His Ultimate Prize - Майя Блейк

So, which is it to becompliance without question or physical restraints? Raven strolled towards Rafael, her gaze cool and collected.

The laughter that ripped from his throat felt surprisingly great. Hed had nothing to laugh about for far longer than he cared to remember. Several heads turned to watch him but he didnt care. He was more intrigued by the blush that spread over Ravens face.

He leaned in close. Do you think the angels are about to strike me down? Will you save me if they do? he asked, sotto voce.

No, Rafael. I think, based on your debauched past and irreverent present, all the saints will agree by now that youre beyond redemption. No one can save you.

Despite his bitter self-condemnation moments ago, hearing the words repeated so starkly caused Rafaels chest to tighten. Because, knowingly or unknowingly, shed struck a very large, very raw nerve.

Then tell me, Raven, if Im beyond redemption, what the hell are you doing here?

His Ultimate Prize

Maya Blake

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MAYA BLAKE fell in love with the world of the alpha male and the strong, aspirational heroine when she borrowed her sisters Mills & Boon® at age thirteen. Shortly thereafter the dream to plot a happy ending for her own characters was born. Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon is a dream come true. Maya lives in South East England with her husband and two kids. Reading is an absolute passion, but when she isnt lost in a book she likes to swim, cycle, travel and Tweet!

You can get in touch with her

via e-mail, at mayablake@ymail.com,

or on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mayablake

Recent titles by the same author:

MARRIAGE MADE OF SECRETS

THE SINFUL ART OF REVENGE

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Lucy Gilmour, for making my dream come true, and also because I know she loves bad boys!

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

PUT YOUR ARMS around me and hold on tight.

The rich, deep chuckle that greeted her request sent a hot shiver down Raven Blasss spine. The same deep chuckle she continually prayed she would grow immune to. So far, her prayers had gone stubbornly unanswered.

Trust me, bonita, I dont need guidance on how to hold a woman in my arms. I give instructions; I dont take them. Rafael de Cervantess drawled response was accompanied by a lazy drift of his finger down her bare arm and a latent heat in ice-blue eyes that constantly unnerved her with their sharp, unwavering focus.

With gritted teeth, she forced herself not to react to his touch. It was a test, another in a long line of tests hed tried to unsettle her with in the five weeks since hed finally called her and offered her this job.

Maintaining a neutral expression, she stood her ground. Well, you can do what I say, or you can stay in the car and miss your nephews christening altogether. After agreeing to be his godfather, Im sure you not turning up in church will go down well with your brother and Sasha.

As shed known it would, the mention of Sasha de Cervantess name caused the atmosphere to shift from toying-with-danger sexual banter to watch-it iciness. Rafaels hand dropped from her arm to grip the titanium-tipped walking stick tucked between his legs, his square jaw tightening as his gaze cooled.

Deep inside, in the other place where she refused to let anyone in, something clenched hard. Ignoring it, she patted herself on the back for the hollow victory. Rafael not touching her in any way but professionally was a good thing.

Recite. Repeat. Recite. Repeat

I didnt agree...exactly.

Her snort slipped out before she could stop it. Yeah, right. The likelihood of you agreeing to something youre not one hundred per cent content with is virtually nil. Unless...

His eyes narrowed. Unless what?

Unless Sasha had done the asking. Nothing. Shall we try again? Put your arms

Unless you want me to kiss that mouth shut, I suggest you can the instructions and move closer. For a start, youre too far away for this to work. If I move the wrong way and land on top of you, Ill crush you, you being such a tiny thing and all.

Im not tiny. She moved a step closer to the open doorway of the sleek black SUV, stubbornly refusing to breathe in too much of his disconcertingly heady masculine scent. Im five foot nine of solid muscle and bone and I can drop kick you in two moves. Think about that before you try anything remotely iffy on me.

The lethal grin returned. Dios, I love it when you talk dirty to me. Although my moves have never been described as iffy before. What does that even mean?

It means concentrate or this will never work.

Rafael, damn him, gave a low laugh, unsnapped his seat belt and slid one arm around her shoulders. Fine. Do with me what you will, Raven. Im putty in your hands.

With every atom in her body she wished she could halt the stupid blush creeping up her face, but that was one reaction shed never been able to control. In the distant past she tried every day to forget, it had been another source of callous mirth to her father and his vile friends. To one friend in particular, it had provoked an even stronger, terrifying reaction. Pushing away the unwelcome memory, she concentrated on the task at hand, her job.

Adjusting her position, she lowered her centre of gravity, slid an arm around Rafaels back and braced herself to hold his weight. Despite the injuries hed sustained, he was six foot three of packed, lean muscle, his body honed to perfection from years of carefully regimented exercise. She needed every single ounce of her physiotherapist training to ensure he didnt accidentally flatten her as promised.

She felt him wince as he straightened but, when she glanced at him, his face showed no hint of the pain she knew he must feel.

The head trauma and resulting weeks-long coma hed lain in after hed crashed his Premier X1 racing car and ended his world championship reign eight months ago had only formed part of his injuries. Hed also sustained several pelvic fractures and a broken leg that had gone mostly untreated while hed been unconscious, which meant his recovery had been a slow, frustrating process.