The Arrangement .(26)

“You’re the reason he needed it in the first place!” Alexa said in exasperation.

“Xander is the reason,” Leonardo said firmly. “Don’t pretend with me, and don’t let your loyalty to your brother cloud your judgment. He’s a great baker, but you’re the one who took after your father when it comes to running a business. What I did was for his own good and gave him a wake-up call. You know as well as I do that Xander is incapable of managing his business affairs.”

“You could have cut him a break. You could have used your influence to help him instead of hurt him.” Alexa shook her head slowly. “But we both know why you did that. You wanted to get back at me.”

“I don’t usually give orgasms to people I’m trying to get back at,” Leonardo said dryly.

Alexa straightened her spine, even more irritated by his comments. “Is that what all of this is to you—a big joke?”

Leonardo sobered. “There’s nothing funny about this situation. Your brother needed to be taught a lesson in business. He had two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the bank’s money, and he was mismanaging it, like he always does. You would have swooped in and taken care of the situation for him before too long, and then he wouldn’t have learned anything or grown as a business owner. Now, he’s debt free—he doesn’t owe the finance company a dime. He’s also learned a valuable lesson, and I’m sure once he gets the office manager in place, he’ll be even better off.”

“So you’ve done your good deed for the year?” Alexa asked snidely. “I don’t for one second believe you did that for the good of my brother.”

“As you well know, I wasn’t being completely altruistic.” He let his heated gaze run over her body once more. “I did get something out of it.”

When he lifted his eyes to hers, she could see the dilation of the pupils, a clear indication he was aroused.

“Me.” There was no need for confirmation.

To her shame, Alexa felt the answering heat in her body. Even her anger couldn’t prevent her from wanting him. She’d wanted him and wanted to be near him, so that was why she’d searched out his company earlier, only to uncover the ghastly truth that had brought her back into his life.

“So now we’re at a standoff,” Leonardo said softly. “You have another decision to make. Do you still want to walk away, or do you stay and finish out the terms we agreed on?”

All her foolish, optimistic hopes and dreams were smashed against the rocks of reality. Leonardo set it all up to get back at her and teach her brother a lesson. He was certainly determined to teach the siblings a lesson, according to his own educational policies.

It was time Leonardo was taught a lesson. He needed to learn the end didn’t justify the means, and he would no longer be able to coerce her into continuing her “wifely duties.”

“This time I’ll make the right choice.” She wished she could hide the tremor in her voice. “I’m leaving, Leo. Xander and I will figure something out about the money.”

An indefinable emotion flitted across his face. It was a combination of surprise and something else she couldn’t decipher.

“You’re not leaving,” he said, his tone hard, brooking no argument.

“What are you going to do? Tie me up and force me to stay here?”

His eyes lit up at the offhand question, and Alexa suddenly remembered their honeymoon in Paris and how he’d bound her to the bed. It was the one and only time they’d done it, but it had been insanely pleasurable.

She suddenly found it difficult to breathe, her chest moving up and down quickly as she fought to get more oxygen.

“Is that what you want, Alexa?” He shifted to stand upright. “Do you want me to tie you up and force you to stay?”

Yes. Because she would enjoy it. Because then she could blame him for what they would do the moment he put his hands on her.

“No,” Alexa said instead. “What I want is for you to leave me alone. I don’t …” She couldn’t say it. She couldn’t deny wanting him. It was such a blatant lie.

“Do you know what I want?” Leonardo asked in a lowered voice, taking a step toward her. She didn’t move, afraid if she did her legs wouldn’t support her. “I want you to stay.” He took another step forward, and now he was standing directly in front of her, looking down at her, all six feet three inches of magnificent male. “I want to put my fingers between your thighs and see if you’re already moist for me.”

She wished he wouldn’t say such things. It made her nipples perk up and chafe against the robe.