6
“Nathaniel Madden is a lying, cheating, sexist son of a bitch who has gotten away with many corrupt business deals, robbed the nation off its wealth and enslaves many children in Gabore” – the equivalent of Botswana – “mining diamonds to swell his already bursting bank accounts.”
Rachel could almost faint as she listened to herself drone on and on about Nate Madden, the man who was standing in front of the glass windows overlooking the skyline of Gem Hills with arms crossed as he watched her dig herself into a deep hole on his huge television. The same man who was willing – although now she was beginning to have doubts – to help her revive her career. He stood with his arms crossed watching the screen without paying attention to her but she could tell he was aware of her presence in his office because she could just detect that hint of smugness.
Should I say something? She thought. But what could she say when the taped interview of Celebrity, Lifestyle and Everything In-between was replaying her less than friendly words about him? What could she possibly say to him?
“Nate Madden is a wife beater and I hope his wife wins this divorce case and if Mr. Madden wins it will be a malicious attempt to prove that he can buy out any woman with his money, and the justice system too."
Rachel couldn’t help but cringe internally. She really had said that and the man she was talking about was still watching the taped show without saying a word. Finally, he tilted his head slightly to regard her. It occurred to her that she never actually met him in person. Yes, she had been invited to several occasions with him in attendance but she was never formally introduced to him. Now she realized she had been cheated. He was beautiful and sexy in every sense of the word. Gray eyes set deep, thick black brows slashed above them, a broad, straight nicely shaped nose, and full lips. She found herself staring at his lips before clearing her throat quickly belatedly realizing that he was watching her watch him.
“You are not a huge fan of mine are you?”
What she wanted to say was ‘Mr. Madden that show was scripted, I am a huge fan of everything you do’ even though that was a huge lie. What came out instead was, “Must suck to have one less slobbering woman after you uh?” her voice was smug.
He pretended to consider the question for a second then shrugged, “If I had to choose between having the whole nation hate me and having one less slobbering adoring woman, as you put it, the latter is the obvious choice.”
Touché, sir. Touché.
“Do you hate me?”
“Well, you represent everything I speak against. Power, greed, corruption, the list goes on but yes. I do.”
A dark brow went up. “And you represent virtue and principles? That wasn’t what the world saw when ranted on about sex with teenage boys.”
He was enjoying this far too much. Rachel observed the gleam in his eyes.
He uncrossed his hands and walked slowly toward the mahogany-rimmed glass table with the swivel leather chair behind it. Rachel thought his stride was like that of a proud Panther comfortable in his own territory. He didn’t seat though, merely dropped the remote on the table after switching off the TV.
“But contrary to popular opinion you are not guilty, are you?”
She hated that she found his voice as sexy as the powerful, lithe sexy body. Deep, firm, and controlled.
“In the eyes of all of Gem Hills, I am guilty. Well, what really happened was…”
“Have a seat, Miss. Rivers or Mrs. Henderson?”
She tilted her chin at his interruption and the rude reminder that she was getting divorced. He found it strangely…cute. No, he didn’t do cute. Sexy was his kind of thing and this woman didn’t fit into his category of sexy. Attractive, yes. Beautiful, yes. Intelligent, yes. Full figured in a way that drew his eyes to her body, yes. Yet she was the most outspoken during that messy divorce with Vera so she wasn’t sexy.
“I will stand.”
“Your legs are shaking,” he mildly pointed out. Indeed she was shaking not just because he was making her nervous but because she had been standing since his secretary wouldn’t invite her to sit.
With a miffed sniff, she walked over to the armchair that was a part of the less formal setting of the room and primly sat on it, drawing her legs together, and pressing her knees tightly. It was only then he realized that she was wearing pantyhose. It snuggly encased her legs like a second skin. It was ridiculous. Now that was sexy.
“So what do you want me for? You can’t possibly be trying to get me to do a different show of you where I would gush over your money because as you can see I’m currently jobless and no media firm, not even a newspaper, would hire a disgraced woman like me.”
“I can’t say I’m not happy about that. You are the reason I was in public eye for all the wrong reasons after all.”
“Well yes because I was the only one ready to say the truth about your abuse of Vera.”
He laughed. It was a mocking sound that chaffed on her already bristle pride. “My abuse of Vera?” he asked incredulously. He shouldn’t be surprised that she like everyone else who had been invested in the story of his messy divorce to the one woman he had ever married – had he loved her? – believed he abused Vera. What they had was mutual. His only regret was he hadn’t drawn up a contract. “Mrs. Rivers – can I call you Rivers since you would soon be single?” without waiting for an answer he went on, gray eyes angry and stormy. Though his expression remained controlled, Rachel could feel the tension radiating from him. “Permit my intrusion, but do you know what happens between a man and a woman in the privacy of their bedroom?”
Rachel decided the question was unexpected. She had been driven all the way from the cottage for this? She rose sharply to her feet.
“Mr. Madden, why am I here? You said you could help me get my life back, I didn’t know what to expect but I definitely was not expecting this. If you do not mind I will love to return to my cottage and my empty bar. I will probably get some wine and cheese along the way with which to drown my last hope.”
Before she could move he closed the distance between them. "Sit."
Rachel fell back a step, head tilted up to look into his eyes. Big mistake.
One thing was sure, Nathaniel Madden was hot as heck but he sure was not happy with her. She was suddenly getting a clearer picture as to why he had invited her to his office.
Revenge.
“Mr. Madden,” she began in a lowered tone. “If revenge is what you want you should know that I have nothing to lose anymore. I can’t find my dignity anymore. So unless you want to strip the meat off my bones to your satisfaction you must let me go.”
Peering deep into her eyes he leaned close until she could feel his breath on her face and smell the mint in his breath. He exuded such power that her heels didn’t seem high enough to take the edge beginning to creep on her confidence. Where was Rachel Rivers who stared down her nose as she tore Billionaires, politicians, actresses, and actors apart with her double-edged tongue?
She had to fight not to swallow hard but eventually, she gulped down, and with that came a deep inhale of his aroma.
Rich. Sweet. Intoxicating. Sexy.
No. No. No. Rachel, she thought. This is Nate Madden.
“Do you know what I promised myself when Vera Chang carted off with more than a quarter of my net worth after our divorce?” he asked in a low growl. Rachel knew it was time to be scared. “If we ever cross paths again, Mrs. Rivers, I won’t let you go so easily.”
