A ruthless man.
Just like her father, she reminded herself.
Of course, her father didn’t look too ruthless when she stood beside his hospital bed, his hand engulfing hers and a tear slipping down his cheek. Her eyes misted over and she leaned forward to kiss him, but ended up burying her face against his neck, careful not to cause him pain. For a split second all her hurt melted like candle wax. This was her father. And she was his little girl again.
“Gabrielle,” his shaky voice rumbled in her ears, and she swallowed hard. It had been so long since she’d heard him say her name so lovingly. Too long.
“Oh, Russell, our baby girl’s all grown-up now,” Gabrielle heard her mother say. It startled her to hear her parents actually talking civilly to each other for a change.
“Yes,” he said gruffly, and squeezed her hand again as if he never wanted to let her go.
Gabrielle took a deep breath and straightened, blinking back tears. Then her gaze fell on Damien and all at once her heart flipped over at the touch of tenderness in the back of those green eyes.
For her.
But Damien tender? Common sense told her that if he did feel any softening toward her, it was because he wanted something from her. She flinched inwardly. Oh, he wanted something all right.
Marriage.
“Sorry,” her father mumbled, pulling her thoughts away from her problems with Damien.
“Dad, shh. We’ll talk when you’re better.” Though what she’d say to him, she wasn’t sure. Deep down there was still hurt and anger over all that had happened. She couldn’t dismiss those feelings easily.
“Sleepy,” her father murmured, shutting his eyes.
She kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep then, Dad. I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said softly, sure he was asleep before she’d even finished speaking.
Her mother’s eyes filled with gratitude. “He’ll recover well just knowing you’re here.”
“I’m glad,” Gabrielle said, unable to prevent herself from still sounding wooden, then felt guilty for the tiny wince her mother tried to hide.
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow,” Caroline said, forcing a friendly tone. “The doctors don’t want him over-doing things.”
“Of course.”
After that they said their goodbyes but once in the car, Damien turned toward her, his eyes piercing. “Your father’s still got a long way to go.”
Gabrielle grimaced. “You don’t have to remind me.”
“Yes, I do. You seem to think if you ignore everything, then it will just sort itself out.”
“Maybe it will,” she said coolly.
“And maybe it won’t,” he snapped. “When your father struggles through all this to get better and finally comes home to find out his company has been decimated, will you tell him why there’s nothing left? Or will you be back in Sydney and won’t give a damn?”
She drew herself up straighter in the passenger seat. “Have you finished?”
“No I bloody well haven’t.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “God, you’re so like my father it isn’t funny. The two of you could be twins.”
A pulse began to beat in his cheekbone. “What are you talking about?”
Her heart squeezed tight. “You like things your own way, Damien. I won’t marry you. I would end up a doormat who occasionally got taken out on special occasions. Just like my mother.”
“No,” he growled.
“You desire me, but once you get bored with me you’ll move on to some other woman, and a marriage license won’t stop you.” She lifted her head high. “I want something better for myself than what my mother had with my father, and if I can’t have a warm, loving marriage, then I don’t want a poor imitation of one.”
He went very still. “You don’t know what I feel for you,” he rasped.
“Exactly.” She’d always known when he wanted her, but that hadn’t been about his feelings. He’d kept his real feelings from showing.
“We’ll talk later.” He turned away and started the engine. “Let’s get something to eat. It’s way past lunch-time,” he said, confirming what she’d just said about ignoring any feelings. “Then I need to go to my office for an hour or two.”
She hadn’t eaten a thing all day and she wasn’t sure she could. Her appetite seemed to have disappeared. “I’d prefer to go talk to Keiran again.”
His mouth tightened. “Best leave Keiran to think over things for the rest of the day. Otherwise we’re going to antagonize him more, and right now that’s probably not a good thing. I’ll give James a call after we eat. He can keep an eye on things until tomorrow.”
“Fine.” She knew what he said made sense. But tomorrow, whether Keiran liked it or not…whether Damien liked it or not…she was going to take charge and damn the consequences.
Back at the apartment, while she made ham sandwiches for a late lunch, Damien got on the phone and arranged for a rental car for her use. Then they sat on the balcony and ate lunch.
“By the way,” Damien said after a few minutes silence. “I have a dinner to attend tonight. I want you to come with me.”
She placed her half-eaten sandwich back on her plate, a little hurt by his insensitivity. “Thanks but I’ll pass. I don’t feel like seeing people when my father’s sick in hospital.”
“It’ll do you good to get out.”
Her lips twisted in a grimace. “The last thing I feel like doing is attending some business dinner with a bunch of strangers.”
