Victoria Parker – Princess in the Iron Mask (страница 9)

‘Whoa—wait a minute,’ she said, veering round the front bonnet, sloshing in puddles. Freezing water seeped into her shoes, while the rain lashed down to drench her hair and pummel her skin. Vision blurring, she pushed her glasses on top of her head, visor-like. ‘Where I live has nothing to do with you.’ By the time she’d caught up to him he was pacing back and forth on the walkway in his usual caged predator manner. ‘You barge into my life and proceed to conduct some sort of military operation. And now you’re going on like an interfering, dictatorial knave!’

Suddenly he stopped and turned on his heels to face her. ‘Do you have an aversion to authority, Claudia? Is that what this is? You don’t like being told what to do?’

The grey silken weave of his sartorial suit darkened to almost black as huge rain droplets seeped through his clothing. His over-long hair was already dripping, plastered to his smooth forehead and the high slash of his cheekbones. And—oh, my—the sight of him, wet and dishevelled, flooded her core with heat. Like this he was far more powerful and dangerous to her equilibrium. He looked roguish, gloriously untamed.

Her heart thumping so hard she could hear her pulse echo in her ears, she had to scroll back to remember what he’d said. Oh, yeah. The brute.

‘No, actually, I don’t. Do you think it’s right to force someone against their every wish? To blackmail in order to do your job?’ Something dark flashed in his eyes but she was too far gone to care. ‘And because I dare to put up some sort of fight you deem me selfish and irresponsible. Do you have any feelings?’

‘I am not paid to feel,’ he ground out, taking a step closer towards her.

‘It’s a good job, ’cos you’d be broke,’ she replied, taking a step back.

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. ‘You are the most provoking woman I have ever met.’

A mere two feet away, Claudia could feel the heat radiating from his broad torso. Oh, God, she had to get away from him before she did something seriously stupid. Like smooth her hands up his soaked shirt. ‘You know what, Lucas? You can sleep in your posh car for all I care. Frankly, I’ve been more comfortable on the 271 bus from Highgate. I’m staying here.’

Before he could say another word she bolted sideways. Only to be blocked by a one-arm barricade.

‘Over my dead body,’ he growled, corralling her back towards the car.

‘That could be arranged,’ she said, suddenly breathless.

Rain poured down her face, her throat, to trickle down the inside of her collar. That was why she shuddered so hard. It had nothing to do with the fact that Lucas was inching towards her with lethal intent.

‘You are coming with me. From now on I am in charge.’

‘Well, you can just rid yourself of that illusion. You’ll never be in charge of me!’

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