At the Tycoon's Command by Shawna Delacourt

the verbal barb from his own brother? Had he told Terry that he was not welcome and he should leave right away? She had been angry with Jared just moments before Terry’s unannounced arrival. Now she didn’t know what to think.
    Terry shot an angry sidelong glance at Kim, then turned his back on her and lowered his voice, but not so low she couldn’t hear what he was saying. “We have some personal business to discuss and it can’t wait until you’ve fed Kim.”
    â€œYes, it can wait. Business can wait until business hours. I have some free time at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. You can stop by the office then.”
    Terry’s demanding and aggressive attitude softened a little. “But you don’t understand what the problem—”
    Jared’s voice turned hard and his manner abrupt. “I understand fully well what the problem is. I was just going over the contract that Tony Williams was kind enough to messenger to me this afternoon. The contract promising payment in thirty days. The contract you had no authority to sign. The contract that obligates Stevens Enterprises to pay a hundred thousand dollars for something the company will never see because it will immediately become another one of your toys. Does that convey a proper understanding of the problem? ”
    Terry nervously glanced at Kim again, then pulled Jared aside. “This is a matter that should be discussed in private, certainly not in front of a Donaldson.”
    â€œAs I told you, ten o’clock tomorrow morning.” Jared turned away from Terry, then glanced at him. “And be on time. I have a very busy schedule tomorrow.”
    Jared took Kim’s arm and escorted her from the foyer into the main part of the house, leaving Terry standing in the entryway. She wasn’t sure exactly what to say to Jared but knew she needed to say something. “Uh…back there when you told your brother—”
    He cut off her words before she could say anything else. The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable. “Terry is my half brother, not my brother. Terry is the result of daddy dearest’s second marriage…or perhaps it was his third marriage. I tend to lose track of the total number of women who have been Mrs. Ron Stevens.”
    He furrowed his brow in mock concentration for a moment. “No…it was his second wife. I think he had a total of six wives…of course, there could have been one or more wives prior to my mother that I’m not aware of. And thatdoesn’t count the mistresses in between and sometimes during the numerous marriages.”
    Jared’s manner quickly changed to a pleasant, upbeat attitude. “Now, before we were so rudely interrupted I believe you were trying to convince me—” the loud slamming of the front door announced Terry’s departure, but Jared didn’t stop walking or look toward the door “—that you have another engagement for this evening. I’m going to assume you meant for later this evening, something you needed to do after we have dinner.”
    She managed some barely audible words in response to Jared’s take-charge manner. “I suppose so.” She offered no resistance as he steered her through the house to the large gourmet kitchen. He had done it to her again, coerced her into something she had no intention of doing. Why did she end up caving in and letting Jared have his way? What happened to her determination to stand up to him? Why did her resolve seem to go into hiding whenever she was around him?
    Jared continued through the kitchen into the large utility room. He opened a door that led downstairs. “I’ll be right back with a bottle of wine.” A hint of a mischievous grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Lurch’s food is in the cupboard, and his food and water dishes are on the floor over there in the corner.” He disappeared down the stairs before