Read Bargain with the devil for Free Online

made such an attractive member of the family. If Hunter ever realized how little real revenge he was exacting…! Stacy shivered.
    „Yes,“ Hunter said, half to himself. „It’s what I want. Come along, Stacy Rylan, and let’s announce the news of our unexpected engagement!“ He flung an arm that felt far too possessive around her shoulders, striding toward the noise and laughter and lights of the party. Stacy had no option but to allow herself to be dragged along, wishing with all her heart that she wasn’t going to be obliged to face the elegant crowd dressed as she was, but knowing there was no point in asking Hunter to spare her. She could tell by the fierce determination that radiated from him that he had set himself on this new path and was going to follow it to the end. Her wishes would matter little to him, if at all.
    And it was every bit as bad as she had feared. It seemed that every eye in the room turned in astonishment at the sight of the tall dark man sweeping into their midst with the ragtag urchin clamped to his side. Stacy had all she could do to keep from breaking away and fleeing into the night, assuming she coukl have escaped the iron grip that had shifted from her shoulders to her waist. Without pausing, Hunter swept the crowd, spotted Eric at the far end of the room, where he stood talking to a group of business associates, and paced purposefully in that direction. The smiling, drinking crowd seemed to part before the pair, and Stacy refused to allow her growing dis-comfort to show. Few of these people knew her and were probably awfully curious about all this.

    „There you are, Eric,“ Hunter called out when he and Stacy were still several feet away. There was a ringing exuberance to his voice, which attracted the full attention of Eric’s entire group. „Been looking for you. Why didn’t you tell me Stacy was your sister? I fotmd her scurrying about on the back patio awhile ago and couldn’t believe my eyes!“
    Stacy managed a faint, apologetic smile for her sophisticated, good-looking brother as his Rylan blue eyes focused in astonishment on his sister.
    „Stacy! I didn’t know you were coming to the party tonight,“
    Eric said with a curious smile as he took in her disheveled appearance. „Why didn’t you say something earlier when you were helping Leana with the flowers?“
    „I, uh, didn’t intend to come, Eric,“ Stacy began uncertainly, aware of Hunter’s growing impatience to make his big announcement. „I left some of my tools behind and came back for them awhile ago – “
    „When I found her skulking around the back entrance,“ Hunter chimed in, taking over the explanation effortlessly. „Imagine my surprise when I found out the woman I’ve asked to marry me was related to you! I’d been assuming the coincidence of last names was just that; a coincidence.“ Hunter cast a deceptively fond glance down at Stacy, who firmly ignored it. She might have to play out this little scene, but she didn’t intend to completely submerge her pride in the process! Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a surprised-looking Leana making her way through the crowd.
    „I’m afraid I’m about two steps behind you,“ Eric exclaimed oheerfully, shaking his sandy-brown-haired head. „Care to backtrack and explain?“ The question was directed at Hunter, but the suddenly searching blue gaze was on Stacy. „What’s this about marriage?“
    „Stacy’s going to marry me,“ Hunter said with cool relish. „I finally got a yes out of her out there on the patio tonight. It’s taken some doing, I can assure you!“
    „I can imagine,“ Eric said quietly before turning to his circle of friends and politely excusing himself. „Come over here and tell me all about it. I must say, I’m a bit surprised. I had no idea you and Stacy even knew each other. Oh, hi, honey,“ Eric interrupted himself to greet his wife as she glided gracefully up to his side, her gaze on Hunter.