When the Devil Drives Read Online Free PDF

hear any more. Her mind was reeling, blanking out
    with sheer incredulity. Simon gambling, she thought with horror.
    Losing thousands he didn't possess and couldn't repay. What in the
    world could possibly have started him on such a course to disaster?
    As if, she thought, I didn't know.
    She lifted her head and stared at their enemy. Steadying her voice, she
    asked, 'What good reason?'
    'I promised I'd give him time, so he assumed he was safe.'
    'And what made you change your mind?'
    'You did,' he said softly. 'You came home again, Joanna. And that
    altered everything.'
    'I fail to see why.' Her tone was defiant, but alarm bells were sounding
    all over her nervous system.
    He smiled at her. 'Oh, no, beauty, you haven't that poor a memory.
    You put yourself temporarily out of reach when you married Martin
    Bentham, but that's all. And that's over. Yoti knew it the day of the
    poor bastard's funeral. Was that why you fled to the States?'
    She drew a sharp, painful breath. 'How dare you?'
    'I dare quite easily,' he said. 'After all, I've waited longer for you than
    for anything else in my life, Joanna, and, frankly, I'm beginning to run
    out of patience.'
    'How unfortunate for you.' She invested her voice with all the scorn
    she could muster. 'But I'm afraid you're destined to go on waiting for
    a very long time. For eternity, in fact.'
    Cal shook his head. 'No, sweetheart. You're not thinking clearly.' He
    pointed to the IOUs on the table between them. 'As you so rightly
    said, these should have remained a private matter between Simon and
    myself. But in a war you use whatever weapons are available, if you
    want to win. And I intend nothing less than total victory.'
    Joanna's hands clenched into fists. 'I'll see you in hell --'
    'And we'll both see your brother in the bankruptcy court,' he
    interrupted harshly. 'I'll do it if I have to, Joanna, and there isn't a soul
    in the world who would blame me. He's behaved like a incompetent
    in his business life, and a reckless fool privately. He should be
    stopped sharply and permanently before he drags himself, and
    everyone involved with him, any deeper into the mire.'
    He paused. 'On the other hand, the threat of it may be enough to shock
    him to his senses, and impending fatherhood may keep him there.'
    'What do you care?' she asked bitterly. 'You helped push him into this
    mess. You've used him and manipulated him all along the line for
    your own disgusting purposes...'
    His mouth twisted. 'Have I? Then the more fool Simon for letting me,
    wouldn't you say?'
    'He's no match for you—he never was. He didn't realise what he was
    getting into.'
    Cal tutted. 'You mean you didn't try to warn him? How very remiss of
    you!'
    'Of course I tried,' she said with angry weariness. 'But he wouldn't
    listen, and it was too late anyway. He'd already handed the Craft
    Company to you on a platter, the naive, trusting idiot. He thought
    your offer of help meant that the feud between us was over.'
    'And so it will be soon,' he said softly. 'Every wrong righted, every
    debt paid in full. The wheel come full circle. A very satisfying state of
    affairs.'
    'You're unbelievable!' Her voice shook. 'How can these old quarrels
    still matter after all this time?'
    He smiled. 'My grandfather always said revenge was a dish best eaten
    cold.'
    'I find that a nauseating idea.'
    'Is that going to be your new refuge—self- righteousness?' He
    sounded amused. 'It won't cut any ice with me.'
    'I'm sure it won't.' She put up a hand in a revealingly nervous gesture,
    and smoothed her hair back over her ear. 'I suppose you're here to
    discuss your terms. I can't say when Simon will be available --'
    'He doesn't need to be.' The grey eyes glinted up at her. 'As you're
    already well aware, the settlement I have in mind involves just the
    two of us—you and me. And I suggest, once again, that you sit down.'
    She said thickly, 'I prefer to stand. Say what you have to say, and go.'
    He shrugged, and rose to his feet in