voice full of self satisfied humour he had smiled evilly, every hair follicle on Fiona’s head rising.

“Well princess I have news for you…this is not your brother’s office any more. Nor is it his Company, or his home. In fact he now works for me” His dark eyes flashing brightly with victory.

“And I guess so do you” his eyes trailing lecherously down her, as Fiona had gasped.

“So what role would you be best filling in the new corporate structure?” the innuendo in his voice so obvious. This time as her hand had flown to his face, he had caught her wrist, easily twisting it behind her back hauling her hard up against him, Fiona gasping as she had tried to twist away from him, the shooting pain running up her arm causing the fight to leave her as she had remained still in his hold. He had looked down at the woman in his arms, the strongest sensation of lust filling him as he had ran his nose along her cheek breathing in the smell of her.

“You don’t get a second chance Fiona…ever”

His arm pulling her in even tighter against him as his mouth had dropped to her, his kiss hard and demanding. Fiona had pushed against him with her free hand, her whole body writhing within his hold as she had sought to escape. With as little warning as his kiss had began he had released her, pushing her from him as she had stood shaken and trembling her breasts rising and falling as she had panted, her eyes confused as her hand had wiped all trace of him from her mouth.

“You animal…” she had snarled, her voice holding a quiver that had not been there before as she had glared vehemently at him “H…how dare you”

Stepping further back from her he had once more stepped behind the desk before sitting on the chair, needing to move to not allow her to see the way the kiss had affected him, his whole body still buzzing from just that one touch, anger filling him at the way he wanted this woman. This woman who had treated him with such disdain.

“Bored now” his voice had drawled, while his eyes had continued to hold her with a keenness that defied his tone, both regarding each other warily for several seconds.

“What are you going to do?”

Fiona had finally broken the silence, her voice sounding less sure, the anger still deep as he had shrugged.

“As I told your brother I was not interested in his company for the usual reasons. I wanted a foothold into a very specific niche market”.

Another smirk on his handsome features “Your world…the world of aristocracy and royalty”.

Scowling, Fiona had regarded him contemplatively.

“Are you telling me that you don’t intend changing anything?”

Her voice full of disbelief as he had shrugged again

“No…I said I did not intend changing the Company. However, the corporate set up…that is different”

Fiona had moved forward her eyes narrowing

“This company IS my brother…do not make the mistake of believing otherwise. Without him this Company is just a shell….It was started by the Campbells and has had a Campbell at its head ever since. Nobody will accept anything less”.

Giving yet another annoying smile he had inclined his head

“That may be so…but I’m sure that I can find some acceptable blue blood pauper puppet, even one with the name Campbell, who will be a lot easier to handle than your brother”.

Slamming the flats of her palms onto the shining surface of the oak desk she had glared at the American, her distaste for him oozing from every pore.

“That would be a mistake. These aristocrats and royalty you sneer at like what they are used to…and they are used to my family at the head of the Company. Let me tell you something Mr Thompson. If you replace my brother then we WILL start up again. It might take us a few years but we know what we are doing and believe me our customer base is loyal to us”

For several taut seconds the two had regarded each other, her look smouldering with seething anger, his contemplative. Finally he had once more sat forward, his words carefully chosen and slow.

“There may be some truth in what you say. I certainly seem to be having problems getting the ‘right people’ to talk to me, maybe because of my dispute with you and your brother”.

Once more letting his look move down her, this time full of a thoughtfulness s she did not understand.

“Your family are certainly mainstays of this establishment”.

Frowning, her voice had been wary “Are you saying that you are going to leave my brother in charge?”

Craig’s smile once more filing his handsome features “And how would that look Miss Campbell? Our rivalry is not exactly a secret”

Fiona once more frowning as he had ran a finger along his lip thoughtfully watching her, she scowling softly.

“To sell that story there would have to be one hell of a compelling reason for us to be seen as in a position to work together”

Fiona had remained silent allowing him to think, knowing that somehow things had changed. She had come to see him to let him know what she thought of him. She had known that he would throw them onto the street the first change he got, this her only opportunity to vent her anger before he once more moved back to the US.

“There might be one reason” his eyes fixing her steadily. Frowning she had muttered

“What?” her expression wary as so calmly he had dropped his bombshell

“If people thought you were my mistress”

Fiona had gasped loudly, her body stiffening in indignation.

“Never…I would never be your mistress” she had bitten out, angry eyes glaring accusingly at him, as he had given a deep laugh.

“Calm down princess…I said thought”

Fiona’s eyes narrowing

“I want into the circles you travel in, and having you by my side will open doors that I seem completely unable to kick down”

Frowning she had clamped her mouth shut, her eyes showing the battle raging within her

“So you are talking about a business arrangement. Not…”

Her hands had flapped nervously as he had once more laughed

“Miss Campbell, as lovely as you are your main value to me is based on your contacts. I have no interest in taking an unwilling woman to bed, and from just one moment ago….you seem unwilling”.

She had flushed hotly, her legs wanting to turn and flee from the room that she had so recently and so spectacularly entered. She was not prepared to admit either to herself or him the way his kiss had brought chaos to her body, still feeling the way his body had felt against hers knowing how close she had been to returning that kiss, a hot flush rising to her cheeks, reminding herself once more in whose arms she had been.

Her mind had flown to the phone call she had received as she had ridden her horse, her brother’s voice so dead, flat and cold “It’s over Fiona…he won”