purposeful or seductively thrilling?
‘The strength of my dedication is unimaginable, Mr Garcia,’ she said softly, her hand plunging to her side.
Because suddenly, like the instant flare of a Bunsen, it occurred to her that he couldn’t possibly understand her avoidance of going home. Your selfishness is astounding. In his opinion she was being awkward and highly unreasonable. Having no idea why the notion weighed so heavy on her heart, she wanted to explain. Would she see pity in his beautifully fierce gaze or scorn because she’d yet to overcome the lingering effects?
‘That is quite understandable in the circumstances,’ he said, with a cool sincerity that snuffed out her burning desire to elucidate.
Was he saying he already knew?
‘This condition that you study?’ he went on. ‘JDMS?’
‘Juvenile Dermatomyosytis. I’m surprised you’ve heard of it. It’s not a particularly common affliction.’ Hence it was a constant fight to keep money rolling her way. Fingers of suspicion stroked her throat, curling like a noose around her neck. ‘Did my parents tell you?’
‘No.’
One word—sharp as a scalpel and just as ominous.
Claudia frowned. Was he deliberately being evasive?
Having reached the far corner, Lucas unclasped his hands and began to swivel on his heels. Before he made the full turn she braced her weight against the edge of the desk, clenched her fists, determined not to fidget and calling upon years of practice in the art of facial indifference.
Despite all her efforts her eyes still flared at the indomitable calculating expression on his face.
‘Like you, I take my position seriously, Claudia. I would not be doing my job correctly if I stumbled into a situation without all the relevant facts to hand.’
Meaning he’d pulled her files. Not full medical—he wouldn’t have had the authority—so his information would be brief. ‘So you understand my reasons?’
‘I understand perfectly,’ he said, his voice weighted with dark power.
A sinking sensation tugged at her limbs and she pushed her spine into the blunt edge of the bench.
‘What I cannot comprehend is your reluctance to travel home. As far as I can tell, you are using your job as a convenient excuse. Luckily I had been forewarned of any possible obstacles.’
Panic pounded at her heart and Claudia bit her inner cheek to prevent an untimely sniping retort.
‘With that in mind,’ he continued, ‘my first port of call this morning was with your manager. A Mr Ryan Tate.’
Her stomach lurched so violently her wheat-bran flakes threatened to reappear. But that didn’t stop her brain firing synapses faster than the speed of light.
‘That’s how you gained access to this floor,’ she whispered.
‘Correct.’
‘How dare you …?’ Her voice cracked, failing her miserably. ‘How dare you intrude on my life this way? What was discussed at this meeting?’
Lucas flexed his neck, his unease a palpable thing, but Claudia was far too busy stemming hysteria to take comfort from the sight.
‘I enquired if you were free to take annual leave,’ he said. ‘The answer was yes.’
Oh …
‘I asked him if there was anything standing in the way of your returning home immediately. The answer was yes. You have five days to secure additional funding before the work on your project is terminated.’
My …
‘I questioned if there was anything I could do to relieve the time pressure and pave the way for your return home. The answer was yes.’
God.
She’d underestimated him. Badly.
Directing her voice to match the cool detachment in his face, she said, ‘When you arrived I asked if you were here in connection with the budget meeting. While you didn’t lie outright, you deliberately withheld facts which would have a profound effect on me. Why?’
‘I had hoped we would come to an understanding without the need for—’
‘Blackmail? Coercion?’ she cried, her entire body trembling with panic and frustration.
Forget cool detachment. He was icily cruel—from his glacial blue stare to the hard line of his mouth.
‘This is not personal, Claudia.’
‘You’ve just made it personal, Lucas!’ God, she had to control herself. Tears stung like tiny daggers but she swallowed every one even as they sliced at her throat. She refused to cry in front of this man.
For the first time his eyes flicked away from her. ‘Do you or do you not require funding to complete your work?’
‘If you’ve discussed this with Tate, then you already know I do.’
‘Then consider it a favour for a favour,’ he said amiably, his gaze returning, eyes narrowed on her face.
‘A favour? What was the outcome of this meeting?’ Stupid, stupid question—but she needed him to say the words before she gave up all hope.
‘I informed Mr Tate that I would certainly consider providing the additional three point five million pounds of necessary funding if certain conditions were met. By you.’
‘You … You …’ The lab swirled before her eyes, gaining speed as if she were in the centre of a whirlwind. No. No. She was not going back. ‘I’ll find another way to get the money,’ she said, desperation blurring her mind. Don’t be stupid, Claudia. You need the money. Take the money. You just asked yourself what your parents have ever done for you…let them do this. But at what cost? Her heart? Her hard-won independence and the little pride she had left? ‘I will not be bought.’
The sides of his face pulsed as he clenched his jaw. ‘Then I shall withdraw the offer. You can go to Ryan Tate and explain your actions. Neither of you will find such a large sum of money within the next few days. I guarantee it. So tell me,’ he said, drawing it out, encompassing the room with one sweep of his hand, ‘just how important is your work, Claudia?’
Stomach cramping, she forced her heels into the ground to stop her body from doubling over.
The man was heartless. He knew how important her research was to her. Knew of her personal connection. And still he was nigh on blackmailing her! No, he was using her weakness against her. Bizarrely, instead of hatred she felt utter disappointment. In both of them. Why in Lucas she had no idea. But in herself it was the heart-pumping, blood-fizzing desire that brought her such misery. So there ended her life lesson on physical attraction. She couldn’t even trust her body to decipher the good from the bad. Then again, her body had let her down since she was ten years old.
‘What
