Read Bargain with the devil for Free Online Page B

budging.
    „What could there possibly be for us to discuss? I thought you had everything completely settled. Why bother to talk over the details with me? I’m just the pawn in this stupid little game of yours!“
    Hunter raised an eyebrow at that, giving her his full attention at last. „I appear to be.gaining a somewhat sarcastic-tongued female,“
    he remarked, ceasing his efforts to urge her into the car in favor of bending over her in a warning fashion, „It seems I’m going to have to instruct my ‘pawn’ in a few of the basic rules governing our relationship. There’s no better time to begin than the present. Get into the car, Stacy Rylan, or I will put you there. Understood?“
    Stacy held her ground, stubbornly refusing to budge. „You’re the one who seems incapable of understanding things! All I want is to drive my own car home. I’ll need it for work in the morning. Is that too much to ask? Good grief! If you’re so anxious to talk to me, you can follow me home and we can talk there!“
    There was a fractional hesitation on Hunter’s part, and Stacy had the distinct impression he was seriously wondering whether he dared give in to her on even such a tiny matter.
    „What’s wrong?“ she demanded bitterly. „Are you afraid I’ll get the notion you’re weak just because you display a bit of reasonableness?“
    A very feral grin slashed across Hunter’s hard face, and the gray eyes laughed wickedly down at her sober, rebellious expression.
    „The one thing I would never allow myself to be with a Rylan is weak,“ he assured her blandly. „And for your own sake, I trust you’ll never make the mistake of confusing reasonableness with weakness!
    But, yes, I can be reasonable at times. Where is this precious vehicle of yours?“ He glanced vaguely around at the cars parked along the curb.
    „Over there.“ Stacy nodded her head toward the opposite curb.
    „The panel van?“ Hunter asked in surprise.
    „Yes.“
    „Not quite what I would expect a spoiled daughter of the Rylan clan to be driving,“ he commented, shutting the door to his own car and taking Stacy’s arm in a forcible grip.
    „But, then, you really don’t know very much about me at all, do you?“ Stacy retorted acidly as he started them across the street.
    He laughed wickedly at that, his head tilting in the light of a streetlamp, causing the silver streak of hair to gleam for an instant. „I know enough, little Rylan. You’ve got the Rylan pride, and you’re vulnerable. What more do I need to know?“ There was a taunting, baiting quality in his words that made Stacy glance warily at him out of the corner of her eye.
    „You think that’s sufficient to want to marry me?“ she said, coming to a halt on the driver’s side of the van. She glared up at him in the pale light, her brows drawing together in a heavy frown.
    „Quite sufficient, thank you,“ he mocked, reaching out to open the door behind her. „I’m sure it will be much more interesting using you to further my goals than it would have been using your sister-in-law. I should thank you for taking the initiative back there on the patio and introducing yourself! With you, at least, there will be some challenge involved in this affair!“
    „Speaking of which,“ Stacy pounced, making another effort to mitigate her bargain, „why don’t you reconsider my first offer? Surely the pretense of an affair with me will achieve your goal. I can’t see that marrying me will accomplish much more.“
    „That’s because you don’t appreciate the subtle difference between an affair and marriage,“ he retorted silkily. „But I believe your father will! Only with marriage can I make you a Manning.“
    „You’d tie us both down like that just for the sake of revenge?“

    she whispered helplessly, searching the hardness of his face and knowing she was arguing uselessly. Still, she had to try. Marriage to this man was a totally unnerving prospect.
    „I’d tie you down,“