Bargain with the devil Read Online Free PDF

shouldn’t go around slapping her future husband!“
    Before Stacy could react, Hunter bent his head and took her lips in a strangely fierce possession. Stunned at the action, she found herself standing perfectly still as his mouth moved on hers, conveying his intent to claim her as surely as if he had written the words in stone and forced her to read them aloud. For a mindless instant in time she endured the bold, marauding exploration, and then the realization of what was happening flooded in and she began to struggle.
    „Let go of me!“ she ordered, twisting her head to one side and attempting with all her strength to free herself from his hold. She knew herself to be a strong woman, yet Hunter mastered her struggles as easily as if she were a small, defenseless thing like Leana.
    „Be still!“ he commanded, his voice a soft warning, in her ear.
    She felt his powerful hands twisting themselves into her hair in a grip that threatened pain if she continued to resist. „You’re going to be my wife,“ he reminded her grimly. „You might as well get used to acting the part! Or are you going to renege on our arrangement already? You can if you wish, Miss Rylan! It’s not too late, you see. It won’t take much effort at all to renew my association with Leana…!
    Are you Rylans all alike? Only willing to make deals as long as they’re in your favor?“
    „Stop it!“ she pleaded tightly, eyes squeezed shut against the reality of what he was saying. „I’m not backing out of this.“
    „Fine,“ he said triumphantly, his lips seeking the tip of her ear.
    „Then show me what I’m going to be getting out of this!“
    „The only thing I’m promising you is your revenge,“ Stacy whispered hoarsely. „The act of marrying me will provide you with that.
    You have no right to demand anything else of me!“
    „Are we back to discussing rights again? Be careful, Stacy dear, or I shall grow tired of your conversation.“
    „Perhaps that will persuade you to end the marriage quickly!“ she rallied, cruelly aware of his mouth hovering in the vicinity of her vulnerable ear.
    „The only thing it will persuade me to do is make certain we have a real marriage, so that I will have something else to amuse me in the event your conversation continues to bore me.“
    „Hunter, please…“
    „Stop fighting me, Stacy,“ he advised softly. „You’ve made your deal, so quit trying to modify it. Show me that you’re willing to go through with it. I want to see a bit of the new Manning family loyalty, which is going to replace the- old Rylan loyalty. Kiss me, Stacy.
    Who knows? Perhaps after you get used to it, you’ll find being my wife isn’t so bad. Hell, you might even learn to like it!“ With that, Hunter took her lips again, his hands still holding her in place for his kiss.
    There was nothing gentle or inviting about the caress, but this time, partly because of his words and partly because of his threateningly painful grasp on her hair, Stacy chose to endure it rather than continue struggling. It was better not to further antagonize him at this point, she consoled herself as she felt her lips forced apart and the soft warmth of her mouth opened for his possession. Later….
    „I would not have suspected a Rylan of having any softness in her,“ Hunter grated hoarsely, withdrawing slightly from the captured province of her mouth. Stacy opened her eyes to find the cold gray fog of his gaze reflecting a new and perhaps more dangerous element. A very male hunger stirred there, and she was horrified to discover something very female in her was both repelled and attracted by that look.
    „What’s the matter, Stacy Rylan? Are you finally lost for words?
    Are you reaching the conclusion that you may-have undertaken more than you could handle when you set out to protect the other members of the family?“
    „Hunter, I – “ Stacy couldn’t finish the sentence. Wordlessly she stared up at him. She must not let him have