Dante's Marriage Pact by Day Leclaire Page A

position, business-wise.”
    â€œIt is logical,” Primo agreed.
    â€œIf we don’t nail the Charleston woman to an ironclad contract, she’ll screw us over,” Sev stated. “She’ll play her game until it bores her and then sell elsewhere.”
    Primo sighed wearily. “I am forced to admit, it would be in keeping with her nature.”
    â€œThen we agree to lease her mines?”
    Lazz shook his head. “We agree to examine the stones and insist on our own survey of the mines. We investigate the offer top-to-bottom and then push for the best possible terms.”
    Sev grimaced. “I suspect the best possible is going to be damn poor.”
    Draco didn’t disagree. “So, we take it one step at a time and see if we can’t figure out a way to beat the Charleston woman at her own game.”
    â€œAnd what about Shayla?” Primo’s question dropped like a boulder onto a mirror-calm lake, sending out huge, disruptive waves. He studied the tip of his glowing cigar. “Iam forced to wonder…what is her purpose in all this? Letty has always blamed us for the death of her son. Does the granddaughter also blame us? Does Shayla have the same thirst for vengeance as her grandmother?”
    Draco turned on his grandfather. “Are we responsible for her father’s death?”
    Primo shook his head. “No more than we are responsible for the depletion of the Charleston mines. But there is much you do not know, much I can explain at a more appropriate time.” He flicked ash from his cigar toward an ashtray. “But that does not mean that Shayla does not blame, that she has not been taught to blame. We must give serious consideration to her role in this chess match.”
    â€œShayla’s role is quite simple. She’s mine.” The words escaped before Draco could control them. But he meant every one of them. “She has nothing to do with this.”
    â€œShe has everything to do with this,” Lazz insisted. “She’s the one who approached us, not Leticia. How do you know she didn’t seduce you as part of her grandmother’s plan?”
    Primo grimaced. “This troubles me, as well. Though my instinct says Shayla is a good person, we do not yet know her nature well enough to judge whether she hides a thirst for revenge behind the congenial mask she wears.”
    Draco literally saw red, the heat of it blurring the edges of his vision. It took every ounce of self-control to keep from vaulting across the table and decking someone. “She isn’t hiding behind a mask,” he rasped out in reply. “She’s not like that.”
    â€œYou’ve only known her one night!” Lazz snapped.
    Draco held out his hand, palm up. “We were chosen for each other.”
    Sev interrupted, stemming Lazz’s simmering retort. “We have to consider every possibility, Draco. Surely you must see that? From what Primo has said, I wouldn’t put anything pastLeticia Charleston. Until we see how this plays out, Shayla is suspect. At the very least it puts the two of you on opposite sides of an intensely adversarial business deal.”
    â€œThen we’ll keep business separate from our personal relationship,” Draco shot back.
    â€œI’ve been there with Francesca and, trust me, it wasn’t pretty,” his cousin replied, referring to his own experiences when he and his wife first met. “My situation was bad enough. What you’re dealing with will be far worse.”
    Draco shrugged. “So I’ll deal.”
    â€œAnd if we have to take the Charlestons down?” Lazz asked. “How will Shayla react to that? For that matter, how will you?”
    Draco didn’t hesitate. “You know my first loyalty is to my family. When Shayla becomes my wife, her loyalty will be to me, which means to the Dantes.”
    Lazz snorted, and he and Sev exchanged ironic glances. “You