Fatal Wild Child Read Online Free PDF

number. He didn't wear dog tags so that he could maintain a civilian appearance outside of operational status.
    "I haven't quite made the point I intended to make," Sherborne said in his precise manner.
    Seth drew another breath, building endorphins, recovering. "And that was?" he said politely.
    "If there's anyone in the world that can take care of my daughter, it's you. You've amply demonstrated that fact just today."
    "Gabrielle has demonstrated for the last few years that she's doing a fine job of taking care of herself," Seth pointed out.
    Sherborne smiled sourly. "Perhaps. The long term polls aren't in on that yet and I don't want to wait for the results." He stood up. "I can make arrangements tonight, Captain O'Connor, to wire one million U.S. dollars into any bank account you care to name. All you have to do is marry my daughter."
    * * * * *
     
    Gabrielle pulled her hand back from the door as if it had suddenly turned into molten steel. Had she just heard her father say what she thought he'd just said?
    She froze outside his study, her heart thundering. Please let me have misheard , she begged the heavens.
    She clutched her hand to her chest and her other hand over her mouth, afraid that she might give her presence away with her breath, or her heartbeat, which was thudding in her ears, and must surely be loud enough to be heard in the next room.
    "I'm sorry?" Seth said inside the study, as if he, too, had misheard. But his tone was flat. He had heard well enough. He was giving her father a chance to recant. To reconsider his offer.
    So Gabrielle knew she had heard it properly, too. Her father really had offered Seth a million dollars to marry her. She closed her eyes, as humiliation and fury battled each other in her gut, and she wondered whether to bust into the study and confront them, or just slink away and hide her head in shame. Did she really want to look Seth in the eye after this?
    Instead, she turned and rested her back against the wall next to the door of the study and shamelessly eavesdropped. The family room was empty because everyone was waiting in the other den for her father to finish his business so they could start the movie. She wouldn't be interrupted unless Darlene came back.
    "One million dollars is not a buy off," her father explained evenly. "It's not even intended to be an inducement. Consider it an investment start up, if you like. I know what they pay captains in the Canadian army and in this family, an afternoon's shopping trip would set you back six month's salary."
    "Now you really are insulting me," Seth said, his tone angry.
    "I'm asking you to marry my daughter. Where is the insult?"
    "You should ask Gabrielle that question."
    "You find my daughter objectionable to look at?" her father pressed.
    "I'm leaving now."
    The door opened further. Gabrielle slid quickly along the wall, away from the door.
    Seth stepped out of the door.
    "My offer still stands," her father called after him.
    Seth turned back to face him. Cold anger flickered in his eyes and his jaw was flexed. "It can stand until the earth stops revolving. Your million dollars is quite safe."
    Then Seth's gaze shifted to the side and found her. His chest lifted, as if he drew a sharp breath. "Gabrielle," he said softly.
    Darlene stepped around him. "Mr. O'Connor?" She was holding a coffee cup in one hand and had a bunch of files tucked under her other arm.
    "I'm done here," Seth said, taking the coffee cup from her. "I believe Mr. Sherborne will see you now." He opened the door for Darlene, ushered her in and shut it behind her. Then he dumped the coffee cup on the side table that stood next to the study door and moved quickly to stand in front of Gabrielle.
    "You heard," he said simply.
    She nodded. She could see the anger in his eyes, still. "It could have been worse," she said softly. "What if he'd dangled ten or fifteen million instead of a paltry one million? How much harder would you have found it to walk away from