“This isn’t a business dinner. It’s with friends.”
She gave a choked laugh. “I didn’t know you had any friends. Except women friends, of course.”
He arched a brow. “You sound jealous.”
“Only of their ability to put up with your delightful company,” she said sweetly, ignoring the fact that he looked so handsome sitting there with the sun’s shadow on his lean face.
He tilted his dark head, a slight smile on his lips. “Our marriage is going to be very interesting.”
She stabbed him with a glare. “I am not marrying you, Damien.”
The smile left his mouth. His gaze became shuttered. “Tonight’s a good time to introduce you to them.”
She felt as if she was going round and round in circles. “Damien, I—”
“Be ready by seven,” he said, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet.
She looked up at him, suddenly tired of fighting him, knowing he wasn’t about to give up. He’d probably even try to dress her himself if she wasn’t ready. “Okay, fine. I’ll go. But they’re all probably a bunch of boring suits, anyway.”
His eyes narrowed. “You might be surprised.”
“About you? Never. I know the sort of man you are and the sort of friends you’ll have.”
A muscle began jumping in his cheek. “I’m glad you think you know me,” he snapped, then strode back inside the apartment.
A few moments later she heard the front door close in a quiet, controlled manner. In a way she wished he’d slammed it instead.
A couple of hours later they drove up to a luxurious mansion along the waterfront at Cullen Bay. Gabrielle, dressed in a silky blue dress that had received an approving look from Damien, was proven right about his friends.
Yet wrong.
The house obviously belonged to moneyed people, but when she stepped inside the front door it was to find one other couple besides their hosts and a warm greeting that softened the hardness around her heart and made her feel very welcome. They were all very different from what she’d expected. And that added an insight into the man beside her that she would never have seen otherwise.
Danielle and Flynn Donovan owned the house, and Kia and Brant Matthews were obviously close friends and frequent visitors. The women were gorgeous and friendly, the two men handsome and suave, but with a slight reserve that told Gabrielle they were the same breed as Damien. They didn’t let down their guard easily.
Dinner was quite a lighthearted affair in a magnificent dining room that really showed off the house to perfection.
“This is such a lovely room,” Gabrielle said to Danielle once they’d finished the first course and there was a lull in the conversation.
Danielle flushed, looking pleased. “Thank you. That’s really nice of you to say so.”
Something occurred to Gabrielle and her eyes widened. “I’ve just realized. You were the one who did Damien’s apartment, weren’t you?”
Danielle nodded with pleasure, though Gabrielle mentally acknowledged the mention of her knowing Damien’s apartment had been noted by all of them.
“My wife is quite the decorator,” Flynn said, sending his wife a loving look. It was a look that Gabrielle herself had hoped to receive one day from the man she loved.
At the thought, her gaze slid to Damien opposite her, and saw him watching her through half-closed lids. She wondered if Damien would ever be as relaxed as the men around their wives. He’d always seemed so alone.
Appearing nonchalant, she reached for her wineglass and took a sip, but her thoughts were far from casual. Damien had never sent her a loving look like the one Flynn had given his wife. Lustful yes, but not a warm look filled with respect.
Not that it mattered. She didn’t plan on falling in love again. Nor did she plan on marrying for a long time to come, despite what Damien said. For the moment she was just going to be one of those women whose dreams of being swept off her feet were just that—dreams.
“Gabrielle Kane?” the other woman, Kia, said with a slight frown on her beautiful forehead. “Your name seems familiar. Are you from Darwin?”
Gabrielle darted a look at Damien, but Kia’s husband, Brant, pulled her gaze to him instead. “You’re Russell Kane’s daughter, aren’t you?” he said, a curious gleam in his eyes that made her wonder what he knew about her. “You’ve been living interstate for the last couple of years.”
She moistened her suddenly dry lips. “Yes, I have.”
“Oh, that’s right. Your father recently had a stroke,” Kia said sympathetically. “I remember reading it in the newspapers now. I’m so sorry, Gabrielle. How is he?”
Gabrielle inclined her head in gratitude. “Thank you.” Her voice broke a little, so she cleared her throat. “He’s heavily sedated at the moment.”
“But we’re hoping he’ll soon be on the mend,” Damien added, his voice losing that steely edge, surprising Gabrielle, making her feel less alone in her fears.
“I’m so glad,” Kia said with sincerity. She paused, her eyes a little surprised. “You know, Gabrielle. You’re not like we expected.”
Gabrielle grew a little wary, but wasn’t sure why. “I’m not?”
Kia’s lips curved into a smile. “You’re much nicer.” The other woman sent Damien an approving look. “I’m really glad Damien brought you here tonight.”